Tag Archives: Gretchen Quarterman

Videos: Mostly trash, plus 3 appointments, 1 rezoning, 2 wastewater @ LCC 2013-06-11

Once again the big topic was trash, and it wasn’t on the agenda.


The Chairman made up a rule to limit citizen speakers to

15 minutes total.
After five citizens managed to speak anyway, all to applause, and
the owner of Deep South Sanitation
got a standing ovation,
the Commissioners offered

nothing but excuses.

Here’s

the agenda, plus links to the videos and a few notes.
See also the
videos of the previous morning’s Work Session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2013, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2013, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Paul Alvarado, Attorney, for ZBOA @ LCC 2013-06-10

Another board, another incumbent reappointed. Paul Alvarado, Attorney for ZBOA @ LCC 2013-06-10 Now
I’m not saying that’s a bad thing: experience and continuity can be
useful. But I do think applicants could say more about why they
want the job and Commissioners could ask a few questions about
their experience on the board. At least applicants are mostly
showing up to speak; that’s an improvement.

5.c. Valdosta/Lowndes County Zoning Board of
Appeals

At the

10 June 2013 Work Session, Zoning
Administrator Carmella Braswell introduced applicant Paul
Alvarado. He said he had been serving since 2007, and was not only
a voting member of ZBOA, but also had been providing legal
advice.

Now I have used Alvarado as an attorney, and have Continue reading →

Library Board candidates set an example @ LCC 2013-06-10

Three unscheduled candidates for the Lowndes County Library Board
set examples for informative applications to an appointed board.



At the

10 June 2013 Work Session
the Chairman did clearly say library board appointments were not on the agenda
but would be at their next meeting.
He didn’t define “next meeting”, but he meant two weeks later,
when it is indeed

on the agenda for this morning and tomorrow evening.


Back two weeks ago,

South Georgia Regional Library Director Kelly Lenz
said two nominees were present for two vacant positions.
Then she named three people: Jack Hartley, Linda Most, and Matt Lawrence.

Jack Hartley’s

LinkedIn profile
says he is “Franchsie Owner of Home Instead Senior Care, Valdosta, Georgia”.
He said: Continue reading →

Emily Macheski-Preston for Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful @ LCC 2013-06-11

As usual, an incumbent on an appointed board asked to be reappointed and was.


She did show up and speak, although she said more when she was first appointed.

5.b. Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful Board



At the

10 June 2013 Work Session,
County Manager Joe Pritchard noted Continue reading →

Molly Deese for Convention Center and Tourism Authority @ LCC 2013-06-10



Do we have designated positions for specific local businesses on our appointed boards?
It sure looks like it, at least for Wild Adventures.


5.a. Valdosta/Lowndes County Conference Center and Tourism Authority



At the Work Session 10 June 2013
County Manager Joe Pritchard said Commissioners had a letter of resignation
from Bob Montgomery from VLCCCTA,
and a letter (he didn’t say from whom)
recommending Molly Deese to replace Montgomery.
Pritchard said Deese had been “filling in” for Montgomery at VLCCCTA.
Interesting. So Wild Adventures can send someone unappointed to fill in
on an appointed board?



He didn’t say who Deese is, but she is Continue reading →

2 appointments, 3 public hearings, 9 considerations, and 2 bids @ LCC 2013-06-24

Who’s applying to be appointed Tuesday evening?


The Commission doesn’t tell you.
Come to the Work Session Monday morning and maybe you’ll be able
to hear the County Manager mumble the names, if he names them.
Those

library board applicants from two weeks ago are finally

on the agenda.
Also

an appointment to Parks and Rec,
three liquor licenses, and many other items,
but nothing about solid waste or trash.

Here’s the agenda:



LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

PROPOSED AGENDA

WORK SESSION, MONDAY, JUNE 24, 2013, 8:30 a.m.

REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 2013, 5:30 p.m.

327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor

Continue reading →

Now with sound! @ LCC 2013-06-10

After the soundless

10 June 2013 Lowndes County Commission Work Session,
Gretchen requested,
County Clerk Paige Dukes promised and a few days later delivered,
sound recordings on CDs of both that meeting and the next day’s

Regular Session.
LAKE thanks the County Clerk for those recordings.
Gretchen has integrated the county sound with the LAKE video recordings
and I have updated

the Work Session blog post. But what about state open records law?


Two CDs of sound recordings

These CDs demonstrate the county does make recordings
of the Commission meetings, at least of sound.
The County Clerk told Gretchen the recordings are erased after the Clerk
is finished with them.
Hm, since such recordings are records of public meetings, wouldn’t
that make them public open records?
And if they are, wouldn’t destroying them be illegal?

According to

state law on the GA Secretary of State’s website:

Continue reading →

Adjourn into trash excuses @ LCC 2013-06-11

Citizens still wanted to talk about solid waste after the


Commission adjourned the Tuesday 11 June 2013

Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.
Commissioners offered nothing but excuses.


Page asks for Wright to stay behind
Commissioner Page asked for

Mr. Wright
to stay behind so he could talk to him.
The Chairman adjourned; I didn’t hear or see any motion or second or vote.
Aren’t those required by state law?

Motion to adjourn? --Chairman Slaughter

The subsequent excuses included:

It’s not about right or wrong anymore.

Nevermind that most of the people in the room thought it was,
as well as many of the citizens and voters in the county.

We have to follow the process.

Nevermind they didn’t hold Continue reading →

Lowndes County vs. Deep South Sanitation this morning

The county government’s attempt to put a local business out of business
is this 9:30 AM at the county palace this morning 14 June 2013.

Physical Address:

Courtroom 5D, Fifth Floor

Lowndes County Judicial Complex

327 N. Ashley Street

Valdosta, GA 31601


WALB’s earlier story said June 4th, but now it’s June 14th (today),
because Lowndes County Attorney Walter Elliott is also an attorney
for Turner County in the
LOST case before the GA Supreme Court,
and he was going to be
in Atlanta arguing before the Supreme Court
on June 4th.
Funny how everything is done for the convenience of the county
government, and not for its citizens.

Maybe we should change that.

-jsq

A metropolitan area needs better than trash government –John S. Quarterman

My LTE in the VDT Thursday.
I’ve added links to some of my inspirations. -jsq



Local leaders worked hard to get the

Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area declared.
Why now are they acting like a Ludowici
speed trap for local businesses?

The Lowndes County Commission shouldn’t act like a private business
trying to exclude anybody it doesn’t like. State law says local
governments are supposed to have open bids and public hearings. A
promise (in the VDT) in

March 2013 of a non-exclusive contract for
trash collection turned into

exclusive in October; at least two of
the five bidders are now the same company; and the county

is suing

Applause
a

local business to the profit of

a company owned by investors in New York City.
Meanwhile,

no public accounting has ever been seen of the

former waste collection sites and

no public hearing was held before
they closed, despite state law.

Business exists to make a profit. Government exists to provide
public services like law enforcement, water, sewers, roads, and yes,
trash collection. Sure, balanced books are good. But money isn’t the
main point of government: providing what the people need is, and

the people didn’t ask the county to exchange the waste collection
centers for lower prices

that won’t last.



Businesses (except monopolies)
have to Continue reading →