People keep mentioning the okra gift, and George Rhynes was kind enough
to video it for
his blog, K.V.C.I.,
so here it is.
I suggested to VLCIA as I earlier did
to the Lowndes County Commission
that they hang up a clock so people can see how much more
time they have to speak.
You can see Crawford Powell lurking in the doorway. Joyce Evans was also
in the hallway at this VLCIA meeting.
That’s 2 out of 3 voting Lowndes County
Commissioners.
Maybe VLCIA will get organized enough to find chairs for them next time.
Finally, I gave new executive director Andrew Schruijer a present.
Crawford Powell suggested it was potatoes.
Nope, this time it’s okra!
Picked it myself that morning.
If somebody puts a subdivision next to your field, beware of trash,
and the same if you buy a lot in it.
For that matter, why do we need more houses?
Some of what I said:
To expand a little bit on that subdivision next to
our west field,
one of the builders continued to push trash into our field
until I had to sue him for trespass in
Superior Court to get him to stop.
I meant to say in Magistrate’s Court.
I called code enforcement multiple times and
they did nothing to help stop it.
Now that there’s a new fire chief perhaps things are better,
but anybody who’s got a field nearby might want to watch for that.
Anyone who hopes to buy houses in the subdivision might want to
watch to see if there are any dumpsters in there,
because the subdivision near us, the trash was buried in the yards;
you can ask anyone who owns one of those lots.
As far as needing houses for Moody, there are usually ten houses
for sale in that subdivision, and roughtly 10 or 15 more that are for rent.
So it’s not clear we actually need more houses.
As far as lot size, this is the same issue as came up last year
with Glen Laurel on Old Pine Road.
…
The room was filled with people
for the same reasons that you’re hearing now.
At that time the commission decided to say ….
Outgoing chairman Jerry Jennett asked nominating committee chair Tom Call
to read the slate of officers discussed
last time
to server for FYE 2012.
They were:
Roy Copeland Chairman, Mary Gooding Vice-Chairman, and Norman Bennett Secretary-Treasurer.
The board voted unanimous to approve that slate, and Jennett
practically threw the hot potato gavel to new
Chairman Roy Copeland.
John Robinson congratulated Roy Copeland for accepting the position
as chair of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)
and said:
We’re looking forward to working along with you guys,
because we truly need the help now on
the other side of the railroad track over there.
…
And we do believe that if everyone try to work together
we can get something done.
Received a thank you from John Robinson of the Black Businessmen’s Association during the Citizens to be Heard portion of the meeting for agreeing to work with small and emerging businesses, with the goal of removing the “social divide” in the city;
Small emerging businesses —Mr. Robinson @ VLCIA 19 July 2011
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Tom Call, Roy Copeland chairman, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett,
Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Jordan Leman is a student at VSU who had just spoken to the
Valdosta City Council in Citizens to be Heard, at the same
regular session yesterday where they approved putting referendum
about Sunday alcohol sales on November’s ballot.
“…try to get as many college students and as many non-college students
here in Valdosta and Lowndes County
to go out and vote for it or to go register to vote.
…
Get the word out to go vote on Sunday sales.”
Valdosta City Council just passed motion for alcohol referendum —Jordan Leman
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 21 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Buying alcohol on Sundays just got one step closer to reality Thursday evening, with the Valdosta City Council’s passage of an ordinance to authorize a referendum for the Nov. 8 General Election.
The referendum will allow voters in the city of Valdosta to decide whether package sales of malt beverages, wine and distilled spirits should be allowed by retailers on Sundays between 12:30 and 11:30 p.m. Currently, citizens can purchase alcoholic beverages on Sundays at local restaurants. This measure, approved by the state of Georgia’s legislature this year, will allow package and grocery stores, and other retailers, to sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays.
The measure passed 5 to 1, with Councilman Robert Yost opposing. Councilman Deidre White was not in attendance.
The only real public dialog about unification or education that
I’ve heard of
was at the May 2011 Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP) meeting,
organized by LCDP Chair Gretchen Quarterman.
You can see it either of two ways:
Through the YouTube video
playlist.
Each video has a link to the relevant blog post.
School unification dialog at Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP)
Videos by John S. Quarterman, Jim Parker, Gretchen Quarterman, 2 May 2011.
At that LCDP meeting I pointed out
that the CUEE education committee was not scheduled to report back
until after the proposed referendum vote, and nobody had any rebuttal.
Thanks to all who helped —Jerry Jennett @ VLCIA 19 July 2011
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Tom Call, Roy Copeland chairman, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett,
Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Dr. Noll, president of WACE, welcomed VLCIA’s new executive director Andrea Schruijer, and
then reminded the board that the honking cars outside
indicated an ongoing community assessment of biomass,
and he encouraged them to consider previously presented
materials and to prevent the biomass plant from
finding a back door to come back in.
He remarked that he had visited his mother in Germany:
One and half years ago she was in the intensive care unit for about three weeks
because she had severe lung issues.
She moved away after that
to an area where there isn’t the kind of air pollution she was
exposed to before hand,
and every single day she wakes up she feels like she’s on vacation.
Because of my mother —Dr. Noll @ VLCIA 19 July 2011
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Tom Call, Roy Copeland chairman, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett,
Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
These videos are not all labeled, which is unfortunate,
since some of them reflect quite well on some things the
Industrial Authority is doing.
But after all, they have paid staff who could be taking,
labelling, and posting their own videos, and
their new executive director says she wants transparency,
so who knows? Maybe VLCIA will do this kind of thing themselves.
They meet again tonight. You could go ask them.
Irregular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Acting Executive Director,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 June 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
The town of Quartzsite, AZ, population 3,466, is in disarray after a
video showing police hauling away a citizen for speaking at the town
meeting podium went viral. The woman was saying that the town council
had been violating open meeting laws.
It was the second citizen arrested at a Quartzsite town meeting in two weeks.
Finally, I gave new executive director Andrew Schruijer a present.
Crawford Powell suggested it was potatoes.
Nope, this time it’s okra!
Picked it myself that morning.
