Tag Archives: LAKE

The VDT was kind in their reporting —Jessica Bryan Hughes

This speaker talked about when her mother took her to volunteer at the old shelter, and how bad it was, then about how the current shelter started.
When I moved back to Valdosta five years ago, I couldn’t believe the change. A real shelter and animal control officers that had compassion. I personally know some current and former animal control officers. They are caring compassionate people with a deep love of their jobs.

When I read about the cruelty and neglect allegations in the paper, I couldn’t believe we had reverted back 25 years.

So she looked into it, requesting the files from the Dept. of Agriculture.
What I received was a slap in the face. The Valdosta Daily Times was kind in their reporting….
You can listen to her yourself. Continue reading →

If we can’t take care of animals and children…. —Cheryl Hatcher

If taxpayer money isn’t being used to defend the defenseless, what should it be used for?

Cheryl Hatcher said she has been involved with Humane Society for a long time (which the Chairman vouched for) and was among those who actually helped build the shelter.

There have been many discussions and conversations about things not being done properly at the shelter. And I really urge that you investigate what’s going on in the shelter. I applaud you for putting cameras in the tack room, although I think it’s been way too long to do that, but I applaud you for doing that.

I really think that it is not a waste of taxpayers’ money when you’re investigating to make sure that animals will be taken care of properly. If we can’t take care of animals and children, then the world is going to suffer.

I think that if it’s necessary to put cameras in the tack room there are bigger problems that need to be taken care of at higher levels.

Here’s the video:


If we can’t take care of animals and children…. — Cheryl Hatcher
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 24 May 2011.
Videos by Johh S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Neglect, abuse, suffering, falsifying documents — Susan Leavins @ LCC 24 May 2011

The animal shelter story isn’t just about animals. It’s also about mismanagement. It’s even about prison labor competing with local labor.

After Susan Leavins read from her statement to the Department of Agriculture about a starving horse, pigs castrated without pain relievers or antibiotics, and maggots in wounds, Chairman Paulk advised her she had one minute left. Then she got to her main point: Continue reading →

You’re looking at an animal lover —Ashley Paulk @ LCC 24 May 2011

Lowndes County Commission Chairman said he was the first member of the local Humane Society and he promised:
Whatever problems there are, they’re going to be resolved.
For background, see County Animal Shelter Issues.

And remember, last year Ashley Paulk said he is code enforcement.

Here’s the video:


You’re looking at an animal lover —Ashley Paulk @ LCC 24 May 2011
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 24 May 2011.
Videos by Johh S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Boy Scouts and Board Appointments: @ LCC 24 May 2011

Those board appointments will affect all of us for some time to come. Here are videos of all of the 24 May 2011 Lowndes County Commission meeting except the citizens talking about the animal shelter; those will follow.

Remember, much of the discussion already happened the previous morning in the work session.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Laws relevant to Foxborough McDonald’s —Vince Schneider

He’s back from Afghanistan and has a new plan to fight McDonald’s. Vince Schneider asked the County Commission for an ordinance about hours.

After quoting from the U.S. Tenth and Fourth Amendments and talking about privacy rights, he read similar passages from the Georgia Constitution, and this one, from Section II. Origin and Structure of Government:

All government, of right, originates with the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole. Public officers are the trustees and servants of the people and are at all times amenable to them.
He then read a definition of ordinance, and noted that many ordinances deal with issues of safety, health, morals, etc.

His recommendation: for the Commission to pass an ordinance limiting hours of operation for such type of enterprises.

That’s the county attorney visible directly past Schneider (under the microphone). Of course it’s the commissioners who must propose and pass any ordinance. That will require Continue reading →

County Animal Shelter Issues —Joe Pritchard @ LCC Work Session 23 May 2011

In his County Manager’s report at the work session this morning, Joe Pritchard reported on:
Issues that I think you’ve heard about… animal shelter.
Presumably the issues reported by David Rodock in the 15 May 2011 Valdosta Daily Times Animal shelter probed Use of drugs investigated; employees speak out and by Gabrielle Sarann for WCTV on 19 May 2011 Lowndes County Animal Shelter Probed: The Georgia Department of Agriculture is keeping an eye on an area animal shelter and has cited it for several violations
“I’ve seen a lot of the animals come in the shelter and not got vet care and sometimes that comes in the form of euthanasia,” says Susan Leavens, an animal control officer for Lowndes County.

This led several Lowndes County Animal Shelter employees to file a complaint with the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

It launched an investigation citing the facility for not providing humane care.

Joe Pritchard continued in his report:

August of 2010 the Department of Agriculture called me and asked for a meeting about issues of concern. They expressed those issues centered around maintenance of records … what was classified as humane treatment.
Mr. Pritchard referred to “specific castration of a pot-bellied pig”. He didn’t say whether he considered that inhumane treatment; he merely discussed it after referring to things “classified as humane treatment”.

He continued: Continue reading →

Appointments, Alcohol, and Animals @ LCC Work Session 23 May 2011

Here is the entire Lowndes County Commission Work Session from this morning, the same day it happened. VDT or WCTV or WALB could do this. Or the Commission itself could. But since they don’t, LAKE did, and now you can see them dealing with appointmments, alcohol, and animals.

If you have concerns about anything that happened, or anything else related to the county government, there’s a regular meeting Tuesday evening.

Videos are interspersed among the agenda items:

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MAY 23, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
Continue reading →

Diff Operating Budget —Tom Call @ VLCIA 17 May 2011

Usually silent VLCIA board member Tom Call got a board meeting agenda item:
Mr. Jerry and I met on May the second to review the… I was kind of educating myself as to the current operating budget and how it applies… goes into forming next year’s budget…. There’s just a few differences from the 2011 budget to the proposed 2012 budget.
He listed a couple of items:
Line item 32: Park maintenance.
Miller Business Park is added for this year.
Below line 51: Signage.
“Improve signage at some of our entrances.”
Chairman Jerry Jennett asked board members to take it home, redline it, and bring it back for a vote next meeting.

Here’s the video:


Diff Operating Budget —Tom Call @ VLCIA 17 May 2011
Regular 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, 17 May 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Clearly audible outside are people honking at the biomass protesters.

OMG! VLCIA has finally put Continue reading →

2011 Economic Summit @ VLCIA 17 May 2011

Col. Ricketts reported he was on a panel at the 2011 Economic Summit which was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, and that he got a copy of a report by the VSU Center for Business and Economic Research about how the local area compares with others.

Mary Gooding said Col. Ricketts represented VLCIA very well.

If VLCIA knew how to do PR, this would have been a great PR opportunity for them to publicize.

Meanwhile, WALB and VDT reported on the event itself.

Here’s the video:


2011 Economic Summit @ VLCIA 17 May 2011
Regular 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, 17 May 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq