These are the open records that me and another animal control officer sent to GDA and I also have Amanda Jordans Statement if you would like that. Please excuse some of the language in my statement she (pat smith GDA inspector) told me to write it like it was said….Here they are on the LAKE web pages.
These records include much more detail than what we’ve heard before.
After reading them, do you think installing a few cameras is adequate to deal with this situation?
-jsq
This is ridiculous.This comment came in yesterday on Proposed Lowndes County Budget published by LAKE.
- Why make it hard to obtain the budget?
- What is the “Bird Supper”?
- Why is the County Attorney $100k over budget?
- Why don’t I see those cameras listed for the Animal Shelter?
-Jessica Bryan Hughes
Megan McArdle wrote in the Atlantic 21 June 2011, Georgia’s Harsh Immigration Law Costs Millions in Unharvested Crops. She started by quoting Jay Bookman, who quoted the VDT. She then goes into the economics:
Yes, that would be the problem. A law that benefits private prison company CCA at the expense of Georgia taxpayers while putting Georgia farmers out of business.The economics here aren’t particularly complicated, and I’m sure they won’t be new to the sophisticated readers of the Atlantic, but they are useful to look at and consider explicitly when thinking about issues like this.
It goes like this. If you’re not going to let illegal immigrants do the jobs they are currently being hired to do, then farmers will have to raise wages to replace them. Since farmers are taking a risk in hiring immigrant workers, you can bet they were getting a significant deal on wage costs relative to “market wages”. I put market wages here in quotations, because it’s quite possible that the wages required to get workers to do the job are so high that it’s no longer profitable for farmers to plant the crops in the first place.
She concludes: Continue reading
“Maybe this should have been prepared for, with farmers’ input. Maybe the state should have discussed the ramifications with those directly affected. Maybe the immigration issue is not as easy as &lquo;send them home,&rquo; but is a far more complex one in that maybe Georgia needs them, relies on them, and cannot successfully support the state’s No. 1 economic engine without them.”Except of course HB 87 doesn’t just send them home: it also locks up as many as it can catch, to the profit of private prison company CCA, at the expense of we the taxpayers.
That’s as quoted by Jay Bookman in the AJC 17 June 2011, Ga’s farm-labor crisis playing out as planned:
Continue readingAfter enacting House Bill 87, a law designed to drive illegal immigrants out of Georgia, state officials appear shocked to discover that HB 87 is, well, driving a lot of illegal immigrants out of Georgia.
It might be funny if it wasn’t so sad.
The blogger then goes on to quote Georgia Code, which only brings in the word “maliciously” for higher fines or imprisonment for aggravated cruelty to animals.I beg to differ with Mr. Pritchard’s opinion regarding “malicious intent”.
Lowndes County Manager Joe Pritchard says, “I don’t believe through our investigation, nor through any info we received from the Department of Ag, are able to indicate any malicious intent.”
Mr. Pritchard should understand that it matters not if this was done with “malicious intent” or not. “Malicous intent” should be determined by the investigating criminal agency, not a county manager. “Malicious Intent” is only important in determining whether the crime should be filed as a felony, or a misdemeanor.
The law is crystal clear regarding the denial of necessary medical care, and/or humane euthanasia, for any animal deemed to be in need of such. Any time a shelter impounds/houses a live animal, the shelter is required, by law, to afford that animal with humane care – to include necessary medical care or treatment.
The blogger summarizes: Continue reading
Yesterday:
Tomorrow will be a week and I have had no response! Very disappointing.-Jane Osborn
Today:
Continue readingMrs. Osborn,
Thank you so much for your support. The County manager and several county employees interviewed all the workers after a drug screen was conducted on all employees back in late august of 2010. Several (4) employees advised the people conducting the investigation (Joe Prichard, Mickey Tillman, Page Dukes and Suzanne Pittman) of the charges brought to the Department of Agriculture. From the
From: “Jane Osborn”
Date: Thu, 26 May 2011 23:21:09 -0400
Subject: criminal issuesHere is what I just sent to the Sheriff’s office by email:
If the commissioners will not handle this, perhaps law enforcement will. JaneI wanted to ask if someone who witnessed the alleged abuse of animals at the Lowndes County Animal Shelter has to make a direct report to law enforcement for an investigation to be started or if second-hand information from the media would be good enough. I will include a link to a video of the testimony of a shelter officer at the Lowndes County Commission meeting this week. I am under the impression that animal abuse is a criminal offense and that just having these reports go to the Department of Agriculture will only result in a fine for the shelter, not resolution of possible criminal wrongdoing.
Here is the link: http://lake.typepad.com/on-the-lake-front/2011/05/neglect-abuse-suffering-falsifying-documents-susan-leavins-lcc-24-may-2011.html
Please let me know if it is possible for a criminal investigation can be started to find out the truth about allegations of animal cruelty and abuse.
Thank you. Jane Osborn
Jane F. Osborn, MSSW
Valdosta, GA
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
Aaron Gould Sheinin wrote in the AJC Monday 2 May 2011, Deal signs bill allowing public-private reservoirs
Yes, but trumping up a fake budget crisis by giving tax breaks to people who don’t need them and then using it to privatize public infrastructure for corporate profit at taxpayer expense is not the way to do it.Partnerships between public authorities and private enterprise to build new reservoirs are now legal in Georgia under legislation Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law Monday.
Senate Bill 122 “is particularly useful at times such as these when budget cutbacks hinder our ability to invest in new infrastructure,” Deal said at a Georgia Chamber of Commerce luncheon in his honor. “This stretches public dollars by attracting partners to move forward with public works projects that will benefit the citizens of the state for generations.”
Lawmakers approved $46 million in bond money in the state budget that takes effect July 1 to help facilitate the construction of new reservoirs. Deal said he hopes to increase that to $300 million over the next several years.
“Increasing our water supply in terms of holding that supply is critical for meeting our future needs,” Deal said.
Wait, it gets even better: Continue reading
THat was my post. an attempt to reach out and help explain a few things. the video, as was al evidence in the case was exchanged durig the discovery part of the motion. the video should be with that.I have asked him whether an open records request would produce the video. Back to the original post. -jsq
Continue readingWith all due respect to Leigh’s version of the arrest – and it is all on video, it happened in the end by way of self – executing mode. After repeated requests for the group to relinquish the podium and rose stating each time that they will not and we “must do what we have to do”. the Mayor asked if there was any objection from Council or city manager or attorney if WE allow Chief Frank Simons to approach the crowd and do what he sees necessary to allow the meeting to continue efficiently and effectively. There was some discussion and then John Fason (Cmdr.) asked if anyone wants to go to jail – to follow him. and they all did – no cuffs, no restraints. Peacefully. That’s it. and all on video for all to see. With respect to the charges filed, they were old STATE charges and were ruled out as overbroad and (something else). That was fine. There was an appeal by the solicitor General and again the old STATE laws were ruled overbroad and (something else). as they should have been. We have our own local laws and ordinances now that have been tested strong in court.
and now here it the Paul Harvey moment…