Tag Archives: Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

Era of good feelings at County Commission

Shutting down debate didn’t work, so now we have the era of good feelings at the County Commission. Here Chairman Ashley Paulk thanks Dr. Michael Noll for a previous meeting:


Regular meeting of the Lowndes County Commission, 8 February 2011,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Some of us did wonder when next thing was Noll’s microphone went off. But that was apparently just a technical failure, which continued for a while during the meeting.

I commend Chairman Paulk for his recent civil and, as Commissioner Lee used to say, “adult-like manner.”

However, as County Manager Joe Pritchard reminded everyone later at the County Commission retreat, the county government is still having a bit of difficulty adjusting to all this recent transparency. Let’s help them by showing them by example on many topics that the road of respect goes both ways.

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Say no to grants and shut off debate on biomass –Nolen Cox, LCC, 8 Feb 2011

Local resident Nolen Cox says government grants are more addictive than drugs, and “all the federal money is my tax money.” He mentions federal debt, and lists only social programs. Regarding grants, he’s specifically referring to a proposal to accept a grant for NOAA weather radios, which we’ll come back to later.

His other topic is that he thinks we need more oil, more nuclear, and biomass. His recommendation: “I would stop discusssing it.” He thinks it’s like global warming, which he thinks is a lie. He sums up:

Build the plant, employ people, get on with the program.
It’s interesting that these are about the best arguments biomass proponents have. Perhaps he’s not aware that shutting off the debate was tried recently and doesn’t seem to be working too well. Here’s the video.


Regular meeting of the Lowndes County Commission, 8 February 2011,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

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Wiregrass Solar LLC –J. Stephen Gupton, VLCIA, 15 Feb 2011

Deploying on a solar plant does require a bit of legal work, and the attorney’s report at the February VLCIA board meeting mostly consisted of talk about completion of lease and sublease agreements with Wiregrass Solar LLC. What’s that, you may wonder, if you’re used to hearing about Wiregrass Power LLC, the shell corporation VLCIA contracted with for the biomass plant. That one still exists, but according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s office, Wiregrass Solar LLC was registered 19 May 2010. The agent is the same as for the other shell cojmpany: Tammi Cody, 3500 Parkway Lane Suite 500, Norcross GA 30092. The agent county is given as Gwinnett.

Here’s the video:


Regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, VLCIA,
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director,
Allan Ricketts Program Manager, 15 February 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

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Turning on Wiregrass Solar –Col. Ricketts

At the February VLCIA board meeting, Col. Ricketts said groundbreaking for the solar plant is scheduled for February 21st with production less than two months after that.

Here you can see his timeline slide.

It’s a bit hard to read, but he mentioned at least these items:

  • Site preparation starts 16 Feb 2011.
  • Groundbreaking Monday 21st Feb 2011.
  • Commissioning ceremony and turn the switch on Wednesday 16th April 2011.
Apparently deploying a solar plant takes a lot less time than some types of projects. You can watch and listen to his presentation: Continue reading →

Air pollution and children –Dr. Noll, VCC, 10 Feb 2011

Dr. Noll talks about air pollution and children. He asks if the council thinks numerous medical associations and doctors are lying to us. Mayor Fretti asks if that’s a rhetorical question. Dr. Noll indicates Rev. Rose and others seem quite disappointed in lack of response. Mayor Fretti falls back on process.


Regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

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Environmental apartheid and envieronmental racism –Leigh Touchton, VCC, 10 Feb 2011

NAACP reiterates charges of environmental racism, despite claims from Brad Lofton, Executive Director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, that “all of a sudden we haven’t heard anymore about environmental racism.” Leigh Touchton, president of the local NAACP chapter, presents to the Valdosta City Council research published by Robert D. Bullard about environmental apartheid.


Regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
She posted the appended as a comment on the previous LAKE post about Robert D. Bullard’s report.

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Dear Mr. Quarterman:
Continue reading →

VSU Advanced Journalism Class, VCC, 10 Feb 2011

Mayor Fretti welcomes a VSU advanced journalism class, as well as David Rodock of the VDT, while Gretchen pans around the room. Hm, advanced journalism: maybe they’d like to video events?


Regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

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VLCIA board meeting today

The Valdosta Lowndes County Industrial Authority board meets tonight:
All Meetings will be held at 5:30pm in the Industrial Authority Conference Room, 2110 N. Patterson Street, unless otherwise notified.
I would post a link to their agenda, if they had it online, but they don’t.

Meanwhile, here they are.

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Roy Copeland
Roy Copeland 		Tom Call
Tom Call 		Mary B. Gooding
Mary Gooding 		Norman Bennett
Norman Bennett 		Jerry Jennett
Jerry Jennett,
Chairman

Principles for which I live –Floyd Rose

Floyd Rose spoke to the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011. First he told the bus story, which is about how he became an activist many years ago. Then he said this part, transcribed by George Rhynes:
“I came home to Valdosta in 1995, and I found just outside of these walls; a plaque that read; the mayor and council shall make all appropriate and necessary laws; for the control of slaves; and free men of color.

That plaque was removed reluctantly; at the urging of Mr. George Rhynes; while the plaque; has been removed! I have discovered; that the policy that gave birth to that plaque are still in place; and one of the policies is the one that I told you about two weeks ago; or perhaps three weeks ago now. That would not; and could not abide by; because it was designed only for the purpose of controlling the citizens of this city and that I would never be bought and I would never be bossed as a matter of conscience.

Now it was suggested; at the end of the last meeting; that some of us come before you; ah making a grand stand; and somehow creating theater. It was suggested that Floyd Rose just wants to be arrested. I have been arrested before; I spent twenty-five long hours in solitary confinement in the Lowndes County Jail; because of you; and anybody with any common sense; would never want to go to the Lowndes County Jail to spend any time. That is foolishness and it’s crazy!


Regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 20 February 2011
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Rev. Rose continued: Continue reading →

“we can limit them to one area” –Joe Pritchard

On the front page of the paper VDT today County Manager Joe Pritchard proposes further restrictions on citizens in public County Commission meetings:
“We cannot stop anybody from taking video of a session; but we can limit them to one area; it’s distracting to us and to citizens to have somebody running around the session trying to get different angles,” said Joe Pritchard, county manager.
The only person I’ve seen running around the session trying to get different angles is Paige Dukes, County Clerk. Will she now be prohibited from coming out from behind the bar to take pictures of awards and such?

Why they can’t stop anybody from taking video, according to Georgia law, O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1-c.:

“Visual, sound, and visual and sound recording during open meetings shall be permitted.”
Some courts do put some restrictions on visual recordings, such as prohibiting pictures of jurors. But the Lowndes County Commission is not a court. It is the only elected body for the entire county, and thus the only public forum at which citizens can peacefully assemble to petition their local government for redress of county-wide grievances.

Does the Commission really want to put more restrictions on citizens in its meetings, even though a constitutional scholar is questioning the constitutionality of the rules they recently passed? Rules which limit the number of speakers in Citizens Wishing to be Heard to 10 and Continue reading →