Tag Archives: Lowndes County Commission

Industrial Authority debts could force Lowndes County to raise taxes

A mil here, a mil there; soon we’re into real money! Can the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA) commit we the local taxpayers to a $150 million bond issue for a private company like the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority just did? Maybe.

VLCIA has already issued $15 million in bonds for which apparently the Lowndes County Commission has committed the county, that is, we the taxpayers, to pay the debt service. That comes out of VLCIA’s one mil of dedicated tax income. But according to the intergovernmental contract, it’s actually not even just from VLCIA’s current millage:

Section 4.4 Security for Contract Payments and for Bonds.

(a) The obligation of the County to make the payments required pursuant to Section 4.1(a) hereof shall be a general obligation of the County for which its full faith and credit is pledged, and shall be payable from any lafully available funds, subject to the Tax Funding Limit. In particular, the County agrees to levy an annual tax on all taxable property located within its boundaries, as now existent and as the same may be extended, at such rate or rates, as limited by the Tax Funding Limit, as and when it may be necessary to provide the County with sufficient revenues to make all payments required to be made by the County under this Contract.
The current VLCIA millage is one mil, or about $3 million a year, collected by the county in property taxes and handed over to VLCIA.

But VLCIA’s charter says (in Section 5): Continue reading →

I am disappointed these matters are being swept under the rug —Susan Leavens

These comments came in yesterday and today on Find out the truth about allegations of animal cruelty and abuse. -jsq

Yesterday:

Tomorrow will be a week and I have had no response! Very disappointing.

-Jane Osborn

Today:

Mrs. 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

Continue reading →

I think that addresses the issues —Joe Pritchard

In David Rodock’s VDT story on the animal shelter tour Joe Pritchard made the case for cameras:
“It’s no longer a case of an individual making a claim, as it will be evident by the physical evidence provided by the security cameras,” said Pritchard. “The standard operating procedures such as frequency of inspection of the animals and how often an animal will be reviewed or examined, along with the veterinarian care, have been revised to the general procedures set by guidelines of the Department of Agriculture and the animal control ordinance we adopted several years ago.”

“You take that policy, coupled with the updated standard operating procedures, added to the technical verification and I think that addresses the issues,” said Pritchard. “My purpose is to eliminate any problem or potential problem.”

Sounds to me like he’s saying the issues are resolved. Remember, “resolved” is the word Chairman Paulk used a few hours before.

If anyone is interested in watching the watchers, the animal control ordinance is online.

-jsq

VDT incorporates video into animal shelter tour report

Guess they thought a good time to start in-line YouTube video was when they could show kitties and puppies. Hey, if that gets the VDT doing video, I’m for it!

David Rodock wrote 26 May 2011, Tour of the Lowndes County Animal Shelter

As promised at Tuesday’s Lowndes County Board of Commissioners meeting, the Lowndes County Animal Shelter (LCAS) allowed the public the opportunity Wednesday afternoon to get a behind-the-scenes look at the facility that has recently come under fire.

Employees, both past and present, have accused several shelter employees of inhumane treatment of animals, the mishandling of tranquilizers and illegal operating procedures.

At least two of the speakers at the commission earlier in the day took the tour: Jessica Bryan Hughes and Judy Havercamp.

One of the visitors summed it up: Continue reading →

Find out the truth about allegations of animal cruelty and abuse —Jane Osborn

This came in to the submission address Thursday. More in this topic and this VDT story. -jsq
From: “Jane Osborn”
Date: Thu, 26 May 2011 23:21:09 -0400
Subject: criminal issues

Here is what I just sent to the Sheriff’s office by email:

I 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

If the commissioners will not handle this, perhaps law enforcement will. Jane

Jane F. Osborn, MSSW
Valdosta, GA

Restudy that those are the right people

The last animal shelter speaker said she was looking at it from a business perspective. She called Commissioner Powell and they had a conversation. She got a copy of the animal control ordinance. She said she thought she had seen some things that others had not. She complimented the Commissioners:
I know you to be people of your word.
After all that she indicated:
I guess I’m just asking that you restudy… that those are the right people.
After she finished, Chairman Ashley Paulk said there would be a tour of the shelter and everyone was invited.

Here’s the video:


Restudy that those are the right people
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

Why do you not fire that person? —Judy Havercamp

Judy Havercamp wonders:
If you have an employee who is abusing animals, why do you not fire that person?
She indicates urgency:
Things need to be changed now.

Here’s the video:


Why do you not fire that person? —Judy Havercamp
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

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 →