Here are videos of the entire Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission of 28 February 2012.
Here’s a playlist:
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 28 February 2012.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
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It’s good to know County Commission Chairman Ashley Paulk supports transparency. However, if he considers certain details important enough for the public to know, how about if the Commission puts them in its own minutes? Or publishes its own videos of its own meetings?
Or even publish a list of changes that it approves when it changes an ordinance?
At the 28 February 2012 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission, Chairman Ashley Paulk said:
I kind of like transparent government.
He proceeded to tell VDT reporter David Rodock that
Not killing the messenger, but it was written in your paper the other day that the alcohol ordinance was kind of rushed and people were not aware of it. If you would go back to your story of May the 11th we discussed that in great depth.
Here’s the video:
I kind of like transparent government —Ashley Paulk @ LCC 2012-02-28
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC), Lowndes County Commission,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 28 February 2012.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
He recommended that the VDT editors research their own archives. Fair enough, but how about if we look at the Commissions own archives of its own minutes?
First let’s see what the reporter wrote that the Chairman was objecting to: Continue reading
What was discussed by the Lowndes County Commission regarding the recent changes to the alcohol ordinance came up again in their 28 February 2012 meeting. Relevant to that are these videos of discussion in their 23 May 2011 Work Session.
Here’s a playlist:
Sunday Alcohol Sales
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission, (LCC), Lowndes County Commission,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 23 May 2011.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
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That’s WCTV reporter Greg Gullberg leaning over in the picture on the right. Here’s his report Friday, Protesters Rally For Trayvon Martin At Valdosta’s Old Courthouse,
Several protesters wore hooded sweat shirts, held boxes of Skittles and cans of iced tea. They asked if those items made them appear suspicious as well.
More excerpts:
“That this community and every community in this country will continue to press for Mr. Zimmerman’s arrest and conviction,” Rev. Rose told Gullberg.The news that Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee temporarily stepped down sparked new life into the rally.
“We all know that he botched the investigation. He did not even arrest Mr. Zimmerman, which would have been standard practice,” said Rev. Rose.
“I think the story is still kind of broad right now, people want to know what’s happened. So I’m actually happy about the crowd that came out today,” Valdosta State University NAACP Chapter President DeAndre Jones told Gullberg.
LAKE videos of the rally.
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Videos of the rally on the courthouse steps Thursday.
Please join me and SCLC at the Courthouse in Valdsota at 6:30 for a “Justice for Trayvon Martin” rally Thursday, March 22nd. Thousands of people all over the United States will be gathering, including thiousands in Sanford Florida where 17 year Trayvon was murdered, and the killer has not been arrested.Come let your voice be heard: 6:30 Thursday, March 22nd.
Floyd Rose, President
Here’s a playlist:
Rally “Justice for Trayvon Martin”
Floyd Rose, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 22 March 2012.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
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Not on the agenda, Chairman Ashley Paulk invited Sheila Cook up to introduce herself as an applicant for appointment to the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Region Four Planning Board.
I currently work in Lowndes County at Pine Grove Middle School as a special education teacher. I’ve been teaching for nine years.
She gave a rather complete resume, including education, professional experience, about her son who is twelve who is autistic, and about a woman who lived with her who has cerebral palsy.
Commissioner Crawford Powell, wanted to know whether travel would be a problem, since the meetings are usually in Thomasville. She answered not as long as the times don’t conflict with school.
I believe I’ve heard Commissioner Joyce Evans say in Commission meetings previously that it would be good for potential appointees to appear in Commission meetings beforehand. Congratulations to Commissioner Evans and the Commission for transparency in appointments.
Here’s the video:
Introduction of Sheila Cook, Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 28 February 2012.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
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Debate at Valdosta State University between Democrats and Republicans, 20 March 2012,
organized by
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International Pre-Law Chapter.
Moderator: Dr. Jim Peterson
Democrats: President Kelli Cody and former President Alex Thomas
Republicans: Chairman Ron Bearwall, Political Director George Lee, and Secretary Preston Porter.
Somebody please correct any misspelling of names.
Here’s a playlist:
Videos of VSU Debate 2012-03-20 between VSU Democrats and VSU Republicans,
Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 20 March 2012.
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
Here are the debate questions:
A few more videos will follow. -jsq
Here are videos of the February 2012 Industrial Authority meeting.
Apologies for the poor sound.
The room turned out to have very echoey acoustics, and no placement
of the camera seemed to alleviate that.
Also it’s in three chunks, the first of them quite long.
In the interests of moving along and catching up on posting videos
of recent meetings, we’re going to leave it like that for now.
Here’s
the agenda.
Here’s a playlist:
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, 23 February 2012.
Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
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The text of the announcement by Lowndes County Schools 20 March 2013, Valdosta-Lowndes Governmental Leadership Meeting, is below.
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The first annual Valdosta-Lowndes Governmental Leadership Meeting will be held on March 29, 2012 at 6:30 pm in the Lowndes High School Lecture Hall. Valdosta City and Lowndes County Board of Education members, Valdosta City Council members, and Lowndes County Commissioners will be in attendance. Lowndes County Schools will host a dinner for the leadership at 6:00 pm.The purpose of the meeting is to promote the enhancement of communication and allow leaders to share ideas and plans pertinent to the development and expansion of our local governmental entities. It will also allow members to discuss long-range strategic plans, including any special projects, while providing greater insight as to what will transpire within our community over the next five years. The meeting is open to the public.
- Agenda
Welcome and Introductions
- Dr. Steve Smith, Superintendent Lowndes County Schools
- Sharing of Long Range Plans and Vision
- Lowndes County Board of Education
Lowndes County Board of Commissioners
Valdosta City Board of Education
Valdosta City Council- Questions, Comments, Suggestions
Wrap Up
- Wes Taylor, Superintendent-elect, Lowndes County Schools
According to the VDT yesterday,
Website technical difficulties were a chief topic of concern at the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority Tuesday evening.Well, let’s see:Staff expects the website to go back online in less than 24 hours
Well, sort of. The links in the flash thing at the top do work again, so you can get to detailed pages. Well, some of them: Staff & Board works, but Meeting Schedule does not. This description still applies:
It was also pointed out that meeting agendas and minutes were still available on the crashed website, but were intermixed with coding language.The latest agenda is available. I thank VLCIA again for that, as I did both in Citizens to Be Heard and after the meeting Tuesday.
Doubtless VLCIA staff are doing what they can.
As an organizational issue, I wonder if the electricity was out for a week at the VLCIA office would the Industrial Authority do this: Continue reading