Questions abound: Why is it that Lowndes County residents will not be
voting on the most important issue to face their school system since
its inception in 1950?
If I lived in the county I’d be mad that CUEE and the Chamber of Commerce
chose to leave my vote out of such a very important decision.
Further Query: Why would CUEE and the Chamber of Commerce spend $50
grand to collect the signatures for the petition causing the City of
Valdosta to spend thousands of tax dollars (2 staff dedicated to task &
4 temps hired) to verify the signatures on the petition?
If somebody puts a subdivision next to your field, beware of trash,
and the same if you buy a lot in it.
For that matter, why do we need more houses?
Some of what I said:
To expand a little bit on that subdivision next to
our west field,
one of the builders continued to push trash into our field
until I had to sue him for trespass in
Superior Court to get him to stop.
I meant to say in Magistrate’s Court.
I called code enforcement multiple times and
they did nothing to help stop it.
Now that there’s a new fire chief perhaps things are better,
but anybody who’s got a field nearby might want to watch for that.
Anyone who hopes to buy houses in the subdivision might want to
watch to see if there are any dumpsters in there,
because the subdivision near us, the trash was buried in the yards;
you can ask anyone who owns one of those lots.
As far as needing houses for Moody, there are usually ten houses
for sale in that subdivision, and roughtly 10 or 15 more that are for rent.
So it’s not clear we actually need more houses.
As far as lot size, this is the same issue as came up last year
with Glen Laurel on Old Pine Road.
…
The room was filled with people
for the same reasons that you’re hearing now.
At that time the commission decided to say ….
“We were not able to substantiate … accusations other than that … castration of pig.”
Yet he was notified in March of a euthanasia violation and missing drugs.
This PDF
contains an inspection report dated “03-18-11” from the Ga. Dept. of Ag.
Animal Protection Section.
The images contain excerpts related to a euthanasia violation. -jsq
Recordkeeping – Page 186 on 01-26-11 was
missing on the Euthanasia paperwork. Total of 36cc
unaccounted for. Violation 40-13-13.08 [11] issued.
Gretchen Quarterman also spoke against the proposition, citing that
extending residential areas further out into undeveloped Lowndes County
would create greater strain on an already tight fiscal operating budget.
Schoolchildren, safety, and farmland: three topics that often seem forgotten in discussions of development.
Opposing the
proposed rezoning for Notthinghill,
neighbor Thomas E. Stalvey Jr. noted
that traffic on Cat Creek Road
is already a problem, and adding a subdivision would make it worse.
He noted that it’s traffic routed down Cat Creek to Moody that
accounts for a lot of it.
He said school children stood out on the road and they were already in danger.
“If we put 49 more houses out there, it’s just going to up the risk.”
Outgoing chairman Jerry Jennett asked nominating committee chair Tom Call
to read the slate of officers discussed
last time
to server for FYE 2012.
They were:
Roy Copeland Chairman, Mary Gooding Vice-Chairman, and Norman Bennett Secretary-Treasurer.
The board voted unanimous to approve that slate, and Jennett
practically threw the hot potato gavel to new
Chairman Roy Copeland.
John Robinson congratulated Roy Copeland for accepting the position
as chair of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)
and said:
We’re looking forward to working along with you guys,
because we truly need the help now on
the other side of the railroad track over there.
…
And we do believe that if everyone try to work together
we can get something done.
Received a thank you from John Robinson of the Black Businessmen’s Association during the Citizens to be Heard portion of the meeting for agreeing to work with small and emerging businesses, with the goal of removing the “social divide” in the city;
Small emerging businesses —Mr. Robinson @ VLCIA 19 July 2011
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
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, 19 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Jordan Leman is a student at VSU who had just spoken to the
Valdosta City Council in Citizens to be Heard, at the same
regular session yesterday where they approved putting referendum
about Sunday alcohol sales on November’s ballot.
“…try to get as many college students and as many non-college students
here in Valdosta and Lowndes County
to go out and vote for it or to go register to vote.
…
Get the word out to go vote on Sunday sales.”
Valdosta City Council just passed motion for alcohol referendum —Jordan Leman
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 21 July 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Buying alcohol on Sundays just got one step closer to reality Thursday evening, with the Valdosta City Council’s passage of an ordinance to authorize a referendum for the Nov. 8 General Election.
The referendum will allow voters in the city of Valdosta to decide whether package sales of malt beverages, wine and distilled spirits should be allowed by retailers on Sundays between 12:30 and 11:30 p.m. Currently, citizens can purchase alcoholic beverages on Sundays at local restaurants. This measure, approved by the state of Georgia’s legislature this year, will allow package and grocery stores, and other retailers, to sell alcoholic beverages on Sundays.
The measure passed 5 to 1, with Councilman Robert Yost opposing. Councilman Deidre White was not in attendance.
In this PDF of a statement of 5 May 2010 from
Amanda Jordan, she alleges inappropriate use of euthanasia,
improper boarding of horses, improper castration of a pig,
and resulting physical injury to an employee.
She asks for:
“I feel that some detailed financial, paperwork, and computer investigation
should be conducted within the Lowndes County Animal Services office.
Taxpayer’s dollars are spent to keep these animals of Lowndes County safe,
and I’m sure if the citizens of Lowndes County were aware of some of these
things they may be very hurt and disgusted with the Board of Commissioners for
not making sure the right measures are being taken to do what is right for this office.”
Here is a transcription. -jsq
My Name is Amanda Jordan. From June 2005 to December 2007, I worked for the
Lowndes County Board of Commissioners Office with the Animal Services Division.
Linda Patelski was the director and my direct supervisor during that time.
I enjoyed my job as a shelter attendant dearly.
It was such a pleaser to see animals get adopted to new homes
or returned to their owners if they were picked up by Animal Control officers.
As rewarding as it was, I also had other jobs that were not
as pleasurable.
Euthinizing animals were sometimes heartbreaking.
While some animals were injured, sick, or feral, others were perfectly
healthy and just needed a home.
Due to the lack of space in the facility they had to be euthanized.
I recall a full term pregnant female dog came into the office.
Normally, this would be a reason to put a dog down due to the
inability of space to house a mother dog and her puppies.
Because this particular mother dog was some sort of small breed
and her puppies expected to be small breed Linda Patelski
(the director) decided we must keep these puppies for adoption.
Even with the risk of diseases they were saved for the adoption room
as other healthy dogs were put to sleep to accompany the space
for the puppies.
The shelter also has
The only real public dialog about unification or education that
I’ve heard of
was at the May 2011 Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP) meeting,
organized by LCDP Chair Gretchen Quarterman.
You can see it either of two ways:
Through the YouTube video
playlist.
Each video has a link to the relevant blog post.
School unification dialog at Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP)
Videos by John S. Quarterman, Jim Parker, Gretchen Quarterman, 2 May 2011.
At that LCDP meeting I pointed out
that the CUEE education committee was not scheduled to report back
until after the proposed referendum vote, and nobody had any rebuttal.
Questions abound: Why is it that Lowndes County residents will not be voting on the most important issue to face their school system since its inception in 1950?
Further Query: Why would CUEE and the Chamber of Commerce spend $50 grand to collect the signatures for the petition causing the City of Valdosta to spend thousands of tax dollars (2 staff dedicated to task & 4 temps hired) to verify the signatures on the petition?
