Tag Archives: Michael Noll

Videos: 3 rezonings, 4 road items, 1 beer and wine, VLCIA bonds, servers, debris hauler @ LCC Regular 2026-05-12

Videos: Datacenters, Sinkholes, Animals, Emergencies, Disasters, Judges, Drugs, and Wells @ LCC Regular 2026-04-28

There was some discussion among Lowndes County Commissioners, but their Regular Session on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, as they approved all the voting items unanimously.

In her Reports, County Manager Paige Dukes called on both Utilities Director Steve Stalvy and Fire Chief Billy Young about the current drought and fire situations.

Six Citizens Wished to Be Heard.

George Fisher spoke about his water research, which includes he’s discovered the line of sinkholes running across the county.

~~Pam~~ Kelly Jarvis and Amanda Hall spoke about animal issues.

Jimmy LeFiles, Michael Noll, and Susan Wehling spoke about datacenters.

Collage @ LCC 28 April 2026

After the meeting adjourned, County Chairman Bill Slaughter came down to talk to several people about datacenters. County Manager Paige Dukes joined in. The Chairman said it was their procedure not to answer Citizens Wishing to Be Heard during the meeting, but he made himself available afterwards.

I mentioned that the Continue reading →

Videos: Datacenter, paving, grants, breeding, health, 4 Board Appointments, 1 Alcohol, 1 Easement Exchange, 2 Solid Waste Franchises @ LCC Regular 2026-03-24

There was a somewhat startling citizen report about the possible future datacenter site at the Tuesday evening Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission. See other post for Tetiana Babcock.

The Commissioners breezed through all the voting items with unanimous approval. Except Commissioner Joyce Evans did ask if any applicants for the board appointments were present. Travis Cox was present. He had just been appointed to ZBOA in place of John Hogan. Also, John McCall was reappointed to ZBOA.

Collage @ LCC 24 March 2026

County Manager Paige Dukes asked for Ashley Tye to talk about Water Stewardship in the current drought, and Fire Chief Billy Young to talk about not burning while it is so dry.

Six citizens spoke: Mary Roe about Paving of Green Road, Kelly Saxon about Baldwin Place grants and shelters, Amanda Hall about pet Breeding limits, Kristina Cheek McBride about Maternal Health Issues, Michael Noll about Data Center collaboration and transparency, and Tetiana Babcock about Data Center Encroachment. See other post for Tetiana Babcock.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

Videos: Water treatment upgrade because GA-EPD Consent Order, Lift Station Pump Repair, Condemnation along Twin Lakes Road, VAWA @ LCC Regular 2026-01-27

Congressman Austin Scott, District 8, congratulated Lowndes County on its 200th anniversary.

His appearance was not on the agenda for the Lowndes County Commission Regular Session of January 27, 2026. This was an unusual opportunity to talk directly to the Congress member for Lowndes County and many surrounding counties. Which is a reason you may want to attend Lowndes County Commission meetings: there’s no telling who may show up.

Rep. Scott read what he said was a resolution, but it appears to be a brief speech he made in the U.S. House. CELEBRATING LOWNDES COUNTY’S 200TH BIRTHDAY; Congressional Record Vol. 171, No. 213 (Extensions of Remarks – December 17, 2025),

CELEBRATING LOWNDES COUNTY’S 200TH BIRTHDAY
HON. AUSTIN SCOTT
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Lowndes County in Georgia’s 8th Congressional District. Lowndes County was established by the Georgia State Assembly on December 23, 1825. Since then, the county has grown to be home to more than 118,000 people and spans 511 square miles. What was once a railroad town dominated by cotton sales has grown to serve as home to Valdosta State University, the Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area, Moody Air Force Base, and many charming Georgia towns. Lowndes County has served our airmen at Moody Air Force Base for many years and sets the example for how we can best support our soldiers and their families. I am honored to represent this community and look forward to seeing Lowndes County continue to grow for years to come.

Collage @ LCC Regular 27 January 2026

The Twin Lakes Road right of way condemnation turned into a purchase agreement, resolution having been reached with the landowners.

The Commissioners unanimously approved everything on the agenda, except the condemnation, which they declared moot.

Three citizens spoke in Citizens Wishing to Be Heard: Mary Roe about paving of Green Road, Michael Noll about Citizens against Data Centers, and Maria Chung Willoughby about a non profit partnership.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes by Gretchen Quarterman, followed by a LAKE video playlist.

Videos: Hamm Estates roads, Deannexation, Rezonings, Right of Way, Software, Health Insurance, Repairs, KLVB @ LCC 2020-02-25

The longest regular item at 4 minutes on this voting Regular Session agenda was 6.b. Accept Hamm Estates Dr. into the County Road Inventory. Longer were two Citizens who spoke at the end about Keep Lowndes-Valdosta Beautiful (KLVB).

Here again are the costs found in the agenda sheets for the items, from most expensive down, with links back into the agenda.

Cost	What
$290,000.00	2020 Administrative Services Agreement with Allied Benefit Systems, Inc.
$50,433.00	Bid for Repairs to Knights Academy Road; emergency repairs for Culvert Aprons
$43,245.50	Approval of Clyattstone Rd.-Simpson Ln. ROW Purchases
$24,613.44	Microsoft Server 2019 Data Center License
$11,535.00	Approval of Clyattstone Rd.-Simpson Ln. ROW Acquisition
$419,826.94	Total

The actual cost for the Clyattstone Road-Simpson Lane project is larger; more like $77,696.50 so far, before grading, base, and paving; see the LAKE notes on the preceding morning’s Work Session.

Below are links to each LAKE video of each agenda item, with a few notes. See also Continue reading →

VDT redacted Sabal Trail pipeline FERC Scoping Meeting story @ FERC 2014-03-04

Amusingly, when the VDT fixed the typos in their online story, they redacted me and Gretchen right out of it. I’m flattered! Still, congratulations to the VDT on quoting a lot of landowners (and a few others who remained unredacted), and on putting this story on the front page.

Here’s an extract from the online version showing changes from the printed version (pictured) as if the newspaper had used standard blogging markup for changes after posting. Starting with the pullquote in the printed version, which they edited heavily in the online version:

~~Affected Land owner~~ Landowner Larry Rodgers said he has been trying to sell his property for a long time~~, and once he~~ He had an interested buyer ~~and they found out about~~, but upon learning of the pipeline running through his property ~~they dropped their~~, the interested party withdrew the offer.
“Where do I go to file that complaint!? And ~~whose~~ who’s responsible for value lost due to property damage?” Rodgers asked. Peconom replied, “I don’t have an answer for you tonight, but ~~well~~ we’ll look into it.”
Concerned citizens Gretchen Quarterman said she was concerned about the pipeline moving Natural Gas that has been fracked, and the taking of property from private land owners to benefit a company that does not do business in Georgia. She also brought up safety concerns regarding sink holes, and proposed Florida use an alternate way of producing energy, such as solar “because as we all know Florida is the sunshine state.” Continue reading →

The Third Solar Age –Michael Noll

LTE in the VDT today. -jsq

For millennia humans gazed into the sky and marveled at birds sailing through the air. While some imagined a day when we would be able to fly, others said it could not be done. Likewise the idea of infinite, clean energy might seem unattainable to some, but the progress we have seen in recent years is astonishing.

Since the discovery of fire Continue reading →

SAVE fossil fuel divestment on Spectator front page twice in two weeks

Winning PR by losing initial decisions: SAVE‘s doing it right.

Will Lewis write for The Spectator yesterday, SAVE fails to persuade Foundation,

“Compliance with your well-intentioned request is impractical for a number of reasons and perhaps even a breach of the fiduciary responsibility that all of our trustees take very seriously,” the refusal read.

Here’s SAVE’s request, and here’s SAVE’s president’s comment:

Danielle Jordan, senior anthropology major and president of SAVE, said, “There’s a lot of disappointment but we are not going to stop, we don’t see this as the end of our campaign. It lets us know where we stand with the Board of Trustees.”

The VSU Foundation’s Investment Objectives in the Investment Policy and Guidelines states that “Foundation funds should be invested to produce maximum total return consistent with prudent risk limits.”

On the other hand, the VSU Trustee Handbook says the Mission Statement of the VSU Foundation is: Continue reading →

Moody can’t get onto site for Moody Family Housing –Michael Noll @ LCC 2013-08-27

Dr. Michael G. Noll of VSU said representatives of Moody Air Force Base for the second time could not get permission to go on the site for the Moody Family Housing the Commission approved rezoning for two weeks before, at the 27 August 2013 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

He also handed the Commission and interested parties copies of a public comment he and VSU professors Don Thieme and Can Denizman had sent to USAF. Plus the developer still refused to provide a copy of the geotechnical report the Air Force’s Environmental Assessment says the developer is required to send to the Air Force.

If there is nothing to hide, if there are no problems with possible developments of the area, why not share the report?

Two different people report seeing Commissioner Richard Raines catch Dr. Noll on the way out of the building and ask him what would be involved in doing the geophysical survey Dr. Noll has repeatedly asked to do.

Importance of transparency, due diligence, and communication –Michael G. Noll @ LCC 2013-08-27

Received yesterday on VSU professors write to USAF consultant about Moody Family Housing @ LCC 2013-08-27. -jsq

Thanks for posting this John.

One should note that the VDT was absent at the LCBOC meeting on August 13, when the county commissioners approved the rezoning request. This approval came after we presented our concerns and before the period given by AFCEC for public comments in regard to the Environmental Assessment (EA) expired. No mention in the VDT on August 14 about any of it, since no VDT reporter was present.

In regard to the EA and the possibilities to submit comments, it should also be noted that the phone number listed in the public announcement was incorrect. Thus, any attempts to contact Mr. Allen Richmond, the AFCEC representative, with this published phone number were unsuccessful. We eventually received the correct phone number with the help of Moody AFB personnel. While we were able to speak once with Mr. Richmond and establish email contact, his ability (or willingness?) to communicate was limited.

Moreover, we asked Mr. Allen Richmond on August 12 if we Continue reading →

On the LAKE front

Citizen dialog for transparent process by the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange