Tag Archives: Valdosta City Council

5.a. the situation we’ve been placed in —Robert Yost @ VCC 25 August 2011



Council Robert Yost said he didn’t like the position council was in
of almost being required to vote one way to cover their rears from
litigation.



So of course I’ll be voting exactly how I feel it needs to be tonight, litigation or not.

He also seemed to say that he hadn’t heard anybody
say it was about consolidating county and city government.

It’s interesting that Yost seemed to be arguing against the referendum,
since

he has long been on record as for school system consolidation:



“We need one school system in this city and county,” said Yost. “But sadly that isn’t the case.”

That’s from when he was last running for Valdosta City Council back in 2009;
you can watch him say it on video.
At the time he also said the city should annex the whole county,
but claimed that was just a joke.
Has something changed his mind about either of those things?

Here’s

the video from Thursday’s council meeting:

Continue reading →

5.a. We’re not actually going to deny, are we? —Tim Carroll @ VCC 25 August 2011



Rather heated discussion as Tim Carroll seemed incensed that

Sonny Vickers thought consolidation proponents had a hidden agenda.
He mentioned Rusty Griffin, Walter Hopgood, and George Bennett.



It just bothers me when I hear “hoodwinked”.

Carroll repeatedly mentioned the number of citizens who had petitioned
asking to put the referendum on the ballot.
He said there might be issues between CUEE and VBOE, but not
with city council.

Here’s

the video:




5.a. We’re not actually going to deny, are we? —Tim Carroll @ VCC 25 August 2011

petition, education, referendum,

Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

5.a. school consolidation not initiated by school system —James Wright @ VCC 25 August 2011



Council James Wright stated concerns that neither citizens nor
the city school board had initiated school consolidation,
and cited several statutes that he said indicated the local


board of education needed first to request a feasibility
study from the state and then to approve it, and that
has not happened in this case.

Here’s

the video:




5.a. school consolidation not initiated by school system —James Wright @ VCC 25 August 2011

petition, education, referendum,

Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

5.a. motion to deny education referendum —Sonny Vickers @ VCC 25 August 2011



Some backers of school consolidation have a hidden agenda
of consolidating the city and county governments,
said Council Sonny Vickers.



Council Sonny Vickers made a motion to deny the school consolidation
referendum, and then stated a number of reasons, among them
that unification would do nothing to improve education,
judging by many previous examples.
Plus he noted a hidden agenda of some of the backers of consolidation
who spent thousands of dollars: consolidation of the city and county
governments.

Here’s

the video:




5.a. motion to deny education referendum –Sonny Vickers @ VCC 25 August 2011

petition, education, referendum,

Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

5.a. has common sense prevailed over precedent? —Robert Yost @ VCC 25 August 2011



Council Robert Yost wondered could the council have voted down the
city school system’s millage?
The City Attorney said they were required to vote on it but could
have voted it down (I think that’s what he meant).
The mayor noted again that a vote against the petitioned referendum
would probably cost the city more money.
See for yourself.

Here’s

the video:




5.a. has common sense prevailed over precedent? –Robert Yost @ VCC 25 August 2011

Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

5.a. petition for school referendum —Tim Carroll @ VCC 25 August 2011



Council Tim Carroll noted citizens have a right to petition their government
according to the Georgia Constitution,
and wondered if it would be “against the Constitution”
for the council to deny such a petition.
City Attorney Talley noted that the language of a legal precedent
says the council shall.
The mayor noted there could be frivolous petitions
such as to change the name of Friday to Thursday,
that wouldn’t require affirmation, but the state
has certain guidelines, and school systems especially fall
under those guidelines.

Here’s

the video:




5.a. petition for school referendum —Tim Carroll @ VCC 25 August 2011

Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

CALEA presentation —Chief Frank Simons @ VCC 25 August 2011



The Valdosta Police Department got not only CALEA accreditation but
an award, again for several years running.

First the council voted on the award.

Here’s

Part 1 of 6:




CALEA presentation —Chief Frank Simons @ VCC 25 August 2011 Part 1 of 6:

Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (LCC),

Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 25 August 2011.

Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.



Then Police Chief Frank Simons introduced the subject.

Here’s

Part 2 of 6:

Continue reading →

Tonight: school consolidation referendum vote at Valdosta City Council

Now that

CUEE got its 95 signatures more than 25% for
a school consolidation referendum,
the Valdosta City Council votes tonight on this item which has been
added to their agenda:



5.a) Consideration of an Ordinance for a referendum to allow citizens of
the City of Valdosta to vote on whether to annul and repeal the special
independent school system so that the City of Valdosta public school
system shall become part of the Lowndes County public school system.

This appears to be a pro-forma vote to put the referendum on the ballot.
But you never know what might happen, especially in council comments
or Citizens to Be Heard.
Maybe FVCS will show up.

Thanks to Barbara Stratton for the heads-up.

Here’s

the agenda.


AMENDED AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE VALDOSTA CITY COUNCIL

5:30 PM Thursday, August 25, 2011

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL

Continue reading →

Valdosta City Council just passed motion for alcohol referendum —Jordan Leman



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.”

Here’s

the video:




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.

Update: What
the VDT said:

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.

-jsq

Arrests for speaking in an Arizona town

Something seems familiar about this story of a couple of people being arrested
at small town council meetings for speaking up.

Ben Popken wrote for the Consumerist 15 July 2011,

Small Arizona Town In Furor After 2nd Citizen Arrested For Speaking At Town Meeting:



The town of Quartzsite, AZ, population 3,466, is in disarray after a
video showing police hauling away a citizen for speaking at the town
meeting podium went viral. The woman was saying that the town council
had been violating open meeting laws.

It was the second citizen arrested at a Quartzsite town meeting in two weeks.

What’s all this about?

Continue reading →