People keep mentioning the okra gift, and George Rhynes was kind enough
to video it for
his blog, K.V.C.I.,
so here it is.
I suggested to VLCIA as I earlier did
to the Lowndes County Commission
that they hang up a clock so people can see how much more
time they have to speak.
You can see Crawford Powell lurking in the doorway. Joyce Evans was also
in the hallway at this VLCIA meeting.
That’s 2 out of 3 voting Lowndes County
Commissioners.
Maybe VLCIA will get organized enough to find chairs for them next time.
Finally, I gave new executive director Andrew Schruijer a present.
Crawford Powell suggested it was potatoes.
Nope, this time it’s okra!
Picked it myself that morning.
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.
Thanks to all who helped —Jerry Jennett @ 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.
Dr. Noll, president of WACE, welcomed VLCIA’s new executive director Andrea Schruijer, and
then reminded the board that the honking cars outside
indicated an ongoing community assessment of biomass,
and he encouraged them to consider previously presented
materials and to prevent the biomass plant from
finding a back door to come back in.
He remarked that he had visited his mother in Germany:
One and half years ago she was in the intensive care unit for about three weeks
because she had severe lung issues.
She moved away after that
to an area where there isn’t the kind of air pollution she was
exposed to before hand,
and every single day she wakes up she feels like she’s on vacation.
Because of my mother —Dr. Noll @ 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.
These videos are not all labeled, which is unfortunate,
since some of them reflect quite well on some things the
Industrial Authority is doing.
But after all, they have paid staff who could be taking,
labelling, and posting their own videos, and
their new executive director says she wants transparency,
so who knows? Maybe VLCIA will do this kind of thing themselves.
They meet again tonight. You could go ask them.
Irregular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Acting Executive Director,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 14 June 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
People ask me why I oppose CUEE.
It’s because I’d rather actually improve education instead.
It seems to me the burden of proof is on the people proposing
to make massive changes in the local education system.
And CUEE has not provided any evidence for their position.
Sam Allen of Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS)
pithily sums up CUEE:
“It’s not about the children. It’s about somebody’s ego.”
I don’t think the children should have to suffer for somebody’s ego.
CUEE’s unification push isn’t about education.
It’s about
a “unified platform” to attract industry.
That alone is enough reason to oppose “unification”.
It’s not about education!
As former Industrial Authority Chair Jerome Tucker has been
heard to remark on numerous occassions, “nobody ever asked me how
many school systems we had!”
The only example in Georgia CUEE points to for this is the Kia
plant that came to Troup County, Georgia.
It’s funny how
none of the locals seem to have mentioned any such connection in the numerous articles published about the Kia plant.
Instead, the mayor of the town with the Kia plant complains that his town
doesn’t have a high school.
That’s right: he’s complaining that the school system is too
consolidated!
The only actual education between Kia and education in Troup County
is
with West Georgia Tech, the local technical college.
The Valdosta City Council could also hold an ethics investigation
of their own appointees to the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority,
on the topic of why those appointees are in favor of a project with
demonstrated health hazards to the community.
Short of that, Valdosta could demand transparency from VLCIA:
Continue reading →
VDT is not quite right when it says Only city can stop biomass. The Lowndes County Commission could do it.
According to Ashley Paulk, a few months ago VLCIA approached the Lowndes County government, asking them to ask VLCIA not to extend Sterling Planet’s contract for the biomass plant. Chairman Paulk refused to accept that hot potato and instead laudably told the community what was going on. Yet there was a bit of a good idea in what VLCIA was asking. Lowndes County could pass an ordinance such as VDT is suggesting banning the incineration of human feces.
For that matter, wasn’t the rezoning to build a certain biomass plant according to a certain plan which has no expired? Maybe the rezoning is already null and void and the Commission just needs to declare it so.
Short of that, the Lowndes County Commission could demand transparency from VLCIA:
In a recent Valdosta council meeting, longtime councilman Sonny Vickers
asked if there was any way to put the biomass issue to rest once and for
all. The good news, Councilman Vickers, is that there is and it’s all
in the city’s hands.
The Industrial Authority signed an agreement with Wiregrass Power LLC
which allows the company to purchase the land from the Authority and
proceed with the project on its own. Although the Authority hasn’t
yet voted on the issue, it appears that they don’t have a choice and
may be compelled to honor the agreement.
Compelled? Give me a break!
VLCIA has an attorney, and one of its board members is an attorney.
If they can’t find a way to break a land purchase contract because
conditions have changed, they need new legal counsel.
Finally, I gave new executive director Andrew Schruijer a present.
Crawford Powell suggested it was potatoes.
Nope, this time it’s okra!
Picked it myself that morning.
