Tag Archives: Valdosta

Lot size and code enforcement on Old Pine Road, 8 June 2010

Ashley Paulk said he is code enforcement! Let’s go back a year to the rezoning of Old Pine Road on 8 June 2010, as an example of how some things fit together around here. First a bit more about lot size, and then code enforcement and traffic.

Commissioner Richard Lee wanted to know if Coy Brightwell was the spokesperson for the people against. Brightwell said some others would also speak, but R-10 was the closest to a quarter acre lot, and that’s what they were for.

Here’s Part 1 of 3:


Lot size and code enforcement on Old Pine Road, 8 June 2010 Part 1 of 3:
Rezoning REZ-2010-06, Glen Laurel, Old Pine Rd,
Regular monthly meeting of the Lowndes County Commission (LCC)
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 8 June 2010,
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman and John S. Quarterman
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

A Mr. Mulligan of Bemiss Road wanted to know A Mr. Mulligan of Bemiss Road wanted to know

Who develops these plans, the county, or the developer?
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I sold 40 pounds of potatoes in an hour! —Gretchen Quarterman

People said they’d come back, but I sold out in an hour and had to tell them you need to come at 9! Downtown Valdosta Farm Days is a success.

I don’t have any pictures of me or my potatoes, though; sorry. But here you can see me digging the same potatoes.

Lots of vendors of food-related items, such as Continue reading →

Citizens are entitled to hear where their elected officials stand —Leigh Touchton

This comment from Leigh Touchton came in today on “Because it would be monitored. -jsq
Two weeks ago I delivered the official NAACP letter to all City Council members (and Mayor Fretti) asking for a written response as to their position on biomass and selling reclaimed water to the Wiregrass, LLC, proposed incinerator.

No response. Not one.

I have heard that at least two Council members refuse to do so because “it might be used against them.”

Citizens are entitled to hear where their elected officials stand on these issues. At least Councilmen Vickers, Wright, and Yost have stated publicly that they support biomass, even though black infants are already dying in Valdosta at a rate twice as high as white infants. According to Mr. Wright,

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Everyone agrees there’s a problem with education — pro and con CUEE @ LCDP 2 May 2011

Pretty much everyone agrees there are problems with the two local school systems in this county, those of Lowndes and Valdosta.

Proponents and opponents of school unification even agree on many of the details. They just don’t agree on the solution. CUEE believes that unification will somehow lead to solutions to all this, and believe is the word they use, because they have no evidence. Opponents such as me don’t see any plan to get to better education, and some think that unification will cause problems that CUEE is not even considering, just like integration did in 1969.

Here’s a pair of pie charts from 2008 from Who’s losing in Winnersville? a project unification opponent Dr. Mark George was involved in:

And here is a similar comparison from CUEE using data from 2009-2010.: Continue reading →

Where are the students in this decision? —Karen Noll

This comment by Karen Noll came in last night on “I don’t see a separation”. -jsq
I completely agree with Alex Rowell. What is the purpose of consolidation/’unification’? Is the purpose to desegregate the two school districts? If so, how will the new school district deal with the issues that Leigh Touchton brings up with regard to education not serving black male students. How will a larger school district better meet the needs of a much more diverse student body? Furthermore, What do the parents in the county think about desegregation of their distict? (Because if they don’t want it, there is no doubt that ‘unification’ will be a disaster for ALL)

OR is the purpose to reduce cost by reducing administrators in the head office? If that is the purpose where are the students in this decision.

-Karen Noll

CUEE’s own study says unification wouldn’t save money and CUEE’s own expert consultant said:
“If you believe in the end that running one system is cheaper than running two school systems. If in the end you are going to cast a vote for a single system because you think it would save money, I wouldn’t cast my vote. I do not think it will save money.”
And, indeed, where are the students in this decision?

-jsq

Consolidation won’t be the magic bullet —Leigh Touchton

This comment by Leigh Touchton, President, Valdosta-Lowndes NAACP, came in last night on “I don’t see a separation”. -jsq
What NAACP has advocated for is cultural competency from our teachers, this is not necessarily a black or white issue. Often it’s more a matter of class than race; for example, far too many middle class teachers expect middle class behavior from children who are living in poverty and this is an unfair expectation. There are also deep-seated issues regarding black males that cultural competency won’t address: namely, that many black teenaged males don’t see any benefit to a high school education because so many of their family members cannot find work here in Valdosta. What’s the point to an education if one is still shut out of most successful careers?

Consolidation won’t be the magic bullet that solves these problems, there aren’t even any CUEE representatives speaking to these issues. To most of our members, we think these issues will get worse rather than better if the two systems were to merge.

-Leigh Touchton

“Because it would be monitored” —Robert Yost via Karen Noll

This comment from Karen Noll came in last night on “Well Councilman Yost certainly believes Councilmen should give their opinion”. -jsq
On Friday, April 29, 2011 I met with Mr. Yost to discuss the biomass issue in person. Mr. Yost stated that he is FOR the biomass project and FOR selling (grey) water to the plant.

When asked for his reasons, he said it “would be good for the citizens of the county”. When pressed to clarify, he said that the jobs and the energy would be good for the citizens. He had no clear rationale for how these 25 jobs would positively effect his constituents, nor how diversifying GA Powers energy sources would help his constituents.

The other reason given for supporting the biomass project

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He didn’t like it —Roger Budd III @ VCC 21 April 2011

Roger Budd III read a speech about socialism and communism and government oppression. He didn’t like not being able to build a restaurant because he hadn’t yet been able to get a building permit. Hm, I guess he wouldn’t like the city paying for making videos of its meetings available to the public, like me and my socialist buddy Dan Davis suggested.

Here’s the video:


He didn’t like it —Roger Budd III @ VCC 21 April 2011
Regular monthly meeting of the Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 21 April 2011,
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Expense accounts and televised meetings —Nolen Cox and Dan Davis @ VCC 21 April 2011

Nolen Cox said he knows standard reporting procedures for expenses. He also doesn’t like regulations. Once again the city Attorney responded.

Dan Davis said he had similar concerns about the city’s travel policy. He added that he thought “these meetings should be televised”. That got a brief round of applause. Hm, that sounds like something I’ve suggested several times to the same council. Since Dan Davis and I couldn’t get much farther apart on most political issues, maybe televised meetings are an issue with bipartisan support!

They both talked about expenses for sales representatives. I wonder if that’s all they think elected officials are.

Here’s the video: Continue reading →

The mayor’s expenses —Roy Taylor @ VCC 21 March 2011

After a student award was announced, Roy Taylor’s attorney addressed the council about the mayor’s expenses during Citizens to be Heard. Roy Taylor is visible in the audience as the camera pans. The mayor was not there; he has since explained he was spending quality time with his family.

Here’s Part 1 of 3:


The mayor’s expenses —Roy Taylor @ VCC 21 March 2011 Part 1 of 3:
Regular monthly meeting of the Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 21 April 2011,
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

The attorney continued with request number 2, Continue reading →