Tag Archives: Work Session

7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road @ LCC 12 Sep 2011

Commissioners and staff concerned with ironing out issues about rezoning before voting on it!

County Planner Jason Davenport said he wanted to talk one more time to the two parties before it comes to the Commission tomorrow.

7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road, 137-25 & 25A, ~1.31 ac, E-A & R-1 to R-1 and R-21, well/septic
Commissioner Powell wondered whether it would be best to send it back to the Planning Commission first. Commissioner Evans said it was her understanding that the Planning Commission wanted it to come back to them. The County Planner said he thought they would enjoy seeing it again, but they might understand not making the applicant waiting another 30 days, so he wanted to talk to the applicant one more time first. Commissioner Powell wanted to be sure there would be documentation in the file so if something came up ten years down the road they’d know what went on.

Here’s the video:


7.a. REZ-2011-11 West-Fuller, 5303 Tucker Road @ LCC 12 Sep 2011
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Photographers to the back of the room —Ashley Paulk @ LCC 12 September 2011

Another quick meeting, when at the end:
Chairman: Mr Quarterman, The County Commission wishes from this day forward that any filming be done from the media area in the back corner of the room.

jsq: Has the Commission taken a vote on that?

Chairman: Yes sir, we uh independently; I will submit the chairman without the Commission … do not question my authority.

jsq: So the Commission has not taken a vote on that.

Chairman: Commission doesn’t have to.

jsq: And you believe that legally you can do that?

Chairman: Yes sir I believe that. I do my research.

jsq: Can I see that legal opinion please?

Chairman: You’re looking at it.

jsq: In writing if you would.

Chairman: Mr Quarterman, I will not argue with you. Do not film except in the media area. Do you understand me? Don’t say you weren’t aware of it. It’s on the web site.

Here’s Camera 1: Continue reading →

Appointment – DBHDD Regional Planning Board @ LCC 12 September 2011

The previous member of the Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Regional Planning Board retired from the board after a term that expired in July. Previously they appointed Mrs. Henderson, I think at the meeting a month ago, but for some reason she could not serve. Another person is applying. She has not yet supplied a resume; they hope to see that by tomorrow.

Here’s the video:


Appointment – DBHDD Regional Planning Board @ LCC 12 September 2011
Work Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 12 September 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Continue reading →

Videos of entire VBOE 29 August 2011 meeting

Here’s a video playlist for the whole meeting: teacher hiring, board member training, and a statement against school consolidation, with additional comments by many citizens. Many of these videos have already been published in the VBOE 29 August 2011 category in this blog.


Videos of entire VBOE 29 August 2011 meeting
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

The playlist also includes other video material, such as Continue reading →

First thing they’ll do, is sell that stadium —? @ VBOE 29 August 2011

This is the clearest statement of the football argument I’ve heard. This is the same speaker who already mentioned quality of education, property taxes, and property values, so this is just one argument among many. The speaker is associated with FVCS, and if I went to VHS, I’d know his name right away; I’m an LHS graduate.
The first thing they’ll do is sell that stadium. They’d be crazy not to do…. They’re not going to pay upkeep on two stadiums. Look at Tallahassee, Macon: all the schools play at one stadium….

…

Don’t let those people run the show. Don’t let them take the power away from us.

…

If one day it makes good economic sense for y’all to make the decision to sell that property to Valdosta State and build another stadium and we can come out ahead, I think that’s a great idea.

Like my granddaddy said, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

By “those people” I don’t think he means the Lowndes County Board of Education; I think he was referring to CUEE.

Here’s the video: Continue reading →

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it —? @ VBOE 29 August 2011

Research quality of education, property taxes, and property values after school consolidation, and you’ll find down, up, and down, said this speaker. Didn’t get his name; sorry.

I don’t have kids, but I have plenty of friends that do. that are in Valdosta city school system, and they like the direction that the school system is going. They like the quality of education that their children are getting at this time.

My grandfather used to say, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It ain’t broke, so why are we going to let them try to fix it?

Do the research; I’ve done the research. Do the research on other communities that have consolidated two systems. When you get a big huge system, the quality of education goes down. Check it out. Research it.

Property taxes go up. Property values go down. Do the research.

You know, the research CUEE either did and rejected, according to Sam Allen about the questions VDT claims CUEE can’t answer. There are answers; just not ones CUEE likes.

Here’s the video:


If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

“I have seen cameras here at this building when it concerns football” — George Boston Rhynes @ VBOE 29 August 2011

If TV cameras show up for football, why don’t they show up “when the people come together on issues such as this, not just black folk, not just white folk, but all Americans are here tonight because of our concern”?

George Boston Rhynes made three points: Continue reading →

“It would be impossible for us to sell bonds at this time” —Dr. Cason @ VBOE 29 August 2011

The school consolidation referendum is already having ill effects more than two months before anybody gets to vote on it. The Valdosta School Board has had to postpone further work planning for a new elementary school.

Valdosta School Superintendent Cason made what probably would have been a routine report about 11. A. Selection of architect for Southeast Elementary – Dr. Cason – information only:

However, since the referendum for consolidation made the ballot, it would be impossible for us to sell bonds at this time.
because who would buy them, knowing the selling school board might not exist come this November? Or, if the consolidation referendum passes, for some unknown time after that? So the board decided to postpone even selecting an architect until the consolidation question is resolved.

Here’s the video:


“It would be impossible for us to sell bonds at this time” —Dr. Cason @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Why can’t Winnersville have two great school systems? —Sam Allen @ VBOE 29 August 2011

CUEE has lost its framing. Nobody calls it “unification” but CUEE. Everybody else calls it consolidation, same as for the last thirty years. And Sam Allen is turning the tide against it.

Sam Allen, president of Friends of Valdosta City Schools (FVCS) and former Valdosta School Superintendent said:

I promised myself three years ago when I left this place, that one thing I would never do, and that would come and attend another board meeting.
He said he came for a good cause this time.
The CUEE group is calling this unification all of a sudden. And I think that’s just a play on words, and a play on our intelligence. Because for thirty years we’ve called this process consolidation. Now all of a sudden we’re calling it unification.

We’re calling it unification because the only thing that we want to change is the central office. We want all the schools to remain the same. The only thing we want to change is what goes on right here at 1204 Williams Street.

Well if you’re going to unify a community, something has to change. This group has failed to put together a plan that we can follow.

And that’s the point, isn’t it? Continue reading →

Yield my 5 minutes to Sam Allen of FVCS —JC Cunningham @ VBOE 29 August 2011

This is an interesting way of dealing with arbitrary speaking time limits. Might be worth trying in other venues.

Here’s the video:


I yield my 5 minutes to Sam Allen of FVCS —JC Cunningham @ VBOE 29 August 2011
education, referendum, consolidation, statement,
Work Session, Valdosta Board of Education (VBOE),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 29 August 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq