{"id":1055,"date":"2012-02-29T12:08:14","date_gmt":"2012-02-29T17:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/02\/gently-orienting-the-land-bank-authority-to-sunshine-law-compliance-barbara-stratton.html"},"modified":"2012-02-29T12:08:14","modified_gmt":"2012-02-29T17:08:14","slug":"gently-orienting-the-land-bank-authority-to-sunshine-law-compliance-barbara-stratton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2012\/02\/gently-orienting-the-land-bank-authority-to-sunshine-law-compliance-barbara-stratton.html","title":{"rendered":"Gently orienting the Land Bank Authority to Sunshine Law compliance —Barbara Stratton"},"content":{"rendered":"Received today. -jsq\n
\nIs gently orienting the Land Bank Authority to Sunshine Law\ncompliance going to be a joint LAKE transparancy in government\nventure or am I riding solo? Since their purpose is to acquire,\ntransfer, divest, etc. land for the common good, real time exposure\nof this public good should be welcomed. I’m sure it is just an\noversight that to date I have never seen a posted meeting date and\nthe city web site has never listed anything but “occasionally” for a\nmeeting schedule. Perhaps they think citizens would be bored and not\ninterested in their meetings and we just need to let them know we\n\n<\/a>\nare interested. Currently I’m interested in the construction for\nDupont on St. Augustine.\n

\nAlso we need to keep watch to make sure SB 284, which would\nlegislate the formation of a regional land bank with greatly\nenhanced acquisition powers, does not rise from the 2011 session\nashes. If getting information from the local land bank authority is\nso difficult, can you imagine trying to keep up with a regional\nentity and all the creative land deal possibilities.\n

\n-Barbara Stratton\n<\/blockquote>\nIt’s an hours in the day issue.\nif you want to spearhead this issue, please lead.\nAs you know, LAKE as an organization rarely takes\na position on anything.\nMost topics are pursued by one or two or more individuals\nand almost all posts are the opinions of the poster,\nunless otherwise indicated by “for LAKE”.\nYou seem to be the kernel of a syndicate of initiative on this one.\n

\nAccording to \nThe Valdosta City page on the Land Bank Authority<\/a>\n“Last updated: 8\/23\/2010 7:29:18 AM”:\n\n\n

\nThere is hereby established the Valdosta-Lowndes County Land Bank\nAuthority pursuant to O.C.G.A. \u00a7 48-4-60, et seq., the\nestablishment of which is to foster the public purpose of returning\nproperty which is in a non-revenue generating, non-tax producing\nstatus to effective utilization status in order to provide housing,\nnew industry and jobs for citizens. The authority is comprised of\nfour members with two appointed by the city and two appointed by the\ncounty. One of the city appointees must be a City Council member and\none of the county appointees must be a County Commissioner. The\nauthority shall meet from time to time, at least annually, and the\npresence of three members shall constitute a quorum.\n<\/blockquote>\n\nElsewhere<\/a>\nthey list under “Interested in Serving?”\n
\nContact: Mara Register, Assistant to the City Manager,\nat 229-259-3571 or register@valdostacity.com\n<\/blockquote>\nNothing anywhere I can find about when or where they meet\nor any agendas or minutes.\nNo list of who’s on their board.\nNo list of properties they’re dealing with.\n

\nOther land bank authorities are not so secretive.\nA few examples found in 10 seconds of googling:\n