{"id":8012,"date":"2014-03-04T10:14:30","date_gmt":"2014-03-04T15:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=8012"},"modified":"2014-03-04T10:30:46","modified_gmt":"2014-03-04T15:30:46","slug":"theres-nothing-we-can-do-about-the-pipeline-bill-slaughter-lcc-2014-02-24","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/theres-nothing-we-can-do-about-the-pipeline-bill-slaughter-lcc-2014-02-24.html","title":{"rendered":"There&#8217;s nothing we can do about the pipeline &#8211;Bill Slaughter @ LCC 2014-02-24"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CMjfqyx9MLQ\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.ytimg.com\/vi\/CMjfqyx9MLQ\/mqdefault.jpg\"><\/a>\r\n&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing we can do,&#8221;\r\nsaid Lowndes County Commissioners\r\nabout the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline,\r\nafter the Chairman refused to let a citizen speak during\r\nthe\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/02\/videos-quick-agenda-and-then-pipeline-lcc-2014-02-25.html\">\r\n25 February 2014 Lowndes County Commission Regular Session<\/a>.\r\nBut there are things local governments can do, as other local\r\ngovernments and elected officials have already demonstrated.\r\n<p style=\"font-style:normal\">\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nCitizen Carol Singletary drove 100 miles to get there.\r\nAs Chairman Bill Slaughter asked for a motion\r\nto adjourn the meeting,\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=A_8fIlkfGUg\">\r\nshe said she called in to say she wanted to speak<\/a>.\r\nSlaughter responded,\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nYou have to fill out the paperwork and everything in order.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nPhillip Singletary said he did, and it was in the Commission Chamber\r\nentranceway.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nThe Chairman did not relent; &#8220;just do it next week; next time&#8221;.\r\nNevermind that he has let people speak who hadn&#8217;t turned in the paperwork\r\nbefore the meeting started (we have videos).\r\nHe even\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/spectra-sales-pitch-nothing-about-nottinghill-etc-lcc-2013-12-09.html\">\r\nlet pipeline reps speak from the audience without coming up to the podium<\/a>\r\nand didn&#8217;t let <em>any<\/em> citizens speak at the Spectra sales pitch\r\nback in December.\r\n<p>\r\nCommissioner John Page moved to adjourn, and added that he would\r\nlike to see Ms. Singletary after the meeting.\r\nChairman agreed, somebody seconded, and they voted to adjourn.\r\n<p>\r\nDo elected Commissioners now have to get a vote of the Commission\r\nto talk to citizens?\r\n<p>\r\nHere&#8217;s\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=A_8fIlkfGUg\">\r\nthe video of that part<\/a>.\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center\">\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A_8fIlkfGUg\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n<p>\r\nAfter the meeting,<!--more-->\r\nCommissioner Demarcus Marshall came up to talk to the citizens first,\r\nasking what happened when she called in.\r\nShe said she got an answering machine and left a message,\r\nwhich apparently nobody picked up.\r\n<p>\r\nChairman Bill Slaughter added that he knew of no rule that\r\nallowed people to call ahead.\r\nWell, he could just make one up, like he did that\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/06\/a-few-citizens-to-be-heard-for-a-few-minutes-only-lcc-2013-06-11.html\">\r\nfifteen minute rule<\/a> for the trash discussion last June.\r\n<p>\r\nSlaughter added,\r\n<blockquote>\r\nWhat we&#8217;re going to do is no different from what you&#8217;re doing.\r\nWe&#8217;re going to speak on behalf of Lowndes County.\r\nLowndes County does have concerns about the whole process.\r\nAnd we have to insure it&#8217;s addressed.\r\nWe have the same opportunity that you have in the comment process,\r\nand that&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll do.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nHe asked if Singletary had read\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/02\/ferc-scoping-meetings-on-sabal-trail-pipeline-joe-pitchard-lcc-2014-02-25.html\">\r\nwhat&#8217;s on the county&#8217;s website<\/a>.\r\nWhich is good as far as it goes, but\r\nthere&#8217;s more the county can do,\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/02\/more-the-county-could-do-about-the-pipeline-john-s-quarterman-lcc-2014-02-25.html\">\r\npart of which I had just mentioned to the Commission a few minutes earlier<\/a>,\r\nand more of which is mentioned below.\r\n<p>\r\nCarol Singletary asked,\r\n<blockquote>\r\nSince you&#8217;re my representatives, would you speak to the concerns that\r\nthe citizens of Lowndes County have, not just the few [inaudible],\r\nbut as representatives of\r\nus citizens of this county&#8230;.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nSlaughter answered,\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nI don&#8217;t mind at all speaking on your behalf on the issues that I have\r\naddressed earlier, that each one of the property owners is treated\r\nwith the utmost respect&#8230;.\r\n<p>\r\nThe county, there&#8217;s very little we can do.\r\nWe&#8217;re just in the same situation that you&#8217;re in as a property owner&#8230;.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nNo, the County Commission is not in the same position as an individual\r\nproperty owner!\r\nIs there some other body around here elected by all the people of Lowndes County?\r\n<p>\r\nSingletary asked again, and Slaughter answered,\r\n<blockquote>\r\nSo you&#8217;re asking me then to speak on behalf of all the citizens\r\nthat&#8217;s affected.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nShe clarified that she meant at least for the citizens who have concerns.\r\n<p>\r\nSlaughter had no response.\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/07\/lowndes-county-takes-no-responsibility-for-the-pipeline-bill-slaughter-lcc-2013-06-25.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.ytimg.com\/vi\/7cUMCIZYkwM\/default.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nWhat does it say in front of his seat up there on the high podium\r\nin the county palace, whence he just refused to let her speak\r\nduring the session?\r\nAnd where he sat back in June when he\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/07\/lowndes-county-takes-no-responsibility-for-the-pipeline-bill-slaughter-lcc-2013-06-25.html\">\r\nfirst tried to abdicate any responbility<\/a> for representing\r\nthe citizens of the county regarding this pipeline.\r\nDoes it not say Chairman?\r\nIf the Chairman doesn&#8217;t speak for all the citizens of the county, who does?\r\n<p>\r\nCommissioner John Page interjected,\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nThere&#8217;s nothing we can do,\r\nto my knowledge, other than just express our opinions, our concerns.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nWell, you could pass an ordinance for pipeline depth, or zoning, like\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/spectrabusters.org\/2014\/02\/28\/colquitt-county-attorney-gives-up-too-easily\/\">\r\nFERC expressly said in a court case it would try to take into account<\/a>.\r\nYou know ordinances; the Commission has passed them\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/05\/exclusive-franchise-on-photographing-county-commission-lcc-2013-05-28.html\">\r\nto abolish the county&#8217;s waste collection centers without a public hearing\r\nand to limit who can speak to the Commission.<\/a>\r\nYou know, that very same ordinance the Chairman invoked at adjournment\r\nto stop Carol Singletary from speaking.\r\nElected Commissions can pass ordinances.\r\nIndividual citizens or businesses cannot.\r\nIndividuals and businesses and elected governments are not the same.\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/05\/exclusive-franchise-on-photographing-county-commission-lcc-2013-05-28.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" src=\"http:\/\/i4.ytimg.com\/vi\/go5pKWC41aE\/default.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nThe Commissioner who made the motions for both of those ordinances,\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/05\/exclusive-franchise-on-photographing-county-commission-lcc-2013-05-28.html\">\r\nRichard Raines<\/a>,\r\ndid <em>not<\/em> stop to speak to the Singletarys.\r\n<p>\r\nChairman Bill Slaughter added,\r\n<blockquote>\r\nWe as property owners have concerns from a similar standpoint.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nSilly me, I thought the citizens of Lowndes County were the owners\r\nof the county&#8217;s property, not the specific current elected Commissioners.\r\nAnd I thought the County Commission was elected to represent the citizens,\r\nnot to act like a private corporation.\r\n<p>\r\nSlaughter continued,\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nSpecifically,\r\nwhere the pipeline is going to cross the road,\r\nwhat the depth is [inaudible] roadbed.\r\nWe have questions, and we&#8217;re going to be addressing those questions\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nLater he also mentioned property rights and taxes as questions,\r\nand I think he mentioned wetlands.\r\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/sabal-trail-answers-commissioners-did-forward-questions-lcc-2013-12-09.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.ytimg.com\/vi\/ZHc7fp1KY7k\/default.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nWell, Commissioners sure didn&#8217;t ask those questions\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/sabal-trail-answers-commissioners-did-forward-questions-lcc-2013-12-09.html\">\r\nback in December when they had pipeline reps at a County Commission meeting<\/a>.\r\nAs <a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/all-4-commissioner-questions-about-the-pipeline-vdt-lcc-2013-12-09.html\">the VDT reported<\/a>,\r\nCommissioners only asked four questions.\r\nThey did forward citizens&#8217; questions to the pipeline company, but\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/sabal-trail-answers-commissioners-did-forward-questions-lcc-2013-12-09.html\">accepted cut-and-paste PR answers without comment<\/a>.\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/02\/sabal-trail-interrogated-in-gilchrist-county-florida-gcc-2014-02-20.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.ytimg.com\/vi\/akoqJZ6uqzc\/default.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nThe Gilchrist County, Florida County Commission has since demonstrated\r\nhow it&#8217;s done, with\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/02\/sabal-trail-interrogated-in-gilchrist-county-florida-gcc-2014-02-20.html\">\r\nan hour of a citizen committee aided by Commissioners<\/a> grilling Spectra\r\nreps, followed by an hour of questions from citizens all around,\r\nand attorneys representing landowners and other county commissions\r\ncross-examining the Spectra reps, all in public, in front of a packed\r\nhouse and the LAKE video camera.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen will the Lowndes County Commission get around to asking questions?\r\n<p>\r\nCommissioner Demarcus Marshall asked if the Chairman would stand\r\nup at the\r\nFERC Scoping Meeting in Valdosta\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/ferc-pipeline-scoping-meeting-tonight-in-valdosta-testify-for-your-community.html\">\r\n(today at 6PM at the Holiday Inn on West Hill Avenue)<\/a>.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Chairman answered that FERC&#8217;s documents say it&#8217;s better\r\nto do everything in writing, so they&#8217;d be going online and doing it\r\nin writing.\r\n<p>\r\nThat&#8217;s a fine idea! When will they do that, like\r\nValdosta City Council District 5 Tim Carroll\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/03\/valdosta-city-council-member-files-with-ferc.html\">\r\nalready did<\/a>?\r\n<p>\r\nCommissioner Joyce Evans stood there and said nothing.\r\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/help\/processes\/flow\/lng-1.asp\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;width:300px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/images\/flowcharts\/lng.gif\"><\/a>\r\nCommissioner John Page stepped aside to talk briefly\r\nto County Manager Joe Pritchard, who did not join\r\nthe conversation with the citizens.\r\nPage then went elsewhere.\r\n<p>\r\nSlaughter added,\r\n<blockquote>\r\nThere&#8217;s not anything we can do.\r\nOnce FERC starts this process, once they issue their certificate,\r\nbasically their permit, there&#8217;s nothing we can do.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\n\r\nThe process is to <em>decide<\/em> whether to issue the permit!\r\nAnd Sabal Trail hasn&#8217;t even filed for the actual permitting process yet;\r\nthis is still the\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/help\/processes\/gas-pipe-stor-perm.asp\">\r\npre-filing process<\/a>,\r\nwhich includes &#8220;a preliminary determination based on non-environmental\r\nconsiderations&#8221;.\r\nIn other words, FERC could decide not to move beyond the pre-filing process.\r\nIf there&#8217;s enough opposition.\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/help\/processes\/intervention.asp\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;width:300px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/images\/flowcharts\/intervention.gif\"><\/a>\r\nIf it gets as far as the filing process,\r\nindividuals or organizations including local governments\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ferc.gov\/help\/how-to\/intervene.asp\">\r\ncan file to intervene<\/a>,\r\nwhich gets FERC&#8217;s attention and\r\nprovides the opportunity to appeal FERC&#8217;s decisions in court.\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/09\/no-contract-and-no-bids-for-county-attorney-yet-20-raise-to-300000.html\">\r\nAlleged County Attorney<\/a> Walter G. Elliott walked by without speaking.\r\nWhy isn&#8217;t he telling the Chairman what he can do?\r\nWhat is the county paying him $300,000 a year to do?\r\n<p>\r\nSlaughter stayed there for 20 minutes, but added not much\r\nbeyond what&#8217;s quoted above.\r\nWell, he indicated that he was concerned about safety,\r\nbut after the pipeline was built a federal regulator\r\n(PHMSA) would come in and be in charge of safety.\r\n<p>\r\nSlaughter did sum the whole thing up as:\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nYou want me to carry your flag.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nMaybe the Chairman could carry the flag of the county.\r\n<p>\r\nI\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CMjfqyx9MLQ&#038;t=20m\">\r\nmentioned to Bill Slaughter<\/a> the\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/02\/sabal-trail-interrogated-in-gilchrist-county-florida-gcc-2014-02-20.html\">\r\nGilchrist County two-hour interrogation of Spectra<\/a>,\r\nbut he didn&#8217;t indicate the Lowndes County Commission might\r\ndo anything similar.\r\n<p>When Carol Singletary mentioned this wasn&#8217;t a necessary project,\r\nSlaughter turned away.\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/01\/no-choice-on-trash-representatives-from-lowndes-county.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/images\/6a0120a58214e4970b017ee8117bd7970d-pi.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nShe summed up her frustration:\r\n<p>\r\n\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nI don&#8217;t understand then, what y&#8217;all do.\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n<p>\r\nSee for yourself. Here&#8217;s\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=CMjfqyx9MLQ\">\r\nthe video:<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align:center;font-size:80%\">\r\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CMjfqyx9MLQ\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\r\n<br>\r\nThere&#8217;s nothing we can do about the pipeline &#8211;Bill Slaughter\r\n<br>\r\nWork Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),\r\n<br>\r\nVideo by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE),\r\n<br>\r\nValdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 24 February 2014.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n -jsq\r\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing we can do,&#8221; said Lowndes County Commissioners about the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, after the Chairman refused to let a citizen speak during the 25 February 2014 Lowndes County Commission Regular Session. But there are things local governments can do, as other local governments and elected officials have already demonstrated. Citizen Carol Singletary [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[14,2,20,88,6124,6687,73,3],"tags":[7462,8704,8751,8701,367,8699,10,8702,8710,91,12,7,8734,562,6076,8731,8700,6,90],"class_list":["post-8012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-economy","category-government","category-law","category-lowndes-county-commission","category-natural-gas-2","category-pipeline-2","category-safety","category-transparency","tag-24-february-2014","tag-economy","tag-florida","tag-georgia","tag-gilchrist-county","tag-government","tag-gretchen-quarterman","tag-lake","tag-law","tag-lcc","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-lowndes-county-commission","tag-natural-gas","tag-pipeline","tag-safety","tag-transparency","tag-valdosta","tag-work-session"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p585fK-25e","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8012"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8012\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8025,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8012\/revisions\/8025"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}