Can Council members answer in Citizens to Be Heard,
or can’t they?
One did; another says she can’t.
In Council Comments at the end of the 21 April 2011 Valdosta City Council meeting, Sonny Vickers talked about bids.
Then Deidra White said she would attend any meeting where she could hear and reply to citizens’ concerns, but she can can’t say anything about Citizens to be Heard because there’s a Council policy.
That’s interesting, considering that in the previous Valdosta City Council meeting, in Citizens to be Heard, Council Sonny Vickers responded to Dr. Mark George saying that he had already told everyone that he was for the biomass plant. Does this mean that Council supporters of the biomass plant can speak and opponents cannot? If so, what other topics have a similar lopsided muzzling policy?
Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Payton talked about an education class at Wiregrass Technical College. He then called for adjournment, and they went into executive session.
George Boston Rhynes took this video for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Here’s the video:
Council Comments @ 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
Short Link:
Yost engaged Dr. Noll (and was unpleasant about it) at one meeting that I attended, Mayor Fretti engages people sometimes, Attorney Talley engaged J. Smith last Thursday, and sometimes others at other meetings, myself included, and Vickers talks pretty much to whomever he wants whenever he wants. The whole CTBH policy is a smokescreen. The Council Comments period ought to be followed by adjournment and then the Councilmembers making their remarks from the dais during Council Comments ought to have to walk out into the audience and deal with the voters’ concerns directly.
When Jimmy Rainwater was Mayor, I may not always have agreed with him, or he with me, but he always came out into the audience and talked to us.
This Council is not responsive to the concerns of its citizens, and has basically disengaged from their duty to listen and respond to their constituents with appropriate due diligence and transparency.
When I read the transcript of Mr. Carroll’s interview with Karen Noll, I was dismayed. After he has been educated on the health concerns associated with this biomass incinerator (each Councilmember was given a portfolio of health and medical studies from the nation’s most prestigious medical organizations, published in the nation’s most prestigious medical journals, and WACE spent a great deal of money to provide these resources to them)… after he’s been educated that there are 3 elementary schools, a HeadStart, and a nursing home in harm’s way, he still refuses to take a public position and says it’s up to the Industrial Authority.
Mr. Carroll, you were elected to represent a residential district that has a lot of young families as well as retired folks in it, do you really think the needs of wealthy investors trump the needs of babies and children and senior citizens to live and breathe clean air? We have told you repeatedly that biomass incineration causes Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, asthma (which also kills), and respiratory arrest in older people or those with lung disease. I’ve been down there explaining that the black infant mortality rate in Valdosta is twice as high as the white infant mortality rate, and I showed Council the excellent study by Dr. Robert Bullard of Clark Atlanta University which clearly explains that the Valdosta Southside Community is an Environmental Justice community. I know Vickers and Wright don’t care about this, but can’t you find it in your heart to care about the sorrow of the mothers who live here who are losing babies to SIDS?
Does this register with you, Mr. Carroll?
Deidra White told me it’s up to Henry Hicks, the Mayor told us it’s up to the Industrial Authority, Vickers and Wright say they want it for the jobs and don’t see the big deal about the health issues, and now Carroll says it’s up to the Industrial Authority. Carroll also stated that it was inappropriate for him to ever divulge his position on an issue, any issue, until the moment the vote was taken.
Payton and Norton are the only two who have not said something, anything, publicly at this point. I appreciate that Mr. Payton has attended many of the WACE public forums. I also see him at the Industrial Authority meetings because his Wiregrass Technical College is involved with development, etc, through IA. I hope this doesn’t mean he feels he cannot speak out on biomass or risk IA not approving something for Wiregrass Technical College.
Mr. Quarterman, I emailed you the transcript of the Tim Carroll interview.
Hello, world! Yes, people though that the citizens of Valdosta and South Georgia in general would forever be (made) deaf; dumb; and bind to what was going on in our beloved community. However, Georgians and others are so concerned about what’s going on that people cannot believe what has been kept (secret) away from them for decades!
http://kvci.blogspot.com/2011/04/mr-john-robinson-addresses-economically.html
We now see and know, that when truth comes into the ears and minds of those that seek truth, that all falsehood must vanish and falsehood is forever a vanishing thing.
I was listening to our Honorable Mayor from 2005 from one of my CD’s I recorded back then and I wish everybody could hear what took place at Valdosta City Council Meetings!
I posted information on my blog back in 1989, and you might want to Google “Deaths in Valdosta-Lowndes County Jail, Barber Park Issue, Valdosta Whiteout Media, Floyd Rose, George Boston Rhynes, and much more. I knew people wanted to really know what was going on and being covered up by the Left Hander’s!
Personally, I not want our COUNTRY BACK! I just want our country to BE, and DO, that which is RIGHT by all of its citizens! Why? Because it is the right thing to do!
I always wanted the people to know what was being hidden or just ignored for decades and The Honorable Al Parson of the Lake Park Post was a real Hero in our beloved community!
I will close this out but please: See what no SOUTH GEORGIA NEWS MEDIA OUTLET said anything about! We have kept a pretty good Archival record since 1989 and it will be made public to show how much of the news in Valdosta Lowndes County and South Georgia have been filtered so people could not get a higher level of knowledge!
I thank all of you for being a part of the God some claim to know on Sunday. However the real God is the streets among ordinary people who love everybody and hates no one nor mistreat them to gain the advantage!
http://kvci.blogspot.com/2011/04/mr-john-robinson-addresses-economically.html
* Just keeping it real!