What can we do as a community to better cooperate? —Dr. Noll

Update 3:45 PM 3 November 2011: Better transcript and pictures. See also what happened after the meeting.
Dr. Michael Noll, longtime opponent of the Industrial Authority’s formerly proposed biomass plant, asked that same board at their most recent meeting:
What can we do as a community to better cooperate, to better communicate?
He also referred to the school consolidation issue and to the nuclear vs. renewable energy issue among the reasons he gave, along with some suggestions on how to proceed, and said he would take the same message to other bodies.

Here’s the video, and a transcript is appended.


What can we do as a community to better cooperate? –Dr. Noll
Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Tom Call, Roy Copeland chairman, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett,
Andrea Schruijer Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Allan Ricketts Project Manager,
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 18 October 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Dr. Noll sent an edited transcript removing some of the repetition to clarify what he was trying to say:

…as I was reflecting on our community … it seems we’re in the middle of yet another divisive issue… [yet] we need to work together as a community, no matter what those issues may be. These may be economic, they may be political issues, and other things too.

And this may sound like a question, it is a question, but I’m not expecting an answer to the question, but: what can we do as a community to better cooperate, to better communicate? Because I’m concerned that we seem to be repeating mistakes over and over again. All of us! I’m not pointing fingers at you in particular, but in general at the community.

… for example … the visit of the CEO of Georgia Power … where I think I would have liked to be able to participate in this, to … perhaps correct certain notions in terms of whether or not nuclear is less expensive than solar, or simply to come up with ideas and ask questions [about] what [we can] do to conserve energy, to be more energy efficient.

This may be true in terms of other aspects as well. And I wonder what we can do, what kind of forum we can provide in the community where the Industrial Authority, the city and county [can work together] …

We may have disagreements at times, but no matter what we have, [there is] the need to better communicate and cooperate. Community is about cooperation and communication ultimately.

So what can we do? And I’d like to find out if there is some way that we, and you as an entity, can also provide some sort of a forum … not just at these meetings here, but in a more informal setting, perhaps some brainstorming sessions, where we can exchange ideas. You may disregard some [suggestions], you may consider others, but we need that as a community in general.

That’s all; thank you.

My previous transcript is below. -jsq
…as I was reflecting on our community, and it seems we’re in the middle of yet another divisive issue. And at some point the report David [S. Rodock, VDT reporter] did on what was mentioned in the Valdosta Daily Times: we need to work together as a community, no matter what those issues may be. These may be economic, they may be political issues, and other things too.

And this may sound like a question, it is a question, but I’m not expecting an answer to the question, but:

What can we do as a community to better cooperate, to better communicate?
Because I’m concerned that we seem to be repeating mistakes over and over again. All of us! I’m not pointing fingers at you in particular, but in general at the community.

Where for example, the visit was interesting to read about, another article, the visit of the CEO of Georgia Power came to the community to talk about certain issues. Where I think I would have liked to be able to participate in this, to make perhaps to correct certain notions in terms of whether or not whether or not nuclear is less expensive than solar, or simply to come up with ideas and ask questions what can we do to conserve energy, to be more energy efficient.

This may be true in terms of other aspects as well. And I wonder what we can do, what kind of forum we can provide in the community where the Industrial Authority, the city and county…. And the same suggestions will be made when I have the chance to do that, where we can better work together.

We may have disagreements at times, but no matter what we have the need to better communicate and cooperate. Community is about cooperation and communication ultimately.

So what can we do and I’d like to find out if there is some way that we, and you as an entity, can also provide some sort of a forum where you have…. Not just at these meetings here, but in a more informal setting perhaps some brainstorming sessions where we can exchange ideas. You may disregard some, you may consider others, but we need that as a community in general.

That’s all; thank you.

-jsq