Spectra to answer questions about pipeline @ LCC 2013-12-09

Received yesterday. Good first step. Will the Commission also have Spectra speak at the Regular Session, like they did ADS back in February? Will it make that a public hearing?
Update 11:30 AM: Pipeline meeting set: Commissioner gathers opposing views by Matthew Woody, front page of the VDT this morning. -jsq

From: Demarcus Marshall <marshall at lowndescounty.com>
Date: Friday, October 25, 2013 7:51 AM
To: Tim Bland
Cc: Matthew Woody
Subject: Sabal Trail Pipeline

Tim and Residents along the Proposed Sabal Trail Pipeline,

Brian Fahrenthold of Sabal Trail Pipeline contacted me yesterday and requested an audience with the Lowndes County Commissioners. I have submitted to the chairman a slot for him to address the commissioners at our December 09, 2013 work session. I am writing you to ask your presence at this meeting. The work session will begin at 8:30 am. Mr. Fahrenthold will make himself available to talk to citizens after our meeting as well. In the meantime, I need you to send me your name, address and phone number. It is my intentions to inquire of other options for Sabal Trail instead of through your property. Please forward to other citizens in opposition of the gas line through there property. For those in favor of their property being used, they need not send me their contact information. I hope everyone have a blessed day and great weekend!

Demarcus Marshall, M.P.A.
Super District 4
Lowndes County Commissioner
327 North Ashley Street, 3rd Floor
Valdosta, Georgia 31601
229-671-2442 office
229-630-3866 cell
229-245-5222 fax

That’s Tim Bland on the far left in the last picture above, and Demarcus Marshall in the back row middle, at the 22 October 2013 Regular Session.

You may recall Demarcus Marshall asked back at the Spectra road show 15 October for Fahrenthold to speak at the 9 Dec 2013 Work Session. This isn’t quite the town hall Tim Bland asked for but it’s a start, like the Dougherty County Commission did at their business session back in September. Dougherty’s Chairman went ahead and held an actual public hearing within a week from which we all learned quite a bit.

The Lowndes County Commission can also have Fahrenthold speak at its Tuesday 10 December Regular Session, like it did with Dave Shepler of ADS 12 February 2013. Given that there’s plenty of time to give public notice between now and then, the Commission could even make that a public hearing so citizens could ask questions and Spectra could answer in public.

If the Lowndes County Commission is going to do something, it needs to go ahead and do it, before the Spectra FERC-required Open House roadshow gets to Clyattville 16 December 2013. Will the Lowndes County Commission let Spectra control the message, or will it help local citizens find out what’s really going on?

-jsq