Category Archives: Valdosta City Council

Environmental apartheid and envieronmental racism –Leigh Touchton, VCC, 10 Feb 2011

NAACP reiterates charges of environmental racism, despite claims from Brad Lofton, Executive Director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, that “all of a sudden we haven’t heard anymore about environmental racism.” Leigh Touchton, president of the local NAACP chapter, presents to the Valdosta City Council research published by Robert D. Bullard about environmental apartheid.


Regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
She posted the appended as a comment on the previous LAKE post about Robert D. Bullard’s report.

-jsq

Dear Mr. Quarterman:
Continue reading →

VSU Advanced Journalism Class, VCC, 10 Feb 2011

Mayor Fretti welcomes a VSU advanced journalism class, as well as David Rodock of the VDT, while Gretchen pans around the room. Hm, advanced journalism: maybe they’d like to video events?


Regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Biomass plant a done deal? –Floyd Rose

This LTE appeared in the VDT Sunday 13 February 2011. -jsq
Abraham Lincoln said, “The probability that we shall fail in this struggle should not deter us from the support of a cause that we believe is just.” Such a cause for us is opposition to the biomass plant.

Given its support from city and county officials more concerned about doing the bidding of the rich and powerful than they are about the health of children, it is likely a “done deal.” Done by those who will profit from the deal.

None of the national health organizations endorse biomass plants as safe for children. The American Cancer Society, the American Lung Association, and the World Health Organization have concluded that biomass plants pose serious threats to children.

None of the deal makers, investors, or politicians who signed off on their deal live in the community which will most be affected by the poisonous toxins that will fill the air. Their children don’t attend the schools, nor do they attend any of the seven area churches.

Meetings have been held on the biomass project. Some by the Industrial Authority, WACE, the NAACP, and SCLC. And not a single citizen has spoken in favor of it. When I asked a council member about this, he said, “They are afraid of you.”

It is not the proponents who have anything to fear.

Continue reading →

Principles for which I live –Floyd Rose

Floyd Rose spoke to the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011. First he told the bus story, which is about how he became an activist many years ago. Then he said this part, transcribed by George Rhynes:
“I came home to Valdosta in 1995, and I found just outside of these walls; a plaque that read; the mayor and council shall make all appropriate and necessary laws; for the control of slaves; and free men of color.

That plaque was removed reluctantly; at the urging of Mr. George Rhynes; while the plaque; has been removed! I have discovered; that the policy that gave birth to that plaque are still in place; and one of the policies is the one that I told you about two weeks ago; or perhaps three weeks ago now. That would not; and could not abide by; because it was designed only for the purpose of controlling the citizens of this city and that I would never be bought and I would never be bossed as a matter of conscience.

Now it was suggested; at the end of the last meeting; that some of us come before you; ah making a grand stand; and somehow creating theater. It was suggested that Floyd Rose just wants to be arrested. I have been arrested before; I spent twenty-five long hours in solitary confinement in the Lowndes County Jail; because of you; and anybody with any common sense; would never want to go to the Lowndes County Jail to spend any time. That is foolishness and it’s crazy!


Regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 20 February 2011
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Rev. Rose continued: Continue reading →

Radio theater by elected officials –George Rhynes

George Rhynes posted the appended on his blog the same day he spoke on the same subjects at the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011.


George Rhynes speaking at the
regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 10 February 2011.
Video by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

Excerpts from his blog post: Continue reading →

What was missing from Brad Lofton’s speech?

Seems like there’s something from Brad Lofton’s speech at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce on 28 January 2011. Right at the end he mentioned:
a project we’ve been working on


Brad Lofton, Executive Director, Valdosta-Lowndes COunty Industrial Authority,
speaking at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce annual dinner,
Lake Park, Lowndes County, Georgia, 28 January 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

What could that project be?

Right at the beginning Lofton said:

Ben Copeland beat me slap silly
Maybe that’s a clue. What did Ben Copeland say about Brad Lofton?
Brad Lofton was going to talk after me, and he’d talk about biomass. [laughter]
Continue reading →

Taking water for granted? –Matthew Richard

This LTE appeared in the VDT today. -jsq
In the aftermath of Valdosta’s recent water calamity, it might be a good time to ask whether residents of Lowndes County are taking things like plentiful water for granted? Apparently, the Valdosta City Council is already thinking ahead, for on the agenda of their January 20, 2011 meeting, was a “Consideration of an Ordinance to establish standards for outdoor watering for the City of Valdosta.” One wonders if they’re worried about people watering their lawns in the summer? If that’s the case, it’s good that they acknowledge that the South is in the midst of a long-term drought.

Or perhaps I’m giving Council credit where it’s not due?

Continue reading →

Municipal elections this year

City elections are this year in Lowndes County, Georgia. According to Deb Cox, Lowndes County Board of Elections, in the Sunday Valdosta Daily Times (30 Jan 2010), the following positions are up for election in 2011 (incumbent in parentheses):

City of Valdosta

Mayor (John Fretti)
City Council At Large (Ben Norton)
City Council Dist 1 (James Wright)
City Council Dist 3 (“Sonny” Vickers)
City Council Dist 5 (Tim Carroll)

City of Hahira

City Council District 2 (Allen Cain)
City Council District 3 (Ralph Clendenin)

City of Dasher

Continue reading →

Industrial Authority and the general welfare –Dr. William Fuller

First time speaker Dr. William Fuller refers to a paper copy he got from the City of Valdosta of the charter of the Industrial Authority. He says it allows them to make contracts, and he asks for someone to check to see the unelected members of the Industrial Authority don’t contract with relatives. He notes that the charter says their main purpose is to promote the general welfare of the people of Lowndes County, and the proposed biomass plant won’t do that.


Video by John S. Quarterman
of the regular meeting of the Lowndes County Commission, 25 Jan 2011
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

“our local gov’t officials are making decisions about things of which they have little knowledge” –Dr. Matthew Richard

Here is Dr. Richard speaking before the Valdosta City Council. He summarized in a comment on this blog:
as i endeavored to point out at the last city council meeting, our local gov’t officials are making decisions about things of which they have little knowledge. my example: the brain has two types of cells: neurons and glial cells. there are NO white blood cells; thus, the brain has no immune system, relying on the the tiny diameter of the capillaries themselves to keep infectious agents out. this is called the blood-brain barrier. BUT, as dr. sammons pointed out, PARTICULATE MATTER is small enough to make it through the body and into the brain. as dr. bob gannon (dept. head of biology at VSU) told me again the other night, this constitutes a major threat to health in the form of brain cancer.

Video by John S. Quarterman
of the regular meeting of the Valdosta City Council, 20 January 2011
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

-jsq