Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp came to Quitman Thursday to hear about election issues. Here is the first of many videos George Boston Rhynes took of the event.
There are more on his
YouTube channel, bostongbr,,
and I will post some of them here, too.
This local voter pretty much summed it up:
My county commissioners… found nothing wrong with this.
They found nothing wrong with this! How much can one community endure to have a right to have our votes cast and counted for who we want to represent us.
GA Sec. State hears complaints from voters about Elections, GA Sec. State Brian Kemp, Brooks County (Brooks), Video by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube (K.V.C.I.), Quitman, Brooks County, Georgia, 9 August 2012.
George Boston Rhynes reports Brian Kemp, Georgia Secretary of State, will be in Quitman today about election matters, apparently at the Brooks County Commission building. Here’s a video playlist: by George of elections issues ranging from the recent attempt by the Board of Elections Chair to stop George videoing a public meeting, to the suspension of the Elections Supervisor, to the Quitman 10+2.
The rest of the Brooks County Board of Elections meeting 17 July 2012 Quitman, Brooks County, Georgia Videos by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube and K.V.C.I.
Patrick Davis provided some explanation of what the suspension issue was at the Brooks County Board of Elections, and then asked a bigger question: where are the traditional media when sunshine is needed?
The main reason behind the suspension is centered around his alleged participation in qualifying and certification irregularities along with accusations of voter disenfranchisement of local citizens in regard to a sample ballot for the upcoming July 31 election.
Collins insists it is a misunderstanding, and Nancy Duncan, the chairperson of the Brooks Board of Elections, echoes those sentiments and urged the Board of Elections not to involve the Secretary of State and/or other authorities.
Commissioners present were: Mr. S. L. Jones, Chairman; Mr. Joe Wingate, Vice Chairman; Mr. James Maxwell; Mr. Howard Lawson, and Mr. Willie Cody. Others present were: Mr. Robert D. O’Barr, County Administrator; Ms. Patricia Williams, County Clerk; Mr. Vann Parrott, County Attorney; Mr. Mark Deatcher, Public Works Director; and various residents….
4. Election Supervisor – Emergency Selection
Due to an unforeseen illness, Mr. Johnny Spearman resigned as Brooks County Elections Supervisor which resulted in an emergency hiring of Mr. Kenneth Collins, previous applicant. Lowndes County Board of Elections has willingly offered their services for utilization during this transition due to time sensitivity with 2012 election events. Mr. Maxwell made the motion to hire Mr. Kenneth Collins as Brooks County Elections Supervisor, Mr. Lawson seconded. Vote was unanimous.
(That’s the most recent set of minutes listed on the Brooks County web page. Have the Brooks County Commissioners really not met since January?)
On motion by Mr. Wingate, Board unanimously appointed Mr. Johnny Spearman as Elections Supervisor for Brooks County. Salary will be $32,000.00 annually.
OK, that’s the elections supervisor who resigned and was replaced by Ken Collins. But who are the Board of Elections?
The person chairing the Brooks County Board of Elections
didn’t like George Rhynes recording their public open meeting, and didn’t
know that state law says anyone can.
Several people explained to her that Georgia law says he can. Then she unilaterally declared an executive session without any vote or saying what it was for. Several people explained to her she couldn’t do that. Her response (after the video clip):
Video by George Boston Rhynes for bostongbr on YouTube.
I just am feeling very threatened at this point, very picked on and torn apart.
Eventually she declared the meeting adjourned without any vote. Various people explained to her she needed a motion and a vote for that, too.
Then they suspended someone from the election office until an investigation could take place.
I would post names of the various people, but I can’t find any list of members or employees of the Brooks County Board of Elections online.
In addition to the Quitman Board of Elections not understanding Georgia’s sunshine laws,
Continue reading →
A group of Valdosta City Council members recently visited Sustainable Fellwood in Savannah, and may be considering it as a model for affordable fair housing in Valdosta. There’s also a model much closer than Savannah.
Fellwood is a project which aims to demonstrate that highly efficient and healthy buildings can be built affordably. The project will include a four acre park and a community garden. Preserving the local oak tree canopy will be another important step. The development team is taking steps to reduce stormwater run off and utilize native landscaping. Energy Star appliances, reflective roofs, and high efficiency windows are all included in the plans. The project will be registered with the EarthCraft Coastal Communities certification, and it is a pilot LEED — ND neighborhood. It is developed using the principles of smart growth for walkable and diverse communities.
Larry Hanson, Valdosta City Manager, asked for the regional council to reconsider aviation projects, especially considering that the tax was supposed to be for projects of regional significance. Then he pointed out
Out of that $503 million about 40% of it or $212 million is projected to be generated here in Lowndes County. And when you look at what's being returned, for instance to the city of Valdosta, it's $47 million. It is certainly one thing to be a donor, but that's a pretty substantial donor.
He said he appreciated all the other counties, but much of the money would go to counties that are not contiguous to Lowndes County and are not part of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes the four counties of Lowndes, Brooks, Lanier, and Echols. He continued:
Lowndes County is about 26% of the region's population and we generate about 38% of the revenue, and we're not quite getting that back in terms of the distribution.
You may wonder why a City of Valdosta official was speaking for Lowndes County. County Manager Joe Pritchard was there at the start of the meeting, and I think County Engineer Mike Fletcher was, as well. County Chairman Ashley Paulk came in late and summoned Pritchard and Fletcher outside the glass doors of the meeting room. They stood there for quite some time, peering in, and then vanished.
Aviation Projects, and Valdosta is a substantial donor –Larry Hanson @ T-SPLOST 2011-09-19 T-SPLOST Public Meeting, Southern Georgia Regional Commission (SGRC), Corey Hull, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 19 September 2011. Video by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
Many voters in Brooks County are older African-Americans who are senior citizens in their 60's, 70's and 80's that witnessed first-hand the politics of Jim Crow in the last century, but had to deal with GBI agents coming to their doorsteps of their small rural town with guns strapped to their side asking questions. Some were voting for the first time or the first time in years in 2010, but there has been an ongoing effort by Republicans to present more obstacles and/or threats to eligible voters so they would be discouraged not to vote.
I think the Quitman 10+2's real crime was very simple: winning. Even worse, they used an innovative strategy (absentee ballots) for an end-run around their opponents. If that school board election in Brooks County had been a football game, the Q10+2 would be hailed as heroes by the local and state press for winning the game. Why is winning an election by legal means not accorded the same treatment?
On May 8th, 2012; at 6:00 PM, I (GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES)
was denied the right to address the Quitman-Brooks County School Board of Education. Please not that this was at a public meeting in the State of Georgia under our form of government.
May 14, 2012
George Boston Rhynes (229-251-8645) 5004 Oak Drive Valdsota, Georgia 31605
TO: Brooks County School Board of Education
 (229-263-7532) President Brad Shealy School Superintendent Debra H. Folsom Board Member Robert Lawrence Cunningham III Board Member Mr. Wayne Carroll Jr., Board Member Mr. Gerald Golden Board Member Mr. Joseph Luke Mitchell Board Member Ms. Dennis Monroe Board Member Mr. Frank Thomas PO Box 511 1081 Barwick Road Quitman, Georgia 31643
Moreover, my request was to speak before all members of the school board, parents, local press and others that attends such meetings. However, after three e-mails and several phone calls I was denied this right in the State of Georgia; as a Brooks County Family tax paying property owner.
I served my country for over 20 years and have been involved in civil and human righs since 1975 but have never seen such ill treatment of a United States Citizen wherein it is so diffuculy to address ELECTED and/ SELECTED officials within a state. I did not have this much trouble addressing a military school in Ramstein, Germany.
Again my family owns property in Brooks County (43 acreamust) as you will hear on the video below. However this did not matter to the Brooks County President Brad Shealy and those that get requests to address the school board in Quitman and Brooks County Georgia.
They found nothing wrong with this! How much can one community endure to have a right to have our votes cast and counted for who we want to represent us.
Here’s the video:
