Dawn Castro wrote for the VDT yesterday:
He also said:“We do have one of the best communities,” Tucker said. “The toughest part of me standing before you is knowing how much better we could be if all the little groups would work together.”
“I am still blessed to have my dad with me,” Tucker began. “He always asks me, ‘Where have you been?’ and ‘Did you do any good?’Here are a few good things Jerome Tucker has done recently: Continue reading
Sam Allen,
as he has before,
called for
reconciliation of opponents on the recent school consolidation referendum,
and support of the two school systems,
financially and otherwise.
In addition to FVCS regulars such as JC Cunningham, Chamber Chair Tom Gooding was there, as were current Valdosta Mayor Sonny Vickers and Mayor-Elect John Gayle, plus re-elected Valdosta City Council At-Large Ben Norton. Valdosta School Superintendent Cason was there. I didn’t see Lowndes Superintendent Smith, although various members of Continue reading
The 1926 statute that needs to be removed is OCGA 20-2-370. TheAccording to Justia.com:1983 constitutional law had priority of law precedence over the older statute & CUEE was advised before they asked for signatures it could be protested on those grounds before or after the vote. Thankfully we did not have to go that route. I remember in high school I did a project on outdated laws still in the GA Constitution including mandatory hanging for horse theft (which I liked). There was also a law if you hit & killed a cow or pig on the road you were required to get out & slit the throat so the owner could salvage the meat & many others that were outdated & no longer enforced. I trust these have now been removed. The general assembly should be thankful that we are addressing this 57 year overdue need for house cleaning & remedy this in January. Rule of Law should never remain questionable when it is the duty of our lawmakers to provide clarity.
-Barbara Stratton
2010 Georgia Code
TITLE 20 – EDUCATION
CHAPTER 2 – ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
ARTICLE 8 – CONSOLIDATION OF INDEPENDENT AND COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEMS
§ 20-2-370 – Referendum on repeal of special school law and consolidation of systems
O.C.G.A. 20-2-370 (2010)
20-2-370. Referendum on repeal of special school law and consolidation of systemsWhenever the citizens of a municipality or independent school district authorized by law to establish and maintain a system of schools by local taxation in whole or in part are operating a system of public schools independent of the county school system and wish to annul their special school law and become a part of the county school system, they shall present and file with the governing authority of the city a petition signed by one-fourth of the qualified voters of their territory; and the governing authority shall then submit the question at an election to be held in accordance with Chapter 2 of Title 21. A majority of those voting shall be necessary to carry the election. Only qualified voters residing within the municipality or district for six months prior to the election shall vote. An election shall not be held for the same purpose more often than every 12 months.
Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. Georgia may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
Five citizens spoke up at the
7 November 2011 Lowndes County Commission Regular Session.
Some got answers, some got excuses, and some got fingerpointing.
And one illustrated how the Commission doesn’t follow its own rules.
George Boston Rhynes asked about
Open record requests and jail deaths
and got the same excuses he’s heard elsewhere:
nobody seems to be responsible for supplying information to the public
about what’s going on in the Lowndes County Jail.
John Robinson asked about
Contracts on the south side
related to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and to
Title III Section 3 of the HUD program
and got a clarification from the Chairman that the county has no
Title III projects.
John S. Quarterman asked the Commission to
video meetings like the Lowndes Board of Education does,
and got a slightly different excuse this time than the many previous times he’s made similar requests.
Matt Portwood
asked the Commission or the individual Commissioners to state a position
on school consolidation
and was told they weren’t going to.
The VDT printed that much the next morning, the morning of the election
with the referendum on school consolidation.
They did not print Chairman Paulk’s allusion to
his already-known support for FVCS in opposing consolidation,
but LAKE published a video with that on Election Day, and you can
see it here.
Tony Daniels wanted to know
How can we pursue happiness when we don’t even have a job?
and had several recommendations for how the various local elected and
appointed bodies could go about getting us more jobs.
He also illustrated that the Commissions ordinance on Citizens Wishing
to Be Heard is, as we’ve discovered on many previous occasions,
merely guidelines at the whim of the Chairman.
-jsq
While I live in the city as was able to vote on the consolidation issue,I feel that only a vote where both city and county residents would be democratic. Only a vote where both interested parties could take part would reveal the will of the people and be admissible. Although I opposed the effort to consolidate that was recently defeated, I feel strongly that a true vote of both city and county residence is necessary if consolidation should reach the ballot anytime in the future. For this reason it is paramount that the old law that allowed the city only vote be stricken to allow the georgia constitution to prevail. The GA constitution allows for both city and county to vote and a majority in both in order to pass.
Please contact your legislator to support repealing the 1928 law from the GA law books.
Thank you ALL for your commitment to community,
-Karen Noll
Continue readingFrom: JC Cunningham
Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:01:26 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Fw: The Repeal of Ga. Law on School Consolidation
To: [many people]Friends,
Even though we the Citizens of Valdosta have spoken and defeated that hostile takeover, this is not the time to let up. We all must stay a vigilant as possible and never let anything like this happen again.
One way in which everyone in Valdosta and Lowndes can make a impact is to write a letter to Amy Carter, Admin. Floor Leader to the Governor, and ask for her to introduce a bill to repeal the old 1928 law that Cuee was able to use.
Remind Amy that she has an obligation to bring this bill to the floor. Remind her that the people
Friends,Details: Continue reading
We must bring healing and closure to the consolidation saga. As ameans to reuniting our community the FVCS has planned one last event designed to bring EVERYONE together for some good fun and relaxation. Please come out and join us, bring the kids and your friends as we close this chapter and begin anew. I pray that we can move forward and enjoy the true meaning of the upcoming holidays with love and forgiveness in our hearts. Remember: Don’t worry about me because I’m be alright.
Thanks for everything,
Sam Allen
I’m glad GBR spoke up for Sam Allen. The VDT article falsely stated that he had changed his mind about VDT support between Tuesday night & Wednesday when he spoke at the news release.Continue readingI was standing beside Sam when he complemented one reporter after she interviewed him following the election returns at the Bd of Elections Tuesday night. The compliments were for her individual professionalism only as he stated to her that he appreciated that she always put exactly what he said in the paper. I agreed with his statements & complimented her also, because I have observed her professionalism in other venues & it is a refreshing change for some of the VDT reporting heritage.
Sam’s Wednesday comments about the VDT not providing balanced
George also commended the bicyclers and said he had videoed the bicycles he found out front.I want the record to show and I hope the Valdosta Daily Tims will print it, that former Superintendent Sam Allen, all he did was to act as a professional, which he is.
Here’s the video:
Truth really needs no defense! —George Rhynes @ VCC 10 November 2011
bicycle, path, health care, health, sidewalk, grant,
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 November 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.
-jsq
Ken Klanicki expressed concerns about
Sam Allen’s speech the previous day on the steps of City Hall.
He had only read about it in the VDT, which of course has space limits.
You can
see and hear Sam Allen’s speech for yourself, thanks to George Rhynes.
Ken Klanicki also wanted to know who approved the use of City Hall
for that speech.
Ken probably didn’t know from the VDT that Mayor Sonny Vickers was standing
beside Sam Allen at the time, but you can see that for yourself.
Here’s the video of Ken Klanicki:
We have just had a very divisive issue —Ken Klanicki @ VCC 10 November 2011
bicycle, path, health care, health, sidewalk, grant,
Regular Session, Valdosta City Council (VCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 10 November 2011.
Videos by George Boston Rhynes for K.V.C.I., the bostongbr on YouTube.
-jsq