Tag Archives: Elections

Qualifying for local city elections is next week

The VDT editorialized yesterday:
On Monday, qualifying week begins for candidates interested in running in the November election for Valdosta Mayor, City Council At Large and Council Districts 1, 3, and 5; Hahira City Council Districts 2 and 3; City of Dasher Post 3 and 4; City of Lake Park Mayor and four council positions; Remerton Mayor and five council seats; Valdosta School Board Districts 4, 5, and 6.
The VDT points out that city elections usually don’t get much turnout, but this year there are two referendum questions on the ballot that may cause record turnout. They are: Continue reading

we are to go home, never ask questions —Barbara Stratton

This morning on Lowndes County has transparency issues:
This is typical of all elected & appointed government bodies locally. The common opinion is citizens are only valuable for voting. After we vote we are to go home, never ask questions, never complain, & never comment until it is time to vote again. The common consensus is we are not capable of understanding what our elected/appointed officials are doing so we need to stay out of the process totally. This is nanny state government via local venues. We the people are reduced to you the unendowed & unimportant. John – Our political views are usually polar opposites, but we are always 100% agreed on shinning the light on government black-outs. Keep up the good work.

-Barbara Stratton

Electing Local Councils

Recently, there has been more interest and observation of some parts of local government by active citizens, on topics ranging from the animal shelter to biomass to education to farmers markets to fast food vs. neighborhoods to private prisons to the Quitman 10 to solar power to T-SPLOST, all in aid of transparency. Engaging elected and appointed officials in dialog about the concerns and best interests of the community has been challenging. Yet we can see the sun a little clearer through the smoke.

Ensuring that people who will engage in dialog and seek the benefit of the entire community are appointed to boards lies in the hands of the elected officials. Electing people who engage in dialog and seek the benefit of the Continue reading

How to get public officials to respond to the citizens?

Leigh Touchton asked me,
Mr. Quarterman, what can we do, do we have to go to the state legislature to get a law passed to force these so-called public officials to answer questions and respond to the citizens?
First of all, my compliments to anyone such as Leigh Touchton who has been doing politics around here longer than me for asking my opinion, because that indicates they are pretty good at it and are probably asking many people their opinions.

My answer: carrots along with sticks, and shine some light! That all builds political capital, which will be needed for elections.

We need many people building a community doing many things. If I knew a simple answer that would change things magically overnight, I’d recommend it, but I don’t. I don’t even know if I know a long answer, but I’m pretty sure that any answer will require a community, because Continue reading

Statewide Rally: the Quitman 10 in Macon

The Quitman 10 were arrested in Brooks County for alleged irregularities with absentee ballots, the day after two of them were elected to the Brooks County Board of Education. Saturday (tomorrow) a statewide rally for them will be held in Macon:

When: Saturday at 11:00pm – Sunday at 2:00am
Where: Stewart Chapel AME Church, 887 Forsyth Street
Who: Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sen. Robert Brown, Rep. Tyrone Brooks, Sen. Vincent Fort, Rep. David Lucas, Ms. Helen Butler
See the facebook event invitation by George Boston Rhynes. He has posted background on the Quitman 10 in his blog. See also these previous posts in On the LAKE Front.

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Citizens are entitled to hear where their elected officials stand —Leigh Touchton

This comment from Leigh Touchton came in today on “Because it would be monitored. -jsq
Two weeks ago I delivered the official NAACP letter to all City Council members (and Mayor Fretti) asking for a written response as to their position on biomass and selling reclaimed water to the Wiregrass, LLC, proposed incinerator.

No response. Not one.

I have heard that at least two Council members refuse to do so because “it might be used against them.”

Citizens are entitled to hear where their elected officials stand on these issues. At least Councilmen Vickers, Wright, and Yost have stated publicly that they support biomass, even though black infants are already dying in Valdosta at a rate twice as high as white infants. According to Mr. Wright,

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Well Councilman Yost certainly believes Councilmen should give their opinion —Leigh Touchton

From Valdosta City Council minutes on their webpage. I was told point blank by Mr. Carroll that he would not deliver his opinion on biomass (or anything else apparently) until the moment he casts his vote. -Leigh Touchton
*COUNCIL COMMENTS 07/08/10 CONTINUED *

Councilman Yost stated that Mr. Rhynes asked some good questions earlier about the proposed Travel Ordinance and a mountain has been made out of a mole hill on that subject. The reporter that usually covers the Council meetings did call Councilman Eunice and that was reported in the newspaper. She was asked by Councilman Eunice to call other Council persons to give their view on the Ordinance and what happened at that meeting. She stated that everyone was on their way to Savannah to attend the Conference. Councilman Eunice was also on his way to Savannah when she called. Councilman Yost stated that if she had asked then he would have given her his opinion; however, now that Mr. Rhynes has asked he would give his opinion

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Listening and asking questions to make sure I understand —Tim Carroll

This came in as a comment Tuesday evening on Walk out into the audience. -jsq
Over the past four years, I have had a significant number of citizens contact me. Some with complaints, some with questions and yes…even some with compliments. I have never refused to meet with anyone. Some want to know what my position is on an issue. As a rule, especially on items that may come before council for a vote – I do not state a position. I choose to wait for the public hearing at which time all final arguements both for and against an item are stated and on the record.

Mrs. Noll contacted me directly this past week and we met and discussed

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Equal opportunity criticizer —John S. Quarterman

Leigh Touchton remarked:
…apparently Yost thinks your criticism of people not staying is something he can use to good effect to nullify the need to publicly address citizen complaints.
Well, good luck to him: it doesn’t seem to be working that way.

I think I’m an equal opportunity criticizer. Remember I pointed out that the council is not a law enforcement body and gave a recent example of that. And I pointed out that the mayor of little old Gretna put out a proclamation saying no biomass and the great city of Valdosta could go ahead and do that instead of waiting for somebody else to make the decision for them. And yes, I criticized the protesters for not staying. I’m not surprised various people choose to ignore part of what I said and pick up on other parts; life’s like that.

I understand that some people don’t like to take a strong position in public. Clearly not everybody has to be an advocate for or against any given topic.

However, my opinion is that anybody who runs for elected office should be willing to say in public what their opinion is. Sure, sometimes it’s good to say “I’m thinking about it” or “I’m studying it” or even better “I’d like to know more about X”: that could promote a dialog. Even “I’m working on it behind the scenes” would be a useful public statement. But elected officials refusing to take any position is ridiculous, and I see nothing wrong with laughing out loud at the ridiculous.

-jsq

Vernon, California: they only cared about jobs

What can happen to a town that really doesn’t care about anything but jobs.

Adam Nagourney writes in the NY Times 1 March 2011: Plan Would Erase All-Business Town

VERNON, Calif. — Vernon is a bleak, 5.2-square-mile sprawl of warehouses, factories, toxic chemical plants and meat processors that looks like the backdrop for “Eraserhead,” the David Lynch movie set in an industrial wasteland. It has a population of 95 — and 1,800 businesses, drawn by low taxes, lax regulations and cheap municipal power.

It also has a history of corruption and public malfeasance going back nearly 50 years.

The rest of the story is mostly about how it’s gotten so bad Continue reading