Tag Archives: industrial development

Why “jobs, jobs, jobs” isn’t good enough for the public good and the general welfare –John S. Quarterman

Sure, everyone wants jobs for the people right now and jobs so the children don’t have to go somewhere else to find one. But what good is that if those jobs suck up all the water those children need to drink?

This is the problem:

“What I believe the three most important things are, not only for our community, and our state, and our country, but for our country, thats jobs number 1, jobs number 2, and jobs.”


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

I shook Brad Lofton’s hand after that speech and told him I liked it, because I did: in general it was a positive speech about real accomplishments. I’ve also pointed out I had a few nits with that speech. This one is more than a nit. This one is basic philosophy and policy.

Now one would expect an executive director of an industrial authority to be all about jobs. And that would be OK, if Continue reading →

“We’re industrial development” –Mary Gooding

After some some other things, I asked the VLCIA board (18 Jan 2011) about my previously submitted questions about house refitting for insulation and efficiency, and about rooftop solar, such as have been successful in Austin and Houston, Texas.

Mary Gooding answered:

“That really would be the city… we’re industrial development.”

She didn’t say which city. There is more than one city in the county. The question as sent to them in writing refered to Hahira; maybe that’s the city she meant. Should Hahira not expect any help from VLCIA?

And what about us who don’t live in any of the cities? So far, all the new solar rooftop installations are in unincorporated parts of the county, although both are in Hahira’s 31632 ZIP code.

Col. Ricketts, at the direction of the board, has since sent me a response, which will lead off tomorrow morning.

VLCIA seemed somewhat confused as to what their protocol is as to answering questions: Continue reading →