What’s this about yet another sales tax decided on by
regional transportation boards and GDOT?
Corey Hull of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Metropolitan Planning Organization
(VLMPO)
explained T-SPLOST
at the regular monthly meeting,
Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA).
Georgia HB 277, which was passed by the legislature and signed into law
last year,
calls for a 1% regional sales tax (T-SPLOST) to fund
transportation projects.
The
initial writeup in the VDT quoted CCA as being all coy
about if a need arose from the state they would be ready
to deploy the private prison in Lowndes County:
“This is (for) a future need that we don’t even know what it’ll
be yet,” Frank Betancourt, CCA’s vice president of real estate
development said. “There’s no ground breaking to announce. When the
need (for a facility) does arrive, we can be the first ones to offer
(our services).”
CCA has been a great partner with us for nearly a decade now. Coffee
Correctional Facility and Wheeler Correctional Facility certainly meet
the standards of the Georgia Department of Corrections. I particularly
appreciate CCA maintaining exemplary accreditation status with both
the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on
Correctional Healthcare. I look forward to a continued long relationship
with them.”
—Commissioner James E. Donald, Georgia Department of Corrections
And over in Decatur County people actually asked about this, and were
told
Continue reading →
Wiregrass Technical College wants to expand onto some land owned
by the Industrial Authority, using
SPLOST funds.
Chairman Jerry Jennett:
The point is they’re landlocked.
And so what you want to do is you want to take what your tract is now
and have the ability to expand your building in the future.
You want to move your training facility now and….
Regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, VLCIA,
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director,
Allan Ricketts Program Manager, 15 March 2011.
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
Ed Lightsey writes in GeorgiaTrend for March 2011,
Valdosta/Lowndes County: Taking Off
about many good developments in Lowndes County.
But among them is this:
About two years ago, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) began
looking for sites on which to build a prison, and after an 18-month
search chose Lowndes County, a decision that promises 400 to 600 new
jobs. “It’s a $150-million investment,” Lofton says. “That’s
the second largest investment in the history of the county. And of those
promised jobs, about 120 will require post secondary education; they are
nurses, physician assistants, dieticians and vocational rehab folks.”
CCA is the fifth largest penal system in the country, behind Florida,
Califor-nia, Texas and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, according to
Lofton. “They have about 20,000 employees across the country,”
he says.
Regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, VLCIA,
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,
15 March 2011
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
“…we hope will be under construction in the next 18 months.
It will be about $150 million dollar project;
anywhere from 4 to 600 new jobs.
A lot of communities in Georgia are built around state prisons.
A hundred of those 400 will be post-secondary, nutritionalists,
physicians, nurses, vocational rehab, so we’re proud of that project.
You’ll start to hear a little bit more about that.
There will be about 300 construction jobs over about a 24 month period,
which will have a major impact on the community.”
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.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
As of 21 December 2010,
apparently things were still pretty tentative
when Brad Lofton gave an update to the VLCIA board,
claiming the CCA private prison would bring 600 jobs to Lowndes County, Georgia:
Regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority, VLCIA,
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Gary Minchew, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,
21 December 2010
Videos by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
“I think we can do better than a generator that burns human waste. I
think we can do better than a private prison and those are two things
that we seem to be excited about as a community.”
Next, we’ll see if objections had any effect on the Industrial Authority.
Like Mr. Minchew I’m not good at goodbyes either.
I wanted to say I’ll be brief…
I’m not articulate enough to begin to thank y’all
for the unbelievable privilege I’ve had for the last five years.
…unbelievable board of directors,
the most talented staff I’ve ever worked with.
…
My wife was going to be here but she would have been too emotional.
Thank you all for your trust and confidence in me.
It really has been the best five years of my life.
I just want you to know your leadership….
Wish you the best of luck.
That’s all Mr. Chairman.
Thank you.
Brad Lofton saying goodbye at the
regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,
15 March 2011.
Video by John S. Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
I understand the point about beliefs.
But it’s not all about just the beliefs of just the people on the board.
It’s also about things like
is there enough water, and do we want businesses that soak up
a lot of water, like
Ben Copeland said at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce.
Beliefs are good, but facts are better.
Thank you.
John S. Quarterman at the
regular monthly meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA)
Norman Bennett, Roy Copeland, Tom Call, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett chairman,
J. Stephen Gupton attorney, Brad Lofton Executive Director, Allan Ricketts Program Manager,
15 March 2011.
Video by David Rodock for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.
What’s this about yet another sales tax decided on by
regional transportation boards and GDOT?
