Tag Archives: Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority

Russell Anderson Responds

Received this morning; see What is Fiery Roots? and Paulk interrogates Noll for backstory. -jsq
From: Russ Anderson
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:18:02 -0500
Subject: Russell Anderson responses to article about Fiery Roots and Commissioner Paulk Accusations

Dear L.A.K.E.,

My name is Russell Anderson. Thank you for taking an interest in the Wiregrass LLC Biomass incinerator issue and my affiliated organization Collectiveprogression.org. I am writing today with hopes of clarifying a few things.

First, I’m glad to see there is such an effort as L.A.K.E. in the Lowndes area. L.A.K.E appears to use strategies that could be modeled by other communities seeking a more informed population. Information sharing is critical to achieving a more just and equitable world. The objective of our organization is simply to share the narratives of community struggles, solutions, and efforts in hopes of creating better channels of communication and resource sharing between communities dealing with justice issues. Any similarities to LAKE’s efforts to “Cover the planners to connect the dots” are nothing more than pleasant coincidence.

Hopefully, as our website develops from its infancy, our mission will become more apparent in the content. We have interviewed people across the country to uncover ways that people working for justice can be more connected and,

Continue reading

“the answers remain the same.” –Brad Lofton

Lofton’s response to my latest. He gets the last word for today. -jsq
From: Brad Lofton
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:01:28 -0500
Cc: [see below]

M. Quarterman,

We have responded to your questions on multiple occasions. You are welcome to continue asking, but the answers remain the same. We have a very active and successful renewable energy program that exceeds the biomass/solar project. You have been told this a number of times. As for existing projects that are in the pipeline, we told in last month’s board meeting that we are not at liberty to share specifics of any active recruitment for your blog, or your neighbor’s. We’ll be happy to share the specifics with the general public at the appropriate time.

Thanks,
BL
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Cc: “Michael G. Noll”, “Mary B. Gooding”, “Ricketts, Allan” <aricketts@industrialauthority.com>, “Copeland, Roy”, “‘John S. Quarterman'”, “Susan R. Wehling”, Kay Harris

“Once again you ignore suggestions” –John S. Quarterman

I just sent this. -jsq
From: “John S. Quarterman”
To: Brad Lofton
Cc: [see below]

Responding to Brad Lofton’s message, actually Dalton, Georgia already has a 365kW solar array installed and in use. That’s larger than the 350 kW array VLCIA has “about to break ground”, and Dalton got theirs without having to take a biomass plant with it.

As for wood-sourced biomass, Rayonier Jesup Mill produces around 78 MW, which is more than the 40MW biomass plant VLCIA is thinking about starting. Jesup also got high air and water pollution and high crime.

Meanwhile, Dublin is already hiring for 350 jobs for the MAGE SOLAR manufacturing plant, while VLCIA’s biomass plant would only bring 25 jobs.

Once again you ignore suggestions for clean energy projects and reiterate the biomass plant and its bag-on-the-side solar plant as the whole of VLCIA’s plan.

Fortunately, I have confidence that such experienced developers as the VLCIA board can do better than that.

Continue reading

“a great plan!” –Brad Lofton

Brad Lofton replies to my message to the VLCIA board. I’ll respond in a separate post. -jsq
To: John S. Quarterman
From: Brad Lofton
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:47:04 -0500
Cc: [see below]

John! Good morning. Always good to hear from citizens so interested in economic development. I’ll be happy to forward your correspondence to the other members of our board. I also appreciate your comments in acknowledging our recent success in the renewable energy cluster. With a 350 Kw solar array about to break ground, and a 40 Mw biomass, no community in Georgia has been more successful in the green, renewable energy sector.

Speaking of Dublin, their recently hired economic development director (a friend of mine named Cal Wray) recently requested a meeting with us in Valdosta this month to study our program and evaluate how we’ve been able to create 1,700 new jobs and nearly half a billion dollars in new investment over the past four years even in the midst of a painful recession. It’s a tribute to good leadership, and a great plan! Have a nice day,

BL
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Cc: “Michael G. Noll”, “Mary B. Gooding”, “Ricketts, Allan” <aricketts@industrialauthority.com>, “Copeland, Roy”, “‘John S. Quarterman'”, “Susan R. Wehling”, Kay Harris

VLCIA Board Meeting tomorrow, 18 Jan 2011

The next VLCIA board meeting is 5:30 PM tomorrow, 18 January 2011 at their offices:
2110 North Patterson Street
Valdosta, GA 31602-2580
(229) 259-9972

Here is your VLCIA Board:

Roy Copeland
Roy Copeland
Tom Call
Tom Call
Mary B. Gooding
Mary Gooding
Norman Bennett
Norman Bennett
Jerry Jennett
Jerry Jennett,
Chairman

I expect to be there. Will you?

-jsq

PS: Maybe I’ll get an answer to my question.

“it wouldn’t matter” –John Fretti, Mayor of Valdosta

News Talk 105.9 FM posted this: Exclusive Audio: Mayor Fretti on Biomass
“Kay Harris is absolutely wrong, writing emotionally again.”
He’s apparently referring to the VDT editorial I interpreted here.

He goes on to say it wouldn’t matter if the city refused to supply water to the biomass plant. Yet another variant on the popular local favorite: “there’s nothing you can do.”

Technically, no doubt he’s right: they could just sink a well instead. Politically, it would make a world of difference if the plant’s host city said it wouldn’t supply water. Not to mention I suspect the county would have to approve such a well.

At the least, the City of Valdosta could do what Gadsden County, Florida did: Continue reading

What is your plan? –jsq to VLCIA board

I just sent this. -jsq
From: “John S. Quarterman”
To: Brad Lofton
Cc: [see below]

Since I know of no public email address for the VLCIA board, I’m asking Brad Lofton to distribute this to the board before their meeting tomorrow.

Dear Board,

This is an update to my previous question to you, which was published in the Valdosta Daily Times, 20 Dec 2010, available online here:

http://lake.typepad.com/on-the-lake-front/2010/12/whats-the-industrial-authoritys-plan.html

I’m sending this letter directly to you, and also publishing it online,

http://lake.typepad.com/on-the-lake-front/2010/12/what-is-your-plan.html

What is the Industrial Authority’s plan to bring in real clean jobs?

Your staff have claimed that Wiregrass Power LLC’s tiny solar plant plus their biomass plant will make us a “center of innovation excellence for renewable and sustainable energy in Georgia.” Is that all?

If so, let me make a few suggestions.

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Tiny LAKE is flattered by mighty VLCIA!

Posting a reply from LAKE to an inquiry from Brad Lofton. -jsq
To: Brad Lofton
From: John S. Quarterman
Cc: [see below]
Subject: Re: VDT Editorial

Howdy,

Tiny LAKE is flattered to be asked to repost VDT materials for mighty VLCIA! But to answer your question, this is a blog, not a newspaper, nor a wire service for a newspaper. LAKE also hasn’t posted all of the letters to the editor of the VDT pro and con on this subject or others of interest to us.

More basically, you seem to continue to confuse “VLCIA answered” with “the answers satisfied the questioners” or “the answers actually addressed the content of the questions” or “nobody is questioning anymore”.

Questions continued to be asked at the VLCIA “Forum” of 6 Dec 2010. I ask again:

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I will proudly share it with everyone. –Brad Lofton

VLCIA exec. dir. responds. -jsq
From: “blofton@industrialauthority.com” <blofton@industrialauthority.com>,
Date: Sat, 08 Jan 2011 11:35:23 -0500
Subject: RE: Videos from First Presbyterian Church, 6 Jan 2011

Thank you for providing the video from Thursday. I will proudly share it with everyone. It was a great night, and I was pleased with the very large amount of support in the room. You may also want to consult with the local Mortgage Broker’s Assocation. I spoke for them last week as well, and they are enthusiastic supporters.

Have a nice weekend,
BL

Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone

Lofton copied the same people I did: Continue reading