Tag Archives: VLCIA

Our honest responses to HUD —George Rhynes and John Robinson

Received today. -jsq

September 26, 2012
George Boston Rhynes
5004 Oak Street
Valdosta, Georgia 31605 		TO: U.S. Department of Housing
and Urban Development
Valdosta City Government
Valdosta Housing Authority
Valdosta Industrial Authority

The following is our honest responses to HUD and in response to the City of Valdosta’s 8th Year of responding to HUD CPMP Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. This includes Narrative Responses to CAPER questions in relations to and with the Consolidated Planning Regulations and questions from the general public as highlighted on page 5, paragraph 1.

CITIZENS VIEW POINT AND RESPONSES: {GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES AND JOHN ROBNISON} after reviewing all previous CAPTER’S and the city’s responses to them, I commend the City of Valdosta for responding to HUD in an extremely professional manner on paper. One can see and feel the professional prowess involved in providing these answers the City of Valdosta has placed on paper over the city’s (long) historic past. However, when one looks deeper into the problems facing our beloved community, one will find the following to be as Paul Harvey would say the rest of——-the story!

GENERAL QUESTIONS: The City of Valdosta’s response on the issues remains the same as reported in many other CAPERS such as:

  • City attained the goal of:
  • # of homes was brought up to code.
  • Worked in conjunction with——
  • to train, resident information sessions were held that yielded nearly 30 attendees etc.
  • Staff continues to…., Overall, the city is pleased with the second Consolidated Plan Submission.
  • (3.a) The city hosted several Section 3 Information Sessions and will continue to provide more information to…. Work with local community and faith-based organizations to identify and address.
  • I could go on and on with these highly professional lines of what some see as solutions to the real problems in the City of Valdosta, Georgia. However there is another side and forgive me for not going through the complete CAPER in the above manner. I am sure your time is valuable; therefore I will cut through the chase and provide the following in response to the City of Valdosta RESPONSES. Not only to this CAPER but others we have read and taken into consideration:

A recent meeting held in the Valdosta City Annex about Community Housing etc. perhaps exemplifies

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Video Playlist @ LCC 2012-09-11

After briefly discussing or at least hearing items at the previous morning's Work Session, the Lowndes County Commission voted on them at its Regular Session of Tuesday 11 September 2012.

Here's the agenda, and the copy below has links to the corresponding videos or previous blog posts. Here's a video playlist.

  1. Call to Order
  2. Invocation
  3. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
  4. Minutes for Approval
    1. Work Session — August 13, 2012
    2. Regular Session — August 14, 2012
  5. Resolutions
    1. Adopt Resolution Appointing an Open Records Officer
    2. Resolution Regarding Review & Approval of Minutes of Executive Sessions
    3. Adopt Resolution accepting infrastructure for Glen Laurel Subdivision Phase II
    4. Adopt Resolution accepting infrastructure for Crestwood Subdivision Phase IV
  6. Appointment — Keep Lowndes/Valdosta Beautiful
  7. Public Hearings
    1. REZ-2012-12 Parker Place, 4842 Parker Place Rd., 0070 015; 3.4 ac., 3 lots, E-A to R-1, well/septic
    2. REZ-2012-14 Harris, 6926 Jones Dr., 0139 023, 6.8 ac., 1 lot, E-A to R-A, well/septic
    3. TXT-2012-01 — Primary Intent: Appendix A Land Disturbance & Clean Version of ULDC
    4. Public Hearing Renaming Sandy Creek Drive (CR #1118)
    5. Beer License — Lin's Hibachi — 1078 Lakes Blvd.
  8. For Consideration
    1. Letter of Understanding — Bond Refunding
    2. USGS Funding Agreement for HWY 122 Stream Gauge
    3. Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program Operating Contracts
    4. Declaration of Surplus Vehicles
    5. Brown Bag Ordinance
  9. Bid – Rescue Pumper for Lowndes County Fire Rescue
  10. Reports-County Manager
  11. Citizens Wishing to be Heard Please State Name And Address

-jsq

VLCIA tomorrow, no agenda @ VLCIA 2012-09-25

The rescheduled Industrial Authority meeting is tomorrow, 25 September 2012, 5:30pm, 2110 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta. On their facebook page I asked "Agenda for tomorrow?" Here's their response:

Valdosta Lowndes County Industrial Authority Thanks Mr. Quaterman, The meeting agenda is the same as posted on the website. I'll update the date in the morning, working on our new & improved website project now. Can't wait to unveil our new site. See you tomorrow evening!

While I commend VLCIA (I'm guessing by way of S. Meghan Duke) for responding to an inquiry (even if she didn't get my name right), I do wonder whether, while they're updating the website format, maybe they could add some content to their agendas. Meanwhile, the one she's referring to is the one quoted for last month's meeting.

-jsq

VLCIA rescheduled for a week later @ VLCIA 2012-09-25

According to their website:

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority Monthly Meeting for September Has Been Rescheduled For Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012 5:30pm Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority Offices

That’s at 2110 N. Patterson Street, Valdosta. They also posted this notice on their facebook page yesterday. No agenda is posted yet.

Here are videos of last month’s meeting.

-jsq

Video playlist @ VLCIA 2012-08-21

Here are videos of the 21 August 2012 Regular meeting. of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA). Here's the agenda.

See also Steeda Manufacturing moving into medical parts and new markets.

Regular Meeting, Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority (VLCIA),
Norman Bennett, Tom Call, Roy Copeland, Chairman, Mary Gooding, Jerry Jennett, Andrea Schruijer, Executive Director, J. Stephen Gupton, Attorney, Tom Davis, CPA, Allan Ricketts, Project ManagerS. Meghan Duke, Public Relations & Marketing Manager, Lu Williams, Operations Manager,
Videos by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 21 August 2012.

-jsq

Steeda Manufacturing moving into medical parts and new markets @ VLCIA 2012-08-21

Dario Orlando, CEO of Steeda Manufacturing, which currently makes performance parts for Mustangs, told the Industrial Authority at its 21 August 2012 Regular Session that Steeda is moving into making medical parts, plus selling to GM, and into new geographical markets.

Here’s Part 1 of 4:

Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 21 August 2012.

Allan Ricketts, VLCIA Project Manager, explained that Steeda had requested a second extension, and an amendment to reduce the requirement of number of jobs from 40 to 30.

We certainly think that is justified in the very difficult economic climate and conditions that we’ve had over the past couple of years, and certainly acknowledging that in that very challenging economic time, we’ve had steady continued growth by Steeda. And so now we’re up to about 23 employees there.

I think it is also significant to note […] that Steeda has now moved its entire manufacturing operation to Valdosta. That move represents about a million five investment in the community. Actually specifically it is $1,480,950 in some very unique manufacturing equipment. I think it is important to understand that some of this manufacturing equipment provides a great resource here that two of the current projects that we are chasing are very interested in.

Here’s Part 2 of 4:

Video by John S. Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE), Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 21 August 2012.

Dario Orlando then remarked that things were going very well, and:

We’re expanding into other markets like I’d mentioned before the commencement of the meeting. We’re moving into medical manufacturing because we do have the most advanced manufacturing capabilities here in Valdosta. Furthermore, we’re starting to supply General Motors with performance parts, the GM performance brand. We opened up another company here in Valdosta called LSR Performance.

I was telling Allan this morning… that we’re all going to be looking back at this day. I plan to have a couple of hundred employees here in the next five years.

Then he mentioned a new development, and Roy Copeland reminded him this was an open public meeting. Hint: Continue reading →

Want knowledge-based jobs? Welcome gays and lesbians

The Chamber, the Industrial Authority, and various other local leaders say they want knowledge-based jobs, or creative jobs. We won’t get those just by teaching students to show up on time and do what they’re told: that’s how you train factory workers, not knowledge-based employees. For creative jobs we also need Technology, Talent, and Tolerance. How do you measure Tolerance? One key component is the concentration of gays and lesbians. So today’s South Georgia Pride Festival is a good sign for creative jobs in south Georgia!

Richard Florida wrote 16 July 2012 for The Atlantic, The Geography of Tolerance,

The map above shows how metros across the U.S. score on the Tolerance Index, as updated for The Rise of the Creative Class, Revisited. The chart below shows the top 20 metros. Developed by my Martin Prosperity Institute colleague Kevin Stolarick, it ranks U.S. metros according to three key variables—the share of immigrants or foreign-born residents, the Gay Index (the concentration of gays and lesbians), and the Integration Index, which tracks the level of segregation between ethnic and racial groups.

Do you recognize that shape in the middle of south Georgia? That’s the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area, consisting of Lowndes, Echols, Lanier, and Brooks Counties. Looks like about 0.4 on the Tolerance Index. So sure, we’re no Austin, Texas, but we’re in the same range as oh, Charlotte, NC.

If you want to help promote creative jobs in south Georgia, there’s a festival going on today:

South Georgia Pride Festival
noon until 6PM
John W Saunders Park
1151 River Street
Valdosta, Georgia
food and music all day

Who knows, the Mayor of Valdosta might even be there; what do you think? He certainly gave the festival plenty of earned media.

-jsq

Video Playlist @ LCC 2012-09-10

Yesterday morning’s County Commission Work Session started on time! In addition to the open records and open meetings items, it included a report from KLVB, two rezonings, typo fixes and date changes in the ULDC, a vanity road name change, an alcohol license and an alcohol ordinance change, a USGS river gauge, surplus vehicles, purchase of a new fire truck, and more! They vote on all this tonight at their Regular Session, 5:30 PM. Here’s the agenda.

5.a. Unsurprisingly, the County Manager suggested the County Clerk be appointed the Open Records Officer now required by state law. 5.b. They also have a resolution before them about review and approval of minutes of executive sessions, but of course they don’t allow we the taxpayers to see that before they vote on it.

They considered adopting subdivision infrastructure for 5.c. Glen Laurel and 5.d. Crestwood.

6. Videos of the KLVB report and of applicant Emily Macheski-Preston are in a separate blog post.

7. Public Hearings:

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Open Records Officer at Lowndes County Commission @ LCC 2012-09-10

Apparently the Lowndes County Commission has noticed the new provisions of the Georgia Open Records and Open Meetings laws that VLCIA’s lawyer explained to the Industrial Authority back in May, seeing these two items on the agenda for Monday morning and Tuesday evening:

5.a. Adopt Resolution Appointing an Open Records Officer
5.b. Resolution Regarding Review & Approval of Minutes of Executive Sessions

Plus infrastructure for two subdivsisions, one of them the famous Glen Laurel, several well/septic rezonings, approval of USGS Funding Agreement for HWY 122 Stream Gauge (one of the four that let us know about river flooding in Lowndes County less than a month ago), a beer license, and approval of the changes to the ULDC that were discussed in the recent Planning Commission meeting, in the public hearing the public didn’t know about. And more.

Here’s the agenda.

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2012, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2012, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street – 2nd Floor
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Industrial Authority goes solar, broadband, and conversational!

The Industrial Authority apparently listened to its focus groups, and discovered that broadband and solar energy are important to attract industry. Andrea Schruijer even recommends conversation, which has been sorely lacking in recent years. Congratulations, Industrial Authority!

Jason Schaefer wrote for the VDT today, Authority analyzes Valdosta business: Broadband, solar power, professional services targeted for growth,

The Authority also plans to work toward the availability of more broadband Internet service and solar power in Valdosta and surrounding communities. These amenities would help support local industries as well as draw new ones to the greater Valdosta area for the creation of new jobs.

That’s a good start. Although it’s not clear from the writeup that VLCIA quite got it about Internet access.

As part of presenting Valdosta as an attractive package for prospective industries, the Authority attempts to ready the land set aside for development before beginning the recruitment process. This means investing in infrastructure, including broadband internet.

“It’s not that we don’t have broadband,” Schruijer said. “What we’re looking at is the technology behind the broadband. We have it in certain areas, but in order for us to grow some of these core targets, such as professional services, we need that infrastructure.”

Well, actually, no, we don’t have broadband. 6Mbps is the fastest most people can get around here, and 30Mbps is the slowest you can even buy in many countries. Plus, it’s not just fast Internet to industrial sites that’s needed: it’s fast Internet access everywhere knowledge-based employees may want to live.

But they’re on the right track:

Because the Authority can’t “buy” industries into coming to Valdosta—though it can offer tax abatements—it is necessary to make sure that new businesses have what they will need before ground is even broken, Schruijer said. To this effect, the Authority will “stimulate the conversation” to actively attract more broadband companies to the area.

A conversation! Now there’s something we’ve been needing around here. And it’s a refreshing change from only a year ago when all we heard was

“Debate is not allowed.”

Maybe the Industrial Authority will be the organization that will show the rest of us how to hold civil discussions about things that affect all of us!

The VDT’s writeup skips quickly over another big change:

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