Being proactive —Gretchen Quarterman

At the Lowndes County Commission work session on Monday morning, County Manager Joe Pritchard distributed a map to the Commissioners from the Valdosta Main Street Manager, Amanda Peacock, detailing a proposal for a Farmer's Market on the sidewalk of the old County Courthouse.

proactive: serving to prepare for, intervene in, or control an expected occurrence or situation; anticipatory

Lowndes County Commission work session, 12 April 2011, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

While apparently supportive of the initiative, the process could have

been smoother if one or both of the parties had been proactive. If someone from the city had attended the work session and offered to answer any questions should they come up. Or, the County Manager, Joe Pritchard, could have invited someone from the city to attend the meeting, should any questions arise. County Commission work sessions are rarely longer than 30 minutes and such coordination would likely not be an imposition on anyone attending.

Rarely does anyone from the city of Valdosta staff or council attend the LCC meetings. Likewise, rarely do County Commissioners or county staff attend Valdosta City council meetings.

A proactive approach on the part of local governments might result in positive communications and outcomes.

-gretchen