On the LAKE Front

How can we pursue happiness when we don't even have a job? —Tony Daniels @ LCC 7 November 2011

George Rhynes' video of the last two citizens speaking at the 7 November 2011 County Commission meeting has interesting closeups on the county staff while the Chairman was answering Matt Portwood. Then at 1:35 Tony Daniels answered the request for "any other business" by walking up to the podium and talking.

He cited life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness from the Declaration of Independence:

How can we pursue happiness when we don't even have a job? I believe the city and county and Industrial Authority and the Chamber of Commerce need to work more together to create an atmosphere of trying to bring more industry inside the city. We have highways coming through Valdosta. I hope to see in the near future that the county and the city and the Industrial Authority and the Chamber of Commerce work like brothers and sisters. Because you know and I know that you are elected by the people of the people and for the people, and I'd like to see that.... Because we need more entrepeneurs, we need to see all governments in this area promote that....

I suspect the Chairman was asking the Commissioners whether they had any other business, but he wasn't clear about that. I think what Tony Daniels had to say was important, and citizens should be able to say they have other business. However, since he had not signed up to speak before the meeting started, he was in violation of Rule #1 from the Commission's hastilly adopted Policies and Procedures for Citizens Wishing to Be Heard::

Lunch & Learn: What is Lowndes County Extension —Lake Park Chamber of Commerce

I think you have to be a member of the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce to go to this, but that might be a reason to join.

Lake Park Chamber of Commerce wrote 21 Oct 2011, Lunch & Learn: What is Lowndes County Extension:

Where: Lake Park Civic Center
123 N Essa St.
Lake Park, GA 31636
When: Wed 9 Nov 2011
from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EST
Don't miss out on this Lunch & Learn!

The Lowndes County Extension Service is a program dedicated to educating our future workforce and getting the local community involved.

-jsq

The Exit Strategy —Dan Bremer @ LCC 13 September 2011

Dan Bremer of the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce talked about their Exit Strategy, which encourages drives to exit I-75 and spend money in Lowndes County. He thanked two Lowndes County employees. And he asked for some use of a prison detail for cleanup before events in south Lowndes.

Here's the video:

The Exit Strategy —Dan Bremer @ LCC 13 September 2011
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC),
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 13 September 2011.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange.

-jsq

Camera 2: Dr. Mark George about CUEE @ LCDP 2 May 2011

We have complaints that some people couldn't understand what Dr. Mark George was saying in the previous post of his remarks at Monday's Lowndes County Democratic Party meeting, so here's another version from a different camera. Feedback, please.

He said the Chamber of Commerce said schools were not its issue. Dr. George pointed out that it was the Chamber and the real estate industry that largely produced the current situation by funelling people to the county schools.

He said the unification project started with a request from the Industrial Authority, who said it didn't look good when potential industry saw there was a black school system and a white school system. (The timing of this is interesting, because it comes after Brad Lofton was hired as VLCIA Executive Director, and other people formerly associated with VLCIA say they were never asked by any potential industry how many school systems we have.)

Dr. George discussed many other interesting points, such as CUEE's terminology drift from consolidation to integration to unification.

Here's Part 1 of 2:

Camera 2: Dr. Mark George about CUEE @ LCDP 2 May 2011 Part 1 of 2:
Debate between proponents of school system unification (CUEE) and opponents,
at Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP), Gretchen Quarterman chair,
Videos by George Rhynes, Jim Parker, John S. Quarterman, and Gretchen Quarterman
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 2 May 2011.

In this second video from camera 2, Dr. George noted that the Valdosta school system is internally segregated.

He said both he and Rev. Rose asked to have somebody put on the CUEE council, and that that didn't happen.

There's more; you can watch it for yourself. Here's Part 2 of 2:

Camera 2: Dr. Mark George about CUEE @ LCDP 2 May 2011 Part 2 of 2:
Debate between proponents of school system unification (CUEE) and opponents,
at Lowndes County Democratic Party (LCDP), Gretchen Quarterman chair,
Videos by George Rhynes, Jim Parker, John S. Quarterman, and Gretchen Quarterman
for LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 2 May 2011.

-jsq

Beliefs are good, but facts are better --John S. Quarterman @ VLCIA, 15 March 2011

First I praised the completion of the Wiregrass Solar LLC plant in Valdosta. Then I complimented Brad Lofton on finding his new job and hoped he'd be happy in Myrtle Beach. Then I praised the VDT for its editorial recommending using this opportunity to consult the councils of the various municipalities and the County Commission, and in particular that one way to produce unity in the community as G. Norman Bennett had previously advocated, would be to find out what the community wants VLCIA to do.

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.

-jsq

G. Robert Carter (1924-2011)

Update 13 Feb 2011: A very nice biography and tribute in the VDT today. His birth year is corrected in the title of this post.
According to the VDT today [12 Feb 2011]:

At approximately 11 a.m. Saturday morning, emergency personnel responded to the residence of G. Robert Carter, former Lowndes County Commissioner and Sheriff. Carter, who was recently hospitalized for an unnkown illness, has reportedly passed today.

Two weeks ago he spoke as he was being honored at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner:

G. Robert Carter, former Lowndes County Commissioner District 3, former Sheriff,
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've lived long enough to appreciate the Greatest Generation, but also to appreciate the younger ones coming along to take our place.

...

I'm not totally out of business; I might be able to help you somewhere down the line. As I told Crawford, don't wait until you get in trouble. Come to see me before you get in trouble.

Here are videos of all the tributes to Sheriff Carter that evening.

Ben Copeland on economy and education

Ben Copeland at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce talked about money in circulation, about opportunities for children and grandchildren, about Georgia technical colleges, about technical college students, about technical specialties and educational system.

Here's a playlist, and here it is embedded.

Ben Copeland, Past Chairman of the Board, Wiregrass Technical College,
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.

-jsq

G. Robert Carter honored at Lake Park Chamber of Commerce

Former Lowndes County County Commissioner and former Sheriff G. Robert Carter was honored by a variety of local dignitaries at the annual Lake Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCoC) dinner. Speakers included Crawford Powell, former LPCoC chair and current County Commissioner for District 3, Carter's old district, Richard Lee, former County Commissioner for District 2, Joyce Evans, current County Commissioner for District 1, Joe Pritchard, County Manager, and Crawford Powell again, on Lifting the next generation higher, and on a framed picture of G. Robert Carter.

The honoree spoke briefly, and the Chamber presented him his award.

Two later speakers also lauded Carter: Ben Copeland, former Chairman, Wiregrass Technical College, and Brad Lofton, Executive Director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority.

Here's a playlist, and here it is embedded:

Honoring G. Robert Carter, 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.

LAKE also applauds G. Robert Carter for his service to the county.

-jsq

What was missing from Brad Lofton's speech?

Seems like there's something from Brad Lofton's speech at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce on 28 January 2011. Right at the end he mentioned:

a project we've been working on

Brad Lofton, Executive Director, Valdosta-Lowndes COunty Industrial Authority,
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.

What could that project be?

Right at the beginning Lofton said:

Ben Copeland beat me slap silly

Maybe that's a clue. What did Ben Copeland say about Brad Lofton?

Brad Lofton was going to talk after me, and he'd talk about biomass. [laughter]

Brad Lofton's memory fails him again, and again....

Speaking at the Lake Park Chamber of Commerce 28 January 2011, Industrial Authority Executive Director Brad Lofton remarked about:

The largest solar panel array that we are aware of today in the state of Georgia. That's 350 kW solar panel array that you'll be seeing coming out of the ground February first.

Brad Lofton, Executive Director of the 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.

That's funny, because as readers of this blog may recall, on 18 January 2011 I pointed out to Lofton that: