Keep E'm Dumb, Valdosta 1860 Valdosta City Charter Mentality in the PRESS! Local News Media.....

September 1, 2009

TO: Fellow Citizens of Valdosta, Lowndes County, and Local News Media Outlets and Beyond

The Valdosta Daily Times Reporter Johnna Pinholster did a great job in covering the Public Transportation Issue being stalled….and the millage rate during the Valdosta City Council Meeting on August 31, 2009 at 5:30 pm (Monday)

However the following comments during citizens to be heard portion of the meeting was omitted by our local television and newspaper. Once again, this left citizens deaf, dumb, and blind to the times and unable to make intelligent decisions based on information from this public meeting in the State of Georgia.

Moreover I am sure that OUR elected officials are in an outrage because of this omission. But let us first look at the old Valdosta City Charter that was removed from the Walls of Valdosta City Hall in early 2004. Mainly because I requested that it be removed because it was insulting to all people of good will and so it was removed but not WITHOUT protest by many of our elected officials.

In fact, on May 5, 2005 I was among the fifteen citizens that were arrested for addressing their elected officials on the renaming of Barber Park during a council meeting. I for one was moved from my seat by words from Mayor John Fretti that referred to “Stray animals” or something along the content of what I remembered being in the Old Valdosta City Charter of 1860:

Which read: “In Article 100, Section XI: “THAT THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL SHALL PASS ALL PROPER AND NECESSARY LAWS AND ORDINANCES FOR THE CONTROL OF SLAVES AND FREE PERSONS OF COLOR IN SAID TOWN AND SUPPRESS AND ABATE ALL NUISANCES ARRIVING FROM HOGS, DOGS, HORSES, OR OTHER STOCK STRAYING AT LARGE IN SAID TOWN, OR FROM OTHER CAUSES.”

So, has the 1860 charter mentality become the keystone NOW being applied to all CITIZENS? How Sad? We have a listing of many newsworthy events that have been ignored by our local media. (Available upon request)

Therefore, please e-mail the following information, and give it out to your family members, friends, neighbor, enemies, churches, community organizations, and others who want to know what is going on in their community. So STOP looking for change, and become the change we need or our community will forever remain the same----in a state of shame in the 21st Century. We can, we must, and we will do better----because there is a pendulum always swinging towards the plumb line of justice.



GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES
Retired United States Armed Forces Veteran
A concerned citizen and brother of humanity





“GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES”
ADDRESS TO VALDOSTA CITY MAYOR AND COUNCIL:

Mr. Mayor John Fretti and Valdosta City Councilmen (Respectively). I have several concerns today:

a. The two Community forums on crime and domestic violence.
b. The Little White House (City School Superintendent Office)
C. Removing debris from streets following a traffic accident.
d. Alleged threats at public Meetings.

2. FORUMS:

I attended the two community gatherings on addressing crime and domestic violence in our beloved community. I commend the city for their efforts. However of the people on the panel are seen as part of the problem. And people omitted from the panel that should have been on the panel were not on the panel.

a. One-question citizens asked outside of the meeting were. Why was there NOT a single Black African American Pastors on the panel? Why no civil or human rights person who is called when citizens have problems in the community?

3. THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE: I was told that teachers refer to the City School Board of Education Office as the “Little White House.” This is because of the low number of Black Employees working in our surrounding the facility. I have made an open records request to the Superintendent so the people of Valdosta can be better informed on issues that effects crime and lost of employment in certain segments of our community.

4. REMOVING DEBRIS FOLLOWING A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT: Yesterday I witnessed an accident and the police officer was writing up the report. I drove through the area about fifteen minutes later. I had to pull into the parking lot on the corner of East Hill and Fry Street to go around the debris. I parked in Johns Body Shop Parking lot to get around the glass, screws, and larger chucks of debris.

a. I turned around and asked the City Police Officer if he was going to call somebody to clean up the debris. He said he would call the Fire Department. But I was later looked upon as a person causing a problem and possibly interfering with the duties of a police officer.

5. My questions to you Mr. Mayor and Council concerning the incident:

 Is it lawful for the police to leave dangerous debris in the roadway following a motor vehicle traffic accident until all facets of the police report is written up?

 Should not cones or some other device been place around the hazard until the roadway was made safe for motorists?

 Is it safe for a CITIZEN to get a broom, dustpan, or bucket, and ENTER into traffic and remove glass, and other foreign objects following a traffic stop in Valdosta?

 Is it interfering with the duties of a police officer to ask him to call someone to restore the roadway to a safe condition? (Yes I do intend to file a complaint with the Valdosta City Police Department concerning the matter)

6. ALLEGED THREATS AT PUBLIC MEETINGS: Comments have been made at public meetings such as:

a. A funeral vs. human life and which is cheaper for the City of Valdosta?

b. Comments were made about a certain group of citizens about if, when, or if they should even have children at all ---along with other comments that would never be said about others at a public meeting.

c. Then on June 11, 2009, local citizens stated before this council that he carried a gun is his hip pocket and he did not have a permit. He said that an individual had approached him four months earlier and if he had had his gun. That man would have been going to heaven---but no one said anything about his comments with local law enforcement in the house. Someone should have directed him to obtain a permit or if this practice were permissible under the law.

d. Moreover, the beef of this CITIZENS COMMENTS during ‘CITIZENS TO BE HEARD” were left out of the Minutes, without Valdosta Television, Newspaper, and Radio stations informing the general public. Therefore once again, local citizens are left deaf, dumb, and blind to the times and unable to make intelligent decision based on facts---from a Public Meeting in the State of Georgia. This is more proof that my question to the council concerning television coverage should have been ANSWERED and that citizens have a right to know!

e. I hope that someone in the 21st Century will see a need to identify each Valdosta City Council Member with the number next to his or her individual nameplate. This will show the District they represent as many other much smaller towns are NOW doing in South Georgia.

7. The above was given to the Valdosta City Council and hand delivered to the Valdosta Daily Times. It has now been published on my blog so citizens can be properly informed on public meetings in the State of Georgia. I also informed the mayor and council that some of my questions put before them had not been answered but that I posted them on the internet because that was what I do…..



GEORGE BOSTON RHYNES
Retired United States Armed Forces Veteran (Vietnam Era)
A concerned citizen and brother of humanity