By Kay Harris
VALDOSTA — The annual Lowndes County Bird Supper in Atlanta is coming up soon, and Sementha Mathews, public information officer for the City of Valdosta, answered some questions regarding the importance of the event, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Q: What was the original intent of the bird supper and what year did it begin?
A: The Lowndes County Bird Supper has been a sustained annual tradition — some say for at least 50 years — bringing together hundreds of state officials and local business, professional and government personnel for a dinner of quail and important conversation. It allows these professionals an opportunity to have an impact on the legislative agenda with face-to-face conversation with those who will be making some very important decisions affecting our local area and entire state. The earliest event that I’ve seen recorded was in 1959. The event is sponsored this year by the City of Valdosta and Lowndes County, with additional support from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce.
Q: What purpose does it serve today?
A: It continues to serve the same purpose as it did when first organized. It provides the opportunity that participants may not have at other times of the year, and particularly during the time of year when the legislature is in session with critical bills before them.
Q: Why should business folks go?
A: Whether we are experiencing a bust or a boom in the economy, businesses are always affected by legislative decisions. Businesses should be concerned about these issues as they are our community’s front line for commerce and customer service. Their taxes also provide the base for the services that government provides to the citizens. Businesses should see this opportunity as a way to act as their own catalyst for impacting legislative issues (government policy, technical advancements, foreign-policy changes, employee costs, environmental, rising costs of fuel, chemicals, supplies, etc.) to their favor, and ultimately ours as a community. This is an opportunity for our area of the state to have a voice and impact on these critical issues. The event keeps Valdosta and Lowndes County in the minds of the state officials during a half-way point of the legislative session.
Q: What are some of the topics that will be hot button issues in the legislature this year that affect us locally?
A: There are many issues before the legislature that will affect us locally. Here are a few:
• Transportation Tax. It appears one will happen, and it is imperative that South Georgia is not left out. We must have a presence to ensure our needs are heard and funded.
• Various Tax Bills. Efforts to have a “one size, fits all” state approach to local taxation remains a concern. Local governments and local citizens are in the best position to determine their own destiny and what revenue streams work best based on their local economies, needs and aspirations as a community.
• Trauma care. Current state funding is inadequate and South Georgia is underserved.
• Education funding. Valdosta State University and Valdosta Technical College are important to our citizens and our economy. School officials, elected officials and local leaders participate in the Bird Supper event to emphasize the needs and importance of these institutions. With pending mergers and other changes in technical education, we must stay focused on this issue. VSU competes with others in the university system as well, for reduced funding at a time of increasing student population.
• Various business-related legislation. Each year hundreds of bills are introduced for special interests, some of which may help some businesses at the expense of others. It is important that local leaders have an opportunity to speak directly to state officials and express their concern, support or opposition as the case may be for new or changed legislation.
• State funding for mental-health services and other social services. Based on the per capita income and other statistics, further reductions in state funding for many services could impact many local citizens. Community leaders have an opportunity to discuss this with state officials during this event.
Q: Who are some of the people who should be there?
A: Professionals from all areas affected by legislative decisions should participate in this event, such as those from the business, education, development and construction, health care, industry, agriculture, and government, to name a few. Also, in two years, we will have a new governor and new lieutenant governor, and it is important to have events such as the Bird Supper that allow local leaders to meet with and become familiar with candidates and future office holders. Both sides benefit from understanding the needs and philosophies of the other and from listening, which leads to better informed decision making.
Q: Time, date, place of event, where tickets are available, cost?
A: The next Bird Supper will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, beginning at 5 p.m., at the Georgia Railroad Depot, in Atlanta. Tickets for the event are on sale now for $50 at two locations: the City of Valdosta Customer Service Center at 102 N. Lee St. (at the inside customer-service windows or the outside convenient drive-through window); AND at the Lowndes County Governmental Building, 300 N. Patterson St., at the Occupational Tax Window on the first floor.
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For more information about tickets or the event, contact Public Information Officer Sementha Mathews at (229) 259-3548; or Lowndes County Clerk Paige Dukes at (229) 671-2491.
