About 40 citizens were outside the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority to protest the proposed Wiregrass LLC biomass facility at the regular monthly meeting.

The now familiar “Biomass? No!” sign was held by numerous citizens standing alongside North Patterson Street, shouting and cheering when the many cars drove by and honked their horns.

Students Against Air Pollution, blocked the main entrance to the Industrial Authority building, staging a “die-in,” in which protesters pretended to be dead in order to symbolize the various health effects associated with biomass incineration.

Throughout the Authority meeting, constant shouts and chants could be heard, such as, “Air pollution is air pollution – biomass is not a substitution!”

At times, it became difficult to hear the meeting proceedings as a result of the chants.

Bobbi Anne Hancock, the woman who made an Open Records request with the Authority for meeting minutes from 2006 to the present day, spoke to board members during the citizens to be heard portion of the meeting.

“The majority of your costs for the request are for the five hours of work,” said Hancock. “I’m no computer whiz, but I know how to convert documents and that takes about an hour of work for what I can do. That’s a lot of money to me. People are suffering out here financially, if you don’t know and for your pocket books $125 may not seem like much, but it is to me. These should be on your website. You’ve lost a lot of credibility and trust with the community and it would be great way to let your citizens know you do care to make these documents available on your website.”

During the meeting, board members and staff reviewed their existing industries and also approved extension deadlines for projects.

Matt Phelps, senior engineer for Lovell Associates, PC was present at the meeting to a discuss a design change in the proposed Miller Business Park.

According to Phelps, a decision has been made to realign the main entrance to avoid disturbing wetlands. This change will allow the business park to use the existing center turn lane and deceleration lane, which will result in a substantial cost reduction for the project.

Bids for the engineering design will be sent out tomorrow and allowing for two weeks for the City of Valdosta review, bids will be due from contractors on May 27, about a one month extension from the original timeline.

Board members approved the new project timeline unanimously.

Phelps also presented a request for an extension to June 15, 2011 on the Westside Business Park, citing that weather conditions over the last several months caused work to not proceed as originally planned.

Board members approved this extension unanimously.

Jerry Jennett, chairman, along with Tom Call, board member, volunteered to serve on the budget committee which will have an operating budget available on June 21, 2011 for board approval and review.

Three videos will be available for the Authority website within the next ten days that will highlight industries that have been brought into the community and work done by the Industrial Authority.

The video, before experiencing significant technical difficulties, claimed Valdosta to be “the logistics checkmate against your competition.”

According to Allen Ricketts, project manager, the videos currently available are about four years old and the new replacements “are quite good.”

Expansions at Packaging Corporation of America are back on schedule after damage caused by an electrical fire that occurred approximately two weeks ago.

According to Ricketts, the private prison, Corrections Corporation of America, is still moving forward.

“Based on what we continue to hear, we continue to be the leading contender with the project,” said Ricketts.

Wiregrass Solar has been placed online and is producing electricity, which is being purchased by Georgia Power. The commissioning ceremony that was originally planned had to be canceled due to bad weather. A new ceremony, which Ricketts expects to occur sometime in May, will be announced soon.

During the attorney’s report, Steve Gupton, authority attorney, presented information regarding the lease of 5.9 acres to Home Depot for the use of trailer parking.

According to Gupton, Home Depot plans on leasing three different plots of land in phases. They submitted a request to lease the first plot for $1,000 per acre per year. Gupton felt that the Industrial Authority should receive more.

“We certainly don’t want to discourage them from expanding,” said Jennett.

During the citizens to be heard portion of the meeting, John Quarterman made a number of suggestions to board members.

“Are you aware that Texas is canceling plans for at least three additional prisons? One has already been closed,” said Quarterman. “Texas realized they could not afford to pay for these prisons. That money’s gone into rehabilitation, education and prevention – things we could do right here.”

He continued, “If Remerton and Dasher can make meeting minutes public, it’s something to consider. My mother used to tell me that it takes a big man to admit when’s he wrong.”