In recent years, Valdosta has begun calling itself A City Without Limits. The slogan is on the city Web site, water tanks throughout the community and official signage. But it seems that the original meaning and intent of the slogan has been lost in recent years as the city manager, mayor and elected officials have begun to consider themselves without limits as well. They consider themselves to have unlimited power and unlimited control over the community and all within it.
Consider the recent actions concerning Five Points. The newspaper at no time has argued that it is being used to its best potential. The Times is solely interested in informing the public about a transaction worth millions of their hard-earned tax dollars being funneled into questionable deals with questionable motives.
Five Points is an eyesore. But it’s been an eyesore for decades. So why now? Why does the city want that property so badly? Does it have more to do with the public good or the good of a private local developer who is currently building an upscale residential community on land it acquired very recently that just happens to be right next to Five Points?
And if the city wants the land so bad, why didn’t they pay the asking price? The land on the tax rolls is worth $5 million and the city offered $3 million. Considering several recent land purchases with the city’s involvement that have garnered property owners double or more than the tax rolls say their land was worth, why not pay the asking price for this piece, rather than try to take it instead?
And if the city’s actions are so altruistic, why have they never attended, not even asked to attend, a meeting of the Library’s Board of Directors to show them the proposal? Why wasn’t the money to build the proposed new library been included in the city’s plans?
And if the need for an auditorium is so great, why don’t the plans call for building one larger than the one the city already has? If the reasoning about needing a new venue is that the current building is inadequate, why haven’t the plans been drawn to build one larger to accommodate more events? Surely it can’t be because the auditorium and the library are being used as excuses to get the property?
And once the council votes this week to proceed with condemnation and enter into costly litigation with the land owners, this newspaper and everyone in this community will have lost their power to stop the machine. In Valdosta, it’s “go along to get along” or you’re an outcast.
You can’t fight City Hall. Or can you?
