Paulk: No more biomass
Published 9:00 am Wednesday, January 12, 2011
- In this file photo, Valdosta State University professor Dr. Michael Noll gives his presentation against the proposed Wiregrass Power LLC biomass energy plant during a public forum at VSU. During Lowndes County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, Commission Chairman Ashley Paulk told Noll during the citizens wishing to be heard section of the meeting, “the decision has been made, and it’s unanimous by this board that we are in support of biomass and this is the last meeting that I will give you for public hearing on biomass at the county’s expense."
Lowndes County Commission Chairman Ashley Paulk called a halt Tuesday evening to commissioners hearing biomass comments during public portions of regular board meetings.
During the citizens wishing to be heard section of the meeting, Dr. Michael Noll, Wiregrass Activist for Clean Energy president, came forward to invite commissioners to the WACE forum scheduled for Thursday evening.
Commission Chairman Ashley Paulk told Noll, “I’ve allowed you and the people from WACE to speak quite a few times at the podium and certain people you are affiliated with have some hidden agendas. We have received veiled threats from your column that was printed in the Sunday paper about board members getting voted out. I want to make it clear to you that nobody on this commission is worried about how somebody votes, we’re here to see what’s good for this county.”
Noll asked Paulk to share with him the name of the WACE member who made threats and that he would speak with him. Paulk reminded him that he was not allowed to bring questions forward to board members.
“I was sheriff for 16 years and I locked up some of my best friends,” Paulk said. “That’s just the way I operate. It’s my job to maintain order in these meetings and the taxpayers pay for these meetings. I’m not going to continue to provide you with a public forum at the county taxpayers’ expense.”
Read more on this story in today’s edition of The Times.
