Mayor Scott James Matheson said he and Council had been discussing solutions to the trash problem, before last Thursday’s Valdosta City Council meeting. Afterwards he came outside and discussed that a bit more. Stay tuned.

There’s also a new Neighborhood Development and Community Protections Manager, Anetra Riley. Community Protections Manager is what they call Code Enforcement, so that is relevant to the trash problem.

Valdosta City Council, Staff, and Citizens

The Mayor mentioned the twelve-foot alligator when he thanked WWALS for organizing the Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle (video).

Council applauding WWALS

He also said he guessed WWALS liked the fix the Council was to vote on for a new belt screen for the Mud Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (video).

Movie: 3.b. New Vanguard Belt Screen for Mud Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant –David Frost, Utilities Director (58M)

For sure, we don’t want any of those things pictured in Knights Creek, Mud Swamp Creek, or the Alapahoochee, Alapaha, or Suwannee Rivers. Thanks to Utilties Director David Frost for keeping on top of such fixes.

Poor Screening Systems

Greenery and leaves

Sanitary Products

Types of Screening Products

When I spoke in Citizens to Be Heard (video), I thanked the Mayor for attending the Mayor’s Paddle, and said we got that 12-foot gator because I heard Council Vivian Miller-Cody likes gators. They laughed. I invited them all to come paddle next time.

Movie: 4. CTBH John S. Quarterman, Mayor and Chairman’s Paddle, Trash solutions (88M)

Where is that ARPA-funded new well field? The one of the recent $12 million grant.

Valdosta Trash in the Withlacoochee and Little Rivers

The Valdosta trash coming down Sugar Creek and Threemile Branch (past the Mayor’s house) even gets in the Little River because when the water is high it washed across from the Withlacoochee River. One paddler fell in collecting trash. Two more in a canoe, from Berrien County, collected a big bag. People not from Lowndes County, much less Valdosta, care about the Valdosta trash problem. I recommended Mayor and Council do something about it. The Mayor said they had talked about it and they had some thoughts.

He also acknowledged the work Russell Allen McBride has done for WWALS in deploying a trash boom at Sugar Creek and cleaning it out.

New Neighborhood Development and Community Protections Manager, Anetra Riley

WWALS is mulling over what he suggested later outside. Stay tuned.

For the rest of the videos by Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE) and a playlist of the entire meeting, see Roads, Wastewater, and Trash @ VCC 2022-02-24.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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