CSHLRA officials praise Valentine for support

Published 8:02 pm Monday, February 24, 2020

Rick Valentine, program director for financial initiatives and special projects for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) for several years, is retiring. Before he stepped down, however, he was praised by local officials for his support of several that have become a reality in Renaissance Park at Central State Hospital over the last few years.

“We’ve been very blessed for seven years now to have good partners, but unfortunately we’re going to be losing one of our best partners to retirement this week,” said Mike Couch, executive director of the Central State Hospital Local Redevelopment Authority (CSHLRA).

Couch was referring to Valentine, who attended his last CSHLRA meeting in his official capacity Wednesday afternoon.

“Rick Valentine has stood with us in our board meetings; and he’s stood with us at meetings on the state level,” Couch told board meetings at their monthly meeting. “We could not ask for a better partner than Rick Valentine. I don’t know how they are going to replace you, to be honest with you.”

Couch confessed that he and Valentine didn’t hit it off too well when they first met.

“We cursed each other out the first time we met each other,” Couch said. “He thought I worked for him. I didn’t work for him. But we squared that away, and there’s never been a better partnership, through two heart attacks, through some good times and bad times. But Rick has made a decision to retire this Friday.”

Couch said he hoped that CHSLRA would still receive the kind of partnership in the future that they had received from Valentine.

“As I wander the state and talk with folks on the state level, we can’t do anything by ourselves with this authority,” Couch said. “It’s taken the city; it’s taken the county; it’s taken the state; it’s taken The Bright House, private partners, it’s taken Dr. Amy Wright. Nothing happens unless we’ve got good partners. Rick has been a No. 1. He’s one of [our] alpha partners.”

 Couch told Valentine openly that he was going to personally miss him.

“I’m going to miss you, Rick,” Couch said. “Don’t change your cell number. I know where to find you. Thank you, Rick, for your ingenuity and for your innovative approach.”

After Couch’s comments, Baldwin County Commission Chairman Henry R. Craig said he would like to propose a motion that the CSHLRA board recognize Valentine’s hard work as a true partner to all of the successes that have happened with the CSHLRA.

Quay Fuller, chairwoman of the CSHLRA, also praised Valentine for his dedication and support.

“Rick, I would say that we’re all characters in this play that we’re playing here, but you’ve just been so organically good to us and helping us to find our way,” Fuller said. “You allowed us the platform to do that.”

 Fuller said the CSHLRA had created with Valentine’s help many opportunities for Milledgeville and Baldwin County.

“And that’s what’s so beautiful,” Fuller said. “We just want to thank you for everything that you’ve done. And even as we are making changes here at the development authority, here on the campus, we don’t know what’s going to be tomorrow. But we can really appreciate everything that all the people in this room and every time we have visitors — I feel from the bottom of my heart that you’ve helped us from the bottom of your heart. And for that I thank you.”

Russ Walden, one of the members of the CSHLRA, also thanked Valentine.

“This is how we can do something,” Walden said of Valentine. “He’s taken a real proactive stance in terms of helping us accomplish the things we’ve accomplished to this point. And that’s really appreciated.”

 Johnny Grant, who also serves as a member of the CSHLRA, said oftentimes, an advocate is needed within state agencies.

“And sometimes that advocate can also be a friend, and Rick has certainly proven to be that,” Grant said. “Many times when you’re dealing with bureaucracies, a bureaucrat wants to find just a way to say, no. That’s the easiest way out for them. Rick’s not been like that. He’s been more than willing to try to find ways to make things happen. And that’s very unusual. And I’m very thankful we’ve had him on our side.”

Valentine received rousing applause from the audience for his support of the CSHLRA and their many successful projects under his watchful eye in the last several years.

Several city and county officials also attended the meeting, including Milledgeville City Alderwoman Jeanette Walden, Alderman Walter Reynolds, Interim City Manager Hank Griffeth, Baldwin County Commissioner Sammy Hall and Baldwin County Manager Carlos Tobar.