Why it is so important to keep up the pressure

In a shocking reminder of how badly Accomack County has to clean up its act, we find unlined sewage lagoons hidden on back roads that reveal blatant disregard for public health regulations, groundwater contamination, and surface contamination from fecal bacteria. Click here to see the unlined septage lagoons that threaten the Machipongo River with overflow during heavy rains. Or click here to see dumping in progress at the septage site near Wachapreague that doesn’t even appear to have berms, much less a defined “lagoon”. For variety, visit this dump site near Onley which competes with our lagoons for public nuisance glory. Such eyesores make you wonder if this County is really ready to promote itself as venue for “eco-tourism”. From the Draft Wastewater Action Plan prepared by McKim & Creed for the County in October, one finds that the leaking septage lagoons have been known about since at least 2003, and these lagoons have NOT been monitored in a way consistent with protecting public health. The McKim & Creed report recommends that the County, “Solicit from the Virginia Department of Health the designation of a public health emergency for the public awareness and for increased eligibility with funding agencies.”

The Report recommends that the County proceed with all deliberate speed to clean up these leaking lagoons. The report also recommends the creation of a County-wide public service authority to take over efficient and responsible waste water management. This sounds much like the Public Safety Report last summer which recommended a County-wide public safety authority to efficiently manage the Fire and EMS system.

There is theme here which is that the vital public infrastructure for Accomack County needs modernizing and that this calls for the County and all the towns to work together on the solutions.

The Draft Comprehensive Plan will be reveled.

Please plan to attend at least one of the public hearings on the draft comprehensive plan to be held at Nandua and Arcadia Middle schools at 7 pm on December 11th and 12th respectively. The plan can be read and downloaded, one chapter at a time, complete with all the maps by clicking here. Spend a little time before hand and read at least parts of this document. There has been a lot of time and effort involved in its making. You bought it. It is and will be yours.

No Rush to Summary Judgment – Too Bad for the Tax Payers

On November 27th, Judge Glen Tyler heard SON’s Motion for Summary Judgment in the Circuit Court. Rather than rule on substantive legal facts, Tyler requested more briefs and led County Attorney Thomas Dix around in a way that leads one to wonder at these proceedings. Read about it here.

SONs formulating strategy.

In the weeks to come, your Executive Committee will be prioritizing issues that SONs members need to pay attention to and support in the coming year. Topping the agenda, of course, is the passage of a Comprehensive Plan that can serve as the basis for preserving groundwater and our rural community while building the infrastructure we need to live healthy and safe lives. This includes but is not limited to traffic, public safety and fire, sewage, solid waste, and our famous roadside litter. Watch this space for an announcement of a public discussion meeting.

Become part of the discussion.

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