Words of Wisdom

SONs enters its third year with many accomplishments and many challenges still ahead. What started in the Craddockville Methodist Church, with forty citizens, in October 2005 has grown to more than 2000 people all over Accomack County. From all nine election districts and 18 different communities, our supporters and our membership continue to increase. There is no doubt, however, that challenges abound as we look at 2008.

Our primary goal is to continue pressure on the Board of Supervisors to move intelligently and carefully with long term goals and planning, conscientious fiscal management and actual execution of those plans. This is at the top of the list.

Phil McCaleb and Jack Gray are now seated as new Board members. Ron Wolff was elected (unanimously) as Chairman and Steve Mallette as Vice-Chairman (Mrs. Thornton loudly opposed). The power base on the Board has shifted and the effect was palpable at the first meeting last Thursday. The opportunity to really accomplish something over the next four years is right in front of us. Now is the time to push hard on SONs’ goals and SONs’ objectives.

Completion of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan, begun almost two years ago and clearly facilitated by SONs’ involvement, has now been referred to the Board for approval. SONs must see that through. Creation of the zoning text amendments, inherent with a revision of the Comp Plan, is critically important. SONs members need to speak up on this matter when the time comes. We have gotten this far with the process-let’s now make it a reality.

Application of the Chesapeake Bay Act to the Seaside is also at the top of the list. With DEQ working to form a Technical Advisory Committee on clean water regulations for the shellfish industry, we are at a critical juncture for clean water Shore-wide. Adoption of a Stormwater Runoff Ordinance consistent with DEQ’s suggested language is vitally important to this concept as well.

Resolution of the septage lagoon problems, their closure and motion toward a central county sewer system remain. Understanding the complicated network of emergency service providers and a rationalization of locations, equipment, personnel and budget are all critical to long term planning goals.

Finally, as our lawsuit against the County enters its second year, our goals of open and transparent government, working toward sensible and thoughtful objectives, are as important as ever. A county that conducts itself with disregard for the law should not be tolerated and should be held accountable.

January 2008 and January 2009 are important months because of the number of vacancies on various advisory committees that occur, or will occur, on those dates. In 2008, one Planning Commission seat has already been filled. Tammy James, who ran for Supervisor in District 5, was appointed to fill the term of a retiring member. This is excellent news. Tammy has long been a supporter of our efforts and was heavily involved in fighting the Hopeland Landing project in Modest Town. She is intelligent and has a clear and strong sense of what is right for the Shore, as anyone who heard her during the debates will attest. She will do a good job and has our full support.

Four Planning Commission seats expire 12/31/08. We should spend the year finding the right people to fill those seats. Planning Commission effectiveness will be a critical long term effort.

A number of other seats are open on committees including the Airport Commission, the Industrial Development Authority, Social Services, Groundwater, ANPDC and others. Practical matters involving the running of various entities are the central business of these committees but they also play a critical role in the development of the budget and therefore, your taxes. This will be a huge area of concern for the Board in 2008. If you have an interest in serving and giving back to your Community, I strongly encourage you to write the County Administrator a letter expressing that interest.

This month we will expand the Executive Committee to ten people from the current five, reflecting the diverse, County-wide representation we see every day. If you are interested in participating at this level, please give one of us a call. Volunteers are always needed to come to meetings when required, to help with whatever needs to be done and, most importantly, to vocalize a position on issues at public meetings and in the newspaper.

The SaveOurNecks.com website has been enormously successful. Starting from nothing two years ago when we saw 300-400 hits per month, our trailing three month average for monthly hits is now almost 3000 and total hits for 2007 exceeded 26,000!!! Our aerial photograph section has been the most heavily hit part of the site, exceeded only at election time by our interviews with the candidates. The website will continue to be our focus for educating everyone on the issues as we see them. If you would like to write an article, state an opinion or take photos-please let one of us know. Through education we will find our greatest support.

In February we will have a general meeting of all SONs’ supporters. The date is likely to be February 24th but will be set at the next Executive Committee meeting and posted here, on our website. We will be inviting several County officials and Supervisors to attend and to make comments. This will be a very interesting meeting and we are hopeful for a good turnout. Please mark your calendars.

Lastly, your financial support of our efforts is vital. We cannot operate effectively without support. SONs’ Executive Committee has used your contributions wisely and prudently over the last two and a half years but the need for financial support continues. We hope to make SONs a 501.c.3 charitable entity in 2008, thus making your contributions tax-deductible.

I don’t like asking you for money any more, probably, than you like being asked. However, we cannot operate without it. Web costs, printing, Freedom of Information Act requests and legal fees compose the bulk of what we spend money on. In any case, please support our critical work to the County’s future and send us a check today.

Together, through the efforts of many people in our entire Community, we have been able to accomplish what many thought was impossible. We have brought together different groups and different people, some life long Shore residents with others who have moved here only recently, in an effort to preserve what we all find unique and irreplaceable. That is our primary goal and always has been. We should not forget that as we start the New Year.

We have been accused of being a “Special Interest Group” and indeed we are. We think the Shore is a special place and we have a special interest in it.

George Parker
President
Save Our Necks

Thank you in advance for listening.

We all know about the dangerous unlined, unfenced, and under monitored open sewage lagoons in the county. I am here to ask the Board to act with all deliberate speed to stop these illegal practices. Even as we speak, they could be seeping pollutants into our drinking water aquifer. At any time a storm could overwhelm the un-maintained berms and seriously damage wetlands.

What if a terrorist was threatening the County with a “pollution time bomb”? Would you act immediately to defuse the bomb? Why not in this case?

The Virginia Department of Health has completely dropped the ball in its responsibilities to protect the public in this case. Ammonia and nitrate levels are at unacceptable levels and have been for years yet VDH has not enforced groundwater testing requirements.

Let us appreciate that the County is NOT in the business of providing septage disposal, guaranteeing prices, or guaranteeing the profits of the commercial enterprises that do. There ARE alternative sites for disposing of septage from this County and there ARE alternative companies. Septage disposal is a business that needs to operate within laws set to protect the public and the environment. Let us NOT be blackmailed. Let us no longer accept excuses from operators that have known for years, possibly decades, that they are not complying with the law.

In the LONG term, the County should have its own modern sewage disposal facility. In the MEDIUM term, septage service operators should build safe, monitored lagoons, For RIGHT NOW, closing these leaking lagoons and requiring their remediation is the quickest and most cost-effective way to get safe septage disposal.