County needs to come to grips with development issues
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,

The overall actions and comments of some county officials on every issue reported in your Feb. 28 edition clearly demonstrate how totally lost they are. In a nutshell, see if I get this straight: Developers are apprehensive of a possible proffer increase, [which is the] current administration's idea, and the possibility a new board may require them to actually properly address the issues of development are overwhelming staff with rezoning cases. The rush for rezoning approvals should also tell you something about who is interested in the long-term health of our county. Developers just might want to consider that an incoming board may have a better strategy for a workable solution for everyone and get past the grab the money and run mindset.

Meanwhile, some county officials continue to clash with state and federal agencies on how to manage our resources and the effects of growth, actually resenting that these agencies are trying to help make sure we don't build any more roads that will demand higher maintenance costs and poison our neighbors and our water resources. They refuse to acknowledge the cost and effect [that] their BMP plan doesn't work any better than their student estimates of residential growth have. More schools will have to look at going to split shift days to handle student volumes, schools are bursting at the seams now, and we cannot build additional schools fast enough.

Regarding the reservoir, ask Mr. [Scott] Flanigan [of the county's Environmental Engineering Department] or anyone else that remembers a little chemistry, what happens to the concentration of a solution when you remove some of the water? Say in a drought period. Remember this is a source of drinking water and think of a stagnant pond, but it's ok, they can add more chemicals so you can drink it. Just as an added bonus, you get to pay more for it too! Does that about sum it up?
Jim Slaughenhaupt
            Midlothian