Northern Neck SentinelTM “The Voice of The People” LOCAL/STATE NEWS.................. PG. 5 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.......... PG 19 OUTDOORS.................................. PG. 10 PUZZLES............................................PG.2 0 Volume 1 - Edition 2 - March 7, 2018 UNSUNG HEROES................... PG 12 PETS...................................................PG 23 SPORTS........................................ PG 17 ADVENTURES IN WELLNESS........ PG 25 FREE TAKE ONE FONES CLIFFS RESORT AND SPA GOOD NEIGHBORS OR ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER? John Haynes Editor/Publisher COMMEMORATION OF THE SENATOR STUART WITHDRAWS In my nearly three decades of living in the Northern Neck I have never seen an issue as polarizing and divisive as the prospect of LEEDSTOWN RESOLUTIONS CONTROVERSIAL BILL developing environmentally sensitive property at Fones Cliffs in Rich- OVERFLOW CROWD VIEWS LIVING HISTORY ATTEMPT TO STIFLE TRANSPARENCY mond County. Since the first inquiries into possible zoning changes February 27, 1766 was one of the most memorable dates in CREATES UPROAR to allow development, there has been a public debate over whether the history of the fight for American independence. On that day potential economic growth justified the possibility of damage to an one hundred and fifteen courageous men risked their lives, prop- Over the past month the Richmond Times Dispatch has environmentally sensitive and historically significant area. erty and the safety of their families to rise up in defiance of the launched an all out attack on State Senator Richard Stuart who CONTINUED ON PAGE 3.. British Crown. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4... represents the 28th District of Virginia. The cause of their ire is . the introduction of legislation (SB 727) that would exempt the Virginia judicial system from the Freedom of Information Act. RICHMOND COUNTY MIDDLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 4... SCHOOL 6TH GRADERS WORK TO IMPROVE THE OYSTER POPULATION FY 2016/17 REGIONAL SAT SCORES IN THE RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER NEIGHBORING COUNTIES ARE WORLDS APART John Haynes Editor/Publisher -Jason Strong, Richmond County Elementary/Middle School Principal Last September I received a copy of the most recent This fall, 6th graders from Richmond County Middle School statewide SAT scores from Dr. Sarah Susbury of the Virginia built oyster sentinels in an effort to help replenish the oyster Department of Education. Dr. Susbury is the Director of Test population in the Rappahannock River. This is an action project Administration, Scoring and Reporting. Although I expected vari- 6th graders did as part of their Meaningful Watershed Educa- ations among the six counties that comprise the Northern Neck tional Experience through funding from the National Oceanic and Region, the degree of difference was unsettling. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with Friends of the Rappa- hannock (FOR). CONTINUED ON PAGE 16... River Steward Richard Moncure instructs CONTINUED ON PAGE 15... NORTHERN NECK SENTINEL • MARCH 7, 2018 • PAGE 2 RCH OBSERVATIONS Over the past few years the proposed animal shelter has had to compete with two other large proposed projects. Those are the new EMS building which has just begun construction and the PARTICIPATE IN OUR POLL. recently approved school bus garage. From the comments that I have heard there is broad commu- nity support for the new EMS building. They have been waiting SHOULD AVAILABLE FUNDING for several years and the current facility is so outmoded that GO TO THE SHELTER INSTEAD many modern rescue vehicles cannot fit through the doors. It had become a matter of public safety. The cost was 1.55 million. OF THE GARAGE? The estimated cost for the new school bus garage is $500,000.00.Although the funding has not been formally ap- EMAIL VOTES-JOHNHAYNES. proved yet I have no doubt that it will be. This is where I feel that the Board of Supervisors has ignored the will of the people. [email protected] The Richmond County Schools had 21 million dollars in addi- PHONE VOTES-804-238-6507 tions and renovations to their campuses completed a few years ago. Their budget has risen a quarter over the past five years. While our schools are obviously important bus garages are not a A DOGGONE SHAME critical need. Saving the lives of vulnerable dogs and cats is. Northern Neck Richmond County currently pays Westmoreland County Sentinel I was listening to a recording of the February Richmond County $43,000.00 per year to take animals that we can’t handle. We have a full time Animal Control Officer. There is a way but not a 54 Belle Ville Ln • Warsaw, Va. 22572 Supervisors Meeting recently and I heard something that made 804- 238-6507 me wonder if our leaders have the same priorities as those whom will. they supposedly serve. Since this is an opinion column I would like to propose a deal. [email protected] One of the agenda items concerned the fate of the proposed Instead of funding the school bus garage and making the animal EDITOR/PUBLISHER shelter wait a couple of years, why not do the opposite? I feel that Richmond County Animal Shelter. The Board has grappled with John L. Haynes Jr. the vast majority of the citizens would support this idea. this problem for the past few years and according to the com- COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Just a few months ago Shari Faina of Farnham gave an ments made at the meeting the can has been kicked down the Kippen E. Haynes impassioned plea to the Supervisors for County assistance in road again. Way down the road. DESIGN/LAYOUT/COMPOSITION building a private animal shelter. An organization called Partners The sticking point was, as always, money. Bids on a proposed Design Printing shelter reportedly came in between four hundred thousand and for Paws has already purchased land for a private shelter in WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS four hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Lancaster County. Susan Carabello, Kristy Fike, After considerable back and forth it was agreed that the It has been said that a society can be judged by the way that Mark Fike, Martha Hall, John Haynes, County was not in a financial position to take on that much debt it treats those most in need. I feel certain that the majority of my Kelly Neale, Robert Woods and would not be for a couple of years. Further details are pro- fellow citizens in Richmond County would rather spend their tax SALES/DISTRIBUTION Kristy Fike, John Haynes, vided in the Supervisors Meeting article in this edition. dollars protecting animals from suffering and death than shelter- Kip Haynes, Lane Sanders, This is correct. As was reported in the February Sentinel, ing buses. If you agree let your voice be heard or it’s a doggone Bob Snavely Richmond County has ranked dead last in the state three years in shame. PRINTING a row in financial stability. This is according to the State Auditor of John L. Haynes Jr. Pilot Media Public Accounts and has been publicly acknowledged. Editor/Publisher NORTHERN NECK SENTINEL • MARCH 7, 2018 • PAGE 3 final remediation plan in place by 3/2/18. At the February Super- standards.” visors Meeting Administrator Morgan Quicke advised that failure I am not attempting to embarrass the Supervisor in question to do so could results in fines and legal action. which is why I didn’t use their name. I am simply trying to dem- One reason that both the DEQ and Richmond County did not onstrate that even people who are involved in the process often assess fines or penalties for the land disturbing activities in ques- misinterpret the lengthy and complex policies and regulations tion is that they are well aware themselves of how complicated which they are tasked to enforce. and confusing the guidelines are. In addition to the Chesapeake Fones Cliffs has been eroding for hundreds of years and, un- Bay Act developers are also subject to state wastewater regula- fortunately, most of the causes cannot be mitigated. The primary tions that were put in place a few years ago. factors involved in erosion include wind, rain, wave action and Since that time Richmond County has twice run into com- surface runoff. Of these, only surface runoff is usually manage- pliance enforcement problems due to a misinterpretation of able. guidelines. One involved the forcing of protective measures By grading areas adjacent to the cliff face to slope away from beyond regulation requirements on a local lumber yard and the the cliffs surface runoff can be reduced considerably. The devel- other involved approval of a home expansion in Little Florida that opers plan on using this technique. It is important to remember violated regulations. that losing land through erosion is the last thing that Virginia True The first instance resulted in a heated confrontation with the wants as it requires building farther from the water to prevent aggrieved business owner and the second instance resulted eventually losing or having to move existing structures. in a lawsuit. Although Richmond County did not receive undue The effect of development on the eagle population has also criticism due to their errors it appears that Virginia True will not been a subject of fierce debate. There is no doubt that the Fones Virginia True Owner Howard Kleinhelder and Project Manager James Fukuda receive that same consideration from their critics. Cliffs area is prime eagle habitat with one f the largest concentra- FONES CLIFFS RESORT AND SPA The three primary objections to the Virginia True Project are tions of eagles and other migratory birds on the east coast. GOOD NEIGHBORS OR ENVIRONMENTAL DIASASTER? possible erosion and runoff, protecting the eagle population There is also no doubt that human activity can disrupt nest- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1... and preserving potential archeological finds. I will address each ing and hunting behaviors. The question seems to be to what This issue has generated considerable publicity over the past individually.