Supervisors' dedication should be applauded
This is in response to the recent articles concerning the Howard Soil Conservation District and the audit to be conducted by Howard County.
The Howard Soil Conservation District has been funding two positions to conduct sediment and erosion control plan reviews since July 1, 2009, when the positions ceased to be funded by the county. The District funds had been accumulated over 40 years of tree sales, fish sales, rain barrel sales; basically a penny here and a nickel there. Those funds were exhausted as of last week.
The recent additional money that was provided to pay for one position for a month to keep the plan review process moving (and permit money flowing into the county) came from private donations from the Howard Soil Conservation District Supervisors.
They had not wanted to make that public. They felt strongly that it was nobody's business but their own. Not even the county executive's.
The dedication of the Supervisors to a conservation ethic and a commitment to keep business flowing should be applauded by every citizen in Howard County. Builders, developers, environmentalists, conservationists and county government officials included.
Rather than an audit, how about a gold star for taking the role and job of providing assurance that federal, state and laws governing environmental impacts are followed? It is rare to find a group like the Howard Soil Conservation District Supervisors that are willing to put their personal money where their mouth is.
- Bob Ensor, district manager, Howard Soil Conservation District
