Supervisor Woodson sets record straight
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Robert “Bob” Woodson Griffis-Widewater
Supervisor,Stafford County Board of Supervisors
Published: May 16, 2008
I ran on a campaign for change, and I am keeping the campaign promises I made to manage growth, control spending and preserve our natural resources. That has meant making decisions that are in the best interest of the county, even when those decisions are politically unpopular and may cost votes.
It’s a new and honest way of doing county business. No wonder some feathers were ruffled at the Aquia Harbour Property Owners Association town hall meeting (“Harbour holds town meeting,” Stafford County Sun, 5/2/08). Holdouts from the “old guard” continue to expect business as usual.
At issue are taxpayer funding for the dredging of Aquia Creek, and the lifting of a deed restriction on a 33-acre parcel of land, which would allow the AHPOA to develop the land with dense, residential development.
In spite of the county’s tight financial situation, a small minority within the AHPOA has been pressuring me to commit scarce county resources to pay for the dredging of Aquia Creek. Supervisor Paul Milde (Aquia District) has championed this effort, even going so far as to suggest that money for roads and mass transit should be diverted from the county’s transportation fund to pay for the dredging.
My position on this is that I will not support using transportation dollars to maintain the amenities of a private, gated community. Any public funds used to dredge Aquia Creek must lead to a public benefit. Providing Economic Development Authority funds to dredge a portion of the creek to ensure public access to our new park on Governor’s Island may be appropriate.
In addition, we should pass legislation, such as the Potomac River Resource Protection Overlay District, to significantly reduce mud from getting into our creeks. Otherwise, we will keep throwing good money after bad time and again.
Also at issue is the future use of a 33-acre parcel of land in the Harbour owned by the AHPOA. After having held the property tax-free for many years, the AHPOA wants the board of supervisors to lift a restriction on the deed limiting the property to recreational uses, so that the AHPOA can develop it. Once the deed restriction is lifted the county does not have any ability to control by-right development of the property, which means up to 3 housing units per acre — nearly 100 housing units — could be built at this site.
Supervisor Milde has actively promoted development of this site, even though the AHPOA has not presented a specific plan for it.
I will consider lifting the deed restriction after an analysis of the fiscal, environmental and traffic impacts of developing it has been conducted according to county and state standards. Of course, that requires a concrete plan of development, which I have yet to see.
It would have been easy for me to pander to some Aquia Harbour voters, and agree to everything some in the AHPOA wanted, without question and regardless of the cost. But that is old politics. Change is in the air. When I took office I made a commitment to do right by the citizens of the entire Griffis-Widewater district and all the taxpayers of the county. I intend to keep that commitment
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( StaffordGal ) on May 17, 2008 at 12:21 am
Perhaps Mr. Woodson would like to write something on his own rather than having his handler/appointee on the Planning Commission & non-Grifiss-Widerwater resident do it for him. If he is not “pandering to special interests” exactly why is he so hostile to those who elected him and his good neighbors? His 18th Century view of “the good ole boys” is astounding as is his disdain for a fellow, well-informed member of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors. In short, Mr. Woodson is off-the-charts clueless on these issues. His only aim is top stir up trouble and divide the community that elected him to public office. Never before have I seen an elected offical talk out of one side of his mouth before the election and make promises to work towards issues important to his constituents and then blatantly go in the other direction after election. Bait and switch, anyone? The end result is what will drive a wedge between the BOS and the residents who very mistakenly elected him to office.
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Posted by ( j5ghughes ) on May 16, 2008 at 7:56 pm
I hate to disagree with Mr. Woodson on what he relayed to voters on his stance, but in a personal conversation with him in fornt of my residence during the campaign he absolutley spoke differently about the dredging of Aquia Creek. We discussed this topic due to the fact that he had linked my letter to the editor discussing the siltation of Aquia Creek to his campaigns web-site. He was in full support of the county helping make restitution for the damage they allowed to occur and to push for restitution form the builder. This was the over riding factor in my decision to vote for him. He promised to take on the builders to make sure they lived to thier requirements and repaired those things they damaged.
I cannot speak to the issue with the old school snce I did not have a personal discussion on that subject, but as for the creek issue, Mr. Woodson is doing the old two step, say one thing to get elected and another once elected.
I have rapidly come to regret my decision to vote for Mr. Woodson.
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Posted by ( reneecruea ) on May 16, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I am a Director who sits on the AHPOA. I am not part of the “old guard” as I have only lived in the Harbour for 6 years,3 of those years I have served on the AHPOA Board and I am less than 40 years old. I voted for Mr. Woodson because he said he would represent his constituency. He is not. It is not just a “few” in our community who want Mr. Woodson to support these two issues, it is many. Most if not all of the more than 100 residents who attended the Town Hall meeting were in favor of the above issues. As a matter of fact, the issue regarding the 33 acres was voted on by 31% of eligible voters in Aquia, which is more eligible voters than who voted in the election Mr. Woodson won. Further, the issue regarding the 33 acres won in favor of developing it by 101 votes. I believe Mr. Woodson won by less than 30.
Representing the majority of your constituency is your job as it is mine.
Additionally the Potomac River Resource Protection Overlay District legislation doesnt go far enough to significantly reduce mud from getting into our creeks.
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