Message Preview
From: Your Name <you@example.com>
To: Harold.Webb@co.wake.nc.us, joe.bryan@co.wake.nc.us, Tony.Gurley@co.wake.nc.us, lindy.brown@co.wake.nc.us, paul.coble@co.wake.nc.us, Stan.Norwalk@co.wake.nc.us, susan.banks@co.wake.nc.us, bward@co.wake.nc.us
Subject: Please Protect Wake County's Water!
Your Personal Statement
Please reconsider the current proposal to balance the county budget with cuts alone and find a way to protect the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) from being required to eliminate two full time positions. While no one wants to see positions of any sort cut due to budget constraints, the proposal to cut positions from the SWCD leaves precious environmental resources, and the communities which rely upon them, at risk. Recently, a number of news stories have detailed the problems we are already experiencing due to poorly managed growth and insufficient enforcement ("Mud, stench spoil Lake Lynn" N&O, 6/10/09 and "Silt takes toll at Shelley" N&O, 5/20/09). There is no question that, despite the downturn in the economy, environmental degradation continues to occur, and without proper oversight those occurrences will only become more frequent.
In the past you have you demonstrated your commitment to keeping our waterways safe and clean by participating in the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation's Annual Neuse River Clean Up and NC's Big Sweep, sponsoring a Local Erosion and Sediment Control Program, and maintaining fabulous Parks and Environmental Education programs...but environmental protection is not only about the past; it is about tomorrow too. The Budget Summary provided by the County states that "The budget [also] reflects priorities." I am asking that you make the protection of Wake County's Water Resources, and the future health of our communities a priority when you consider the FY 10 budget.
The SWCD's goal is to ensure healthy watersheds and healthy communities through the science-based application of watershed management; clearly, this is a service which is vital to the long-term health and vitality of Wake County's resources - natural and economic.
* The SWCD assists landowners with conservation actions, helping to reduce the cost of living for Wake County citizens through lower water usage and long-term investments in protecting water quality and quantity
* The SWCD accomplishes their tasks in coordination with the County's smart growth plans. When the economy picks back up - and it will - you will already be behind the curve, faced with a backlog of work and environmental damage by the time the necessary positions are re-instituted and rehired.
* Given the current economic climate, the SWCD's ability to provide "innovative leadership during changing times" is even more important that before, as environmental protection is placed on the back burner in favor of the more "popular" recession issues
Cutting services and positions that protect our environment is a short-sighted approach that we will pay for dearly in the future; the cost to repair environmental damage is almost always greater than the cost of prevention would have been. The Wake Soil and Water Conservation District is a successful and necessary program, and the elimination of 2 full time employees, given the already small staff and never-ending work, is not an appropriate response a short term budget concerns. As a Wake County resident I am willing to make the very minimal personal sacrifices that would be necessary to protect the vital services the District provides and I believe that others are as well. Please protect the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District from staffing cuts during the FY 2010 Budget Adoption process.
Thank you,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
--
Delivered by CitizenSpeak!
Report abuse to abuse@citizenspeak.org [1642]
To: Harold.Webb@co.wake.nc.us, joe.bryan@co.wake.nc.us, Tony.Gurley@co.wake.nc.us, lindy.brown@co.wake.nc.us, paul.coble@co.wake.nc.us, Stan.Norwalk@co.wake.nc.us, susan.banks@co.wake.nc.us, bward@co.wake.nc.us
Subject: Please Protect Wake County's Water!
Your Personal Statement
Please reconsider the current proposal to balance the county budget with cuts alone and find a way to protect the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) from being required to eliminate two full time positions. While no one wants to see positions of any sort cut due to budget constraints, the proposal to cut positions from the SWCD leaves precious environmental resources, and the communities which rely upon them, at risk. Recently, a number of news stories have detailed the problems we are already experiencing due to poorly managed growth and insufficient enforcement ("Mud, stench spoil Lake Lynn" N&O, 6/10/09 and "Silt takes toll at Shelley" N&O, 5/20/09). There is no question that, despite the downturn in the economy, environmental degradation continues to occur, and without proper oversight those occurrences will only become more frequent.
In the past you have you demonstrated your commitment to keeping our waterways safe and clean by participating in the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation's Annual Neuse River Clean Up and NC's Big Sweep, sponsoring a Local Erosion and Sediment Control Program, and maintaining fabulous Parks and Environmental Education programs...but environmental protection is not only about the past; it is about tomorrow too. The Budget Summary provided by the County states that "The budget [also] reflects priorities." I am asking that you make the protection of Wake County's Water Resources, and the future health of our communities a priority when you consider the FY 10 budget.
The SWCD's goal is to ensure healthy watersheds and healthy communities through the science-based application of watershed management; clearly, this is a service which is vital to the long-term health and vitality of Wake County's resources - natural and economic.
* The SWCD assists landowners with conservation actions, helping to reduce the cost of living for Wake County citizens through lower water usage and long-term investments in protecting water quality and quantity
* The SWCD accomplishes their tasks in coordination with the County's smart growth plans. When the economy picks back up - and it will - you will already be behind the curve, faced with a backlog of work and environmental damage by the time the necessary positions are re-instituted and rehired.
* Given the current economic climate, the SWCD's ability to provide "innovative leadership during changing times" is even more important that before, as environmental protection is placed on the back burner in favor of the more "popular" recession issues
Cutting services and positions that protect our environment is a short-sighted approach that we will pay for dearly in the future; the cost to repair environmental damage is almost always greater than the cost of prevention would have been. The Wake Soil and Water Conservation District is a successful and necessary program, and the elimination of 2 full time employees, given the already small staff and never-ending work, is not an appropriate response a short term budget concerns. As a Wake County resident I am willing to make the very minimal personal sacrifices that would be necessary to protect the vital services the District provides and I believe that others are as well. Please protect the Wake County Soil and Water Conservation District from staffing cuts during the FY 2010 Budget Adoption process.
Thank you,
Your Name
Your Organization
123 Your St.
Yousville, YO 12345
Phone: (123)456-7890
Fax: (123)456-7890x123
--
Delivered by CitizenSpeak!
Report abuse to abuse@citizenspeak.org [1642]
