Candidate Q&A: Henricopolis Soil and Water Conservation District board

Editor's note: In advance of the Nov. 5 general elections, the Henrico Citizen posed four questions to each candidate for the local and state offices that represent Henrico. Below is the fifth in a series of responses from those candidates; it includes the responses of candidates for Henricopolis Soil and Water Conservation District board who replied. Responses were limited to a total of 400 words. They appear alphabetically by the candidates' last names.

1. Why should residents of Henrico County vote for you?

ANDERSON ELLIS – Over the last eight years I’ve donated more than 1,000 hours of unpaid service to the Soil & Water District with one goal: protecting Henrico’s clean water & fertile soil for future generations. This means finding innovative, cost-effective solutions. In 2012, I founded the District's Land Preservation Committee, which has helped citizens protect more than 600 acres of private farmland and forest. I also founded the Cornerstone Community Farm Committee, converting a power line easement into a farm at Fairfield Middle School.

BECKLEY – Of all the candidates, I am the only one with an environmental science background and possess over 20 years of experience in protecting water quality. While I am the only Republican on the ballot for this race, I enthusiastically support my fellow incumbent Director Nicole Anderson Ellis, an avid conservationist and Democrat. The past four years we have worked together achieving great things for Henrico County such as creating a community-based farm and a county wide stream monitoring program. Nicole and I are solid proof that conservation does not, and should not, have a political affiliation or agenda.

LEAKE – I have the leadership, advocacy, and activism skills to help Henricopolis develop and execute a strategic plan to meet the 21st century conservation challenges of an environmentally diverse county. My credentials include: I have served in non-profit Board leadership roles for over a decade, including a term as chair of The READ Center; I was a leader of the effort to remove the name of a segregationist from what is now Quioccasin Middle School; I have over 20 years of experience in marketing communications in a not-for-profit trade association; I have practiced a life-long personal commitment to environmental stewardship; I am becoming a certified Chesapeake Bay Steward through the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, incorporating seven weeks of classroom instruction and 40 hours of project-based community service.

PHILLIPS – I was born and raised in Henrico County. After briefly living in southwest Virginia and the City of Richmond, I made the choice to move my family back to Henrico because I care about the community and wanted to give back to the place that made me who I am.

2. What will be your top focus if elected?

ANDERSON ELLIS – This month I voted to approve the district’s seventh Conservation Easement, protecting another 70 acres of Henrico farmland. That land acts as a sponge, decreasing flooding and protecting our creeks from stormwater. Helping landowners conserve green space is the biggest bang for the district’s buck. In addition, I’m focused on Cornerstone Community Farm, including our new partnership with VCU’s Sustainable Food Access to use urban farms in the fight against hunger.

BECKLEY – I want the district to work even more closely with the county in additional ways such as identifying incentives to entice developers in using more environmentally friendly practices to reduce stormwater runoff. For example, it is a common practice for developers to remove topsoil and trees from the entire construction project area. Instead, by only removing a minimum amount of soil and trees, more rainwater is captured resulting in less flooding and healthier waterways. In addition, such practices does improve property values and lower energy costs.

LEAKE – The Soil and Water District system was created in the early 20th century in reaction to a specific environmental crisis. The ecological landscape of Henrico County has changed dramatically since that time. Climate change is the new Dust Bowl, and is the lens through which our environmental stewardship action plans must filter. Henricopolis is at a crossroads where additional funding is crucial to its ability to support a 21st century county. I will use my leadership, advocacy, and activism skills to help Henricopolis acquire the necessary resources to develop and execute a strategic plan to meet the 21st century conservation challenges of an environmentally diverse county.

PHILLIPS – My focus is to see the district take a more proactive role in increasing its visibility outside of the environmental community and those currently engaged with the board’s programs. I want to take steps to ensure that a greater number of county residents are engaged in the district’s programs and taking advantage of the resources available. I believe that the district plays a vital role in our community and I want to make sure that its impact continues to be both positive, meaningful and above all, responsive to the needs of individuals, families, organizations and small businesses.

3. What are the most critical issues: 1) facing your district? 2) facing the county? How do you propose to address these?

ANDERSON ELLIS – 1) Urban sprawl. When land gets built up and paved over, the rooftops/roads/sidewalks prevent rain from soaking in, and we get flooding, erosion and water pollution. We can’t stop growth, but we can teach homeowners and businesses about innovative designs – rain gardens, dry wells, permeable pavers, etc. – that slow runoff and protect our creeks. 2) For years I’ve written about sea level rise for Virginia Business magazine, researching how it impacts everything from tourism to military readiness. This is not a Virginia problem; it threatens our nation. The district’s best tool for addressing this issue is trees. Not only do we give away thousands of seedlings to residents each year, but we’re working with the land preservation community to design conservation easements that protect existing forest cover. Trees have a local cooling effect, prevent erosion, bind carbon, exhale clean air, provide habitat, and support the future of our forestry industry.

BECKLEY – Henrico County, which Henricopolis encompasses, has an ever-increasing population. With the increase in population and development, the more our local streams and rivers are polluted. The rise in impervious surfaces like roads and roofs reduces the amount of water absorbed in the soil and it flows quickly as runoff into local waterways. This runoff causes increased flooding and carries pollutants like fertilizer and bacteria making these waterways more hazardous for swimming and expensive to extract useable drinking water. By building smarter and assisting current homeowners in enacting conservation practices, more rainwater will be allowed to filter into the ground and be released more slowly into these waterways reducing pollution and erosion.

LEAKE – Soil and Water director is a county-wide position, and the five magisterial districts each have different environmental concerns, from conserving undeveloped and agricultural land, to dealing with the impacts of overdevelopment. A critical issue for the entire county is helping all citizens understand the daily impact of their lifestyle and consumption choices, and why a personal commitment to environmental stewardship is so important as we lose protections at higher levels of government. Henricopolis must continue to work with partners within the Virginia Conservation Network and state and local government to create 21st century action plans.

PHILLIPS – As we see the increasing effects of climate change and suburban expansion into the more rural areas of Henrico, the district must continue to adapt to these challenges while using them as opportunities to make important and substantive strides. Increasing severity of weather events and flooding throughout Henrico poses a real threat to the health of our soil and water resources. As such, we must ensure that homeowners are aware of their impact on our environment as well as work with local businesses and developers to help them reduce the impact of nonpoint source pollution from developed properties.

4. How will you involve citizens in matters of the Henricopolis SWCD?

ANDERSON ELLIS – Every year we work face-to-face with hundreds of teachers, thousands of students, plus residents, business owners, farmers, and volunteers of all ages. And interest in the district’s work at an all-time high; our programs are growing and most have wait lists. So we’re actively seeking funding – including public and private grants – to ensure everyone who wants to can participate. The Soil & Water District is – and will remain – centered on our local community.

BECKLEY – Henricopolis cannot function without citizen involvement. The conservation practices we fund require homeowners and farmers to approach the district. During my time I have promoted the use of videos and other online media to more effectively reach and inform the public. I plan to continue and expand this effort. In addition, I plan to continue to be heavily involved in outreach opportunities such as stream cleanups and educational events.

LEAKE – Regular communication and outreach to increase citizen engagement is mission-critical. Some ways to accomplish that include: broader social media and email outreach to the community; active outreach to neighborhood associations and other groups for presentations to their memberships; active participation in regular supervisors’ town halls county-wide; broader outreach to high school students to increase engagement in programs that meet their community service hour requirements.

PHILLIPS – My goal is to engage citizens by using all the resources at my disposal. The board must begin to embrace social media in addition to traditional methods of outreach to county residents. I will work to make sure that we are effectively utilizing these tools to market the board’s programming and events to as many residents as possible, from events online and social media updates to outreach to local libraries and public calendars. Additionally, I will work to make sure that I am available and responsive to the concerns of the county as a whole.