Stafford County is one of the best places to live, says Gary Pash, Board of Supervisors chairman. And just watch, he says, it's going to get better.
Pash says the county's quality of life, from recreational facilities to education, safety and transportation, will improve in the foreseeable future.
Pash made these predictions during a recent interview with The Free Lance-Star. Here are some excerpts.
Q How do you like your job?
A I like it. It's challenging. There's a lot of interaction with the community, and I like to see we're achieving our goals and shaping things up for the future. I like trying to find the common ground in our disagreements to reach an achievable solution.
Q Are there any cons?
A It's difficult sometimes because you can't always give people what they want. Abraham Lincoln said it best: "You can't please all the people all the time."
Q Do you get paid, and how much?
A We get paid, but it's not very much. I think it's about $20,000. We joke that it's about 50 cents an hour. It's not very much because you put in a lot of effort. Generally, you end up working 20 to 40 hours a week, more when you first get elected or are chairman.
The good thing is we have good quality people to work with on the county staff. We also have a good diversity of opinion, experiences and skills on the Board of Supervisors. We each bring a fresh perspective to the issues and no one is shy about expressing their opinions.
If the board was strictly volunteer, it might be tough to get such good people to serve because very few of us can be classified as rich, and we all have family commitments.
Q Where do you see the county in the near future?
A We will have a very good long-range plan. A lot of issues are being addressed from road construction to continuing to increase and improve the infrastructure. Stafford is already, and will continue to be, one of the best places to live. The guidelines and principles we're establishing now will help us get ahead of the power curve and do more proactive planning.
Q Is there anything the county can do about what some would call "out-of-control growth"?
A It's tough. We have a limited number of tools that the commonwealth allows us to use. That's where the comprehensive plan comes in. We need to figure out where we stand, what we can do and what we can't do. We also need to follow proper procedures when we make changes. If we don't do it just right, we can be challenged in court which would cost more money and take more time.
I think we are taking the right approach in building our commercial infrastructure and looking at smart growth principles to guide our residential growth as much as possible.
Q What about traffic?
A We've been doing a lot of about traffic. The problem is the county doesn't own the roads. We've been working a lot on safety, but obviously we have to do more. The HOT lanes proposal, which will provide extra lanes, will really ease congestion. We've been working on proffers with developers and we have some additional road networks which should be completed in the next few years. Widening [State Route] 610 will have an enormous impact, but we have to move forward. We also need to maintain our emphasis on pedestrian safety in our neighborhoods.
Q And what about quality of life issues?
A When people talk about quality of life, it's generally tied into schools and recreation. They want to make sure their kids get a good education and have a chance to experience sports and build a foundation for a healthy lifestyle. We need to keep building schools to keep up with growth. We're trying to find new ways to get land. The problem is how expensive land is. We're doing some land swap in the north end of the county.
Q How about Crow's Nest?
A Crow's Nest. I can't say anything about Crow's Nest because it's still under litigation. All I can say is the entire board is trying to find ways to protect the peninsula. But it is a very difficult and frustrating situation for everyone.
Q What kind of issues are your constituents concerned about?
A The main things are schools, neighborhood safety, fire rescue and police, recreation and traffic, traffic, traffic.
Q Are people offering kudos or complaints when they get in touch with you?
A Well, you don't get a lot of e-mails when people are happy.
Q What is the biggest misconception that constituents have about county government?
A The main misconception is that local government can do whatever it wants. We have many residents who come from different states where this is true. But in Virginia the localities can only do what is specifically allowed by the state. That's why we constantly lobby the commonwealth to allow us more leeway and more policy tools to use.
Q How did you get involved on the board?
A In the beginning, I was concerned about some issues like growth. I tried to find someone who shared my concern to run, but nobody I talked to had time or the inclination, so I ran for the office. My family and I didn't know how time-consuming it would be, but we have adjusted.
Q How do you like being chairman?
A I like being chairman even though it takes a lot of additional work. It allows me to shape debates. I see my role as a facilitator to help the board to reach the best solution possible and to move Stafford forward.
Q Where do you go from here?
A I've gained a lot of experience and knowledge working in local government. That's where the action is right now, to get things accomplished and to make changes where you can see the actual impact on the community. I like that and I want to continue to make Stafford the best place to live. I plan to be here for a long time and I want the community to be proud.
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