As I read the resolution in the newspaper, my first reaction was “is this it?”
It isn’t just non profits that benefit from “close” relationships to Board members. What about all the developers that give large sums of money to campaigns and then subsequently have an application before the BOCS.
I believe this is a good beginning but certainly the endeavor to stop conflicts of interest should not stop with money being directed to non profits.
Candland’s resolution would be presented on the annual carryover day where the board reallocates funding leftover from the previous fiscal year. Included in the 2012 carryover budget is a funding request from Rainbow Equestrian Center, where Brentsville Supervisor W.S. “Wally” Covington III’s wife serves on the board of directors.
The supervisors passed a conflict of interest policy this spring, which included Candland’s proposal to eliminate discretionary spending by supervisors on charities or nonprofits. The impetus for the resolution came from Covington’s initial desire to spend $100,000 of his discretionary funds on his wife’s charity project last fall. Ultimately, he pulled the donation.
The most corrosive force in PWC are the Developers who pay to play. Here is one quick example I came up with quite easily.
For the second time in less than two weeks, incumbent county chairman Corey Stewart is getting criticized for the political donations he has accepted. This time, Haymarket Town Councilman Bob Weir called out Stewart this week for accepting $10,000 from Bruni Peters of Fairfax-based RK Realty less than two weeks before the county board approved an amendment to its comprehensive plan that paved the way for a housing and office project on 44 acres off U.S. 15 in Haymarket.
Ten grand is no chump change, especially in local politics. Supervisor Candland needs to broaden, in my opinion, the scope of this resolution.
