for more current posts, see:
plantwhacker.blogspot.com
Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources
Invasive Plant Program
http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/scripts/parks/ParksRecreationScriptsParksInvasive.aspx
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Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources
Invasive Plant Removal Program
“Invasive Plant Program Proposal of the Fiscal Year 2010 Proposed Budget”
Arlington County will reduce the Invasive Plant Removal Program during these difficult economic times.
Arlington’s Invasive Plant Removal Program will continue.
http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/scripts/parks/page68972.aspx
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http://plantwhacker.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
A Temporary Reprieve for Arlington’s Invasives Program?
Rather than try to explain it, I will simply quote from Jenn Truong’s recent email:
“The past week has been quite eventful and I understand that there is a lot of information floating out there. Many of you have called, email, and visited me with lots of questions, comments, rumors, and more. I hope that I can help to clarify things for everyone and provide important information that some of you have been requesting.
As many of you know, the County Manager presented a proposed budget to the County Board on Saturday for FY10. Among the recommendations proposed was the termination of the contract with Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) for the Invasive Species Program, which among other things would include the elimination of the Program Coordinator position. VCE was contacted by the County to notify them of this proposal. On Friday prior to the Board meeting, I received papers notifying me that due to the County’s decision to withdraw funding for my position as the Invasive Species Program Coordinator, my position was being terminated effective March 31st. Today, I received email notification that the County has contacted VCE and asked them to rescind the letter of termination and I should receive the official paperwork for this early next week. Should the County Board vote on April 28th to move forward with the termination of the contract with VCE, my last day will be at the end of the fiscal year on June 30th.
I want to thank everyone for the generous amount of support for the Invasive Species Program thus far. You have definitely made it clear to the County that you care. I also want to make you aware that all citizen comments and request for information about the FY10 PRCR Department Budget be directed to the Department Director’s office. Comments can be sent by entering them in at www.arlingtonva.us/departments/ParksRecreation/ParksRecreationMain.aspx or at www.arlingtonva.us. I also encourage you to visit the County website for more information and updates about the budget as it moves forward through the process.
Please also note the following schedule of meetings and hearings where community members are encouraged to be involved:
March 5: PRCR briefs Commissions and advisory groups on FY2010 budget as it directly affects PRCR. The Community can learn more from Commissioners after this meeting to better formulate their ideas. [my understanding is that this meeting is open to the public to observe, but not to speak -- InvasivesMan]
March 19: Commission chairs meet with the County Board. The Community should be sure to share their ideas with Commission chairs prior to this meeting.
March 24 and 25: County Board Public Hearing on Budget. The Community can attend these meetings and sign up to have their ideas heard by the County Board about the budget. (Advanced Sign-up Begins March 17th and March 18th respectively)
March 26: County Board Public Hearing on Tax Rate. The Community can attend this meetings and sign up to have their ideas heard by the County Board about whether there should be a tax increase to recover some of the cut programming and to avoid even more cuts. (Advanced Sign-up Begins March 19th)
Please share this information with your respective organizations, neighbors, and friends.”
I’m not sure whether Jenn has yet received the official paperwork confirming that at least her position still exists through June 30. In my view, it was valid for the County to propose ending the program and the position with the end of the current fiscal year, and it even would have been valid to propose earlier termination if the Board supported it. What was problematic was to take action to terminate the position before the budget proposal had even been submitted, and with no public input or discussion.
So on those grounds, I am pleased that the County has adjusted its actions. But this is only a grief reprieve. Now it is clearly up to us in the public to make the case and to make our views clear. I do believe that the financial picture is bleak, and in that tough climate the County has signaled that nature is a low priority because it is not valued by management.
I think it is a terrible irony that the County talks of its commitment to “environmental sustainability” even as it does worse than merely benignly neglecting its natural resources. But as tempted as I am to ascribe it to malice, I think ignorance is a likelier explanation. County managers just don’t understand. So we need to do more education about what nature does for us and how much we care.
