HOW I SEE IT: Less ranting, more discussing, Mr. Mulford

Over the past six weeks, Gardiner Mulford has written four letters to this newspaper asserting that the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors has wasted taxpayer money.

Decidedly anti-growth, he has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with county’s purchase of water and sewer taps from the town. In his letters, Mulford has mostly directed his ire against Bill Chase, chairman of the BOS, and Frank Bossio, county administrator, denigrating the latter as merely the “mouthpiece” for the BOS.

What Mulford has not told readers — in any of his letters — is that he plans to run for the BOS as the representative from the Stevensburg District. In other words, he wishes to unseat Chase in November’s election. I only learned of Mulford’s political aspirations when, by chance, I came across his brochure at Bailey’s Store in Brandy Station.

Our community faces many perplexing problems, and one of the most potentially divisive is the issue of county water and sewer taps. I’m not an expert, but it seems the crux of the problem is that much of the commercial growth in our community is taking place in the county, but the town has the water and sewer systems.

Contrary to what Mulford has implied in his letters, it appears that most businesses — motels, restaurants, retail stores and manufacturing facilities — prefer town water and sewer over private wells and septic fields.

Unfortunately, it looks as if the cost to the county for town water and sewer taps may be decided in court. Hopefully, a judge can reach an impartial decision with minimal expense to either the county or town governments.

However, the larger issue is growth. Commercial and residential development provides jobs and increased tax revenues.  The challenge for our elected officials is to foster smart growth, not sprawl, and to improve the quality of life for all the members of our community.

What we need is informed discussion among all parties, not the innuendos and diatribes we have gotten so far from candidate Mulford.