Petition Against the State's Override of Durham's Nomination for Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor
Please sign the petition below (https://chng.it/tRmyLFxGk7) regarding what *should be* Durham's newest Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) Supervisor. This is a very important issue, not just local but state wide. It is particularly important to me, as I have been a frustrated (nonvoting) member of Durham’s SWCD board for a couple years now and would very much like to see things improve before I move on.
This is a photo of Phoebe Gooding, the incredibly qualified BIPOC woman the Durham SWCD Board of Supervisors unanimously nominated for their open position but who, in an unprecedented move, the state chose not to appoint.
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This is a photo of the 2021 NC Soil and Water Conservation Commission that overrode the Durham Board's nomination (for the first time in 40 years):
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Here's the first printed news story on the matter: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article256278227.html
And here's the first television news story: https://www.wral.com/motivations-questioned-in-appointed-soil-water-board-member/20028375/.
Why do you care about what’s happening to Durham’s Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD)?
Durham’s SWCD is the organization that initiated the “BETC” program, which pays Durham public high school students and teachers to design, install, and maintain "best stormwater practices" like rain gardens, cisterns (giant rain barrels), and vegetative landscaping practices that reduce (and naturally filter) stormwater runoff on Durham school campuses and public and private properties. Using “CCAP" funds (which pay 75-100% of the costs of applicable stormwater “best management projects"), the SWCD has facilitated the installation of cisterns, grassy open areas, sustainable landscaping, and educational trails and gardens at EK Powe Elementary School, George Watts Elementary School, Creekside Elementary School, Lowe’s Grove Middle School, Jordan High School, Morehead Montessori, Riverside High School, Northern High School, Southern Highschool - and those are just the ones I am familiar with. Durham’s SWCD also provided funding (and assistance) to install a cistern at my old house, cisterns or rain gardens for many of my neighbors, a stream bank restoration at a rental property I own, and so many other necessary projects that will continue to reduce the pollution of our currently impaired waterways for as long as they exist. The SWCD has also provided the Envirothon for area schools, including preparatory education, as well as Conservation Contests for grades K-HS that conclude with award ceremonies and cash prizes for the winning students and their teachers. This is in addition to the organization’s direct roles in sustainable NC farming and agriculture.
The situation below is a grave threat to what has been the passionate conservation mission of Durham’s SWCD and a great benefit to Durham with regard to its prioritization of sustainability and the financial costs associated with repairing the health of our waterways, as required by state and federal governments (with substantial monetary penalties).
Please sign the petition and stay abreast of this situation in case it requires your further input and support.
Very Sincerely,
Melissa
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From Anjali Boyd, an elected Supervisor on the board of Durham’s Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD):
On behalf of Phoebe and I, I would like to say THANK YOU soo much for your support! We are blown away by all of the signatures and messages we've received in the last 48 hours.
When we originally decided to file a complaint and draft the letter, we never imagined we would get as many signatures as we have. Within the last 48 hours we've collected more than 200 signatures from members of our community and people throughout the state! To help us better keep track of all the signatures and ensure everyone's name is listed on the letter, we are now using Change Dot Org to collect signatures.
We ask that you re-sign the letter by adding your name to the petition using the link below:
Once again, thank you so much for your support and sharing Phoebe's story with those in your network. We could not have done this without your support!
Thanks,
Anjali
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