Editorial

Date: June 12, 2006

Reversing PDR would be big mistake

At the March 14 meeting of the Washington County Board of Supervisors, Resolution 65 - Creation of Purchase of Development Rights Program (PDR) was passed on a vote of 17-11. That action was reported in area newspapers and is recorded in the minutes of the March 14 meeting.

Since the time of the April elections for supervisors and your subsequent election to the position of chairperson, there has been considerable publicity about plans to hold another vote on the creation of the PDR program.

However, according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 10th Edition, since Resolution 65 has already been approved at a previous meeting, the only manner in which you could hold another vote is if one of the supervisors moves to RESCIND the resolution approved at the March meeting. Such a motion requires a two-thirds majority in order to pass unless prior notice has been given stating that a motion to rescind will be introduced at the next meeting.

The county’s PDR team, including the Task Force Members, Staff Members and Technical Advisors, carefully studied the issues surrounding the Purchase of Development Rights before submitting its Task Force Report to the Washington County Board earlier this year. County supervisors wisely accepted that report and its recommendation by approving Resolution 65 in March.

It would be a mistake to now second guess that decision and try to derail the plans to create a PDR program. However, if some of the supervisors do want to do that, I trust that Thomas Sackett will use his position of leadership to make sure that such action is done appropriately and that correct procedures are followed.

Gary Britton, Town of Polk