It is not too late for the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to save one of the most productive programs in Loudoun County – the Master Gardener program - even though the Board just cut out the heart of the program last week, by a vote of 5-4 against extending funding to pay the one person, Debbie D. Dillion, the urban horticulturist, who drives this program’s continued success.
Having said that, this column is not a hand-wringing post-mortem - as we can still save the Master Gardener program and restore Ms. Dillion to her post – but we must convince one disapproving member of the Board of Supervisors to change his or her vote at an upcoming meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
We should be grateful and thank those who supported this significant program -- Chairman Scott York (At-large), Supervisor Ken Reid (Leesburg), Geary Higgins (Catoctin) and Janet Clarke (Blue Ridge).
But Supervisors Eugene A Delgaudio (Sterling), Matthew F. Letorneau (Dulles), Ralph Buona (Ashburn) and Suzanne M. Volpe (Algonkian) disapproved. Of the dissenters, Mr. Delgaudio has made it clear he won’t change his mind – if you’re trying to figure whom you should call or write.
Mr. Higgins argued that this Master Gardener program was a great example of a “public-private partnership” given that it brings in for our community three times the productivity that it costs. Similarly, Ms. Clarke encouraged Ms. Dillion to tell the Board why this program was so important. But this wasn’t enough to carry the board the first go-round.
Mr. Letorneau said “these volunteers can continue to do that without the help of county government.” Unfortunately, that’s just not so – not without Ms. Dillion’s participation.
Chairman York encouraged the public to try “to educate some of these Board Members who haven’t dealt with the rural area of the county.” So let’s do just that although this program has a broader reach than “the rural area of the county”– as there are lawns, trees, veggie gardens and house plants across the county.
This phalanx of award-winning master gardeners in Loudoun County volunteer their time to conserve and perpetuate what Messrs. Jefferson, Adams and Washington held dear – a legacy of green growth both necessary to life but also beautiful to behold.
These Master Gardeners are a resource of information and service for working farms, gardens, sustaining food gardens ("victory gardens"), trees, lawns and in house plants.
My wife Holly, herself a Master Gardener, said that, “For those who do not have a veggie garden or who do not have an interest or time to grow one, the Master Gardeners’ have a ‘grass roots’ program and a ‘tree steward’ program that helps homeowners grow a healthier lawn, trees, and veggies -- for your family.” Indeed, more than a ton of food grown by the Master Gardeners was distributed to Interfaith Relief to help feed those who have fallen on hard times in this recession.
This constructive force, that is the Master Gardener program, arises out of the training, certification, coordination, and direction by this county’s special treasure, now at risk, our (outgoing) urban horticulturist, Debbie Dillion, with the Loudoun County Extension Office, who has been an integral part of a joint program of Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state and local governments.
The President of the United States has presented gold awards, for more than 500 hours of service, to Loudoun County Master Gardeners Cathy Anderson, Barbara Arnold, Margie Bassford, Elaine Hawn, Sally Hewitt, Carol Ivory, Jim Kelly, Normalee Martin, Dawn Meyerriecks, and Linda Award. The President also awarded silver medals, for more than 250 hours service, and bronze, for more than 100 hours, for another 81 Master Gardeners.
Last week, Debbie was invited to speak to the Board to explain what she did. The Supervisors eliminated her job as she sat at the front table. We have it in our power, by the force of reason, to restore her job.
Write and call the Supervisors who voted against this program – not to rant or threaten their jobs but to persuade one member to make a course correction.
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