THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 6, 1994 TAG: 9411050135
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 114 lines
WITH ALL THE attention on the U.S. Senate and House races, voters might have missed some other issues on Tuesday's ballot.
Special elections in Southampton County for Commissioner of Revenue and in Isle of Wight County for a seat on the Board of Supervisors are the only contested races in western Tidewater, while everyone will vote on three proposed constitutional amendments.
And voters in Suffolk and Isle of Wight County will elect advocates for cleaner water and other natural resources.
In both jurisdictions, two directors will be elected to the Peanut Soil and Water Conservation District. And since two people are running in each locality, their elections are nearly assured - barring any successful, last-minute write-in effort.
In Suffolk, Parke Ashburn Jr. and Floyd R. Umphlett Jr. are running for re-election. And in Isle of Wight County, W.A. ``Billy'' Gwaltney Jr. and Cecil R. Byrum are seeking re-election.
But few people know what the Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) are or what the directors do.
The directors help educate and inform their fellow citizens about sound conservation practices that improve the quality and condition of natural resources like drinking water, says Michelle D. Menendez, spokesman for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
``Directors are local citizens who are aware of local conservation issues and volunteer to work in partnership with state and federal conservation staff,'' Menendez said in an interview last week.
The districts are self-governed subdivisions of state government that establish priorities, set policy and administer programs to conserve natural resources, she said.
There are 45 districts across the state, covering all except several cities that have never requested assistance in conservation.
The Peanut District comprises the city of Suffolk and the counties of Isle of Wight and Surry. Each locality elects two directors, and two more are appointed by the state Soil and Water Conservation Board. One of those appointed is traditionally a Virginia Tech extension agent representing one of the localities, serving on a rotating basis.
The directors serve three-year terms.
Some may wonder why anyone would want the job, which is completely voluntary.
``It's the ones that want to do it and can find the time,'' said Carey Copeland, one of the Peanut district's appointed directors.
``Volunteerism of Virginians is still that,'' said Copeland, a farmer and an employee of the Farm Bureau in Suffolk. ``We see a job that needs to be done and we do it.''
The SWCD directors meet monthly and work closely with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and with the USDA Soil Conservation Service. They set guidelines for area conservation projects and approve the budgets to finance them.
``What we're doing is managing federal and state money,'' Copeland said.
In 1980, for instance, the Peanut district received a $1.75 million federal grant to improve water quality, he said.
``We landed one of those rascals,'' Copeland said. ``We fought like crazy. All those politicians were fighting to get the money. It wound up in a little lowly ground meeting in Suffolk, walking around looking at projects.''
Much of the directors' jobs involve administration now, Copeland said.
``We still have to check off about 75 or 80 percent, maybe even higher, of all agricultural activities in the county. The district representatives - that's who the power lies in.''
The district has three full-time employees - an administrative secretary, a conservation specialist and a water quality specialist.
The directors are responsible for hiring the paid employees, said Ashburn, one of the Suffolk directors running for re-election - ``and for keeping them happy.''
The directors oversee the activities and approve expenditures.
``We're actually a quasi-governmental agency,'' said Ashburn, 62. ``We handle some local money - not much, but some - and we handle some state money and some federal money. It's an around-about way of doing things, but it works.''
Farmers naturally are conservation-oriented, said Ashburn, who farms in the Myrtle section of Suffolk.
``We have worked with the land and we understand what conservation is about. We already have a feel for it. The farmer that stays in business has got to be conservation-minded. He can't afford to let the soil wash away. That's where his nutrients are.''
The directors donate their time to the conservation cause.
``In our spare time, we are trying to improve the quality of land, the quality of water, to improve drinking water,'' Ashburn said. ``Anything we do to control erosion improves the quality of water.''
The directors' role has changed in recent years, due to increasing federal regulations, said Umphlett, who has been a Suffolk director since 1966 and is also seeking re-election.
``It's not like it used to be,'' he said. ``Now there's so much red tape, we're just figureheads. But a lot of money goes through our hands.''
One of the top priorities for the Peanut District directors is trying to encourage local farmers to plant ``no till'' - placing the seeds right into the previous year's stubble to help control erosion, Umphlett said. By not disturbing the soil, spring rains and wind cause less run-off.
``Everything goes into the Chesapeake Bay,'' said Umphlett, 68, who farms in southern Suffolk. ``Most everything now is based on clean water.''
All the Peanut district directors are farmers, said Umphlett, who has represented Suffolk for 28 years.
``We're conservation-minded,'' he said. ``We just love the soil, you know.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff map
4th Congressional District
Precincts and Polling Places
[for complete list, see microfilm]
by CNB