Silver supports Ferry Farm Elementary School rebuild, pay for development rights overhaul

Gordon Silver is a Republican running for a seat on the Stafford County Board of Supervisors.

If elected as the George Washington District Supervisor, Silver would be a newcomer to the county’s political stage.

He’s seeking a seat that was vacated in January by former Supervisor turned Virginia State Delegate Bob Thomas.

Tom Coen is the interim George Washington District Supervisor, appointed this past winter, and he’s challenging Silver for the seat.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018.

Silver responded to our Project: Election questionnaire. His responses are below.

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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?

Silver:

1. Rebuilding Ferry Farm Elementary School

2. Preserving green space

3. Developing a more diversified economic base

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

Silver:

1. In 2008 the architectural firm of Hayes & Large conducted a study that determined Ferry Farm Elementary School was no longer cost effective to operate. A rebuild of the school on the existing site is the most cost-effective solution with the least impact on students.

2. Currently, Stafford uses a program called Pay for Development Rights (PDR) to change the zoning on agricultural parcels and restrict development on those sites. While the program is effective, it is not efficient.

The application process is long (three or more years on average) and severely underfunded. I propose we follow the example of other counties and create a Public-Private-Partnership, PPP, to seek multiple approaches

to the problem.

There are over 1,200 PPPs currently operating in the U.S. and collectively they have preserved 50 million acres of land. This amazing feat has been accomplished without infringing on property rights whatsoever.

3. We need to aggressively seek a diversity of businesses that cut across different areas of the economy. We have done this successfully over the years but have not done so in recent years

PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

Silver: Members of the Board of Supervisors certainly wear many hats, but their largest responsibility is clearly financial. Ensuring sufficient revenue and equitable distribution for services and schools are by far the biggest parts of their job.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

Silver: I have 18 years of experience as a business analyst and financial manager. I intend to use the same analytical tools for County decisions as I have used for companies such as J.P. Morgan Chase and Cox Automotive.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?

Silver: I have had differing opinions with members of boards or groups over the years. What I have learned is that a true leader is able to disagree but knows how to do it in a way that is not disagreeable. I didn’t always get that right when I was first accepting these roles. Leadership means being able to create an environment of trust where others feel comfortable to express their opinions.

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?

Silver: The short answer is two decades of financial experience and four decades of community involvement. But just as important, I am deeply passionate about this community. As a lifetime resident, I have a thorough understanding of the issues faced by the George Washington District. I grew up here and watched this county change from a small rural county to a suburb in Northern Virginia.

My family has lived on the same farm since 1870 and the work I do developing Stafford schools roads, and infrastructure will directly affect the quality of life for my children and grandchildren who continue to live here.

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