Rob Brown left Stafford a little more than a year ago after being hired as the fire chief in Fresno, Calif.

Read The Fresno Bee’s story here.

I spoke to him yesterday afternoon, and he told me about why he’s running. “I’ve been kind of alarmed with what’s been going on recently,” Beiler said, citing concerns about increased residential development that could threaten quality of life. 

“It’s getting in the danger zone here. The board can’t seem to do enough for development. They’re making some bad mistakes here,” Beiler said. “It’s a pretty grave juncture.”

Beiler says he’s a fiscal conservative, but also appalled at unfairness in the tax structure.

He’ll face both a current and former School Board member who announced their bid for office this spring. Republican Meg Bohmke is in her first term, and independent Robert Belman held two terms.

Beiler says he wants to focus his campaign on “protecting your future” and quality of life.

According to recent numbers posted by the Virginia Public Access Project, Milde’s campaign has far surpassed other candidates in Stafford.

Independent Robert Belman reported raising $1,952 through May 29 for his bid for the Falmouth seat. Republican opponent Meg Bohmke had reported $0.

Hartwood incumbent Gary Snellings, a Republican, had raised $1,550. And Garrisonville incumbent Ty Schieber, a Republican, was not listed on VPAP’s Stafford page. I found him listed elsewhere from the 2012 special election, with $292 on hand, after spending $16,595 on his bid for the Garrisonville seat.

Three Democrats announced intentions to run today, so they’ll be included in the next set of filings.

From Jan. 1, 2010, when Milde began his second term representing Aquia, he raised nearly $150,000. He’s spent $63,105 during that time, and currently has $73,395 on hand. Just looking at 2013, Milde reported $35,274 in donations.

The top 10 contributors to his campaign (including in-kind donations) since 2010 are as follows:

$10,000 – RK Realty, of Clifton

$10,000 – Charles H Robbins, of Clifton

$6,000 – Dominion Recycling, of Fredericksburg

$5,000 – Malloy Lincoln Mercury Inc, of Woodbridge

$5,000 – Malloy Woodbridge LLC, of Woodbridge

$3,000 – James M Wordsworth, of Oakton

$2,268 – Hope Springs Marina, of Stafford

$2,000 – Dr John T Biddulph, of Fredericksburg

$2,000 – Roy Boswell, of Stafford

$1,600 – Mullins Plumbing & Heating, of Stafford

The industry that has donated the most is identified as real estate/construction, with $13,850.

Look for more information on all candidates here. You can search by donors, industries, zip code and locality.

The Free Lance-Star will provide $100,000 of in-kind media support for marketing and publicizing the events next year, through print and digital media, and special publications.

Atlantic Builders will provide $25,000 toward events and activities.

This puts the 350th Anniversary Blue Ribbon Committee nearly halfway to its $1 million fundraising goal. The Board of Supervisors approved $350,000, and county department directors and board members have pledged personal support. The breakfast at Stafford Hospital kicked off the fundraising campaign, and officials shared plans for what events residents will see. The county hopes that the series of events will increase community pride.

“We are very pleased that these corporate citizens of our community have stepped up to help us celebrate this milestone in Stafford’s history,” said Harry Crisp i n a press release. He’s the chairman of the 350th planning committee and county supervisor. “We gladly welcome their participation and are confident that their actions today will inspire others who are considering sponsorship to take that step and be a part of celebrating Stafford’s place in America’s history and its potential for the future.”

Events include:

• “Celebrate Stafford 350!” The January event will officially launch the year’s celebration.
• “Legacy Film,” a 25-minute film about Stafford’s role in American history. 
• “Wings and Wheels,” an existing annual event at the Stafford Regional Airport.
• “Trail to Freedom Tour,” which will honor African Americans and their stories from pre-Civil War times to the Civil Rights era.

For more information, visit www.Stafford350.com or call 540/658-4894.

Mara Sealock will face Paul Milde for the Aquia District.

Former Supervisor David Beiler will be one of three contenders for the Falmouth District, joining Robert Belman and Meg Bohmke in the race.

And Laura Sellers will run against Ty Schieber in Garrisonville.

The incumbent Hartwood Supervisor, Gary Snellings, remains unopposed.

Candidates have until 7 p.m. today to file. (Read about today’s primary here.)

“It takes a lot of guts and deep commitment to our democracy to run for office,” read a post on the Stafford Democratic Committee Facebook page. “Thank you to those who stepped forward to run for the Stafford County Board of Supervisors carrying our Democratic banner.”

Check back for more information.

But on Tuesday, beautiful blue skies made a pleasant backdrop for the groundbreaking of the new park, including an $11 million indoor pool and gym, and 12 rectangular fields. Swimmers, soccer players and lacrosse players picked up the golden shovels for the ceremony, as current and past supervisors gave them direction on how to just pick up the dirt for the cameras–not to toss it into the crowd. Read more about the projects here.  

Elected officials hand over the shovels to kids, who were excited for the news of the pool and fields.

The groundbreaking drew more families than usual.

It probably doesn’t look like this today!

The first is next Wednesday, June 12, at 7 p.m, at England Run Library. The meeting will focus on improvements to Truslow Road, part of the 2008 Transportation Bond Referendum. A formal presentation by county staff begins at 7:15 p.m. Truslow Road runs through both the Hartwood and Falmouth districts.

The second meeting will be Thursday, June 20, at 7 p.m. at Rocky Run Elementary School. Rocky Pen Run Reservoir will be the topic. The county has held occasional meetings to let county residents, especially those in Hartwood, know the progress of the project.

It’s been closed since the filter broke last weekend. The new parts were ordered and installed, and the pool is ready for little kids once again.

And residents with a child who visit the pool on Saturday will receive a one-time free pass to the pool to be used anytime this summer.

Until schools are out, the pool is only open noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. But after June 14, hours will be noon-6 p.m. daily, and til 8 p.m. Fridays. 

The pool is at 58 Jesse Curtis Lane. Find more information here. 

The lease allows Energy Extraction Partners LLC to build a 150,000 square foot facility on 11 acres of the Rappahannock Regional Landfill. Inside, trash will be sorted and then will undergo the pyrolysis process. You can read the details on the company’s website. It’s different than burning the trash; instead, organic compounds are heated in the absence of oxygen and get broken down. One of those components is a gas that can then be combusted and used to power a generator. The lease stipulates that EEP will provide 15 megawatts of electricity to Dominion daily.

The company will employ 66 people and the lease term will run for 20 years, deputy county administrator Keith Dayton told the Board of Supervisors before the public hearing. EEP will pay the R-Board $1 million in advance, and $100,000  per year for the lease.

Supervisor Paul Milde said the project will extend the lifespan of the landfill hundreds of years and that operational costs will drop.

Dayton and an employee from EEP said that this technology was not being used elsewhere in the United States, though some pieces are manufactured here. South Korea has a similar waste-to-energy facility, they said.

Public speakers were concerned with noise levels, increased traffic and the process for the project. The R-Board received three proposals in November. One company proposed converting trash into fuel, Dayton said. ”This one had many more virtues, I guess, part on the financial end and also on the technology end,” Dayton said. 

According to the company’s website, EEP was formed in 2010 “with the primary goal of developing sustainable renewable energy based technologies that would aid in creating jobs for Virginia, and in so doing provide a valuable benefit to the communities in and around Stafford County.”

EEP must still get approval from Fredericksburg City Council since the land is shared. That public hearing could happen next month.

1) discussion of, and consultation with legal counsel regarding, a proposed settlement with a former Fire and Rescue Department employee

2) discussion regarding the potential acquisition of real property for a public purpose(s), including an academic presence and economic development

3) consultation with legal counsel regarding the dedication of right-of-way as part of the site plan approval for the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel

4) discussion of the County Administrator’s annual performance evaluation.