The Fairfax GOP has endorsed three candidates for the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD): Mary Ellen (“Mell”) Flynn; Deb Maddrell; and Mary Strayhorne. Formed in 1945, the NVSWCD consists of board members, staff, and volunteers who care about the region’s natural environment.
“NVSWCD is a locally-led conservation agency with a long history of responding to Fairfax County’s changing rural to urban landscape, transitioning programs based on identified needs,” the district’s website notes. “NVSWCD is valued for its leadership in using new and emerging techniques to address traditional issues and modern challenges.”
Mell Flynn, a health and safety trainer for the American Red Cross, moved from California to Virginia in 2017. Flynn is motivated by a desire to conserve our region’s natural beauty for generations to come. “One issue that is of particular interest to me is the preservation of Lake Accotink. It’s a great place for families to spend time together,” the candidate says. “I’d like to help find commonsense and cost-effective solutions to maintain this wonderful park.”
Deb Mandrell, a retired U.S. Naval Officer, shares Flynn’s vision of “commonsense, cost-effective” environmental conservation. “Deb Mandrell is running for all the right reasons,” says Fairfax County GOP Chairman Steve Knotts. “Along with her running mates Mell Flynn and Mary Strayhorne, she will bring much-needed balance to the region’s Soil and Water Conservation Board.”
Mary Strayhorne, a Fairfax County native, is an attorney with an environmental, real estate development and land use/zoning background. Like her running mates, saving Lake Accotink is one of Strayhorne’s top priorities. “We don’t need another Swamp in the DC Metropolitan area,” the candidate says. “I am putting together a plan to work with local developers, conservationists, advocates, environmentalists, engineers, board members, the chamber of commerce, business owners headquartered in our District, and the community at large to reach a practical, sustainable plan for saving, restoring, preserving and sustaining Lake Accotink for generations to come.”
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