Amanda Barge, one of three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the Monroe County Board of Commissioners in District 3, on Monday called for addressing water quality issues through a regional approach.
“Any actions we take now will have a lasting impact on our children’s future and that of their children in our county and in surrounding counties,” Barge said in a news release.
Barge, if elected, would:
• Lead the task of organizing a Regional Water Quality Board made up of citizens and experts from Brown, Monroe and Jackson counties with the goal of protecting the watersheds and educating the public on water issues.
• Coordinate with the county and city to develop a city-county system that provides residents with up-to-date information about water quality and emergency information.
• Ensure strict erosion control standards are maintained in accordance with zoning regulations and improve education for developers and builders on these standards across counties.
• Provide innovative methods of educating residents on the ways they can contribute to improving the water quality and host meetings to hear residents’ concerns and act on those concerns.
She pledged to be an advocate who would “ask tough questions and act on those complex answers” and said she has “a lifetime of professional experience advocating for the health and well being of our residents and will make this a top priority.”
“Our focus must be on protecting our watershed and making sure we have a sustainable resource that keeps up with the growth in population — collaboration is the best way to ensure we meet this goal,” Barge said in her statement.