In the end what bothered Nell Boyle the most perhaps was that her slot on Roanoke County’s RC CLEAR citizen’s committee – the environmental group affiliated with ICLEI – was terminated without advance notice.
Windsor Hills supervisor Ed Elswick chose not to reappoint Boyle, who was also the chairperson, to the controversial committee, which has been accused by local Tea Party members and others of having some sort of nefarious ties to the United Nations and “Agenda 21,” which describes ways that people can live differently in order to minimize environmental impact.
Boyle and other RC CLEAR members have long maintained that the group is just an educational tool, showing Roanoke County residents how they can easily reduce their carbon footprints – that it wasn’t involved with forcing people to live in cluster housing for example, as some maintained the tie to ICLEI, an international organization, might lead to.
Elswick, one of two Roanoke County supervisors to vote against funding ICLEI membership for another year recently (the measure passed 3-2 however) said he did not “terminate” Boyle, who had been the chair for three years. Elswick appointed Windsor Hills resident James Gray in her place.
“I simply appointed someone I knew whose whole career was in the energy field and who could bring fresh ideas to the team,” he wrote in an e-mail. “[Gray] can provide valuable input on ways to save energy. Jim has been an instructor, consultant and manager in the HVAC area. [Boyle] and the RC CLEAR team have great enthusiasm and work hard at educating citizens on saving energy. I support them and want to take on larger projects that have a measurable impact,” added Elswick.
He also said he wants these projects to be noticed by citizens who may then take on their own initiatives. “I would like to see a good major project sponsored through RC CLEAR and Jim has technical expertise that would be invaluable.”
Elswick bristled when asked if he had been pressured by Tea Party members to replace Boyle, who had solid credentials herself as a certified LEED professional and the sustainability coordinator for the City of Roanoke.
Ironically as part of her mission there, she will still be involved with ICLEI – sitting in on meetings of the Clean & Green citizen’s group, RC CLEAR’s counterpart in Roanoke City.
Elswick did call Jim Gray and his wife Loretta “very loyal Republicans who attended all board meetings until recently when Loretta became ill. They are some of my closest friends and we see each other often. Some of the finest people I know.”
For her part, Boyle said her biggest disappointment with her replacement on RC CLEAR was that as a “dedicated volunteer” she didn’t find out first hand from Elswick. “It would have been nice to get a heads up.”
In a memo to other RC CLEAR members, Boyle stated that she was “angry and resentful that I would be used as a political pawn to further other peoples’ agendas, with actions that are intended to be hurtful and destructive. I will not allow this to go unnoticed and I will keep my integrity in place. I find it horrific that an elected official would be so short sighted and self-serving to take an action that would hurt a committed group of volunteers.”
Boyle, who was the RC CLEAR for all three years of its existence, said it was Elswick’s prerogative to replace her as the chairperson. Her “biggest disappointment” however was having to find out through the grapevine that her position as a committee member was being eliminated. “If [Elswick] has a different perspective he wants represented on the committee I’m good with that. But I do think there’s a sense of respect and protocol that would have been nice – to give me some sort of explanation. I think the committee’s been pretty successful.”
Boyle said she had been told by Elswick and other supervisors that RC CLEAR’s accomplishments – providing free energy audits, developing a website (saveaton.org) and an educational program “had been good for the county,” even if several of them didn’t want to fund the annual $1200 ICLEI membership any longer. Boyle was also pleased that regional partners concerned with reducing carbon footprints have come together on the issue.
She’s also hoping the ICLEI connection becomes less of a political football:” there’s just nothing but good that come from this group and the committee work that they’re doing. I feel like we’re getting sidelined on the real goal and objective – the protection of our [environment]. People need to think about their perspective and their priorities, to make sure they’re keeping the community’s best interests at heart.”
By Gene Marrano