As a supporter of saving Crow's Nest, I am glad Stafford County Supervisor Paul Milde jumped on the bandwagon--at least in rhetoric--of saving this land in his district.
After Save Crow's Nest advanced this issue, he used it in his campaign, even creating a Web site that copied the organization's name. When his friends wanted to develop thousands of new homes at the ill-fated Stafford Town Station, he said it was the key to saving Crow's Nest. So if nothing else, he has kept the issue
But let's be clear: The reason a partial deal has been achieved is not because of Mr. Milde. It happened because there was a new majority on the Board of Supervisors coming into office.
When it was in the land-owners' interest to hold out for more money, they did so. When voters spoke last fall and it was the owners' last chance to cut a lucrative deal with a developer-friendly majority on the board, they did just that--before land prices fell too low.
Now the question is whether the new majority can follow through on this first step and finally act to save the entire peninsula
I look forward to seeing leadership from Mr. Milde