The Guilford County commissioners, the Guilford County sheriff and many other officials elected in November got a very high-profile, media-covered swearing-in ceremony in early December of 2022.
However, there were two reelected county candidates on the ballot, who, as Rodney Dangerfield used to say, get no respect.
Josh Myers and Anna Gerringer Amoriello were reelected to the little-known, five-member, Guilford County Soil and Water Conservation District Board – the only nonpartisan race on Guilford County’s ballot in 2022.
Most voters in Guilford County couldn’t name a single member of the Soil and Water board and, even though they know little about the Soil and Water race, they do vote on it. That was demonstrated over a decade ago when a homeless man with mental issues ran under the name of “Kirk Perkins,” – a very prominent county commissioner at the time. The man had bet a friend that he could use Perkins’ name and win without doing any campaigning. The mystery man won, however, after he did, he feared himself to be in legal trouble since he ran under a false name and he fled Guilford County for the Midwestern United States before he could be questioned by local authorities.
In November of 2022, the board had two seats up for grabs, which were won by Josh Myers who pulled in 67,791 votes, equal to 28.25 percent, and by Anna Gerringer Amoriello, who received 59,840 votes, or 24.94 percent of those casts.
Meyer’s explained how pleased he was to be reelected.
“I can’t begin to thank all the volunteers and support that was given to me over the past few months,” he posted on Facebook. “It is never easy running campaigns and the toll it takes on your family, your energy and your business are intense, but the joy and pride that come from meeting the constituents of this amazing County make every bit worth it. I look forward to the next 4 years and continuing the work of promoting and protecting the precious resources of Guilford County.”
People in the county who own a lot of land and who often battle with soil and water contamination do usually become very familiar with the board members and the available help in these matters. The Soil and Water Conservation District Board serves the Guilford County Conservation District. It’s the agency that deals with soil erosion issues and water quality problems. The district board and staff give technical assistance and offer educational programs related to maintaining soil and water quality. The district also administers state programs that provide cost-share funds to farmers and landowners with water quality problems – allowing them to implement “best management practices” on their farms.
The Guilford Soil and Water Conservation District Board’s regular meeting that was scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, has been canceled due to a lack of business. When the board does meet again next–on Wednesday, Feb.1, 2023 – the meeting will be held at 9 a.m. in the Guilford County Cooperative Extension Barn Meeting Room at 3309 Burlington Road in Greensboro.
For more information, those interested can call 336 -641-2440.
