Here is an update on the opportunity to have Cabin Point Creek dredged.

At their February 12 meeting, the County Board of Supervisors voted on which Westmoreland County creek would be the candidate creek for the next phase of the shallow draft dredging project.  Each county in the Northern Neck had received a rank-ordered recommendation on the creeks that had been studied with a likelihood of success and was asked to select only one creek to move on to the next phase.  While Cabin Point Creek was in the top three recommended creeks, the County Board of Supervisors voted to select Bonum Creek as the candidate creek.  The three creeks submitted to the Board for consideration were: (1) Nomini Creek, (2) Cabin Point Creek, and (3) Bonum Creek.

Leadership of the GHCP Association Board put in many hours of meetings and made great efforts to sway County officials and the Board of Supervisors to vote in our favor.  We are very disappointed, as many of you are, that Cabin Point Creek was not selected.  Dredging of the secondary channels in Cabin Point Creek remains a critical project for the community.  We plan to meet with the County Administrator to discuss other options to move forward with the project.

Some community members expressed concern that the GHCP Association Board did not speak at the meeting in support of the selection of Cabin Point Creek. The GHCP Association Board was not allowed to speak at the meeting because the Board of Supervisors did not invite any public comment on the pending decision.  Only the Twin Rivers Waterman’s Association was invited to provide a recommendation at the meeting.

We can also assure you that, if other opportunities arise for the Board of Supervisors to select another creek, we will request the opportunity, in advance of the meeting, to provide public comment on such matters.  We believe it is important for community members as well as the GHCP Association Board to publicly present their views on pending decisions having an impact on our community.

posted 03.27.24