Benfield to Offer Information on Caldwell Soil & Water Projects

June 27, 2007

HUDSON—Dennis A. Benfield of Hudson, elected last year as a Caldwell Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) supervisor, is starting a personal publicity campaign to make Caldwell County citizens aware of some of the district’s projects.

“The only promises I made in the campaign were that I would work hard to be a good supervisor on the soil and water board, and that I would try to help keep people aware of the kinds of projects the district is sponsoring in Caldwell County,” Benfield said.

“It’s been about six months since I joined some very dedicated people on the board,” he added. “I’ve learned an awful lot and I have so much more to learn, but I have begun to see how this board uses its funds as ‘seed money’ to cause some very important conservation efforts.”

Caldwell SWCD Supervisor Urges 'Three-Front War' On IBT Law

January 16, 2007

HUDSON--Now that the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission (EMC) has “awarded” Concord and Kannapolis a 10-million-gallons-per-day Inter-Basin Transfer (IBT) from the Catawba River—over the objections of a coalition of local governments and citizens from the upper Catawba basin—what’s next in this “water war?”

Caldwell Soil & Water Conservation District supervisor Dennis A. Benfield, who has been active in the water fight, has suggested "that IBT opponents respond aggressively and attack the transfer on three specific fronts: in court, in the General Assembly and in the political “appointments process.”

Benfield Speaks to NC Legislative Group on Changing IBT Law

December 21, 2006

RALEIGH—A group of 40 civic leaders and elected officials from the upper Catawba River basin flew to Raleigh on Wednesday to address legislators and regulatory managers on changes they believe necessary in North Carolina’s 1993 law which determines how Inter-Basin Transfers (IBTs) are granted within the state.

Other than the legislators and regulators themselves, 14 public speakers addressed changes they wanted to see. Only one, Concord mayor Scott Padgett, spoke in favor of the proposed 36-million-gallons-per-day IBT that Cabarrus County towns want from the Catawba. All the others opposed provisions of the current law.

Benfield A Rare Republican Elected Tuesday to Soil & Water Board

November 8, 2006

HUDSON—In Tuesday’s election, Dennis A. Benfield of Hudson became one of only a few Republicans ever elected as a Caldwell Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor, according to party veterans.

Bill Stone of Lenoir, former Republican county commission chairman, said he could “never remember” a Republican on that board before. Soil & Water Conservation District chairman Shawn Haigler named four other Republicans who have served as supervisors over 69 years.

Amid mixed results for Caldwell Republicans, Benfield’s victory in the seven-man Soil & Water free-for-all emerged as a bright spot for the local party, especially since he led all candidates in the race.

In unofficial returns, he polled 6,305 votes, some 830 votes more than Democrat Michael Willis and Unaffiliated incumbent Jeff Rash, who were in close contention for the second seat available in Tuesday’s election.