"Agitate, agitate, agitate!" -Frederick Douglass
From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: BRIEFS: NEWS NEAR YOU:
Caroline Businesses with gross annual receipts of less than $50,000 would see expanded exemptions to business-license fees and taxes under a county proposal. The Caroline County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposal Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the community services center. Currently, only businesses with annual gross receipts of less than $2,500 are exempt from the tax and fees.
I kid, of course, from http://www.co.caroline.va.us/boardappts.html:
The Caroline County Board of Supervisors is looking for individuals who would like to serve on various citizen boards, commissions and committees. The boards, commissions and committees provide valuable input into policy decisions made by the Board of Supervisors.
The various boards, commissions and committees are as follows:
Bay Consortium Private Industry Council
Board of Assessors
Board of Equalization
Board of Zoning Appeals
Building Code Board of Appeals
Cable Television Advisory Board
Community Policy & Management Team
Germanna Community College Board
Industrial Development Authority
Planning Commission
Quin Rivers Agency
Rappahannock Alcohol Safety Action Program
Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging
Rappahannock Area Community Services Board
Rappahannock Area Office on Youth
Rappahannock Regional Disability Services Board
Recreation Advisory Committee
Road Viewers Committee
Social Services Board
Workforce Investment Council
For an application go to http://www.co.caroline.va.us/boardappts.html.
So I can commit hara-kiri.
From The Free Lance-Star: Less is more for Caroline station:
The cost estimate on a new volunteer fire station in Caroline County has more than doubled over the past five years, prompting supervisors to request a scaled-down option.
The project is now expected to cost $3.25 million, up from the $1.5 million estimate in 2003, Assistant County Administrator Alan Partin said.
According to a report from Public Works Director Allen Ramsay, the original estimate for a new 10,685-square-foot Sparta station did not include purchasing property, site development and community space within the building.
Estimates in the report put a $700,000 price tag on 2 acres and almost $2 million for the station itself. Designs will cost $200,000 and a construction contingency of $265,300 is included in the proposed budget.
$350,000 an acre?! Where the heck is this? The middle of Washington, D.C.?
Does anyone know where the heck this station is supposed to be located?
If you do, email me at CorranH96@gmail.com Thanks.
Ramsay presented the report to supervisors last Tuesday. He did not return calls later seeking comment.
Supervisors were taken aback by the higher estimate.
“How do we plan to fund buildings such as this?” Ladysmith Supervisor Wayne Acors asked fellow board members.
You might be able to afford it if you stopped paying $1,100,000 for a visitor’s center, $3,200,000 for a community recreation center, and $3,700,000 for office space for twenty full-time personnel (but the sheriff’s office and fire/rescue get nothing).
How much did that half-page ad for a private business cost that the county paid for?
Whoops, almost forgot about the over $40,000,000 to pump water from the Rappahannock River to Ladysmith. “Smart growth”, eh?
“Yee-haw! There’s gold in them there pipes!”
Acors suggested the county consider a bond referendum to pay for similar projects in the future, noting it wouldn’t be “the first or last” of its kind.
Port Royal Supervisor Calvin Taylor, who will not return to the board next year, suggested that Ramsay “address site work differently to save money.”
“When you start throwing out numbers, once that number goes out, it goes up or doesn’t change,” Taylor said.
The existing station on Sparta Road serves the southeastern part of the county. The report said the 2003 estimate for the new building was based on the cost of a station in Spotsylvania County.
Spotsylvania recently finished a 26,000-square-foot station with six bays. The county spent $4 million on the building and an additional $2.6 million for equipment, furniture and site work.
Plans for the Sparta building include three bays, a community room, a fitness room, two offices, a kitchen and bunk rooms.
“The Sparta fire station needs to be replaced,” Ramsay wrote in the report. “The space provided in the station for professional and volunteer staff is required to meet the needs of the community it will serve.”
Why should that concern the Board of Supervisors? “No return on fire/rescue”, eh?
Ramsay’s report says the Sparta station will serve as a prototype for future stations in Caroline.
There is no future in Caroline County…
Supervisors agreed to spend about $200,000 on architectural designs for the station. They asked that one design have basic features and another include extras, such as community space.
Than requiring building permits for fencing?! And then lying about it!
Click the thumbnail for a bigger image:
And it’s amazing how they have the nerve to lie on their own agenda:
TXT-17-2007: AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF CAROLINE COUNTY BY AMENDING ARTICLE XV, SUPPLEMENTAL REGULATIONS, BY REPEALING AND REPLACING SECTION 2, FENCES, WALLS AND HEDGES. The purpose of this zoning ordinance text amendment is allow for fences in the front yards that exceed 3 feet in height in the Rural Preservation and Agricultural Preservation zoning districts. (First Reading)
They fail to note the requirement for building permits, but I’m sure that just skipped their minds, right?
And now some guess commentary from the person that alerted me to this outright stupidity:
The problem is there will always be unintended consequences with something like this. I met a couple at a BOS meeting who can’t build a barn for their horses in their field because their field is in front of their house. The County should not be distinguishing between front and back yards in agricultural areas (AP & RP).
What if your fence is next to a steep hill or another place where the animals can get up high? No problem, as long as you dish out the $100/$200 for the building permit to get over six feet and the $1000 for the special exemption permit to get over seven feet.
I asked the Planning Dept. about the fees and they said they won’t know until next year (after the ordinance is passed of course).
The meeting on this idiocy will be November 15th (not the 13th!) and should take place after public comments (which are done at 7:30 P.M.). So if you have to come late, at least come, and let the Board know that they’re a bunch of idiots!
U2 – “Beautiful Day”:
Steam – “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”:
Goodbye Calvin Taylor, Harvey Latney, and Homer Johnson (again)!
Damn fine job there Maxie!
| Race | Candidate | Vote | Vote% |
| Clerk of Court | |||
|
Ray Smith Campbell, Jr. |
3,978 |
65.57% |
|
|
Terry M. Southworth |
2,088 |
34.42% |
|
| Commonwealth’s Attorney |
|
||
|
Anthony G. “Tony” Spencer |
4,038 |
60.10% |
|
|
Harvey Latney, Jr. |
2,680 |
39.89% |
|
| Sheriff | |||
|
A. A. “Tony” Lippa, Jr. |
4,748 |
69.74% |
|
|
Homer G. Johnson |
1,487 |
21.84% |
|
|
Jack E. Braxton, Jr. |
573 |
8.41% |
|
|
Board of Supervisors – Bowling Green |
|||
|
Damon L. Gray, Sr. |
312 |
20.29% |
|
|
George L. Spaulding, Jr. |
522 |
33.96% |
|
|
Jeffery M. “Jeff” Sili |
703 |
45.73% |
|
| Board of Supervisors – Madison | |||
|
John C. Green |
664 |
43.77% |
|
|
Wayne A. Acors |
853 |
56.22% |
|
| Board of Supervisors – Mattaponi | |||
|
Floyd W. Thomas |
711 |
59.94% |
|
|
William O. “Bill” Pickett |
475 |
40.05% |
|
| Board of Supervisors – Port Royal | |||
|
Bobby J. Popowicz, Jr. |
597 |
52.46% |
|
|
Calvin B. Taylor, Sr. |
541 |
47.53% |
|
| School Board – Bowling Green | |||
|
Kerry L. Bischoff |
697 |
47.12% |
|
|
Tamara Lyn “Tami” Redding |
782 |
52.87% |
|
| School Board – Madison | |||
|
Bruce J. Levy |
534 |
36.87% |
|
|
William A. “Bill” Anderson |
914 |
63.12% |
Here are some quotes to consider going into election day:
Sheriff’s race:
“I’m going to stand for loyalty, integrity, pride, professionalism and accountability,” said Lippa, a 24-year veteran of the state police. “I think the citizens of this county deserve that.”
Lippa, 49, said he wants to see Caroline sheriff’s deputies taking advantage of the same training and education as the troopers he supervises at the state police field office in Bowling Green.
“They need to be a step above the crime and the criminals,” Lippa said. “The more education they can have, the better they will be.”
[…]
“I don’t know what Tony’s talking about, I’ve never been arrested,” Johnson said.
The former state police sergeant has already moved into his new office, appointed a command staff, promoted from within and hired experienced law enforcement officers from around the region to join him when he officially becomes Sheriff Lippa tomorrow morning.
The 24-year veteran of the Virginia State Police trampled 12-year incumbent Sheriff Homer Johnson in the November election, winning by 66 percent of the vote.
Now, Lippa, 48, wants to make sure he doesn’t let voters down.
“Obviously, the people of Caroline thought it was time for drastic changes, and that’s what I’m here to do,” he said.
One of his first moves was to hire two new female deputies–and he hopes to add a third.
“The Sheriff’s Office hasn’t had a female deputy on patrol in 12 years,” he said.
He’s also beefing up the school resource program by adding a third deputy to work high school hallways when the other two are off duty or called away for court.
Lippa has already moved the Sheriff’s Office administrative staff out of their tiny cramped quarters and into the former county prosecutor’s office.
He’s been talking with county officials about moving the entire Sheriff’s Office to the old courthouse building now that the new courthouse complex is finished.
Just weeks after the election, he asked for resumes from all 41 Sheriff’s Office employees and has reappointed each of them, in some cases promoting officers or moving them into specialized areas to utilize their expertise.
He’s also ordered new shirts, with colorful county-seal patches emblazoned on the sleeves, for everyone in the department.
“There was concern about morale with a new sheriff taking over, but morale has been tremendous,” Lippa said.
Lippa hired an old friend as his second-in-command at the Sheriff’s Office. Former state police Special Agent Mike Hall will take over as major on Friday.
Hall headed up the regional drug task force in recent years, and tackling drug problems is one of Lippa’s first priorities.
Sheriff’s Capt. Scott Moser, formerly Johnson’s second-in-command, will take over the department’s investigative unit.
Spotsylvania sheriff’s Detective Bobby Jones has also moved to Lippa’s team as an investigator, bringing 21 years’ experience.
“I’m trying to branch out and put good people in the areas they know best,” he said.
Commonwealth’s Attorney’s race:
Shelia Mae Boone pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of federal bank fraud for writing one $1,000 check to herself on the account of the lawyer for whom she worked.
That lawyer is Harvey Latney Jr., who works part time as the commonwealth’s attorney in Caroline County in addition to his private law practice. Boone was his only employee.
U.S. District Court documents on Boone describe a period of at least two years when she was forging checks on bank accounts set up by Latney for money he was holding for clients and estates he was handling.
[…]
A statement filed with her guilty plea yesterday states that she stole a total of $92,930.42, including the $1,000. That leaves at least $178,000 not accounted for by Boone’s plea agreement or statement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Gill declined to comment on the case.
Boone’s lawyer, Arnold Henderson, said he agreed with federal prosecutors that the single bank-fraud count “was the appropriate charge to bring” against his client.
“I don’t know what’s truly missing from Mr. Latney’s accounts,” Henderson said. “My investigation does not reveal that Ms. Boone had any involvement above [the $92,930.82].”
George Chabalewski, counsel for the Virginia State Bar, confirmed last month that the bar has opened an investigation of Latney because of the missing money. Chabalewski would not say who initiated the bar complaint or provide other details.
[…]
Members of the Williams family had been complaining at least since last year about how long Latney was taking to settle the estate. One of the city’s commissioners of accounts started looking into the complaints and eventually discovered money was missing.
Board of Supervisors:
Caroline County’s future is unfolding as construction begins on the new Pendleton subdivision.
The 3,500-home neighborhood is going up on nearly 1,200 acres in Ladysmith on U.S. 1 and State Route 639 between two other subdivisions, Lake Caroline and Lake Land’Or.
[…]
“I don’t think it will bring citizens who will be a burden to the county,” he said. “The houses are nice houses. They are probably middle and upper-income houses, and will probably bring citizens who will enhance the county.”
As opposed to us lowly serfs in the Port Royal district I guess…
Hawaii may be famous for its sand and surf, but Stafford County Supervisor Bob Gibbons says he’s more interested in the island state’s roads.
Gibbons is one of three supervisors in the Fredericksburg area who plan to fly to Honolulu next month to attend the National Association of Counties’ five-day annual conference.
But Gibbons and Caroline County Supervisors Wayne Acors and Calvin Taylor say the July 15-19 session will be a working trip.
“Hawaii is one of the leading states on the program they have done for their rural roads,” Gibbons said. “We are going to look at them and try to understand how they did it.”
[…]
Most supervisors in the Fredericksburg area opted out of the trip for varying reasons. Spotsylvania County, for instance, discontinued its NACO membership last year.
[…]
Stafford and Caroline counties will pay $415 for the conference registration for their supervisors, plus costs for meals and transportation. Caroline’s supervisors will fly on economy seats for $740 each. Stafford officials were still unsure about travel costs yesterday.
[…]
Officials in both counties said they could not verify hotel costs, which range from $179 to $295, according to an online hotel reservation form for attendees.
Advertisements for one of the hotels, The Royal Hawaiian, state that “the beach is at the guest’s disposal.” But supervisors say they’ll spend most of the day in conferences, soaking up information instead of rays.
[…]
Still, Caroline’s decision to fund the trip could pose political risks. Some residents have criticized supervisors for considering a 2 percent gas tax to fund transportation improvements.
Supervisors said the county’s road needs cost much more than a trip to Hawaii.
“You’re not going to pave roads for $3,500,” Taylor said.
Really? Then why does your own budget say that $12,703 was spent on travel expenses, along with $1,411 for the NACO membership, and $2,943 for “meals and food supplies”? Can you pave roads with $17,057?
Caroline supervisors voted 4-1 last night to rezone a 377-acre farm to allow the State Fair to move to the county by 2007.
[…]
Jayne Massie, who lives in the Reedy Church District, said she is worried about traffic backups on State Route 30. Fair officials say most traffic will come from Interstate 95, but Massie disagreed.
[…]
“The worksheet indicated that the State Fair’s move to Meadow Farm may not be a direct revenue generator for the county, but it should not be a source significant cost either,” Sieg said.
But Sieg’s numbers don’t include Sheriff Tony Lippa’s projected financial impact on his department. Lippa urged the board to delay a vote on the fair.
“If we should have an event that includes mutual aid, who’s gonna reimburse us?” he asked.
Lippa also thought he and Fire and Rescue Director Ed Fuzy should have power to sign off on security plans for all fair events.
“You’re going to give up control if you don’t have that condition in there,” he said.
From an email exchange [emphasis mine]:
Please understand that I am not for any new taxes! I was asked the question at a meet what avenues would I look at if the county needed more revenue.
For example, if there was an emergency need for additional revenue.
[…]
Our county needs to be run as a business. I come from a business/production (productive) back ground. I believe in running a lean organization. We must have a strong administration.
I care about our county.
William O. “Bill” Pickett
Mattaponi Board of Supervisors
- HONESTY
- INTEGRITY
- HARD WORKING
- ACCOUNTABLE
IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE
- To make absolutely certain that the tax dollars that go to our school system are spent wisely. Last year I had the opportunity to visit the “building class” several times at Caroline High School. A class of about 30 had little to no materials. We also need a tolerance level established and enforced. We cannot expect our children to be taught properly without giving our teachers the proper tools.
- Review budgets in detail to avoid unnecessary spending. I do not believe we are getting a “bang for our buck”. The right Priorities must be established and followed.
- Review future planned projects and developments carefully so they will thrive and not become a burden to residents or create traffic congestion at the present or in the future. Spend a little time at the Carmel Church intersection and you will see what I mean. Now it is going to cost several million in state tax dollars to clean up this mess and Ladysmith is headed in the same direction! It is inevitable that this county will continue to grow as we provide necessary utilities but schools and community need to come first. We must properly plan at the front end now.
- Provide assistance to our law enforcement agency, to keep our neighborhoods free of crime and corruption. Provide our fire and rescue stations with additional man power to cover the growth rate.
- Use available resources to keep Caroline clean. Tax dollars are collected for keeping our county clean, but it seems they are not being utilized. I personally like my neighbor hood clean.
- We must have a strong County Administration to make sure all county funded departments are performing. These folks work for you and I. A properly managed county will thrive, but most of all Caroline will be a place we are proud to call home.
- Please vote for me this coming November, One person can make a difference!
No big surprise there, right?
Pamela Joan Mastropaolo (also a shoplifter extraordinaire), pled guilty to a felony charge of obtaining drugs by fraud (§ 18.2-258.1) in Henrico County Circuit Court. It was latter reduced to a misdemeanor charge of obtaining drugs by fraud.
She was still on probation from her previous shoplifting escapades however no show cause was issued in Williamsburg/James City County Circuit Court for violation of probation. I’m sure that had nothing to do with the fact that the Commonwealth’s Attorney in Williams/James City County is a Democrat and Pamela Mastropaolo and her husband Michael happen to be big Democratic contributors, right?
She’s also working as Latney’s campaign manager. She’s also going around claiming to be a reporter at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. According to a phone call to the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s office, she no longer works there. So, who am I to trust? The person that has pled guilty to two felonies already, or the person I talked to at the Richmond Times-Dispatch?
Also, according to Latney’s most recent campaign finance report the address given for Pamela Mastropaolo is:
1417 Brook Road
Richmond, VA 23220
That just happens to be the address for Harvey Latney’s office.
So Harvey, why do you have someone that has twice pled guilty to felonies in your office and helping on your campaign?
So Homer, are you going to stop having a convicted drug user and shoplifter hand out signs for you? Oh wait, you’re already the convicted felon choice for sheriff…
So Maxie, are you going to return that campaign contribution?
So Calvin, ditto on the campaign contribution?
Pamela Mastropaolo helping to hand out signs for Homer Johnson, Harvey Latney, and Calvin Taylor at the Frog Level Harvest Festival.
Pamela Mastropaolo (center, in the tent on the right) chatting with Maxie Rozell (right, in the tent on the right) at the Frog Level Harvest Festival.
PDF of Pamela Mastropaolo’s sentencing order [social security number and date of birth redacted].
From The Free Lance–Star: Three seek Bowling Green seat in Caroline:
After serving on the Caroline County Board of Supervisors since 1988, Robert Farmer of the Bowling Green District is calling it quits for this year’s election.
Farmer’s absence from the ballot ushers in three new contenders for the Bowling Green seat–two independents and one Republican.
The other four incumbents are seeking re-election, with three facing challengers.
In the Madison District, John Green takes on incumbent Wayne Acors, who has been on the board since 1988. Floyd Thomas is being challenged by independent Bill Pickett in the Mattaponi District and Port Royal District incumbent Calvin Taylor faces Bobby Popowicz.
Reedy Church incumbent Maxie Rozell is unopposed.
Yes, I know, it’s unfortunate, isn’t it?
Bowling Green district
There’s a three-way competition for Farmer’s seat between Independents Damon Gray, George Spaulding and Republican Jeff Sili.
Sili, who served eight years on the School Board, noted education, economic development and water quality as the most important campaign issues.
At a recent candidates forum, Sili noted that in his job as a systems engineer, he develops technologies for five years down the road. He wants the same planning for the county.
“We need to look forward, we need to be visionary, we also have to make sure we have a plan that is feasible when we get there,” Sili said.
Spaulding, who has been on the School Board for 13 years, said his list is topped by growth, education and citizen services, specifically for the Sheriff’s Office and fire and rescue.
As a retired teacher and coach, Spaulding says he could devote more time to being a supervisor.
“I don’t have a full-time job, this would be my full-time job,” he said at a recent forum. “Some questions you can’t answer unless you are on the job.”
Gray did not respond to The Free Lance-Star’s request for personal and campaign information, but was present at the forum.
A 40-year resident of the county, Gray said he believes the county should offer incentives to businesses to relocate to the district. He also said he supports more funding for small parks in the county.
Madison district
Wayne Acors, who has held the district seat for close to two decades, lists managed and planned growth, education and transportation as leading issues.
When asked at a recent forum about boosting the county’s water supply, he cited current plans to withdraw water from the Rappahannock River and the recent purchase of a well in Ladysmith.
“Planned growth”? Is spending over $40,000,000 to transport water from the Rappahannock River to Ladysmith “planned growth”?
You guys in Ladysmith have fun drinking water that would have been cheaper to go to Food Lion, buy some bottle water, and pour down a pipe. Also have fun drinking wastewater (from Fredericksburg) that hasn’t been treated properly and water that has high levels of PCBs (thanks, in part, to the old Sylvia Plant).
Acors, also, was it your brilliant idea to use an emergency resource to send out a Department of Economic Development press release?
John Green, a lifelong county resident, called the county’s water and infrastructure plans “flawed” and “ill prepared.”
“We’re under mandatory water restrictions,” Green said. “There’s a water shortage all across the state. We’ve got to aggressively pursue obtaining water.”
Green listed public safety, education and development as his top priorities.
The two had opposing views on the BPOL tax and school topics as well.
Acors said he would not vote to eliminate the BPOL tax; Green said phasing it out would make the county more business-friendly.
When asked what the most important issues were for Caroline schools, Green said cooperation between supervisors and the School Board.
Acors said he supports the School Board, but has to consider other county services in budgeting, too.
“I’d like to give the School Board all the money in the world that they ask for, but I’m a realist,” he said.
You support the School Board when it helps your district. When is Bowling Green going to get a new school?
Mattaponi district
Bill Pickett favors working closely with the School Board to improve facilities, running the county in a professional manner and addressing police, fire and rescue needs as a result of growth.
Floyd Thomas, who has held the seat since 1992, supports increased funding to schools, providing more job opportunities for residents and maintaining the quality of life by managing growth but keeping a rural feel.
The two were asked at a recent candidate forum about measures they would propose to make supervisors more available to residents. Both favored dedicated e-mail and phone calls as ways for constituents to contact them.
On a related question about bringing all county technology up to date, both had similar ideas.
Thomas suggested putting new computers in places such as grocery stores so residents could have more access. Pickett said more computers and computer programs would improve communication throughout the county.
Stop wasting money and you might be able to do that.
port royal district
Taylor, like Thomas, has also served on the board since 1992.
He faces opposition from Popowicz, who believes forming a five-year budget plan for schools, altering the county’s comprehensive water plan and keeping the tax burden off of citizens are all top priorities.
Taylor listed effective citizen communication, quality education for students, and balancing development to maintain a rural county while attracting business as his election issues.
“Quality education”? The county fails to make adequately yearly progress in 66% of the schools, SAT scores are down 6.12% and the lowest in the region!
At a candidate forum earlier this month the two were asked how using historical assets in the district for tourism could bring in income for the county.
Popowicz said he’s in favor of signing the county onto free statewide programs in order to promote tourism. Taylor said income from county tourism could be used to benefit students, parents and other citizens in the district.
Wait a second, isn’t the money from the hotel tax going to help pay for the visitors center? From one of Percy Ashcraft’s letters to the editor at The Caroline Progress: “Operation of the visitor center will be paid for exclusively from the Tourism Fund. This fund generates approximately $150,000 per year from transient occupancy tax (“hotel/motel tax”) revenues charged to visitors who stay overnight in the county’s motels.” You’re really on top of things there Calvin…
When asked what they’d do to attract and retain small upscale businesses, grocery stores, shops and restaurants, they took a different approach.
“As far as the county as a whole, I think we need to do everything we can in our comprehensive plan to provide ares where stores coming in can be profitable,” Taylor said. “We need to look at utilities in various areas and areas that are conducive to the kind of industry we want.”
You mean like banning the outdoor displays of businesses?
Popowicz said he supported an “aggressive” economic development plan, including phasing out the BPOL tax.
“We have the means, we just have to put through the effort,” he said. “I think we need to look at our industrial parks because they are key to this economy.”
A breakdown of the parade of champions (the incumbents) and the challengers:
BOWLING GREEN DISTRICT
NAME: Damon L. Gray
ADDRESS: File Road
POLITICAL PARTY: Independent
AGE: 55
OCCUPATION: Building contractor, Progressive Homes
NOTE: Gray did not respond to a questionnaire about his campaign.
NAME: Jeff Sili
ADDRESS: Bowling Green
POLITICAL PARTY: Republican
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Served on Caroline County School Board from 1992 to 1999. Chair of Caroline Republican Committee. Ran for supervisor in 2003.
AGE: 48
FAMILY: Married
OCCUPATION: Senior systems engineer
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Norfolk State, 1987
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Bowling Green Baptist Church: member, serves on drama and technology teams and numerous others; former president, Caroline Chamber of Commerce; Caroline Ruritans; appointment to General Assembly’s JCOTS Technology Committee.
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Education, economic development and water quality.
NAME: George Spaulding
ADDRESS: Bowling Green
POLITICAL PARTY: Independent
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Bowling Green Town Council, eight years; Caroline County School Board, 13 years
AGE: 69
FAMILY: Married, two daughters
OCCUPATION: Retired educator (33 years as teacher, coach and administrator)
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s, University of Charleston, 1958; master’s, William & Mary, 1966
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Calvary Baptist Church, chairman of Deacons for 35 years, adult Sunday school teacher, Bible school teacher; member, Physician’s Advisory Committee, Virginia Primary Care Associates.
HONORS, AWARDS WON: Coach of the Year, Fredericksburg Area; State All Star Coach, 1975; Sports Hall of Fame, Williamson High School, Williamson, W.Va., 2003; “Key to the County” from Caroline County Board of Supervisors, 2007.
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Growth, Education, Citizen’s Services (Sheriff’s Office, Fire and Rescue).
MADISON DISTRICT NAME: Wayne A. Acors
ADDRESS: Ladysmith
POLITICAL PARTY: Independent
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Has served on Board of Supervisors for 20 years.
AGE: 60
FAMILY: Wife, Julia; two children
OCCUPATION: Traffic manager
EDUCATION: Attended University of Richmond
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Ladysmith Baptist Church and the Madison Ruritan Club
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Managed & planned growth, education and transportation.
NAME: John C. Green
ADDRESS: Golansville
POLITICAL PARTY: Independent
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Ran for board seat four years ago
AGE: 46
FAMILY: Divorced
OCCUPATION: 25 years as a firefighter and paramedic with Chesterfield County Fire and EMS, the last 18 years as a flight paramedic on Med-Flight I
EDUCATION: Graduated from Caroline High School, 1979; pursuing a degree in emergency medical services at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Member of Ladysmith Rescue Squad since 1979, held numerous offices including seven years as captain, earned Life Membership in 1999; member, Ladysmith Volunteer Fire Company, 1978 to 1988; represented Caroline on the Rappahannock EMS Council Board of Directors in the mid-1990s. Member of Carmel Baptist Church.
HONORS, AWARDS WON: Ladysmith Rescue Squad, Squad-person of the Year 1991 and 1996, H&H Award for Meritorious Service 1994; Greater Richmond Retail Merchants Association 2003 Bronze Star Valor Award recipient; numerous unit citations and life save awards with Med-Flight I and Chesterfield Fire and EMS.
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Public safety (fire protection and EMS); education (comprehensive plan for improvements, facilities and staff); and development (proper infrastructure for growth).
MATTAPONI DISTRICT NAME: Bill Pickett
ADDRESS: Cool Water Drive
POLITICAL PARTY: Independent
AGE: 52
FAMILY: Wife, Frances; two sons
OCCUPATION: Director of operations, Hoover Treated Wood Products, Milford
EDUCATION: Malcolm Community College, Warren, Michigan; Certified Building and Planning, Commonwealth of Virginia; Class A Building License, Commonwealth of Virginia
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Briefly got involved with the Caroline High School building class last year and saw the need for materials to teach the course; plans to help again this year.
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Work with School Board to improve quality of education. Run the county in a professional manner (budget and planning, develop a strong county administration). Address growth’s impact on police, fire and rescue.
NAME: Floyd Thomas
ADDRESS: Bowling Green
POLITICAL PARTY: Democrat
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Chairman, Citizen Solid Waste Task Force, 1991; member, Board of Supervisors, 1992 to present.
AGE: 51
FAMILY: Wife, Linda; one daughter
OCCUPATION: Sales representative, Oracle Corporation
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s, Howard University School of Architecture and Planning, 1979; Project Management Certificate, The College of William and Mary, 1987.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Trustee, St. Stephens Baptist Church; member, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
HONORS, AWARDS WON: National Competitive Scholarship, Howard University; Omega Man of the Year Award, 1992; Intergraph sales awards 1996, 1997; Caroline school recognition for Germanna scholarship program, 2007.
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Increase funding for education; provide more job opportunities for county residents; maintain the quality of life (manage growth and maintain a low tax rate; do not implement a gas tax).
PORT ROYAL DISTRICT NAME: Bobby Popowicz
ADDRESS: Guinea Station Road
POLITICAL PARTY: Republican
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Ran for supervisor in 2003.
AGE: 39
FAMILY: Single
OCCUPATION: Loan officer, Flagstar bank
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Bridgewater College, 1993
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Port Royal Ruritans; Property Associations of Virginia (POAVA); International Executives Guild.
HONORS, AWARDS WON: Letter of Commendation from governor of Virginia in December 1996 for disaster relief evaluation effort
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Develop a five-year school budget plan to fund repairs and improvements; planning (comprehensive water plan and aggressive economic development); keep tax burden off citizens (cap assessment increases, phase out BPOL tax).
NAME: Calvin Taylor
ADDRESS: Stonewall Jackson Road
POLITICAL PARTY: Democrat
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Member of the Board of Supervisors, 1992 to present; former president of Caroline County Social Services Board; former president of Caroline County Education Association; member and education committee chairman, Virginia Association of Counties
AGE: 56
FAMILY: Wife, Wanda; two sons
OCCUPATION: Educational consultant; retired from Caroline County schools after 33 years as a teacher and later assistant principal at middle school
Wait a second, educational consultant? Didn’t you say the following a couple months ago: “Also, I’m now retired and I really have the time that’s necessary to be an elected official.”?
EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree, Virginia Union University; master’s degree, Virginia Commonwealth University
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: Shiloh Baptist Church (Old Site), Fredericksburg
THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN THIS RACE: Effective citizen communication to provide an appropriate quality of life, quality education; a balance between planned development and maintaining rural character; attracting business and industry while maintaining a low tax rate.
Paying for help wanted ads for a private company? And using the Roam Secure Network to send out a press release (scroll down) by the Director of the Department of Economic Development, Gary Wilson, as an “emergency alert” for the same company?
On October 10, 2007, the Director of the Department of Economic Department, Gary Wilson, and the County Administrator, Percy Ashcraft, send out a press release as an “emergency alert” to the email accounts of subscribers of Caroline County’s Roam Secure Network. A separate “emergency alert” was sent to subscribers’ cell phones telling them to check their email for the press release.
The press release included comments from Maxie Rozell, Floyd Thomas, and Wayne Acors regarding the announcement that VSE, Inc. was adding a 100 new jobs to their organization. Apparently, the county doesn’t have anything better to do with our tax dollars than use an emergency resource to send a press release for candidates less than a mouth before an election.
In the October 24, 2007, editions of The Caroline Progress (p. B3) and The Free Lance-Star (p. E12) there was ads for the same company, VSE Inc., with the statement that “Caroline County Board of Supervisors announces that […]” and that the “The Jobs Hotline is a free service to Caroline Businesses.” The ad in The Caroline Progress was a half-page ad. When’s the last time the Sheriff’s Office or the Department of Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management had a half-page ad paid for them?
Free service to businesses? What about the taxpayers in the county? Ads for The Caroline Progress and The Free Lance-Star can cost in excess of $1,000.00. Can a private business not pay for their own damn ads instead of the taxpayers paying for propaganda for the members of the Board of Supervisors?
So, tell me, Maxie (since I know you come to this blog), how much money are you and your buddies on the Board of Supervisors, along with Percy Ashcraft, and Gary Wilson, wasting? And Maxie, why wouldn’t you answer my comment on your own blog (which you have since blocked access to)?
Also, Maxie, who at the Department of Economic Department has nothing better to do than edit Wikipedia pages?
