Election round-up: Mallek faces challenge from Rykal in Albemarle’s White Hall District; Smith wants to keep being tie-breaker in Halifax County
Plus: Previews of meetings in Bedford County and Buckingham County
First of all, an apology to both Lunenburg County and Fluvanna County for not including anything about their meetings last week. I also wrote the wrong summary for Goochland County. One reason I call this an experimental newsletter is because I’m experimenting if I can keep up with the volume of work! Thank you for bearing with me as I try to get a handle on it all.
In the ten months since I started this journey, I’ve learned a lot about each of the 24 localities in the Fifth District. I’ve got a long way to go. This upcoming week may have gaps, though, as I’ll be helping with a family move in Lynchburg. This is distracting me but I’m hopeful I can keep this up this week.
This time around, an election-round-up plus a preview of meetings in Bedford County and Buckingham County. Next time around: Mecklenburg County, Charlottes
Election round-up
Board of Supervisors races:
Democrat Steven Schawaroch is running for the District 4 seat on the Goochland Board of Supervisors. The District 4 is held by Republican Charlie Vaughters. Vaughters was appointed to the position on November 1 following the death of Supervisor Donald Edward Sharpe. He had been elected to a first term in 2019.
Independent Bryan Hamlet has filed to run for the District 1 seat on the Cumberland County Board of Supervisors. The seat is currently held by independent Brian Randolph Stanley who won election to a first term in 2019 with 439 of the 670 votes cast.
Independent Luther Cameron Gilliam is running for the District 2 seat on the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors. The seat has been held by Donald E. Bryan since 2011. Bryan faced no opposition that year or in 2019 but he defeated independent Carolyn Anderson Davis in 2015 with 189 of the 262 votes cast that year.
Independent Brad Rykal has filed paperwork to challenge Democrat Ann Mallek for the White Hall District on the Albemarle Board of Supervisors. Mallek is seeking her fifth term and fended off Republican Steve Harvey in the 2019 race. Rykal was profiled last August by the Crozet Gazette.
Willie Gentry is not running for another term representing the Cuckoo District on the Louisa Board of Supervisors, as reported by Engage Louisa. Republican Christopher McCotter has filed paperwork to run for the seat. (campaign page on Facebook)
Wayne Smith has filed paperwork to serve as the tie-breaker on the Halifax County Board of Supervisors. There are eight regular members and the at-large tie-breaker. The South Boston Gazette-Virginian reported last February on Smith’s appointment and the position was formed in March 2015 after Supervisors had reached an impasse.
Will Garnett has filed to run for a second term as Supervisor in the Bacon-Saxe District in Charlotte County. Garnett won a two-way race in 2019 with 51.2 percent of the 541 votes cast.
City Council races:
Michael Payne has filed to run for a second term on Charlottesville City Council as a Democrat. There are a total of three seats and in 2019, Payne placed first in the Democratic primary with 3,661 votes. In the general election, Payne placed third behind Sena Magill and Lloyd Snook with 7,833 votes.
Snook has also filed to run for re-election as I reported on March 1.
Magill resigned in January and has been replaced by Leah Puryear. Puryear has not said she will run for a full term.
School Board races:
James Snead has filed to run for the District 6 seat on the Mecklenburg County School Board. The seat is currently held by Matthew Dunn who won a write-in campaign in 2022 with 242 of the 571 vores cast.
Constitutional officers:
Independent Wendy Hannah has filed to run for a second term as Commonwealth’s Attorney in Cumberland County. Hannah won election in 2019 with 67.9 percent of the 3,698 votes case, defeating Republican Jason Moore. Moore also ran in 2015.
Kemper M. Beasley III has filed to run for a full-term as Commonwealth’s Attorney in Buckingham County. Beasley was the only candidate in a special election on March 1 to replace E.M. Wright Jr in the position. Wright served in the position for 45 years, according to the Farmville Herald.
Tracy Patterson has filed to run for a full-term as Commissioner of the Revenue in Bedford County. She won election to the seat last year in a special election to replace Julie Creasy, who retired last May.
Eric Hess has filed to run for a third full-term as Fluvanna County Sheriff. He won election to fill a vacancy in 2014 and received 59.3 percent of the 8,204 votes cast. Hess ran unopposed in 2015 and 2019.
Kimberly Taylor Goff has filed to run for Commissioner of the Revenue in Nelson County. The position is currently held by Patricia Adcock Campbell who was first elected to the position in 2015 with no opposition. Goff is currently listed as one of the deputies in the department.
Republican Tim Sansone has filed paperwork to run as Sheriff in Louisa County. The position is currently held by Republican Donald Avery Lowe who won 75.9 percent of the 12,316 votes cast in 2019. Sansone is the president of Sentry Force Security.
Jennifer J. Wyatt has filed paperwork to serve as Clerk of Court in Pittsylvania County. Mark Wayne Scarce won election in 2015 with 66.3 percent of 12,921 of the votes cast.
Sarah Henderson has filed for a fifth term as Commissioner of the Revenue in Appomattox County. Henderson only faced opposition in 2007 when she received 51.8 percent of the 4,974 votes cast.
Jeffrey Wayne Haislip is seeking another term as Commonwealth’s Attorney in Fluvanna County. He’s held the position since at least 2003 and has never faced opposition since that time.
Bedford County Supervisors to be presented with cuts to capital budget
The seven-member Board of Supervisors will begin their meeting at 5 p.m. Monday with a budget work session followed by the regular meeting. (meeting info)
The work session will follow up on the Capital Improvement Program from March 6. Staff were asked to make cuts. For more context, read Shannon Kelly’s March 7 article in the Lynchburg News & Advance.
“The focus of that review was to preserve and maintain what the County currently owns and
ensure public safety has appropriate equipment,” writes County Administrator Robert Hiss. “In summary, with these reductions, it leaves the county’s fund balance more vulnerable as projects and development opportunities emerge and handicaps the County’s planning ability for grants and project delivery.”
Cuts include:
Reduce the road projects supplemental reserve from $1 million to zero
Reduce the county’s childcare initiative from $500,000 to zero
Reduce the county’s spending on building renovations from $9.66 million to $5 million
Eliminate the New London Data Center project saving $445,000
Eliminate the Firing Range for the sheriff’s office saving $540,000
Eliminate funding to develop the old Montvale School saving $680,000
Reduce spending for the Phase 2 of the New London Business Center from $4.125 million to $325,000
There will also be a discussion of the Solid Waste and Nursing Home funds. Bedford County owns and operates a nursing home.
There are no public hearings in the regular meeting. There are several action items:
Supervisors will be asked to authorize replacement of the roof on the Montvale Library.
Supervisors will be asked to rescind support for a Virginia Department of Transportation Smart Scale project known as “Camp Jaycee Intersection Improvements.”
Supervisors will be asked to authorize advertisement of rate changes for the Bedford County nursing home.
Supervisors will also be asked to approve hallway and room flooring replacement for the nursing home.
Supervisors will be asked to authorize a grant application for School Resource Officers.
Supervisors will be asked to accept the second tranche from the opioid settlement.
Buckingham County to review three funding requests from nonprofits
The seven-member Buckingham County Board of Supervisors meets at 5 p.m. for a work session followed by the regular meeting at 6 p.m. (meeting info)
The work session pertains to the county’s Six Year Plan for the Virginia Department of Transportation.
The regular meeting will include two presentations. The first is an annual update from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. The second is an annual update from the James River Boys and Girls Club.
There are three budget presentations from nonprofits seeking funding.
Jaunt is asking for $125,130, a 209 percent increase from the $40,497 approved in FY23.
FLIPP Inc is seeking funding for a program to train people to become solar installers.
Warriors First Inc. seeks $5,000 in funding for a project to build and run a tiny-home micro-community in Buckingham County.
There are no public hearings this month but Supervisors will be introduced to three land use items.
A landowner seeks rezoning of 13.77 acres in the Marshall District from Agricultural A-1 to Business B-1 for a commercial use. There is no specific project in mind at this time.
A landowner seeks a special use permit on Francisco Road near Farmville in the Curdsville District for a one-room private school for up to 30 pupils.
A landowner seeks a rezoning of 2.1 acres on Buffalo Road in the Marshall District from A-1 to B-1 to accommodate for a towing business.
Under other business, there is a proposed lease agreement with the Buckingham County Youth League at Gene Dixon Park.
Reading materials
Del. Matt Fariss arrested on 2 felony charges, Markus Schmidt, Cardinal News, March 7, 2023
Bedford County board of supervisors begin budget discussions; talk tax rates, Shannon Kelly, Lynchburg News & Advance, March 7, 2023
Campbell County greenway won't be sold after residents speak out, Shannon Kelly, Lynchburg News & Advance, March 9, 2023
Campbell supervisors approve two tourist house permits, sparking conversation about policy, Shannon Kelly, Lynchburg News & Advance, March 10, 2023
Amherst board supports US 29 corridor cleanup position, opposes adding fire marshal post, Justin Faulconer, Amherst New-Era Progress, March 10, 2023