January 23, 2023: Challenger emerges in Bedford County District 1 Supervisor race
Plus: Bedford County Supervisors to get presentation on a Tourism Zone Ordinance
This is a slower week and right now the plan is to only have two installments. This one’s shorter than usual, but this newsletter is an experiment in processing information. I’m intrigued by learning who holds elected office across the Fifth District, so once a week I’ll continue to provide basic information on who has filed.
I would have liked to have gone into more detail on the Bedford County tourism zone ordinance, but there’s no information in advance. Or perhaps I don’t know where to look yet? Either way, this newsletter is intended to get to better know the District between now and the next time the boundaries are redrawn after the 2030 Census.
2023 election watch: Harrison seeking another term as Amelia Commonwealth’s Attorney
Let’s begin this week with another roundup of candidates who have filed to run for various positions across the Fifth District. Note the correction in item #2.
Patricia Kathryn Fraley has filed to run for re-election to the District 1 seat on the Halifax County School Board. She received 673 of the 1,188 votes cast in 2019.
UPDATE: Karen Horn has filed for re-election for the District 2 seat on the Goochland County School Board. This is where things get confusing. Horn has served as the School Board member for District 3 since November 2018. Due to redistricting, she is now in District 2. I regret the error.
Edward Pennington has filed to run for another term on District 5 of the Lunenburg County Board of Supervisors. He’s held the position since at least 2001.
Dean Davidson has filed a bid as an independent candidate in District 1 in Bedford County. The seat is currently held by Republican Mickey Johnson who won election to a first term in 2019 in an uncontested race.
Lee Randolph Harrison will seek another term as Commonwealth’s Attorney in Amelia County. He’s held the position since at least 2003 according to the Virginia Department of Elections. That year he won with no opposition. He faced opposition in 2015 and 2019.
Laura Walsh has filed paperwork to run for another term as the Commissioner of Revenue in Amelia County. Walsh was first elected in 2015 with 63.9 percent of the vote.
Judy Reynolds seeks a full eight-year term as Clerk of Court in Bedford County. As a Republican, Reynolds won a special election in 2020 for the position in which she was the only candidate.
Michelle Gregory Gordon has filed to run for another term as the Clerk of Court in Mecklenburg County. Gordon won in a three-way race in 2015 and received 60.7 percent of the vote.
Seth Scarce is seeking a second term as Clerk of Court in Pittsylvania County. He was first elected in 2015 with two-thirds of the 12,921 votes cast.
Jarrett Stone has filed paperwork to challenge Scarce for that position.
Ruth S. Oakes has filed for a third term as Treasurer in Halifax County. Oakes won election in 2015 in an uncontested election and also faced no opposition in 2019.
Bedford County to get updates from Peaks of Otter anti-erosion group; SML subdivision request
The seven-member Bedford County Board of Supervisors will meet Monday at 5 p.m. for a work session followed by a regular meeting. (meeting info)
The work session will feature both a broadband update from Shentel as well as a discussion of the Tourism Zone Ordinance. The latter features a presentation from economic development director Pam Bailey.
The first item at the regular meeting is a public appearance by the Peaks of Otter Soil and Water Conservation District. This political subdivision only covers Bedford whereas most similar entities have many localities as members. These entities were created in the mid-20th century to help control erosion of productive agricultural land.
Next, there will be a public hearing on a request for a waiver from the subdivision ordinance for a property at Smith Mountain Lake. Ten lots are being requested with half being single-family residential and the other half being duplexes. At issue is access through a private road.
The second public hearing will be for a special use permit request for a 195-foot tall cell tower off of Route 122 in Moneta.
Three action items would grant specific permission for county administrator Robert Hiss to carry out specific actions. These relate to a contract for on-call paving services, on-call welding services, and a contract for repairs to the Bedford Museum.
Reading material:
Skyrocketing Bedford County assessments prompt pledge of lower tax rate, Shannon Kelly, Lynchburg News & Advance, January 6, 2023
Campbell officials OK $50 million budget for Brookville High School renovations, Shannon Kelly, Lynchburg News & Advance, January 12, 2023
Appomattox County Board of Supervisors re-elect positions, set meeting dates, Sharon Walker, Appomattox Times-Virginian, January 13, 2023
Grant helps open door for future project in Campbell County, Will Thomas, WDBJ-7, January 13, 2023
Lynchburg City Council rejects Leesville Road townhome project, Bryson Gordon, Lynchburg News & Advance, January 13, 2023
Sweet Briar College president reflects on tenure, Rodney Robinson, Lynchburg News & Advance, January 22, 2023
You will note a correction above. I made an error with one of the candidates who is an incumbent in a different district who has been moved through redistricting. The candidate contacted me and I was able to make a correction right away. I regret the error and this will help inform my reporting the next time around! I strive for accuracy and lament when I fall short.
If you see anything that doesn't seem right, please let me know. At the moment I do not have a staff to help me with editing, but my goal is to have people to check behind me each time.