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Thursday, OCTOBEr 31, 2019 u B Section

Election 2019 GREENECOUNTY RECORD

Where do I vote?

All five polling places in Greene County will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Residents in the Monroe District-Dyke precinct will vote at the Dyke Fire Sta-tion, 9144 Dyke Road, Dyke; residents in the Monroe District-Swift Run precinct will vote at the Greene County Technical Educa-tion Center, 10415 Spotswood Trail; Ruckersville District residents will vote at the Ruckersville Fire Station, 50 Sassafras Lane; Midway District residents will vote at Ruckersville Elemen-tary School, 105 Progress Place; and Stanardsville District residents will vote at Piedmont Virginia Community College’s Giuseppe Center, 222 Main St.

Absentee voting

Those eligible to vote absentee for the upcoming primary elections will have an increased opportunity to cast their absentee ballot in-person as the Greene County Registrar’s Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2.

Voters must meet one of 20 eligibility requirements to vote absentee. Informa-tion regarding eligibil-ity to vote absentee is available at www.elections.virginia.gov

The last day to vote absentee in-person at the local registrar’s office also is Saturday, Nov. 2. Identification will be required for in-person absentee voting.

Voter IDVirginia law requires

all voters to provide an acceptable form of photo identification (photo ID) at the polls. Voters arriving to the polls without photo ID will be required to vote a provisional ballot and will have until noon on the Fri-day after the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality’s electoral board in order for their provisional bal-lot to be counted.

You can apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card throughout the year from any lo-cal voter registration office, even on Elec-tion Day.

For a full list of acceptable forms of identification, visit http://www.sbe. virginia.gov/Voting inPerson.html or con-tact the State Board of Elections at 800-552-9745.

CLERK OF COURT CANDIDATESSusan Birckhead

FaMily: Husband, Roy Birckhead, and sons, Liam and Ben.

EDUCaTiON: 1993 graduate of William Monroe High School .

pROFESSiONal ExpERiENCE: Currently ap-pointed Greene County Clerk of Court; Greene County Cir-cuit Court Chief Deputy Clerk 2015-present; Greene County Circuit Court Deputy Clerk since 2003.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR ClERk? Having been hired by Marie Durrer in 2003 to serve as a deputy clerk in her office, I have been training for the position of Clerk of Court for 16 years. I am the only candidate with Circuit Court experience. I am trained and performing all of the func-tions the office requires. I am familiar with the office, what is required to maintain the records and with the fiscal responsibilities of the court. I have been trailed by judicial services in the areas of book-keeping, civil and criminal case processing, DARS (digital appeal records system), guard-ian and conservator appoint-ment and probate. I have also attended lawful employment training provided by the com-pensation board.

aS ClERk OF COURT yOU Will DEal WiTh CONFi-DENTial, SENSiTivE aND pUbliC iNFORMaTiON, hOW Will yOU ENSURE ThaT iNFORMaTiON RE-MaiNS pRivaTE aS lEaDER OF ThE OFFiCE? There is no room in the clerk’s office for impropriety. The current employees handle confidential matters appropriately, as every employee in this office takes their oath seriously.

WhaT DOES ThE OFFiCE OF ClERk OF COURT MEaN TO yOU? The office of Clerk of Court is one of the most important positions for any locality. The clerk maintains the history of the county with records

dating back to 1838. These records are vital to our com-munity. The clerk must be knowledgeable and willing to help every person who comes through the door. It is not a place to treat any one person who comes into the office differently than another. If elected, I will continue to provide courteous and com-petent service to the citizens of Greene County as I have for the last 16 years.

COURT ClERkS ShOUlD havE kNOWlEDgE OF pRObaTE laW, FiNaNCial COMpliaNCE, iNFORMa-TiON SySTEMS, COURT pROCEDURES aND jURy MaNagEMENT. hOW CON-FiDENT DO yOU FEEl iN yOUR abiliTiES TO haNDlE ThESE aSpECTS OF ThE jOb? I am extremely confident in my abilities to handle each of these matters. I am involved in the day to day business handled in the Circuit Court Clerk’s office. I handle all aspects the position effectively and efficiently. I would like for all the citizens in the county to be aware of the things with which this office can help you. We maintain the files for the circuit court, including but not limited to criminal matters, civil matters involving claims above $25,000 and disputes over land. This office handles files of a sensitive nature, such as guardian and conservator filings, and cases where wills are being contested. Adoptions are filed in the circuit court. Stop by to see what we do.

Birckhead

Editor’s note: the information has been compiled from questionnaires given to each candidate. Not everyone returned the second questionnaire and items were taken from the first. Due to space, some answers were condensed.

Piper DoeppeFaMily: I’m a proud

aunt to 10 nieces and nephews and mom to a Golden Retriever (Hank), Jack Russell mix (Jonesy) and Black Lab mix (Jebbie).

EDUCaTiON: J.D., Appa-lachian School of Law; M.S. University of Wollongong; B.S. Emory & Henry College.

pROFESSiONal ExpERi-ENCE: I started my career as an English teacher in Brazil, then went to Australia to pur-sue a degree in Environmental Science. After returning to the U.S., I worked for ChildHelp for three years as a “Group Home Mom.” After, I became an in-home therapist for at-risk youth for the Virginia Highlands Community Ser-vices. My last job prior to law school was as a case manager and interim Executive Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters. My work with children inspired me to attend law school in Southwest Virginia, and now I’m looking to put that educa-tion to work back home in Greene.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR ClERk? My past experi-ences perfectly blend the most important aspects of the Clerk of the Court’s Office: customer service and the law. I have worked for non-profit organizations, ChildHelp and Big Brothers Big Sisters, throughout my professional career. These organizations are centered around provid-ing the best possible service to those using them. The second half of my professional experiences deal with my legal education. Earning my J.D. in 2015 has exposed me not only to the court system, but also to processes like probate and

deed searches. Having an in-depth under-standing not only of the clerical steps involved in these processes, but also the laws that apply, will allow me to better assist the citizens of Greene County.

aS ClERk OF COURT yOU Will DEal WiTh CONFi-DENTial, SENSiTivE aND pUbliC iNFORMaTiON, hOW Will yOU ENSURE ThaT iNFORMaTiON RE-MaiNS pRivaTE aS lEaDER OF ThE OFFiCE? It is impor-tant to keep confidential in-formation that comes through the Clerk’s Office private not only because of laws that require confidentiality, but also because the Clerk and Deputy Clerks owe the citizens of Greene County respect in their private matters. Ensuring information remains private will stem from professional-ism and respect in the office. Keeping the office a profes-sional and respectful environ-ment will naturally lead to the confidential information remaining confidential.

WhaT DOES ThE OFFiCE OF ClERk OF COURT MEaN TO yOU? The Office of the Clerk of the Court is a friendly face and helping hand to be there for you in your best times (adopting a child, get-ting a marriage license, filing the deed for your new home) and your worst times (probat-ing a will, appealing a case, looking at court documenta-tion). The Clerk’s Office should greet you with a warm smile and welcoming environment to help you with all of your court needs. I also believe the Clerk’s Office should be available to you even when you’re not available to come to the office, that means making more services available online.

Doeppe

Steve KeeneFaMily: Fiancée Shan-

non Deavers; stepdaugh-ter Kayla Deavers; and grandson Chase Heint-ges.

EDUCaTiON: Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Graduate Certificate in Public Safety, Public Safety Institute Graduate, Supervi-sory Institute Graduate – from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs. Bachelor Degree in Police Administration/Soci-ology – from Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Justice & Safety. Three Associate Degrees – Education, Administration of Justice and General Studies.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR ClERk? I have a diversified history of experience, education and service as it relates to the criminal justice system, as pre-viously mentioned. My experi-ence and training as a mental health crisis counselor provided a perspective that is highly relevant in today’s demands to deal with these type offenders in a holistic way that prevents the “revolving door” of recidi-vism. Serving as a state trooper in Greene County for eight years created a foundation of law enforcement and the basic civil and criminal court processes. As a criminal justice planner I assisted many localities and had the pleasure of working directly with judges, prosecu-tors, defense attorneys, proba-tion officers, etc. on the Blue Ridge Community Criminal Justice Board, where we exam-ined complex issues involving court services and community corrections programs. I cur-rently am a sworn officer of the Virginia Circuit Court System where I routinely interact with

various courts in Virginia, collect evidence and provide sworn testimony at administrative, civil and criminal hearings. Most political candidates are not vetted or undergo any type of background checks, but I passed

state government background checks in 1994, 2003 and 2014 and federal security clearances in 2004 and 2008.

aS ClERk OF COURT yOU Will DEal WiTh CONFiDEN-Tial, SENSiTivE aND pUbliC iNFORMaTiON, hOW Will yOU ENSURE ThaT iNFOR-MaTiON REMaiNS pRivaTE aS lEaDER OF ThE OFFiCE? I have handled confidential, sen-sitive and public information for most of my criminal justice career. As mentioned, I suc-cessfully passed stringent state government background checks and federal security clearances. My current position with the Department of Health Profes-sions requires that I adhere to state and federal privacy laws associated with HIPAA protec-tions. As many know, medical records are considered to be more confidential and sensitive than criminal records and those that are often considered to be public record. Unlike breaches of sensitive information that have been taken lightly in the past, I will hold our court staff accountable for any miscon-duct.

WhaT DOES ThE OFFiCE OF ClERk OF COURT MEaN TO yOU? The Circuit Court Clerk is an elected constitution-al officer directly accountable to the citizens, and provides a vast array of valuable services. Clerks should be active com-munity leaders, volunteers and members of civic organizations. It is critical that Clerks collabo-rate with other criminal justice stakeholders.

Keene

Amber KnightFaMily: I am the daughter

of Aubrey and Teresa Knight, and I have two children: Bry-ant (19) and Alden (16).

EDUCaTiON: I graduated from United Christian Acad-emy in Stanardsville in 1998.

pROFESSiONal ExpERi-ENCE: Presently, I am the clerk of the Greene County General District and Juvenile & Do-mestic Relations courts. From 2005-19 I served as the deputy clerk of the Greene County General District and Juvenile & Domestic Relations courts. Prior to that from 1998-2005, I worked as a clerk at the Jeffer-son-Madison Regional Library.

iF ElECTED WhaT WOUlD bE yOUR FOCUS? The Greene County Circuit Court is fre-quently visited by the citizens of the county. My focus is to ensure that each and every and every citizen has a pleas-ant experience when they visit the circuit court of their county. Whether it is needing advice on filing paperwork, understanding circuit court process and procedure, find-ing information in case files, looking at wills and deeds or being the victim in a crime, my primary focus will be to ensure that citizens receive courteous, friendly and help-ful service from staff at all times.

WhaT aRE ThREE iS-SUES FaCiNg ThE CiRCUiT COURT OFFiCE OR COURT aND hOW WOUlD yOU aDDRESS ThEM? There are many plans I have that will increase the efficiency and effectiveness of Circuit Court services and procedures, but here are three of the top issues I plan to address:

1. The staff of the Cir-cuit Court Clerk’s Office are

overworked and underpaid. Having worked as a clerk in a court setting for 14 years I un-derstand how much work truly is put into the job every day. I plan to ensure that the staff needs are met while work-ing with the locality and state to raise the salaries of these employees.

2. The current set up of files and case information can be difficult to easily access. I plan to rearrange and renovate the current set-up to make certain that staff, citizens and judicial officers have quick and easy access to file and case infor-mation while actively main-taining confidentiality where it is warranted.

3. There is a significant need for collaboration among judicial partners, officers and activist programs within the county. I plan to create a judicial collaborative commit-tee that will meet quarterly to safeguard that all procedural, security and administrative needs are being met for the circuit court and its partners.

Why ShOUlD SOMEONE vOTE FOR yOU? As a native of Greene County, I have had the distinct honor to serve in a court clerk position for over 14 years. My experience provides me with qualifications that stand out including an expert knowledge of judicial system software and filing proce-dures, the ability to proficient-ly guide and direct citizens in the judicial process, the skill of supervising and training staff, and already having a working relationship with all judicial partners and allies of the com-munity. I am confident that I am the right choice for the citizens of Greene County, and I hope to be elected as their Clerk of Court.

www.greene-news.comGREENE COUNTY RECORDB2 u THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

Paid for and Authorized byConsolvo for Greene C.A.

VOTENOV 5TH

VoteConsolvo.com

“I have seenWinConsolvo in thecourtroom andhe is the type ofprosecutor that weneed to help convictthe criminals thatmy o�ce arrests. Iask you to join mein supporting himon November 5th.”

- Sheri� SteveSmith

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COMMONWEALTH’S ATTORNEY CANDIDATESEdwin “Win” R. Consolvo

EDUCaTiON: University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law – 2003.

Virginia Military Institute – 1995.

Nansemond River High School (Suffolk, Virginia) – 1991.

pROFESSiONal ExpERi-ENCE: 2017–Present Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for Louisa, Virginia.

2012-17–Chief Magistrate for Ac-comack, Northampton, Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia.

2009-12–Chief Magistrate for Nor-folk, Virginia.

2003-09–Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney for Norfolk, Virginia

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaN-DiDaTE FOR COMMONWEalTh’S aT-TORNEy? In my personal life I expe-rienced the loss of my dad to a brutal murder when I was 14 years old. Five years later my grandfather, who took us in after my dad’s death, was struck and killed by a car as he crossed the street near our home. These losses shape my work with victims and fami-lies of victims. Victims’ concerns must be heard and their desires taken into account. I work hard to ensure that victims and witnesses are informed of the status of their cases, understand the process, and know what to expect in court. While not every case will re-sult in an outcome that is desired, my promise is that each victim will leave knowing that they are important and are taken seriously.

Professionally, I have spent my entire adult life working in the crimi-nal justice field. For 16 years, I have been a Virginia prosecutor or Chief Magistrate. As a prosecutor, I have successfully handled thousands of cases. These have included murderers, rapists, child predators, gang violence, and other violent felons.

I understand the time and effort that is needed to ensure that these criminals are successfully prosecuted. I also understand the importance of being available to all Greene County residents who call or stop by the office to seek help from the prosecutor they

have elected.

aRE yOU USiNg ThiS OF-FiCE aS a STEppiNg STONE TO highER pOliTiCal OF-FiCE? No. Prosecuting crimes and obtaining justice is my pas-sion - not politics. My promise to you is that I will remain your prosecutor for as long as you will

have me.

hOW MaNy CaSES havE yOU (aS lEaD pROSECUTOR) TakEN TO jURy? Over the course of my career I have tried dozens of jury trials as the lead (and usually sole) prosecutor. I have obtained many major convic-tions against murderers, child preda-tors, rapists, gang members, robbers, thieves, and drug dealers. I obtained my first jury trial conviction within my first year of practice and within my second year obtained more jury trial convictions – one of which got a violent robber off the streets. In 2018, I obtained a jury verdict of Life and a $250,000 fine against a repeat offender drug dealer who was making large amounts of money on other people’s misery and addictions.

DO yOU FEEl yOU CaN pUT aSiDE pERSONal RElaTiONShipS WiTh OThER CONSTiTUTiONal OFFiCERS (iF NECESSaRy) TO DO ThE jOb yOU WERE ElECTED?

The criminal justice system must be above reproach. It is paramount that the public perception of the Com-monwealth’s Attorney is that he or she is fair and just. This is necessary to ensure the public’s confidence in the integrity of the system.

In situations where perception may cause loss in the public’s confidence, the Commonwealth’s Attorney must recuse themselves and have another prosecutor’s office handle the mat-ter. This is true in regards to all close personal relationships whether it is a family member, sibling of a significant other, or close friend, regardless of the defendant’s position, or lack thereof, in local government. In this way the Commonwealth’s Attorney avoids both actual impropriety and the ap-pearance of impropriety.

Consolvo

Matthew D. HardinEDUCaTiON: Juris Doctor,

Magna Cum Laude, Appalachian School of Law (Grundy, Va.); Bachelor of Arts, Transylvania University (Lexington, Ky.).

pROFESSiONal ExpERiENCE: I’ve been privileged to serve for almost two years now as Greene County Commonwealth’s Attorney. Prior to that, I was in private practice for three years.

COMMUNiTy SERviCE/aCTiviTiES: I’ve been a consistent volunteer for the Greene County Republican Commit-tee and serve on the boards of various nonprofit groups. I was blessed this year with the opportunity to raise funds for both Locks of Love and the Children’s Miracle Network.

Why/hOW DiD yOU COME TO gREENE COUNTy? I fell in love with a young lady from Greene County back in 2013 and that made it a fairly easy decision to come to Greene County and make it my home after. I graduated law school in 2014.

iF ElECTED WhaT WOUlD bE yOUR FOCUS? I plan to continue the strong work we’ve done over the past two years. When I ran last time, I prom-ised to focus on combating the opioid epidemic, protecting children from sexual predators and cut the office’s bal-looning budget. We have now a part-nership between the Greene County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and The Bridge Ministry that allows Greene County citizens to receive inpatient drug treatment at no cost to the tax-payer, and I hope to have news later this summer about the possibility of implementing a full drug court docket in Greene County. We obtained one of the longest sentences in Virginia history in a child pornography case (291 years). Lastly, we managed to cut the local portion of the office’s budget by about 17% in 2018-19. I plan to keep crack-ing down on crimes that endanger our children and most vulnerable, and keep exploring every available treatment op-tion for nonviolent drug offenders.

WhaT aRE ThREE CRiTiCal iS-SUES FaCiNg ThE gREENE COUNTy COMMONWEalTh’S aTTORNEy’S OFFiCE? Greene County has one of the few remaining commonwealth’s attor-

ney’s offices in the state with no security. In the past, plans were drawn up to create a secure en-trance similar to that which exists at the sheriff’s office, but those plans were never implemented. Because of the violent criminals our office interacts with and the threats we receive, I believe it is

time to take another hard look at what sort of security measures can be put in place that will maximize public access to the office while still keeping employ-ees and the citizens we serve safe.

The Greene County Circuit Court building is also increasingly falling into disrepair. Citizens who visit our court-room will notice paint peeling off the walls and an HVAC system that is some-times so loud that litigants struggle to make themselves heard. It’s a beautiful, historic building and Greene County’s citizens are rightfully proud of its his-tory. The next commonwealth’s attorney will have to work with the incoming circuit court clerk and with the board of supervisors to address critical repairs.

Another opportunity for the com-monwealth’s attorney to work with other local government entities exists as we move to expand access to drug treatment in our community. The costs of addiction are high for families and for the addicts whose lives are destroyed by drugs, but the costs are also high for the taxpayers who must pay to incarcerate those who could otherwise be produc-tive, taxpaying citizens. Funding further drug treatment options for Greene County citizens will likely have a net positive fiscal impact (reducing costs for our jail and our social services depart-ment) but will require county officials to work together. None of us can solve the drug problem alone, we all must do our part.

Why ShOUlD SOMEONE vOTE FOR yOU? My first term was two years instead of the usual four because I took over after the resignation of Ron Morris in 2017. Even with my shortened term, I’ve managed to cut the budget, im-prove drug treatment options and take on some very series crimes involving minors. I want another four years to fin-ish my work improving drug treatment options and to continue to hold local government accountable. I hope the citizens will agree.

Hardin

www.greene-news.com GREENE COUNTY RECORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 u B3

So much good has been done during these last four years that I have servedyou on the Board of Supervisors.

The school facility project, the Stanardsville Farmer’s market and Pavilion have allbeen completed.

Our future drinking water needs are being protected with the acquisition ofproperty needed for the reservoir.

The budget process is now more transparent and complete information isprovided to the public so that citizens can make informed decisions.

Board meetings are now streamed live over the internet and they are recorded toensure promises made are promises kept.

The public comment portion of monthly board meetings is now at the beginning ofeach meeting which has led to a large increase in public participation. We havebegun setting up regular Town Hall meetings to listen to our citizens in an informalneighborly setting.

To make sure everyone’s voice is heard, and all questions answered, we havehad many single-topic public meetings on the most important issues includingthe water project, specialized tax districts, and broadband internet access foreveryone.

The results of these meetings are quickly reported on a new, user-friendly Countywebsite. The results have been outstanding.

We have the lowest per capita spending of any county government in our region.

We soon hope to have hundreds of new broadband connections funded byoutside resources (my pet project).

Our children and citizens have safe places to play and enjoy each other’scompany at new facilities in Stanardsville. One only needs to take a quick drivethrough town to see how far we have come.

My family is generations deep in Greene County. The new memorial honoringthose of us who were displaced from our mountain homes and help to build ourcommunity was long overdue. But it is here now, and it makes me proud.

It has been my honor to represent this entire County and I am delighted to beavailable to discuss ways to make our home better. I have represented GreeneCounty interests on many local and regional boards and always worked toimprove the lives of my neighbors.

I prefer to build bridges for the betterment of our community versus burningbridges for glory or short-term satisfaction. I prefer to work with others to make allour lives better. I kept my promises from the last election.

Some individuals say that this type of public service is a way of the past, feelingthat division, name-calling, and poor behavior is the new normal for those inpublic office. Maybe that is true, but it’s not what I believe nor how I have served.

I humbly ask for the honor of serving you for another four years.

Respectfully,

Dale Herring

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Paid for and authorized by Friends of Dale Herring 2019.

GREENE COUNTY SHERIFF CANDIDATESSteve Smith

EDUCaTiON: Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) Law Enforcement Academy Graduate; Line of duty death benefits; Lawful employment practices for law enforcement; VSI Executive management training; Social Media and Investigations; Alzheimers Disease Training; Domestic Terrorism and Hate Groups; VDEM public response to terrorism aware-ness; Leadership under fire Executive Management Class; Glock Armorers School; Basic Courtroom security and civil process; Advanced civil process; Lawful Practices for law enforcement per-sonnel; Street Crimes Gangs and Drugs; Flying while armed; Sexual and Domestic Violence Training; Understanding the Constitution; Certified Virginia Law Enforcement Officer; Certified Law Enforcement Instructor; Terrorism and Counterterrorism Tactics; Drug Recognition and Interdiction School; Project Lifesaver Coordinator and Instructor; Gang Education, Awareness and Intervention; Identity Theft; Certified Firearms Instructor; Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE); Advanced Search and Rescue; Speed Enforcement Methods; Sex Crimes; Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) and Photography; Evidence Technician School; Interview and Interrogation Techniques; Search/Seizure and the Fourth Amendment; First Aid, CPR, and AED Certified; Prisoner Transport and Inmate Control; Certified Courtroom and Civil Process Officer; Nonlethal Force Techniques; Advanced Civil Process and Courtroom Security; Racial Profiling Awareness; Suicide Recognition and Prevention; Cultural Diversity; Alzheimer Awareness; Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Drug Offender Issues; Crisis Prevention, Intervention and Management; National Sheriff’s Institute – Leadership Program.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR ShERiFF? Having worked in this profession for 321/2 years, and being sheriff the last eight, I have performed every aspect of this job. You simply can’t replace experience and knowledge. The deep-rooted love that I have for Greene County and being a resident myself, have shown over the past eight years that I have the citizens’ best inter-est at heart. I have proven over the past eight years that I am the best man for this job.

WOUlD yOU UTilizE ThE viRgiNia STaTE pOliCE FOR iNvESTi-gaTiONS, iNClUDiNg MURDER? We have had one homicide in eight years (and that is too many) We did utilize the Virginia State Police, along with several

other agencies. Each case is dif-ferent if we need resources from other agencies we use them. We will always seek that assistance if we need to.

iN ThE CURRENT TighT bUDgET ENviRONMENT iN gREENE COUNTy iT’S likEly NOT MaNy NEW OFFiCERS/STaFF Will bE allOCaTED TO ThE OFFiCE FOR a NUMbER OF yEaRS. DO yOU havE a plaN TO REORgaNizE ThE DEpaRT-MENT TO MakE iT MORE EF-FiCiENT? Our office is running efficiently now. Yes, we could use more deputies, but we do have the auxiliary program and volun-teers that help out.

DO yOU bEliEvE ThE E911 CENTER iS bEiNg OpERaTED EFFECTivEly aND WiThiN NOT ONly OUTSiDE bUT yOUR OFFiCE REgUlaTiONS? aRE ThERE plaNS TO aDjUST? The E911 center has always been and always will be fully staffed with well qualified, professional and dedicated staff. These folks go thru a lot of training and have to continue to be recertified to maintain their positions. You can rest assured Greene County is fully covered with professionals in the E911 center. There are no plans to adjust the way we have been operating however we are in the process of preparing for the implementation and installment of next generation 911. We are installing mobile computers in all fire and rescue vehicles to help enhance service , we have pur-chased and are working with the vendor to install a new updated emergency dispatching program which will enable us to get help to citizens faster and more ef-ficiently.

Smith

Spurgeon William “Billy” Wade, III

EDUCaTiON: Graduated from William Monroe High School in 1995. Attended Piedmont Virginia Community with a focus on Police Science.

pROFESSiONal ExpERi-ENCE: I have 20 years of ex-perience in law enforcement consisting of 3 years with the Virginia Department of Cor-rections, 13 years with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office and 6 years with the Albemarle County Police Department.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR ShER-iFF? I’ve spent over 20 years in law enforcement and have gained much experience dur-ing that time. I was previously a deputy and supervisor at the Greene County Sheriff’s Of-fice. I have gained additional experience during my time with the Albemarle County Police Department and would like to bring this experience back to Greene County. I’m running for Sheriff because I want to make a positive difference where I live. Greene County is my home and I want to make Greene County the safest place possible for my children, and yours. I’m run-ning because I know so many of you share these same views and want honesty, fairness and moral values in our county.

WOUlD yOU UTilizE ThE viRgiNia STaTE pOliCE FOR iNvESTigaTiONS, iNClUD-iNg MURDER? Yes, I will abso-lutely include the Virginia State Police. They are very capable, with equipment and experience we don’t have. We will involve them whenever we feel they can bring value to our investi-gations. That will most certain-ly include violent crimes. I’ll ask for and take help wherever and whenever it will help the citizens of Greene.

iN ThE CURRENT TighT bUDgET ENvi-RONMENT iN gREENE COUNTy iT’S likEly NOT MaNy NEW OF-FiCERS/STaFF Will bE allOCaTED TO ThE OFFiCE FOR a NUMbER OF yEaRS. DO yOU havE

a plaN TO REORgaNizE ThE DEpaRTMENT TO MakE iT MORE EFFiCiENT? Upon being elected as sheriff, I will evaluate the budget as well as all cur-rent staff and positions to be sure of efficiency. A part of that efficiency is maintaining a good working relationship with all other county departments. I will repair these relationships to in-clude the Board of Supervisors. I plan to expand our volunteer organizations such as CERT and the auxiliary deputy program. This will allow more time for paid staff to handle higher pri-ority issues. I’ll make sure all the resources we have are focused on being out in the community, not sitting at the Sheriff’s Office behind closed doors.

DO yOU bEliEvE ThE E911 CENTER iS bEiNg OpER-aTED EFFECTivEly aND WiThiN NOT ONly OUTSiDE bUT yOUR OFFiCE REgUla-TiONS? aRE ThERE plaNS TO aDjUST? Questions have been raised as to whether E911 should remain under the Sheriff’s Office or Emergency Services. There have also been concerns about E911 being located inside the same building as the Sheriff’s Office. As sheriff, I will work with the Board of Supervisors to determine the best outcome for the future of E911 and what will best serve the citizens of Greene. E911 is the lifeline for our citizens and should be operated to the best of our ability. If E911 remains under the sheriff’s command, I will make sure all staff has been properly trained per depart-ment policy.

Wade

Kenneth R. Collier Sr.

pRO-FES-SiONal ExpERi-ENCE: Citizen advo-cate on issues he is concerned about, including protecting children from preda-tors, citizen safety from police harass-ment and police transparency.

iF ElECTED WhaT WOUlD bE yOUR FOCUS? My focus is going to be on helping every citizen in this county.

Why ShOUlD SOMEONE vOTE FOR yOU? I feel I have more experi-ence as an investiga-tor than the others. They don’t have a citizen investigator in this area that is as good as I am. I don’t have any agenda other than trying to be sheriff to the best of my ability.

iS gREENE COUNTy SaFE? No. Documentation of why can be found in lawsuits filed by me at the Clerk of Circuit Court office.

WhaT iS ThE MOST CRiTiCal iSSUE FaCiNg ThE gREENE COUNTy ShERiFF’S OF-FiCE? I think the most critical issue is protecting children from predators.

Collier

www.greene-news.com GREENE COUNTY RECORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 u B5www.greene-news.comGREENE COUNTY RECORDB4 u THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

Elizabeth will:Protect the coverage of pre-existing conditions in health insurance policiesRaise teacher salaries to the national average, provide more support staff,and more counseling services in our schoolsBring high speed internet to all areas of the 58th DistrictAdvance a clean energy economy to bring quality jobs to our districtand protect our land

VOTE NOVEMBER 5www.alcornfor58th.com

twitter.com/VoteAlcorn facebook.com/VoteAlcorn

Your vote is your voice.

Paid for and authorized by Alcorn for 58th

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT-LARGE CANDIDATESDale R. Herring

EDUCaTiON: Engineering Degree – University of Virginia.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR bOaRD OF SUpERviSORS aT-laRgE SEaT? Throughout my career, I have worked in the private industry, for non-profits and local gov-ernment. I have managed a variety of projects that range from simple data-bases to the installation of a statewide network. I have negotiated contracts dealing with communication, net-working and support services. I have managed departments, taught in com-munity college and acted as a consul-tant. This experience combined with my engineering background has taught me that you need to be objective when making decisions. This is especially true when the decisions made impact the lives of those you represent.

Over the past four years as supervi-sor, I have demonstrated that I am an individual that works to find a solu-tion, does the research and invests the time needed to ensure each vote I cast is based on the best available information. When researching an upcoming vote, I will often reach out to the citizens of Greene, other locali-ties, regional organizations, as well as state agencies and officials. I never lose touch of the impact my decisions may have on my neighbors, my friends or my family. I have always explained my reasoning, listened to the commu-nity and never criticized other board members. I have demonstrated that I respect others, listen to all comments, and reevaluate each decision.

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RURal COUNTiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE COUNTy. DOES ThiS SURpRiSE yOU? WhaT DO yOU ThiNk ThOSE OFFiCialS aRE DOiNg ThaT yOU aRE NOT ThaT COUlD lOWER OUR TaxES OR aRE WE DOiNg ThE RighT ThiNg iN yOUR OpiNiON—aND Why? No, this is not a surprise. Greene County has begun the process of investing in facilities and infrastructure that will

help guarantee our future. This investment helps to promote growth which in time, decreases certain taxes needed to pay for services such as public safety and schools. Our own history has shown that after an invest-ment in infrastructure, busi-nesses within Greene County grew dramatically leading to a

considerable reduction in the overall real estate tax rate. In fact, the real estate tax rate dropped from 0.84 to 0.72 within one calendar year. In order to better manage existing resources and plan for future expenses, the board made several changes to the budget-ary process. These changes included: improved financial reporting with quarterly presentations; using the reserve fund for one-time cost items only; the creation of a Capital Improve-ment Plan; working with departments to create a zero-based budget; and the creation of a facility assessment.

These changes will help future boards make a more informed decision during the budgetary process.

NEaRly all OF ThE COUNTy iS WiThOUT bROaDbaND iNTERNET, WhaT iS yOUR plaN TO Fix ThiS? Since being elected as the At-Large Supervisor for Greene, I have worked to improve broadband access for the residents of our community. It is my belief that technology, and access to technology, will help our county maintain its rural heritage while still allowing for potential growth. I also believe that a locality should not become a provider but instead should work to ensure that internet service providers, utility companies, regula-tors and other interested parties are communicating with one another.

One of the first steps was to create a broadband committee made up of all levels of local government. As a result of the efforts, broadband is now listed in the Board of Supervisors’ strategic plan, as well as the comprehensive plan. Greene County recently sub-mitted a grant and if awarded, will provide internet access well above the 25MBs target for approximately 2% of our population currently defined as being unserved. This is only the beginning.

Herring

James K. Murphy Jr.FaMily: Brittney (my beautiful

and loving wife) and Nathaniel (our funny and caring son, who is in 1st grade at RES.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR bOaRD OF SUpERviSORS aT-laRgE SEaT? I have dedicated my life in service to my Savior, my family, my country, and my community. I am proud to be run-ning as an unashamed constitutional conservative and would be honored for your vote. My current and past work and community service coupled with a diverse education is a combination which is ideal to help usher in the type of new ideas and solutions we need for the problems our county faces.

I wholeheartedly believe in true con-servative principles such as limited gov-ernment, fiscal prudence and honest leadership. Principles like transparency, accountability and integrity should be the guidepost of all elected leaders and it’s time we introduce those principles back to our county government. It’s time for fresh leadership and direction on our Board of Supervisors.

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RURal COUNTiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE COUNTy. DOES ThiS SURpRiSE yOU? WhaT DO yOU ThiNk ThOSE OFFiCialS aRE DOiNg ThaT yOU aRE NOT ThaT COUlD lOWER OUR TaxES OR aRE WE DOiNg ThE RighT ThiNg iN yOUR OpiNiON—aND Why? The only thing that surprises me is why our elected leaders are not following the type of leadership found in these counties. Of course, government is not perfect, it never will be. However, our neighbors have strived to focus their efforts on pri-oritizing the needs of their county over expensive wants. When fiscal prudence and responsibility is applied to the bud-get of a rural county such as ours, we can lower both real estate and property taxes (both which we are on the highest side in the region) while maintaining a functional and healthy county.

Why should the focus be on NEEDS and not WANTS? Because that is the

primary role of government and our Founding Fathers wisely de-signed our system of government this way. When elected officials disregard these good government conservative principles, we are led down a dangerous road.

Our budgetary priorities should include resources for:

safe and effective law enforcement and emergency services; safe and effective K-12 education; safe and reliable water, sewer and stormwater management; and safe, clean, and sound county buildings.

NEaRly all OF ThE COUNTy iS WiThOUT bROaDbaND iNTERNET, WhaT iS yOUR plaN TO Fix ThiS? Broadband internet is an essential need in today’s society. Almost everyone uses the internet on a daily basis and it has become a requirement for business, education, and even medicine, among other things. Something has to be done to provide this service to our rural com-munity. However, I do not believe it is government’s role to get into the busi-ness of being an Internet Service Pro-vider. With that being said, I do believe government can and should spearhead incentives, such as tax breaks and the continuous seeking of specialized grants, to bring private industry to our county in order to provide this service.

Just like water, electric, and phone services, the broadband internet industry is an oligopoly and requires a substantial cost to set up infrastructure. This is where government can help! Cutting those burdensome costs down will help entice private companies to enter our market. We have seen this already done across the country and even in our own neighborhood. Rap-pahannock Electric Co-op is already running trials and tests by installing fiber optic lines right along their electric lines going to homes and businesses to provide internet service to communi-ties close by. This is one of many ways we can work with private industry to connect our whole county to the world at broadband speeds. Additionally, counties surrounding Greene have received multiple grants and worked with internet service providers to bring broadband for their citizens. Our Board of Supervisors hasn’t even moved at the speed of dial-up to bring broadband.

Murphy

www.greene-news.com GREENE COUNTY RECORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 u B5www.greene-news.comGREENE COUNTY RECORDB4 u THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

RUCKERSVILLE SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES

MONROE SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES

58TH DISTRICT DELEGATE

Tom FlynnEDUCaTiON: BS Business

Management.WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST

CaNDiDaTE FOR RUCkERS-villE DiSTRiCT SUpERviSOR SEaT? I have spent my career in sales and marketing, always try-ing to increase business revenue for my employer or my own business. With this business insight, I will be best able to foster a business friendly envi-ronment trough review of our tax code and regulations that impact businesses. It has been said that Greene County does not have a housing problem, it has a business problem ... as a person who has worked in the private sector I will be best suited to understand the needs and motivations of businesses..

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RURal COUNTiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE COUNTy. DOES ThiS SURpRiSE yOU? WhaT DO yOU ThiNk ThOSE OFFiCialS aRE DOiNg ThaT yOU aRE NOT ThaT COUlD lOWER OUR TaxES OR aRE WE DOiNg ThE RighT ThiNg iN yOUR OpiNiON—aND Why? It is certainly concerning that other localities are able to run their county with lower tax rates and yet have higher per capita tax receipts. Lacking any logical explana-

tion, I would suggest that Greene County to audit the county’s taxa-tion processes to ensure equitable taxation of all its citizens.

WhaT iS yOUR plaN OR viSiON TO bRiNg NEW bUSi-NESSES TO gREENE TO iN-CREaSE ThE Tax baSE? I believe that our taxes on business are too

high. At $5.00/$100 of assessed value, our tax rate on businesses (personal property tax rate) is the highest in the area. In fact, our rate is 18% higher than Albemarle County and significantly higher compared to our other neigh-bors. In order to be competitive with surrounding counties, we must lower our personal property tax rate to at-tract businesses to Greene County thus broadening our tax base and increasing available employment opportunities for our residents. By actively marketing Greene County’s competitive tax rate, friendly regulatory environment, plenti-ful work force, cost of living, excellent schools and natural beauty we will be able to lure employers to Greene.

hOW DO yOU ThiNk ThE COUNTy ShOUlD pREpaRE FOR ThE UpCOM-iNg 2020 CENSUS? 2020 will be the first year that the census can be filled out online. I would like to see a dedi-cated computer kiosk with exclusive access to the census website available at the county office building for Greene County residents who lack high speed internet access.

Flynn

Davis LambEDUCaTiON: Graduated from

William Monroe High School, attended Piedmont Virginia Community College.

FaMily: Married for 35 years to Beverly Lamb, have 3 children and five grandchildren.

COMMUNiTy SERviCE: Ruritan Associate Member, Active Member of Stanardsville United Methodist, Mem-ber of Greene County Singers.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR RUCkERSvillE DiSTRiCT SUpERviSOR SEaT? I’ve had six years of experience on the Planning Commission and four years on the Board of Supervisors. I cur-rently serve on the Greene County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and have had the opportunity to speak and work with our state and federal legislators and agencies. From these relationships I am able to bring atten-tion to our local issues and concerns. When I was on the Board previously I was available to anyone who had a concern and if elected again I will continue to listen to citizens’ con-cerns.

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RURal COUN-TiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE

COUNTy. DOES ThiS SUR-pRiSE yOU? WhaT DO yOU ThiNk ThOSE OFFiCialS aRE DOiNg ThaT yOU aRE NOT ThaT COUlD lOWER OUR TaxES OR aRE WE DOiNg ThE RighT ThiNg iN yOUR OpiN-iON—aND Why? No, it doesn’t surprise me. Louisa, Madison

and Orange have long standing indus-tries that contribute to their tax base. Greene needs to attract more industry to ease the tax burden on the citizens.

WhaT iS yOUR plaN OR viSiON TO bRiNg NEW bUSiNESSES TO gREENE TO iNCREaSE ThE Tax baSE? We need to work with the EDA, the Planning Department and citizens to create ideas for incentives for busi-nesses to come to Greene. We need to be pro-active in searching out new opportunities.

NEaRly all OF ThE COUNTy iS WiThOUT bROaDbaND iNTERNET, WhaT iS yOUR plaN TO Fix ThiS? According to BroadbandNow.com Ruckersville has 96.9% broadband coverage and Stanardsville has 73.9% coverage. We need to assess what the cost is to increase coverage and then search for grants or outside funding available before using county funds. With limited resources we need to pri-oritize projects and determine what is more beneficial to spend taxpayer dollars on.

Lamb

David CoxpROFESSiONal ExpERi-

ENCE: Served on the Board of Supervisors, Monroe District, for eight years. Dairy farmer for 35 years. VDOT employee.

iF ElECTED WhaT WOUlD bE yOUR FOCUS? My focus is looking out for the best interest of the Monroe District and the county of Greene as a whole. I have always stood my own ground on my votes and will continue to vote my conscious.

WhaT iS ThE biggEST Chal-lENgE gREENE COUNTy iS FaCiNg aND hOW WOUlD yOU aDDRESS iT? Two major issues are emergency services needs and a balanced budget so we can operate as a county that is affordable to the citizens of Greene. Monroe District being mostly rural it depends on our emergency services such as fire and rescue and law en-forcement. Broadband is also essen-tial for the underserved and unserved residents of Greene County.

DO yOU bEliEvE gREENE COUN-Ty’S ECONOMiC plaN iS WORk-iNg? Why? In the past three years there have been major changes in the way the budget is developed. The fis-cal year 2019-20 budget process was a balanced budget send to the Board of Supervisors by the interim County Administrator. The Board of Super-visors went through it and better

adjusted it to serve the citizens of Greene County. With the new County Administrator on board, allocations to different depart-ments are set up on six-month allocations instead of all at once on July 1.

Why ShOUlD SOMEONE vOTE FOR yOU? I have always

been able to be reached by phone or email, stand strong in my ability to be ethical and honest at all times. I am available to meet with not only the citizens of the Monroe District but also the entire Greene County community, day or night. To reach Cox, email dcox@gcva.us or call (434) 960-3653.

WhaT iS yOUR STaNCE ON ThE gREENE COUNTy WaTER TREaT-MENT aND RESERvOiR pROjECT (FORMERly CallED WhiTE RUN RESERvOiR? Why? It is part of the long-range goals and comprehensive plan for the county to better serve the citizens of Greene. It should help draw more businesses to Greene that will offset the tax burden on the citizens of Greene County.

iN yOUR OpiNiON DOES ThE COUNTy FUND paRkS & REC-REaTiON DEpaRTMENT WEll ENOUgh? Why? Our Parks & Recre-ation department is being funded cor-rectly until the reservoir is complete. There are possibilities of recreation opportunities at the reservoir.

Cox

Stephen C. BowmanFaMily: Barbara Bowman (wife

of over 50 years); two children and five grandchildren .

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR MONROE DiSTRiCT SUpERviSOR SEaT? With over 50 years in public safety positions, I am the right person for the position. Monroe District residents are at risk with a lack of a comprehensive and coordinated strategy for public safety. Rather than a patchwork ap-proach to solving the problems agen-cies are experiencing and just spending more and more money, there needs to be a coordinated and integrated plan to upgrade all the public safety services. The focus needs to be on performance measures, best practices from simi-lar-sized counties, citizen feedback, compliance with national and state standards and quality metrics.

The Board of Supervisors are re-sponsible for developing public policy that insures the public safety of county residents – now and for the years ahead. With over 50 years of public safety ser-vice, from field operations to admin-istering a large county Public Safety Department, I have gained invaluable experience in planning, budgeting, supervising, and the delivery of a wide range of quality services. I will provide honest, dedicated and common-sense stewardship of the public funds en-

trusted to the county. My exten-sive professional experience has taught me that true leadership is strategically thoughtful, tacti-cally skilled, humble in approach, committed to excellence, and passionate about doing the right thing.

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RU-Ral COUNTiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE COUNTy. DOES ThiS SURpRiSE yOU? No this does not surprise me. It is indicative of the style of oversight I observe on the current Board of Supervisors. The style is one of an “observer” culture, rather than the “manager” and “leader” culture I will bring to the Board. To be success-ful, like our neighboring counties, and properly serve the citizens of Greene County, I will manage and lead.

aDDiTiONal iNFORMaTiON? When elected, I will focus on quality govern-ment by listening to the concerns of my constituents in the Monroe District and taking accountability for my actions. The development of good public policy is predicated on at least three main components: listening to informed in-put from citizens; utilizing current data, metrics and “best practices” on issues under consideration; and using targeted analytics.

Bowman

Dr. Elizabeth AlcornEDUCaTiON: UVA-Bachelor

of Arts; Medical College of VA-Doctor of Dental Surgery.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR 58Th DiS-TRiCT DElEgaTE? I have 30 years experience running small businesses with up to 20 employ-ees, decades of health care manage-ment and policy experience in Central and Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, a parent of two daughters who excelled in public schools despite one who was learning disabled and required years of special services, decades of com-munity volunteer work working with individuals and families struggling to get basic medical and dental care, a care and commitment to public service and finding solutions to the problems that families and voters face on a daily basis that is rooted in my faith. As a Christian, my focus is on treating ALL with equal-ity, care, and opportunity. My focus is on the problems faced by our local district and not making higher profits for political donors and giving our tax dollars to multinational corporations in Northern Virginia.

viRgiNia MUST havE a balaNCED bUDgET EvERy TWO yEaRS bUT DO yOU FEEl MONEy iS aDEqUaTEly DiSTRibUTED TO ThE iSSUES yOU FEEl aRE MOST iMpORTaNT? iN a pERFECT WORlD, hOW Will ThEy

bE FUNDED? Current elected officials are focusing more on profits of corporations at the expense of the needs of our community. Government is responsible for sustaining and growing a civil society where all members of society have an op-portunity to thrive and partici-pate to the best of their abilities.

Families that work but can’t afford basic health care and housing, state cuts to public education, failure to find solutions to chronic unemploy-ment and lack of care for the disabled and mentally ill, and failure to grow and support the services necessary for workers and their families to thrive such as paid family and medical leave, childcare, preschool, and basic health care destabilizes our society leading to increases in mental health problems in children and adults, at risk adoles-cents, drug and alcohol abuse, family instability, and increases in crime and incarceration.

Funding priorities for me would be health care, public education, trans-portation and infrastructure including internet and cell service expansion. Extra funding can be achieved by eliminating tax credits and loopholes, requiring multi-state businesses to pay tax on profits earned in Virginia and not pick which state to pay taxes to, decriminalizing and legalizing marijuana for regulated adult use.

Alcorn

Robert BellEDUCaTiON: B.A. from

University of Virginia (1988); J.D. from University of Virginia (1995).

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR 58Th DiS-TRiCT DElEgaTE? As a prosecu-tor, I learned about the impact that crime has and the need to make the system work better for crime victims. As a father of two kids, I appreciate the challenges for our schools in giving every child a chance to be successful..

viRgiNia MUST havE a bal-aNCED bUDgET EvERy TWO yEaRS bUT DO yOU FEEl MONEy iS aD-EqUaTEly DiSTRibUTED TO ThE iSSUES yOU FEEl aRE MOST iM-pORTaNT? iN a pERFECT WORlD, hOW Will ThEy bE FUNDED? There is always competition among regions for funding. Some state money flows directly to state programs, but other funding is distributed to Counties and regions based on formulas. For example, state road funds looks at vehicle travel; school money includes criteria for each locality’s “Ability to Pay.” Greene is, obviously, not as big as a county like Chesterfield, and the roads do not have as many cars as some roads those in Northern Virginia. It is very important to work with other smaller counties to ensure a seat at the table when spending decisions are

made.

hOW DO yOU ThiNk ThE COUNTy ShOUlD pREpaRE FOR ThE UpCOMiNg 2020 CENSUS? iS ThERE valUE TO ENSURiNg EvERyONE iS COUNTED? Census numbers greatly impact how Greene County is seen at the state and

federal level for the next decade. It is very important that everyone be counted.

a lOT OF ThiS DiSTRiCT iS WiThOUT bROaDbaND. hOW CaN ThE STaTE hElp SpEED ThiS pROCESS alONg? There are two issues to help areas that are relatively low population density like Greene County. First, getting the broadband closer makes it cheaper for home delivery. As the electric companies move toward a “smart grid,” we have passed legislation allowing them to add even more capacity, so that they can use this extra capacity for consumer broadband. Second, even if the nearest broadband is closer, it may not be economically viable for a provider to pay for the “last mile” to the consumer. For this, Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) funds are used to create a public-pri-vate partnership with localities. This has been successful locally in both Fluvanna and rural Albemarle Coun-ty, and I would hope can also help bring broadband to rural Greene.

Bell

www.greene-news.com GREENE COUNTY RECORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 u B7www.greene-news.comGREENE COUNTY RECORDB6 u THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

GREENE COUNTY SAMPLE BALLOTSMOnrOE disTriCT ruCkErsvillE disTriCT sTanardsvillE & Midway disTriCTs

O VATT P II A

FOR

SSUUPPEEERRVVVVIISSOOORRMurphyforGreene.com

MMUURRPPHHYYJames

434-481-4456James@MurphyforGreene.comFacebook: MurphyforGreeneVA

You Now Have: James Will:Real Estate Taxes Highest in 10 Years

Local Government Over-Regulation

Out of Control and Unnecessary Fees andExpenses

Wreckless Assertion of Authority andNeglection of Citizen Input

Lead to Prevent ANY Tax Increases

Act to Alleviate Regulatory Burden

Fight Rain/Storm Water Tax

Offer:- Transparency- NO Conflict of Interest (as a school employee,Dale Herring votes for his own salary and payraises with each yearly budget)- Round Table Discussions- Respectful Community Dialogue (introduceboard agenda amendment to welcomecomments from the public at the beginning andend of each meeting)- Quarterly Town Halls and Monthly Office Hours

PAID FOR BY MURPHY FOR GREENE

I am honored to know and endorse James Murphy for the BOS At-Large seat. As a former holder of this position, I have beenvery disappointed in many decisions of this BOS. I am confident that James' zeal and desire for Greene County will be anasset for our community.

I truly believe that James will be a strong fiscally conservative voice for local citizens. His service to our country is alreadyevident and I know and trust his service for Greene will be just as fervent. Please join me and vote on Tuesday, November 5thfor James Murphy for the At-Large seat on the Board of Supervisors! – Eddie Deane, former At-Large Supervisor

James will always vote on the side of liberty and limited government, and will hold elected officials and county staff to thehighest standards of professionalism and trust based on the principles of

transparency, accountability, and integrity.

PROUDLY ENDORSED AS "VERY PRO-GUN" BY THE VIRGINIA CITIZENS DEFENSE LEAGUE (VCDL)

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

www.greene-news.com GREENE COUNTY RECORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 u B7www.greene-news.comGREENE COUNTY RECORDB6 u THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

I ask for your vote on November 5th.434.566.8774 | SteveKeeneforClerk@gmail.com | SteveKeeneforClerk.com | Facebook.com/SteveKeeneforClerk

THIS IS A PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT

SteveKeenefor Clerk of Court

“I will obtain statecertification for your

Clerk’s Office”

“I’ve enjoyed meeting as many of you as possible

during my campaign and want to thank all citizens for

enduring and participating in the campaign process. I hope

you noticed our hard work, my positive message that has

focused on what I can bring to the Clerk’s Office, and my

proven track-record of experience, education and service. I

ask that you not vote based on promises, but on the history

of measurable accomplishments in all positions where I have

served. I think you agree that the best predictor of future

performance is past performance. I chose Greene County

to be my home after graduating the Virginia State Police

Academy in 1995 and have served state government and

our justice system throughout this time. The Commonwealth

of Virginia has trusted me in various sensitive positions for

over 26 years, so can the citizens of Greene County. I’m

now asking for your support on Nov. 5th to fill the vacancy of

Circuit Court Clerk.”

My Plan as Clerk:• Obtain State Certification for our Clerk’s Office through theVirginia Court Clerks Association (which will also capturecertification from the Virginia Compensation Board) – Ilaunched the accreditation process for the sheriff’s officein 2013, where you now have an accredited sheriff’s office inGreene County.

• Create Usable Online Sites for Citizens to Access Information

• Expand Database Services, Electronic Filing and RemoteAccess for Frequent Users

• Seek and Obtain both Competitive and Pass-Through GrantFunding to Benefit the Office, Staff and Taxpayers

• Provide Internship Opportunities for Students to SupportEducation, Promote Criminal Justice Interests, and IncreaseResources

• Partner with the Library of Virginia on Document PreservationPrograms

•Welcome Citizen Visits and Volunteers at the Clerk’s Office

• Collaborate with all Stakeholders to Improve our CriminalJustice System in Greene County

Thank Everyone fortheir Support

State Government Trained Grant Writerand Accreditation Management Training

Current State Government Performance Evaluationis “Extraordinary” (Highest Possible Rating)

Currently Serving as a Sworn Senior Investigatorfor Virginia’s 13 Health Boards

Commissioned by the EPA toInspect Records

Longtime Member and Participant of the VirginiaCommunity Criminal Justice Association

NRALife-Member

Served VSP for 8 Years andReceived Advanced Training

History of Educating andAssisting Citizens

Commissioned by FDA toInspect and Investigate

• Served the Commonwealth for 26 Years

• Sworn Officer by the Circuit Court to Investigate for Virginia’s 13Health Boards for the Last Five Years

• Experienced Inspector and Auditor of State/FederalRecordkeeping Requirements from 2004 to 2015 – Commissionedby FDA, USDA and EPA

• Criminal Justice Planner for the Central Shenandoah PlanningDistrict (21 Localities) from 2002 – 2004

• State Trooper in Greene County from 1995 – 2002

• Trained Grant Writer and Manager – Secured over $60,000 from2012 - 2015 and Obtained the Internet Crimes Against Children(ICAC) Equipment for Greene County - where many predatorshave been apprehended

• Trained Accreditation Manager – Launched the AccreditationProcess for the Greene County Sheriff’s Office

• Served the Virginia Department of Military Affairs as a Specialistfrom 2010 – 2012

• Appointed to the Jefferson Community Criminal Justice Board bythe Greene County Board of Supervisors (2018 – Present)

• Earned a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from VirginiaCommonwealth University

• Passed State Government Background Checks in 1994, 2003 and2014, Federal Security Clearances in 2004 and 2008

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

PAID FOR BY STEVE KEENE FOR CLERK

www.greene-news.com GREENE COUNTY RECORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 u B9www.greene-news.comGREENE COUNTY RECORDB8 u THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

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AT-LARGE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

TREASURER

Harry DanielFaMily: Wife Diana, daughters

Tabitha, Amanda, Heather; son Travis.

WhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR SChOOl bOaRD aT-laRgE SEaT? My experiences in education have helped prepare me for my current role on the school board. I have been a teacher, coordinator, principal, Career and Technical Education Director, and now school board member. Education has always been my career and, while I don’t claim to know everything about it, I have gained a lot of knowledge and insight about what is important and needed in our classrooms and schools. I believe that insight is helpful to the school board.

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RURal COUNTiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE COUNTy. DOES ThiS SURpRiSE yOU? ThE laRg-EST paRT OF ThE COUNTy bUDgET iS ThE SChOOl SySTEM. iS ThERE a Way TO REaDjUST yET REMaiN COMpETiTivE iN gaRNERiNg qUaliTy TEaChERS? No, it doesn’t surprise me for a couple reasons. One, is our proximity to Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Being closer to and convenient to these areas (coupled with

the Rt. 29 thoroughfare) comes with a higher price tag reflected in both real estate values and tax rates. We are a rural area with city conveniences and it is worth a slightly higher tax rate to live in Greene County. Yes, our school division is the largest draw on our county budget but it is so important to our kids now and to

our future. The quality of the education our students receive when measured by the state is outstanding. All our schools are fully accredited—four years in a row—which is something many of our surrounding school districts are still striving to attain. As a member of the Greene County School Board and current chairman, I can assure you that we are guarded with the funding we ask of our county citizens and we make a concerted effort to use the resources we have. Concerning teacher salaries (and staff salaries in general), we support our staff and we realize that we are in com-petition with neighboring counties and cities for our quality teachers and staff. We are so concerned about it that the school board has made retention one of our goals. We know that there is more to retaining our teachers and staff than salaries and our superintendent, central office and school administrators are making a determined effort to provide an atmosphere of encouragement, sup-port, and growth but we need to make our salaries as competitive as possible.

Daniel

Jason TooleypROFESSiONal ExpERi-

ENCE: I have 20 years of law enforcement experience and I am currently assigned to the Criminal Investigations Divi-sions, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. I also worked for UVA Medic 5 as an Emer-gency Medical Technician as well as served as School Resource Officer in the Greene County Public Schools for many years.

WhaT DO yOU bEliEvE ThE SChOOl bOaRD’S ROlE ShOUlD bE? The school board should oversee putting policies in place that will allow for a healthier, productive and safer environment for our youth. This is all done while staying in compliance with our state laws.

iF ElECTED, WhaT WOUlD bE yOUR FOCUS? My focus is putting our staff, students, and bus driver’s above all, community involvement and safer schools. I believe the fresh ideas I will bring to the table are needed.

Why ShOUlD SOMEONE vOTE FOR yOU? I bring to the table fresh ideas. Having worked within the schools I have exceptional relation-ships with both staff and students. My number one priority is the safety of our staff and students. I want to work with our current board towards dis-

cussions as to being more pro-active regarding Bullying, Cyber Bullying, and Active Shooter Training. I also feel strongly about an open-door policy with staff and students.

viRgiNia—aND ThE Na-TiON aS a WhOlE—iS ExpE-RiENCiNg high TEaChER

TURNOvER aND TEaChER ShORT-agES…hOW WOUlD yOU aDDRESS ThiS ON ThE SChOOl bOaRD? I will work towards creating advisory com-mittees which in return will open up the communication line, as well as learning more in depth details regarding school budgeting in order to reallocate fund-ing.

WhaT iS ThE biggEST Chal-lENgE FaCiNg ThE SChOOl SyS-TEM? hOW WOUlD yOU RESOlvE? School Safety Protocols and Communi-cation. I would like to be apart of start-ing a school safety advisory committee composed of teachers and staff to better understand challenges they face.

DO yOU bEliEvE gREENE COUNTy SUFFiCiENTly FUNDS ThE SChOOl SySTEM? iF yES, Why? I feel as though the schools are sufficiently funded but perhaps not sufficiently allocated.

WhaT iS ONE aREa WhERE ThE gREENE COUNTy pUbliC SChOOlS havE SUCCEEDED? Greene County schools have top notch teachers and staff in place.

Tooley

Stephanie DealEDUCaTiON: I

graduated from William Monroe High School and joined the workforce. I lat-er obtained an Associate in Science degree from Piedmont Virginia Community College with a major in business administration. I then graduated from UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree with a concentration in accounting.

iF ElECTED, WhaT WOUlD bE

yOUR FOCUS? We will continue to provide a high level of service to our citizens, maintain our effective collec-tion practices, and continue to make improvements to best serve the citizens of Greene.

Why ShOUlD SOMEONE vOTE FOR yOU? I have proven to be capable and committed to managing this office and have made improvements to bet-ter serve our citizens. There is more to come. I would appreciate your vote as a sign of your support.

WhaT aRE yOU MOST pROUD OF iN yOUR TiME aT ThE TREaSURER’S OFFiCE? I am most proud of my team,

the way we work with our citizens, the development of a consistent collection process, and our successful collection rates. Our average collection rates over the last four years are 98% for real estate and 96% for personal property taxes. I am proud of our progress and am very excited for the next four years.

DO yOU FEEl ThE COUNTy aD-EqUaTEly FUNDS ThE TREaSURER’S OFFiCE? Why OR Why NOT? Yes, I have been provided the funds needed

to manage this office. We have been very careful to use our funds wisely which has allowed me to always use less money than what I have budgeted. This year’s budget included a new position for my office which was greatly needed. I am grateful for this position which will allow us to continue meeting the needs of our citizens, while also increasing our collection efforts, making improve-ments to increase efficiency and com-pleting administrative projects.

Deal

www.greene-news.com GREENE COUNTY RECORD THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 u B9www.greene-news.comGREENE COUNTY RECORDB8 u THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

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RUCKERSVILLE SCHOOL BOARD MONROE SCHOOL BOARDSharon Mack

FaMily: Married with two high school boys.

i REalizE yOU’RE UNOp-pOSED FOR ThE pOSiTiON bUT havE yOU FOUND ThaT yOUR CONSTiTUENTS aRE ENgagED iN ThE pROCESS FOR SChOOl bOaRD? Historically there has been a lack of engagement in school board processes and activities. Board meet-ings are not well attended, including public hearings on budget or special informational sessions on things like school safety. The primary ways that I stay engaged with the community are by listening to concerns and comments via in-person conversations or via phone or email. I’m certainly open to suggestions on how to better engage the community.

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RURal COUNTiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE COUNTy. DOES ThiS SURpRiSE yOU? ThE laRg-EST paRT OF ThE COUNTy bUDgET iS ThE SChOOl SySTEM. iS ThERE a Way TO REaDjUST yET REMaiN COMpETiTivE iN gaRNERiNg qUal-iTy TEaChERS? I have not reviewed the budgets of other counties. I have however seen that the local composite indices for Louisa, Orange and Madi-

son are all significantly higher than that of Greene, indicating that their ability to pay to fund their schools is greater than ours (based on property value, income and retail sales). It really comes down to the services that our community desires, in addition to planning for future growth. I feel strongly that funding our schools

well is important. A large part of the school budget is paying salaries for the professionals who teach our children. I would like to see all teachers be better paid, especially with more and more demands being placed on them. How-ever I also realize that there are budget limitations. Every year we look at ways to adjust our staffing, programs, and resources to meet the needs of the ever-changing student body. I’ve never felt like our division spent money unwisely.

hOW DO yOU ThiNk ThE COUNTy ShOUlD pREpaRE FOR ThE Up-COMiNg 2020 CENSUS? iS ThERE valUE TO ThE COUNTy iN ENSUR-iNg EvERyONE iS COUNTED FOR ThE SChOOl SySTEM? hOW Will yOU ENCOURagE ThE SySTEM TO bE SURE ThE WORD gETS OUT? The school division utilizes population pro-jections to plan for future growth, so I believe an accurate census is valuable. Communication with the community highlighting the importance of accurate data could be done via all media outlets to reach as many people as possible.

Mack

Todd SansomFaMily: Wife (Katie), children

(Colbie-8, Evan-6, Averi-3).

i REalizE yOU’RE UNOp-pOSED FOR ThE pOSiTiON bUT havE yOU FOUND ThaT yOUR CONSTiTUENTS aRE ENgagED iN ThE pROCESS FOR SChOOl bOaRD? I have found that my constitu-ents get engaged in School Board issues primarily when there is a hot-button issue, such as a legal or safety-related event within the school system. Oth-erwise, there is no doubt that other county races have somewhat stolen the show, and that is to be expected. I have taken advantage of it, as it has allowed me time to go about quietly informing myself on the issues I will be facing. I want the voters to know that just be-cause I am not “campaigning” that does not mean I have not been preparing for the board. I have had many meetings and conversations with administrators, community leaders, and lawmakers on both the local and state level. I have spoken with county religious leaders, teachers and faculty, former teachers and many parents, gaining from their perspectives on the state of our schools. I have walked the halls myself, toured the new additions, and attended sev-eral school board meetings just taking notes. I want to assure the voters that being unopposed doesn’t equal being unengaged.

lOUiSa, MaDiSON aND ORaNgE COUNTiES (alSO RURal COUNTiES) havE a MUCh lOWER REal ESTaTE Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE aND MUCh lOWER pERSONal pROpERTy Tax RaTE ThaN gREENE COUNTy. DOES ThiS SURpRiSE yOU? ThE laRg-

EST paRT OF ThE COUNTy bUDgET iS ThE SChOOl SySTEM. iS ThERE a Way TO REaDjUST yET REMaiN COMpETiTivE iN gaRNERiNg qUal-iTy TEaChERS? The key to alleviating our personal tax burden lies in building our business tax base. With Maybelle’s, I have personally been navigating the obstacles that face new businesses and I have found many changes that need to be made if we as a county are to grow that base. I have many thoughts on this matter but they lie outside the realm of the School Board, so I will save them for another forum. Every family looking to move to Central Virginia will look at the school systems and factor that into their choice of locality, so our schools are in essence an advertisement for our community. We could skimp now, but we will pay for it later. I know our taxes hurt, they hurt me too. But again, the answer lies in broadening the business tax base, not slashing the school budget. As for garnering and retaining quality teachers, this a national problem. Yes, we have to pull together every dollar we can to be competitive in salaries.

Sansom

Annette HydeWhaT MakES yOU ThE bEST

CaNDiDaTE FOR 24Th DiS-TRiCT SENaTE SEaT? I want to serve the amazing people of the 24th Senate District which covers Augusta, Greene and Madison Counties and parts of Culpeper and Rockingham Counties. The controversy of the presidential campaign and the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education inspired me to run. I believe my life experiences and love for the people of Virginia can help make a positive differ-ence in the General Assembly.

viRgiNia MUST havE a balaNCED bUDgET EvERy TWO yEaRS bUT DO yOU FEEl MONEy iS aDEqUaTEly DiSTRibUTED TO ThE iSSUES yOU FEEl aRE MOST iMpORTaNT? iN a pERFECT WORlD, hOW Will ThEy bE FUNDED? I believe the General Assembly has not been prioritizing spending properly. Our rural districts lack broadband access, Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, our schools are crumbling, and we face a burgeoning climate crisis. Instead of giving millions

of dollars in tax breaks to corpo-rations, we should be investing in the working class families of Virginia.

a lOT OF ThiS DiSTRiCT iS WiThOUT bROaDbaND. hOW CaN ThE STaTE hElp SpEED ThiS pROCESS alONg? Lawmakers have set up road-blocks that have stymied local

government efforts and protected the interests of big corporations like Verizon and Comcast. We must re-move those legal obstructions and approve more funding for the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) to complete ‘last mile’ connections to rural homes and businesses. We need to back Gov. Northam’s goal of providing $50 million annually in state support for broadband connections to rural homes and businesses. It was just announced recently that for 2019, to be spent in 2020, there were 39 proposals submit-ted for $40 million in grants on a budget of $19 million. Clearly, the Governor’s budget request is the right ballpark number we should be funding. Verizon and Comcast aren’t interested in provid-ing last mile service, but they don’t want anyone else to do it either.

Hyde

Emmett HangerWhaT MakES yOU

ThE bEST CaNDiDaTE FOR 24Th DiSTRiCT SENaTE SEaT? My life has been full of leadership opportunities and I have been blessed by the pres-ence of family and men-tors who encouraged me to apply my “God-given” energy. From being presi-dent of Student Government, an of-ficer in FFA, and senior class president in school. Leadership training in the military, a Masters degree in Business Administration and many years of busi-ness, voluntary and elective service

to my church and community. I have made it my business to know my dis-trict and the state well. I am regarded as a “voice of reason” in Richmond, have a strong work ethic, and enjoy the op-portunity to serve my community. I also have a reputation for working with ev-eryone, not just members of my party. Obviously, the leadership positions that I currently have in Richmond are a part of the experience that I have which will enable me to continue to be an effec-tive advocate for our region. (Current leadership positions include-Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, rank-ing member and previous chair of the Agriculture Conservation & Natural Resources Committee, ranking member

and previous chair of the Rehabilitation & Social Services Committee, Chairman of the Center for Rural Virginia, Chairman of the Board of Visitors for the Virginia School for Deaf & Blind and Chair of the Autism Advisory Council).

viRgiNia MUST havE a bal-aNCED bUDgET EvERy TWO yEaRS bUT DO yOU FEEl MONEy iS aD-EqUaTEly DiSTRibUTED TO ThE iSSUES yOU FEEl aRE MOST iMpOR-TaNT? iN a pERFECT WORlD, hOW Will ThEy bE FUNDED? As Co-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, I have direct responsibilities for nego-tiating our state budget and deciding tax policy and the level of funding to

the various state programs. I am very pleased with our current state budget, but there is always unmet need and there are always opportunities for great-er efficiencies in delivering services. At the present time, revenues are adequate to support our appropriations to my priorities, which include Health and Human Services and Education. If there happened to be extra money in a per-fect world, I would increase spending significantly this year for mental health and substance abuse services, increase support to farmers and localities to help restore the Chesapeake Bay, provide teachers another raise, increase state support for broadband infrastructure and apply more to state park system

Hanger