Election May Result in Shift in Future Decisions by PE Board of Supervisors

The November 5, 2013 supervisor election results may have a major effect on the future direction of Prince Edward County. For many years, Prince Edward Supervisors have often voted in blocks. Typically, one block of five to seven supervisors have supported and voted to approve major development projects in the county. Critics of these projects have generally believed they cost the County too much money and/or were unlikely to be successful. Four major examples of these projects were The Manor (Poplar Hill) golf course project, the Sandy River Reservoir Water Plant Project, the purchase of utility infrastructure at the Manor, and the proposed Granite Falls Hotel and construction of Route 786. At this point, none of these major projects has been successful. Former Supervisor Lacy Ward Sr. was an early opponent of these types of projects. In the last four years, three supervisors, Pattie Cooper-Jones, Pete Campbell, and Jim Wilck have tended to vote against these types of projects, while William Fore, Howard Simpson, Bobby Jones, and Charles McKay have voted for these projects. Supervisor Don Gantt has not been as consistent in his support of these types of projects, but did vote to support major county incentives for the developer of the proposed Granite Falls Hotel and to use County and State funds to build the road to the project. The hotel project was finally cancelled recently. Generally, County Administrator Wade Bartlett and Director of Development Sharon Carney have backed these projects.

In this election, the Democratic candidate to replace Democrat William Fore in the Buffalo District was School Board Chairman Russell Dove. Independent C.R. “Bob” Timmons Jr. defeated Mr. Dove by approximately 59% to 41% of the vote. Mr. Timmons has criticized County officials for continued wasteful spending and mounting county debt. Incumbent Pete Campbell defeated Democratic Candidate Calvin Gray in the Prospect District by only 24 votes. Democrat Jerry Townsend defeated Incumbent Republican Supervisor Don Gantt by more than 25% of the Leigh District vote. Of course, it is impossible to project supervisor votes in the future, but newly elected Supervisor Bob Timmons has outlined an approach to County government that is consistent with that held by Supervisors Campbell, Cooper-Jones and Wilck. Even if newly elected Supervisor Jerry Townsend were to vote with Supervisors McKay, Simpson, and Jones, those four votes would not be enough to pass major future spending projects over the objections of the four more conservative supervisors.