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Powhatan, Virginia
The hometown paper of Bruce Rush
Vol. XXVII No. 45
November 12, 2014
Board calls for supervisor special election By Laura McFarland News Editor
T
he Powhatan County Board of Supervisors voted to have a special election to fill a seat on the board that will be left vacant in February 2015 with the resignation of Jason Moore, who represents District 2. At its meeting on Monday, Nov. 3, the board voted unanimously to hold a special election on Feb. 10, the date already chosen for a special election for the seat of Powhatan County’s Commonwealth’s Attorney. The chosen date was a cost saving decision for the county. The Commonwealth’s Attorney spe-
cial election will fill the seat left vacant when Bob Beasley takes office as a General District Court judge in the 11th Judicial District on Monday, Dec. 1. Moore announced in September that he would run for the office in both a regular or special election, and sent a letter of resignation to board chair Carson Tucker on Thursday, Oct. 23. Moore made his resignation effective on Feb. 8, just two days before the special election. There was little discussion on the issue at the meeting other than to get the opinion of county attorney Tom Lacheney on what the board’s options were with the open supervisor seat. The law allows several options in fill-
ing a vacant board of supervisors’ seat besides holding a special election, Lacheney told them. The board has 45 days from the vacancy (Feb. 8) to make an interim appointment or the court “may” do so. If an interim is appointed, it lasts until the general election in November 2015 and no special election is called, he said. If no interim appointment is made by the supervisors, a special election would automatically be held in November 2015 unless they tell the court they want a different date for the special election, he said. State law also allows the board to petition the court for a specific date other than November, he said.
If a special election is called, Moore would have until 45 days before that date to withdraw his resignation if he wanted to, Lacheney said. “Before the 45-day period, the resignation is revocable. After we reach within the 45 days of the special election, it is an irrevocable special election,” he said. Billy Melton, District 4, said he felt the special election should be held to give the people of District 2 representation and made a motion to that effect. After a question from Barry Hodge, District 3, about the cost of the supervisor election, Tucker, District 5, confirmed it would add less than $1,000 to the already scheduled special election.
Fire departments feel pinch of lack of volunteers Powhatan County By Laura McFarland hires Singer as fire and EMS chief News Editor
A
t any given time in Powhatan County, something could go wrong and an emergency occurs. Dry conditions spark a fire, a man has a heart attack or a car accident victim is stuck in a vehicle, preventing her from receiving medical attention. The alarm sounds and members of one or more of the county’s five volunteer fire departments respond as quickly as possible. But for Powhatan and localities all over the nation, the numbers responding to those calls are difficult to maintain, especially during weekday, Carroll Smith, district chief of Company 1, said. “When I started out as a volunteer years ago, when the fire whistle blew, people worked in the town and came to the fire station,” he said. “Today, most peo-
By Laura McFarland News Editor
P PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Members of Powhatan County Volunteer Fire Department Company 1 pose in their fire house. All five of Powhatan’s volunteer fire departments are feeling the pinch of not having enough active volunteers to respond to calls.
ple who live in Powhatan work in Chesterfield and Henrico [counties]. Very few people are here during the day, so during the day it is very hard to get people on calls.” There are 269 members
in the Powhatan Volunteer Fire Department, which includes companies 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, Smith said. But, of those, only a small percentage actively, regularly respond to emergencies in the county – “I would say
50 to 60.” And there are emergencies, he said. In 2013, the five fire companies responded to 854 fire calls and 875 emergency medisee FIRE page 2A
owhatan County has hired a new fire and EMS chief to be in charge of its fire, rescue, emergency medical services and emergency management functions. The county announced on Thursday, Nov. 6, that Steven A. Singer of Stafford will step into the position on Monday, Dec. 1. Singer was chosen from an impressive group of more than 20 highly qualified applicants, according to county officials. Singer currently serves as Battalion Training Officer for the Fairfax County Fire and
Rescue Department and Battalion Chief for the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department. Singer said he looks forward to working with the volunteers and citizens of Powhatan County to improve their emerSINGER
gency services. “I could not be more honored or humbled by being selected for the position of Fire and EMS chief,” he said. Powhatan’s fire and EMS chief position is responsible for the county’s fire, rescue, emergency medical services, and emergency management functions. County administrator Patricia A. “Pat” Weiler said Singer see CHIEF page 3A
County has expected voter turnout By Laura McFarland News Editor
V
oting in the November 2014 General Election in Powhatan County went smoothly and produced an expected turnout, according to Karen Alexander, general registrar. The total number of people in Powhatan County who voted on Tuesday, Nov. 4, was 9,739 out of 19,341 registered voters, representing about a 50.4 percent turnout, she said. That is pretty much on target with what she was expecting. That is only slightly lower than the 51.3 percent turnout in the same races in 2010, she said. Last Wednesday, she said, “I think it went very smooth. The turnout is
BY ANJIE HENLEY
Local residents and staff member involved in the Powhatan County Cooperative Extension and its programs commemorated the national program’s 100th anniversary with an entry in the Labor Day Parade.
Cooperative Extension marks 100 years PHOTO BY LAURA MCFARLAND
Karen Alexander, Powhatan County’s general registrar, accepts results from one of her 13 precincts for the 2014 November General Election.
what we expected. There the process.” were almost no comEight provisional plaints so far today about see VOTER page 2A
By Laura McFarland
The U.S. Cooperative Extension Service has been celebrating its 100th News Editor anniversary in 2014, an accomplishWhen it comes to looking your age, ment the slightly younger Powhatan the Powhatan Cooperative Extension organization, at 99 years old, has been doesn’t have any reason to worry. see 100 YEARS page 2A
Inside
Sports
A4 Sweet Shop Donuts Cafe sweetens up Powhatan
B1 A Indians football team has returned to its classic form
Index Calendar
A2 Classified B5-7 Crime Report A10 Crossword A9 Property A5 Obituaries A6 Opinion A8 TV Listings B8-9