VERONA – A narrow consensus of Augusta County supervisors Monday appeared to shoot down a proposal to stagger the terms of board members.
Formal action on the idea is set for Wednesday night, but at Monday’s monthly staff briefing, at least four of seven supervisors indicated they did not want to change the current system in which all seven supervisors are elected every four years.
The idea of staggered terms was proposed in April by Pastures Supervisor Tracy Pyles.
Under Pyles’ proposal, three members would be elected in one cycle, and four more two years later.
Pyles said that having the election of part of the board every two years would make for a more educated county electorate and would bring more focus on the workings of the county government.
Pyles said government at the local level is more important to the citizens of Augusta County.
“We have unlimited responsibility,” said Pyles, adding that county supervisors are responsible for funding education, fire and social services. He said the “quality of life is mostly affected by local government.”
But several of Pyles’ fellow supervisors said they had considered staggered terms and decided they like the current system best.
“What we do is not broken. It is not broken, leave it alone,” said North River Supervisor Larry Howdyshell.
Riverheads Supervisor Nancy Sorrells said there are numerous reasons why she opposes staggered elections. Putting some seats up every two years would result in politics impacting decisions, she said.
“You may not get the wisdom of decisions clear of the political arena,” Sorrells said.
South River Supervisor David Beyeler said it is the responsibility of supervisors to engage their constituents and meet with them regularly.
Beyeler said he talks to his constituents weekly.
Thirty-six of Virginia’s 95 counties, including Augusta, now elect all of their supervisors at the same time.
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