Editorial: For the Wayne District

The residents of Augusta County’s Wayne District should have a quality representative no matter who wins the seat representing that area on the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

Republican Jeff Moore has already served residents on the county School Board. Kurt Michael is a local teacher and president of the Emerald Hills Homeowners Association, both positions that have afforded him opportunities to look out for the community in various ways.

Furthermore, though Michael is running as an independent, he has chaired the Augusta County Republican Committee, which means the gentlemen aren’t that far apart politically.

Each candidate also seems to be an affable fellow, eager to get to work as supervisor and reluctant to batter his opponent in the way we’re all used to in modern politics.

Theirs is a race that certainly is evenly matched. It’s hard to choose one over the other, but that’s what voters will be asked to do, so that’s what this newspaper is going to do, as well.

Because of his commitment to planning for future development and to a regional approach to economic development, The News Virginian endorses Kurt Michael for Wayne District Supervisor.

Michael pledges to follow the county’s Comprehensive Plan when development projects are proposed. Using that document, which is a locality’s key blueprint for growth, should be a no-brainer, no matter what locality is under discussion. However, too often it’s been ignored in other parts of the state, leading to traffic congestion and sprawl. Hailing from Northern Virginia, Michael has seen that happen, and he seems to be on board with making sure that pattern doesn’t materialize in Augusta County.

His belief in a regional approach to economic development also shows foresight. He’s right when he says that promoting the region to potential companies has merit. Those outside the Valley don’t see the governmental boundaries that we do as residents. And, for example, if a plant opened in Waynesboro but did business with firms in Stuarts Draft and Verona, both city and county could benefit, so both city and county should want new industry to come here. Because Augusta County, Waynesboro and Staunton all have certain individual needs, it’s hard to recommend, as Michael has, that the region needs only one economic development professional to market the area. But he gets points for thinking about our common good in the region nonetheless.

The gentlemen’s commitment to support Augusta County’s latest plan for improvements to fire and rescue services also is laudable. Those are core service of government, if ever there were any.

Though he’s not an educator as Michael is, Moore has a commendable record of supporting education in his own right, and his comments about the necessity of compromise and of good relations between the Board of Supervisors and School Board are on point. He would aim to restore faith in government, too, something that’s obviously needed in society as a whole right now. No matter the outcome Tuesday, here’s to hoping Augusta County residents haven’t seen the last of his service.