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Vol. 5 No. 32 | Richmond Suburban News | April 22, 2020
Rules outlined for hearing on Wegmans’ plans By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local
COL. DAVID R. HINES
CHIEF JETHRO H. PILAND III
Sheriff: Safety priority during virus pandemic
Fire-EMS chief: Keeping close eye on COVID-19
(Editor’s note: The following was submitted by Col. David R. Hines, sheriff of Hanover County.) I want to assure you that the safety of our community and our deputies remains our top priority. You and the men and women of the Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office have risen to the challenge by supporting each other, adhering to
(Editor’s note: The following was submitted by Chief Jethro H. Piland III of Hanover FireEMS.) Dear Hanover Citizens, The COVID19 epidemic has changed everyone’s life as we know it. Your Fire and EMS department has worked hard to support you as well as our regional partners through this stressful time. We continue to do every-
see HINES, pg. 4
see PILAND, pg. 7
HANOVER -- The debate regarding a proposed Weg-mans’ Distri-bution Center project continued at last week’s special meeting of the Han-over County Board of Super-visors as the seven-person panel struggled to comprise a list of rules for the public hearing scheduled for May 6. While the meeting was initially scheduled to address a growing list of applications requiring public hearings and board action that have been delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic, a motion to clarify rules for the May 6 Wegmans’ hearing exposed some raw nerves regardKELLY-WIECEK ing the upcoming meeting. Supervisors Angela Kelly-Wiecek and Faye Prichard, Chickahominy and Ashland districts, respectively, have repeatedly made their position on holding a meeting that does not include inperson and unrestricted public partici-
Wegmans’ site map. turn to page 5.
pation is not acceptable and moved to postpone the hearing. Vice chairman Sean Davis, Henry District, introduced guidelines for the upcoming hearing, including a requirement that speakers who wish to appear in-person pre-register by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 4. The public hearing is scheduled to last four hours, with each side receiving two hours of public comment time. Half of that allotment is reserved for in-person comments and the other hour is slotted for voicemail or email comments. Speakers are limited to three minutes each. At the conclusion of the public hearing, no more than five representatives of the applicant will be permitted, with remaining seats reserved for opponents of the project to ensure the Governor’s guidelines are observed. Even with the guidelines, Prichard said she could not support the motion. “Mr. [Dennis] Walter’s (county attorney) draft memo to us . . . says remember the underlying principles of the open meeting provision of FOIA. The public has the right to witness the operations of
government,” Prichard said. “When we are limiting the number of people who can be in this room because it is not safe to do otherwise and when there is not pertinent, equitable access to internet across this county, I do not believe that is equitable,” she added. Prichard also PRICHARD addressed a letter written by Mechanicsville supervisor Canova Peterson in the April 15 edition of The Mechanicsville Local. “Mr. Peterson said in an open letter this week we should not be living in fear. But, in fact, we should absolutely be living in fear. I think we’ve been given every reason to know that this is dangerous for our citizens and the people who surround them.” Davis’ original motion contained language that would guarantee neighborhood representatives for communities affected by the project a place in the restrictive seating following the public see RULES, pg. 8
Six candidates debate for three open Ashland Town Council seats Residents explain -in quarantine style forum -- why they should be elected in May 5 General Election
By Jim Ridolphi for Ashland-Hanover Local ASHLAND -- Six candidates are vying for three open seats on the Ashland Town Council in General Election scheduled for Tuesday, May 5. All of those announced candidates appeared remotely in an elec-
tronic candidates’ forum held last week. The event was sponsored by the League of Women Voters and hosted by Dr. Lauren Bell, Randolph-Macon College political science professor and dean. Bell acknowledged the forum via the internet was a first for her, but pledged to maintain an as close to normal procedure as possible,
including questions submitted by email. The five-member panel holds elections every two years and council members are elected for four-year terms. Kathy Abbott and Steve Trivett represent incumbents in the race, while four of the candidates are newcomers to the Ashland political
scene. They include Anita Barnhart, D.A. Wooten, Stephanie Hare and David Goldstein. Dr. George Spagna has served on town council since 2004 and is not seeking re-election. Barnhart is a retired educator who said those skills learned in 30 see CANDIDATES, pg. 11