Powhatan Today –09/28/2022

District 1 candidates share their viewpoints

A special election will be held as part of the 2022 General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8 for the Powhatan County School Board District 1 seat. Two official candidates are on the ballot for the race. Both candidates agreed to answer the same questions about themselves and their viewpoints to allow District 1 voters the opportunity to get to know their candidates better. Candidates were not given word limits; they were asked to keep responses concise and on point.

AMy name is Chris Coplan (Copelen) and I was born in Belleville, IL. I moved a few times while I was young, but ended up in Virginia in 1977, which is where I call home. Since I’ve lived in a rural setting most of my adult life, I was so happy to have found a 20 acre “farm” in Powhatan, where I live with my wife of 22 years, daughter who just went to UVA, oversized pug Holly, horse Tucker, a whole lot of chickens (almost all of which my daughter named), and a chocolate lab on the way. I got my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from VCU, both in business administration and management. I got into data analytics before it was a “thing,” working 26 years as director of analytics for the Audit Division at Capital One, followed by my current job at Altria as a product owner for their Customer Data Platform. I have considered myself a very conservative Republican all my life.

see COPLAN pg. 5

AI am a wife, mother of three and grandmother of three. My education is diverse including a BS in marketing from the University of Richmond; an MBA from VCU; and post-baccalaureate / graduate studies in biochemistry, pre-med, and pharmacy. I was an educator for 40 years spanning college to middle school. I taught chemistry and physics the last seventeen years of my teaching career. I am involved with our schools by regularly attending and speaking at school board meetings and workshops, which I have done for the past three years. In addition to attending meetings, I was asked to serve on the ESSR Funds Committee and the SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Committee pertaining to the elementary level. I was pleased to make my voice known and other citizens’ voices heard on these critical issues. I also participated in three stakeholder meetings for the recent superintendent

pg.

Supervisors take steps forward on two projects

Board discusses fire station, senior center

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

POWHATAN – Although there are more questions that still have to be decided, two projects took steps forward last week as a result of votes taken by the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors.

During the board’s Sept. 20 workshop, the members took several votes, but two key matters passed in two different 4-1 votes.

In one vote, the board decided to approve an additional $1.2 million toward a capital improvement plan (CIP) project to renovate and expand the Company 1 Fire Station in the Village before it goes out to bid.

Karin Carmack, who represents District 5, was the lone vote against.

During the course of the discussion, the board was reminded the renovation was always estimated at

EARLY VOTING OPENS

Voters cast ballots at new building

about $3 million, but they had taken away $1 million for this project in 2021 when trying to make reductions to help lower the tax rate.

The other significant vote taken was to direct staff to move forward on gathering information about the need for a community center. Bill Cox, District 4, was the lone vote against. As part of that vote, the board agreed in the same 4-1 vote split that no money would be spent on the project until information had been brought back to the supervisors for review and approval.

In recent months, the board has heard significant support from citizens about the need for a senior center. This workshop was the first time the idea was publicly morphed into the concept of a community center with possible dedicated space for seniors.

Although not a momentous matter, the most obviously surprising motion of the night came from District 2 supervisor Steve McClung, who asked that a time certain adjournment be set for 8:30 p.m. unless a call for an extension

Smither meets

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

POWHATAN – A few dozen people came to ask questions and learn about county business in a more informal setting with the recently held Coffee with County Administrator event.

No excuse early voting opened on Sept. 23. The Powhatan Office of Elections is holding early voting out of its new voting building behind the Village Building.

Powhatan Director of Elections Karen Alexander, shown above, said 57 people voted in person Friday; 616 voters were sent ballots by mail; and nine people overseas were sent ballots by mail. Above, Elwood Yates Jr. was the first voter in line to cast his ballot by early voting.

County administrator Ned Smither met with a few dozen members of the public on Thursday, Sept. 15 at County Seat Restaurant and Gathering Place who came to ask questions, voice concerns and complaints, and learn a little more about what is going on in the county in a more relaxed setting than typical board of supervisors meetings.

The event lasted about an hour and 15 minutes and then transitioned into a question and answer session with Smither. The event was open to anyone.

“We wanted to let people get to know me and ask the kind of questions that are difficult to ask in a board meeting and difficult to an-

PHOTO BY LAURA McFARLAND

Taylor Goodman, deputy fire chief, answers questions from the Powhatan County Board of Supervisors at its Sept. 19 meeting about a project to renovate and expand Company 1’s station.

COPLAN

HURT

PHOTOS COURTESY OF POWHATAN OFFICE OF ELECTIONS

Q - Introduce yourself, share any involvement you may have with the school division and tell why you are running for the District 1 school board seat.

JOAN BELL

BELL, Joan Marie Condrey, 72, of Powhatan, passed away September 22, 2022. She was preceded in death by her parents, Floyd and Ida Condrey; and sister, Glennice Condrey; and brother, Joseph Condrey. She is survived by her devoted husband, Carlton Bell; daughters, Jamie Cook Seamans (David), Melissa Glover (Loren), Rebecca Meadows (Steve); siblings, Beverly Keene, Helen Tunstall, John Condrey (Jack Highsmith), Gene Condrey (Phyllis), Virginia Kay Robbins (Charlie); grandchildren, Andrew Cook, Hunter Glover (Toni Lynn), Madison Glover, Adam Seamans and Joey Meadows; great-grandchildren, Averie and Carsyn Glover; a special niece, Jennifer Johnson (Andrew); nephew, Mitchell Tate (Sara); great-niece, Kathryn Worley; nephew, Michael Worley; and many other loving nieces, nephews and devoted friends. The family received friends Tuesday, September 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Bennett & Barden Funeral Home, Powhatan, where services were held Wednesday, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Wounded Warrior Project (https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org). Interment: Virginia Veterans Cemetery, Amelia. Online condolences may be made at bennettbardenfh.com.

JAMES KELLEY

KELLEY, James Lee, 77, of Powhatan, went to be with the Lord September 17, 2022. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Darlene Kelley; son, Joseph Kelley (Jessica); grandchildren, Bradley and Joelle; siblings, Sammy, Ann and Tim. The family received friends Friday, September 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Bennett & Barden Funeral Home, Powhatan. Funeral services were held Saturday, September 24 at 11 a.m. in Buford Road Baptist Church, Richmond. Graveside: 2:30 p.m. in the Grove Methodist Church Cemetery, Cumberland. Online condolences may be made at bennettbardenfh.com.

MARTHA RAGLAND

RAGLAND, Martha Lee, passed on September 14, 2022. Martha was born in Canastota, N.Y. She was preceded in death by her mother, Phyllis R. Lee; her father, Richard E. Johnson Sr.; and her brother, Richard E. Johnson Jr. She is survived by her daughter, Megan Ragland; sister, Sara Moore (John); niece, Jen Guzewich (Tom); nephew, Matt Bradshaw (Liz); nieces, Alicia Norris and Jessica Johnson (Amy); nephew, Jeremy

Wednesday, Sept. 28

Lonesome Dove Equestrian Center, which is located at 6137 Old Buckingham Road, provides year-round therapeutic horseback riding exclusively for veterans with special needs and disabilities. Focusing on veterans in Central Virginia, the goal of this program is to improve the quality of life for the participants through activities that are positive to their cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being. As of Jan. 1, 2021, the program is also welcoming first responders to come ride with the program. From April through October, volunteers are asked to arrive at 9 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 10 a.m. Upcoming dates are: Sept. 28; Oct. 4, 18 and 26. In November, volunteers are asked to arrive at 10 a.m. and the riding sessions begin at 11 a.m. Upcoming dates are Nov. 1, 15 and 30. There are no sessions in December. LDEC is able to provide a variety of services to the veterans because of dedicated volunteers. Those who would like to help and have fun at the same time are asked to consider becoming a member of one of these teams. For more information about Lonesome Dove, visit http:// ldequestrian.com/ or contact 804-318-6485.

Community Matters is a resource for all 55 and forward interested in learning, staying active and engaging with peers. Challenge and socialization are powerful combined and crucial at any age! Program is free; requires independent participation. Weekly sessions with a wide range of topics and activities are held on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Rescue Squad Building, 3920 Marion Harland Lane. Information on various offerings, activities and topics presented can be found on Facebook: Powhatan County Reach for Active Services. Call program coordinator Jayne Lloyd at 804-6980438 for more information.

Powhatan County Public Library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays, and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Meeting rooms are available by reservation; study rooms are available first come, first served. The library offers e-books through Overdrive and materials to borrow in person or by using Books to Go. With Books to Go, patrons may reserve print materials, DVDs, and audiobooks 24/7 online at www.powhatanlibrary or by phone during open hours at 804-598-5670; once the patron is notified that their order is ready, they have three days to pick it up at the to-go shelf. The outdoor library book drop is open 24/7 for returning library items; however, patrons must return mobile hotspots to the circulation desk inside the library. The library accepts donations and the Friends of the Library bookstore is open during library business hours. Visit www. powhatanlibrary.net or call the library at 804-598-5670 for more details, and like the library’s Facebook page for all the latest, up-todate library news, information and program schedules.

Powhatan County Public Library will hold a weekly Story Time on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Participants will read stories, sing songs, learn finger plays and more! Story Time generally meets in front of the fireplace, and occasionally in our outdoor space.

Business Network International (BNI) Powhatan chapter meets virtually from 8 to 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday. Visit Www.BNIVA. com for information. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/BNIOnFire or contact executive director Dawne Gulla at dawne@bniva.com or 804-690-9220 for more information.

The Free Clinic of Powhatan serves residents from Powhatan, Amelia and Cumberland Counties as well as select Chesterfield areas. Services include medical, dental, counseling and women’s healthcare by appointment. Eligibility requirements on website www. freeclinicofpowhatan.org/patients. Registration for new patients by appointment Mondays 5-8 p.m. or walk-in Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information or to make an appointment, call (804) 598-5637.

The Powhatan Lion’s Club will meet at 6 p.m. at the County Seat Restaurant. Contact Mike Jones at 804-794-1440 for more information.

OBITUARIES

Johnson (Michelle); many greatnieces and great-nephews and so many close and dear friends. Martha retired from Dominion Energy after 34 years. She loved being outdoors. She was a Master Gardener and loved watching and feeding her birds in her yard. She loved all animals and had many pets throughout her life. Always active, she played pickle ball, practiced yoga and did water aerobics. Her greatest love and accomplishment was being a mother to "my Megan." A Celebration of Martha's Life will be held Sunday, October 2, 2022, with a visitation between 2 and 4 p.m. at Bliley's-Chippenham, 6900 Hull Street Rd. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Lonesome Dove, P.O. Box 1346, Powhatan, Va. 23139. "Each day is precious, love is something to be protected as a priceless treasure that only the fortunate find and keep." Sejal Badani

CHRYSTINE SWEENEY

SWEENEY, Chrystine Dawn, 50, of Amelia, went to be with the Lord Friday, September 23, 2022. She is survived by her husband, Joey Sweeney; sons, William, Alec, Nicolas Sweeney; parents, Jeanette Y.J. Blankenship, Andrew C. Jones Sr. (Linda); sister, Adrian Prather; brother, Andrew C. Jones Jr.; nieces, Alyssa Gosselin, Samantha Jones; nephews, Richard Jones, Ethan Jones. Chrystine was an avid writer, and animal lover. She was a member of Church of Christ in Powhatan. She absolutely loved Christmas shopping all year round. She was the glue that held the family together; she earned her teaching certificate and is especially proud of the young men her three sons have turned out to be. The family received friends 12 p.m. (noon) to 2 p.m. Tuesday, September 27 at Bennett & Barden Funeral Home, 3215 Anderson HWY., where her service followed at 2 p.m. The family has requested no flowers. Memorial contributions can be made to: Andrew Jones, Jr./Chrystine Memorial Fund at any Wells Fargo Bank.

LARRY SWEENEY

SWEENEY, Larry Gene, 85, of Powhatan County, passed away surrounded by his family on September 16, 2022. He was preceded in death by his parents, Palmer and Gladys Sweeney. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Sweeney; sons, Larry GC. (Katherine) and Eric Douglas Sweeney (Lori); daughter, Laura Michaels (David); brothers, Kenneth (Hope), Dennis (Volina), Roger (Carolyn), Palmer Jr. (Norine), Michael (Jennette) and Jerry Sweeney (Sharon); grandchildren, Andrew Younger, Tyler Sweeney, Cheyenne Sweeney,

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Thursday, Sept. 29

Just Kids, an affordable clothing shop selling gently used children’s clothes, sizes newborn to 8 plus, had its official opening June 7. Moving forward, the store will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The shop is located in the Memorial Baptist Church Youth House, 3926 Old Buckingham Road. Just Kids is a ministry of May Memorial Baptist Church. Clothes cost $2 per bag.

The final Powhatan Village Farmers Market of the 2022 season will be open from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday on the grounds of Bienvenue, 3841 Old Buckingham Road, Powhatan. The market offers families a great way to unwind with live music and food truck fare while catching up with neighbors. The Powhatan market meets all your local farm produce and pastured meat needs, as well as those specialty goods you’re looking for like honey, soap, baked treats, unique artisan crafts and more. Lots of SNAP and Double SNAP options! We’re excited to welcome you to the Powhatan Village farmers market! For more information, contact 302-893-0068 or visit https://rvagriculture.org/.

The Powhatan Food Pantry is open from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursdays, Saturdays and Tuesdays at 2500 Batterson Road. Contact the pantry at 804-372-9526 or powhatanvafoodpantry@ gmail.com.

Extension specialists and industry experts share timely topics for farmers in the Virginia Cooperative Extension Ag Today, held virtually at 9 a.m. every Thursday. These updates are relevant and brief and are recorded for folks who can't join on that day and time. Podcasts (audio only) are posted on Westmoreland VCE webpage and YouTube video recordings can be found at https://www.youtube. com/ playlist?list=PL7_2QUVzrPXDpYsV2HY11CH8KBrluifyO.

Contact Stephanie Romelczyk (sromelcz@vt.edu) for information on joining the meeting live. Watched or listened to VCE AG Today? Let us know how we are doing! Find our survey here: https://vce.az1. qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6fiYBb914AYRdn7.

The original Powhatan AA meets from 7 to 8 p.m. every Thursday in the Powhatan Village Building.

The Powhatan Rotary Club meets at 7:30 a.m. every Thursday at the County Seat Restaurant.

Saturday, Oct. 1

Powhatan Chamber of Commerce hosts the 19th annual Powhatan Festival of the Grape on Saturday, Oct. 1. Join us at 3860 Old Buckingham Road in the Powhatan Courthouse Historic District from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to enjoy 30+ Virginia wineries, distilleries, craft beer, cider, mead, artisans, and live music by EN’NOVATION. Purchase tickets before Oct. 1 at the Powhatan Chamber office and participating C&F Bank branches to avoid the convenience fee. Tickets are available at PowhatanWineFestival.com with the following fee schedule: Tickets before Oct. 1, youth ticket 13-20 is $20 plus convenience fee and adult ticket 21+ is $25 plus convenience fee; tickets at the gate on Oct. 1, youth tickets 13-20 is $30 and adult ticket 21+ is $35. The 21+ tickets include tastings from our participating wineries.

Farmers Market at Tavern 19 is open from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturdays through October on the grounds of Independence Golf Course, 600 Founders Bridge Blvd, Midlothian, VA 23113. The new Farmers Market at Tavern 19 is a grower’s market, featuring farm fresh seasonal produce, grass fed meats, fruits and berries, honey, baked goods, value added products and select artisan crafts.

Independence Golf Course is the ideal setting for a farmers market – it’s a park-like setting with plenty of parking and grass covered by large shade trees. The market has free Wi-Fi, a stage, electricity, food provided by Tavern 19, picnic tables, live music, kid’s activities and more! Come grab some dinner and stock up for the week on fresh local products! Visit https://rvagriculture.org/.

Krissa Sweeney; and great-grandson, Jake Michael Younger. Larry was an avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed fishing the waters of both Smith Mountain Lake and Chickahominy Lakes. He also enjoyed his days hunting a field in his native Dickinson, as well as Powhatan County. Larry was a beloved son, brother, father and grandfather. While we are saddened by his passing, we rejoice in knowing he has gone home to join the Lord. A memorial service was held Thursday, September 22 at 1 p.m. in the Bennett and Barden Funeral Home Chapel. Online condolences may be made at Bennettbardenfh.com.

CAROLYN WILLIS

WILLIS, Carolyn Lee, 77, of Powhatan, passed away September 18, 2022. She was preceded in death by her husband, Wiley Tucker Willis. She is survived by her daughter, Vickie Ranson (David); son, Chad Willis (Kat); four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Services private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Richmond SPCA. Online condolences may be made at bennettbardenfh.com.

WARREN YOUNCE

YOUNCE, Warren Edward, passed on September 21, 2022, at the age of 50. He was born in Richmond, Virginia on July 30, 1972. He is now united with his father, Robert G. Younce; and Abigail and Cooper Younce, his Boston Terrier babies. He leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife, Heather Younce. He is survived by his mother, Esther Younce; sister, Sheri Bayes; nephew, Dylan Bayes (Tiffany); stepson, Kyle Casteel; stepdaughter, Jessica Kennedy (Brandon), Bella, Axle and Sammy. Warren received his degree in Information Technology from Bryant & Stratton College, where he gained his love for computers. He had a successful career at several companies in the Richmond area. Warren had a wonderful personality and touched so many lives during his lifetime. He wore a big smile and his laughter filled the room. His favorite hobbies included customizing his 4-wheeler and his beloved black Chevy Silverado, fishing and watching motocross and supercross. Warren will forever be missed. While we are saddened by his passing, we rejoice he has gone home to join the Lord. A memorial service was held Monday, September 26, 2022, at 4 p.m., Muddy Creek Baptist Church, 3470 Trenholm Road, Powhatan, Va. 23139. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the music ministry at Muddy Creek Baptist Church.

Habitat For Humanity - Powhatan depends on volunteers and donors. Habitat is blessed with the community’s helpful, kind and generous participation. The Habitat Store at 1922 Urbine Road will be open on the first and third Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. During this pandemic, anyone coming into the store must wear a facemask. The office is located in the Habitat Store and the office number is 804-594-7009. Volunteer! Donate! Help us build!!

Powhatan AA meets at 8 p.m. every Saturday at Manakin Episcopal Church on Huguenot Trail.

Sunday, Oct. 2

May Memorial Baptist Church, located at 3922 Old Buckingham Road, will hold a Blessing of the Animals at 4 p.m. on Oct. 2 on the church’s front lawn.

Monday, Oct. 3

The Huguenot Ruritan Club meets at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month at May Memorial Baptist Church. For more information, contact Tom Grasty at 804-598-0777.

A Powhatan Hope Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday at PCC Church, 4480 Anderson Highway, Powhatan, Room 102. It is an open discussion meeting. Wheelchair accessible.

Tuesday, Oct. 4

Color Me Active event is a free event open to anyone 55 and forward and focuses on movement and staying active. The event will be held at Fighting Creek Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4 (rain date Oct. 6, which would be announced on Powhatan County Reach for Active Services' Facebook page). Wear a white T-shirt as participants visit any of the nine activity stations they'll be sprayed with color powder while on the move! Participants will engage in activities at their own pace - such as walking, cornhole, bicycling, bocce ball, etc. and see how colorful they can get! A photo booth will be on site to capture colorful memories. Join family, friends and neighbors while enjoying the benefits of staying active. Participants in activities will be provided refreshments, and an event T-shirt (while supplies last). Chick-fil-A will be on site with sandwiches, chips and drinks for purchase. This goal of the event is to not only celebrate staying active, but to recognize an international initiative: Active Aging Week. This will be a first time event for Powhatan with hopes to continue in future years! Sponsors include PDSS, AARP and Senior Connections. Call or email program coordinator for more information at 804-698-0438 RAServices.PVA@ gmail.com.

The Women in Ag Network meets virtually at 7:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month. The organization’s mission is to foster female farmers. The Women in Agriculture Network will hold monthly Zoom sessions highlighting women farmers, offering opportunities for women to network, and educational opportunities. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZN-I3gWp0zjOAA zwFhvrTWNTK4BBesTRg6UoSH1b3l62o_A/viewform or call 804598-5640. Pre-registration required. Recorded sessions and more information: https://www.facebook.com/ vawomeninagnetwork.

PowHER Hour+ Monthly Luncheon is held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at different locations throughout the county. Visit https://www.powhatanchamber.org/events/powherhour-monthly-luncheon/.

Awaken to Hope Al-Anon meets at 8 p.m. every Tuesday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

The new Bridge of Reason AA meeting is held at 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Powhatan Mennonite Church, 3549 Old Buckingham Road, Powhatan. It is an open, decision and literature meeting for Powhatan, Goochland, and Cumberland counties.

KELLEY

RAGLAND

SWEENEY

WILLIS YOUNCE

Fire and rescue explains need for Co. 1 changes

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

POWHATAN – The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors voted last week to add back $1.2 million in funding toward the renovation and expansion of Powhatan Volunteer Fire Station Company 1 – a move fire and rescue staff say will help both existing and future paid and volunteer staff.

During the board’s Sept. 20 workshop, the supervisors voted in a 4-1 vote to add the $1.2 million to the existing $1.6 million earmarked for the project with Karin Carmack, who represents District 5, the lone vote against.

Both during the discussion and in a separate interview, Taylor Goodman, deputy fire chief, spoke about the need for the changes to Company 1.

Many of the issues Goodman outlined existed because of decisions made in the 1990s, he said. The station was built in 1999 and opened in 2000. When it was originally proposed, the plan was for a station between 12,000 and 13,000 square feet. The project was scaled back significantly to the current roughly 8,500 square feet, Goodman said. These changes resulted in much smaller bunk rooms, living rooms, kitchen and apparatus bays.

When the board approved its capital improvement plan in 2021, in order to help reduce the tax rate, $1 million was

taken off of the Company 1 project, which some supervisors said they thought could be done for less money.

However, in working with architect DJG Inc. on renovations and expansion to the existing building that will not only improve the lives and safety of current paid and volunteer firefighters and EMTs but those in the future as well, the cost estimate for the project they want to take to bid is closer to that original amount see FIRE, pg. 6

Arrests

CRIME

One male was charged on Sept. 14 with brandishing a blade weapon/ intimidation (Misdemeanor) and assault and battery (M).

One female was charged on Sept. 15 with petty larceny (M).

One male was charged on Sept. 15 with monument: intentional damage, value <$1,000 (M), profane swearing public intoxication (M), obstructing justice (M), assault and battery (M), assault and battery-police officer or firefighter (Felony), and assault and battery of a family member (M).

One male was charged on Sept. 15 with petty larceny <$500 not from person (M).

One female was charged on Sept. 15 with petty larceny <$500 not from person (M).

One male was charged on Sept. 16

with concealment, price alter merchandise (M).

One male was charged on Sept. 16 with unauthorized use of vehicle, boat or animal (M), driving a motor vehicle while intoxicated (M) and assault and battery of a family member (M).

One female was charged on Sept. 17 with profane swearing public intoxication (M).

One male was charged on Sept. 17 with assault and battery of a family member (M).

One male was charged on Sept. 18 with abuse/neglect of children (F) and two counts of abuse and neglect of children reckless disregard (F).

One female was charged on Sept. 19 with petty larceny (M).

One female was charged on Sept. 19 with petty larceny (M).

Incident report for Sept. 12 to 18 - Incident type & total calls

Follow-up

Project lifesaver

Psychiatric

School

Shoplifting

Suspicious

Traffic

Traffic

Trespass

Underage

Unknown emergency

Vandalism

Warrant service 4 Welfare check 7

was made. The vote passed 3-2 with chair Mike Byerly, District 3, Carmack and McClung supporting it and David Williams, District 1, and Cox against. The other board members initially seemed flummoxed by the motion but the two supporters quickly came on board and the deadline seemed to be a motivating factor to not diverge too far from the agenda in the second half of the workshop.

Company 1 expansion

County administrator Ned Smither pointed out at the beginning of this discussion that the architect on a CIP project to renovate and expand Company 1’s station is at the point where building design needs to be completed so full bid documents can be offered via competitive bid. However, the proposed project, which was reviewed and adjusted by a committee, is expected to exceed its current budget of $1.6 million when it goes out to bid by an estimated shortfall of $1.2 million, he said.

The discussion on this project initially saw pushback on a few points. Cox objected to private meetings held between individual or pairs of board members and staff to allow the supervisors to have more detailed discussions of the renovation process, saying that lacked transparency. He said he wanted to hear objections and questions from other board members and have the public hear the answers.

Carmack said from the start she had reservations about the project. While there is a critical need to make volunteers happy, she said her concern was, if the increase in funding were approved, they would be spending $3 million without impacting measurables such as increasing call volume or response times or adding capacity.

“I think if we were probably a little more creative, we could look at ways to improve the conditions for the volunteers.

Personally, for that kind of money, I would rather spend an extra $2 million and put another fire station somewhere else,” she said.

Williams talked about previous boards’ discussions on why the renovation to the fire station was needed and had been put off several times. He brought up several undesirable conditions within the fire station, such as cramped shared bunk rooms and other inefficiencies. The board prioritized the project when it was identified in 2015.

Williams questioned Taylor Goodman, deputy fire chief, about why the renovations are needed for the overall well-being of the paid and volunteer firefighters and EMTs who work out of Company 1. (See story about the renovations for more details above on Page 3A.)

Williams pointed out Powhatan County has one of the preeminent fire and rescue volunteer programs in the state as is bringing in volunteers at a time when so many localities are losing them.

After Goodman enumerated the reasons the renovations are needed, Cox transitioned into a history of the project going back to 2014 and bringing up different iterations of the CIP over a few years, when the project placeholder started at $2.51 million but was $2.9 million for several years.

He pointed out that in May 2021, the amount went to $1.9 million, saying “someone pinched a million bucks; a million bucks is gone. Our funding had been reduced for this project by $1 million. So we don’t have a shortfall, we have somebody that has taken money out of this project and put it someplace else. We are right at $3 million. I am sorry, it is not the bid market; it is somebody managing this account. Mr.

Smither, where’d the million bucks go?”

Smither said the money went to the fund balance per the board’s decision, which Cox denied happening.

Although it would happen later in the meeting, after the board already approved increasing the fire station funding, Smither was able to show the board documents staff sitting in the meeting found from 2021. In March 2021, Smither presented the board with several options to help reduce the tax rate by anywhere from four to seven cents, and in all of those scenarios, there was a reduction to the fire station addition by $1 million to a final price of $1.9 million. The board voted unanimously on May 10, 2021, to adopt a 79 cent tax rate.

Back in the earlier discussion, Cox also made a motion for finance director Charla Schubert and Tom Lacheney to do an audit of the CIP projects to “determine if there are other projects where the funding has been modified.” Williams supported the idea of the internal audit of the CIP and echoed Cox’s question about where the $1 million went.

The vote was held after more discussion, failing 3-2 with only Williams and Cox supporting it.

Smither repeatedly maintained throughout the discussion there was “no conspiracy” of money disappearing and that the fire station funding was changed during the budget process.

Carmack was the first to push back against Cox’s assertion, saying she remembered having a discussion about the project and the board belief at the time that it could be done for less. She added that any CIP passed in 2021 would have been passed by a majority of the board of supervisors.

McClung said he supported the Company 1 project and delaying would only cost the county more money as prices

increased.

Williams agreed with McClung’s statement and then added he believed Carmack’s assessment was correct about the board discussing reducing the Company 1 project budget. He then rounded out his statement supporting the station.

After the motion for the audit failed, Byerly said he supported the Company 1 project and enjoyed the individual meetings on the project. He talked about the critical role firefighters play in the community and the need to look to the future needs at the station.

Williams made the motion to increase the funding to the project, which passed with the 4-1 vote.

After that decision was made, Cox tried to settle the topic of how the additional $1.2 million would be funded. In the board packet, county staff’s proposal suggested using funds from leftover bond projects, grant funds, delaying other projects and the general fund balance.

Cox argued that American Rescue Plan Act funds the county has not yet used should be directed to the fire house project. Other uses referenced in arguments against using those funds included for a senior center or broadband use, and he

said it didn’t make sense since there was an approved project on the table ready to move forward versus possible projects in the future that had not yet been fully vetted.

The board ultimately voted against Cox’s proposal using American Rescue Plan Act funds in a 3-2 vote with only Williams and Cox supporting it. No other proposals about funding the project were made and the board moved on.

Community/senior center

The only other item on the agenda was the discussion of a community center. In recent months, residents have been coming out in good numbers to address the specific need for a senior center in Powhatan that may meet

the physical, social and emotional needs of the local senior community.

During the public comment periods at the beginning and end of the workshop, many of the citizens in attendance spoke about the need for a senior center or community center, citing the need for the connections it brings; the benefits to not only seniors but the entire community; the resources that could be consolidated through such a program; and the community space that could be made available to meetings, programs and special events.

In the documents for this workshop, county staff provided information on a community center project that would be a hub for the entire community, including local se-

PHOTO COURTESY OF COMPANY 1

The existing Company 1 men’s bunk room has eight beds and a storage rack for linens. The renovation project would include transitioning to individual bunk rooms.

Continued from pg. 1

HURT search process representing the Powhatan Planning Commission, Powhatan First and No Left Turn, and then as a community member. My reason for running for the school board can be summed up in one question: What is best for our children? Children are our future. I believe that every child deserves a great education, as this will be the foundation for their future. I believe a parent has the right to know all aspects of their child’s educational experience and make decisions on what their child is exposed to at school.

What do you feel are the most important issues facing the school board and how would you approach them?

Communicating with parents on what is happening regarding their child’s educational experience. Without clear and accurate communication, parents’ rights are not supported. A great example would be the development of a system that notifies parents automatically by email when their child checks out a book. This way the parents are informed and can act if their child checks out a book not appropriate for their family’s values. The Powhatan County Public School website is difficult to navigate. Key information is often missing or placed behind several tabs instead of being front and center. There have been improvements but much more needs to be done. I would recommend a total revamp of the website to include more detailed information, to be more user-friendly and more interactive. The school board must encourage VDOE (Virginia Department of Education) to develop programs statewide to increase the pool of teachers. I personally have seen a desperate need in the area of special education. This is a statewide problem so the solution has to

begin at the state level. We need our school board to stand up and push for creative solutions to increase the pool. Since our future economic conditions are uncertain, it is critical that the school board is fiscally responsible. The board must look for cost saving measures across the board. I am in favor of sharing a procurement officer with the county for a checks and balance system.

The main function of a school board is to provide local, citizen governance and oversight of education. How do you view that role in Powhatan County?

The school board is certainly working toward this goal. The board has become much more transparent with their role of governance. They have looked carefully at policies and addressed policies that needed revision. I would like to see a total audit of all policies to ensure the school board is in control of governing the education of Powhatan’s children. The administration answers to the school board and in the past that did not appear to be the case. We must be careful that the school board is setting the policy. Regarding policy set by the state / VDOE, I feel it is the school board’s responsibility to evaluate the policy and adopt or amend the policy to make it appropriate for Powhatan’s students.

School board meetings can often be drawn out and cover many contentious topics with both sides of difficult issues represented among your constituents. What would be your approach to handling that stressful and tense environment and competing viewpoints?

If I am elected to the school board, I will institute more town hall type meetings outside of the regular school board meetings. This will facilitate the sharing of ideas, conversations can ensue between constituents and school board members, and questions answered. When the public only has school board meetings as the only face-toface meeting then tensions will escalate since constituents cannot get answers in the public comment period of the school board meeting. I will have to give a thumbs up to the current school board as they have done better over the last few months in meetings with a much more concise agenda and establishing a time frame.

that could be reduced to balance the budget. Memberships in various organizations, travel and professional development were areas we asked to be evaluated and cut. The school board did evaluate each carefully and savings were found. There was not enough time to carefully evaluate the cost of software as the school system spends over a half of million on this budget category. I recommended to the school board that the budget process should begin earlier so there is ample time for all categories to be evaluated. I like zero based budgeting but I understand that it is difficult to institute. In reviewing the monthly expenditures, I have found a huge sum spent on legal fees. I question if the hiring of a staff educational lawyer would not be more cost efficient.

While school board members make decisions about the schools, working with the board of supervisors is part of getting business done as well. Given your knowledge of how the two boards have interacted in the past, do you have any goals or priorities with regard to working with the board of supervisors?

I have had three years of experience working with the board of supervisors in my role on the planning commission, so I already have a good working relationship with the board of supervisors and plan to keep it that way. I have tried my best to build a consensus to develop the best Powhatan. It has been challenging at times, but when the goal is working together to have the best schools for our children there should not be a contest. There should not be winners and losers in that interaction. If I am elected to the school board, I would clearly present a carefully crafted budget, as most battles between the two boards are related to money, so there is no question about the amount of funds the school requires. Once there is that transparency there should not be issues. Past scuffles have related to funding concerns; let’s keep them in the past.

What sets you apart as a candidate for the District 1 school board member position?

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The school division is coming off of a fiscal year where rising costs strained the budget to the point a spending freeze was implemented to help PCPS end the year in the black. As the school division navigates the higher costs in fiscal year (FY) 2023 and plans ahead for the FY2024 budget, what experience will you bring to that process, and do you have any priorities in the budget process?

I carefully went through the current budget and worked with other members of Powhatan First to identify areas

I know the Powhatan school system. I have spent hours in many very long school board meetings for over three years. I have served as a community member on the ESSR Funds and SEL committees. I participated in stakeholder meetings for the superintendent search process. I have met with parents through my involvement in Powhatan First and No Left Turn to listen to them and understand their concerns. I know Powhatan because I have been serving on the planning commission since January 2019, and I am currently completing my second year as the chair of the planning commission. I spend a substantial amount of time staying informed on all topics related to education both nationally, statewide, and locally by constantly doing research, reading, and reaching out to other localities. I know education as I have been an educator for over 40 years. I want to give back to my community as I have been fortunate to have been blessed in so many ways.

SMITHER

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swer in a board meeting,” he said.

Smither said he plans to make this a regular monthly event but have it at different times and locations so people with a variety of schedules can attend.

At a board of supervi-

sors meeting, citizens have three minutes to speak in each public comment period, and no answering of questions or interaction between the speaker and board members is supposed to happen. Smither said that rigidness, which was brought up during the in-

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COPLAN

Continued from pg. 1

I’ve always had a passion for education. Starting early in my professional life I often served as a guest lecturer at VCU for information systems courses. I was so delighted to see after posting on LinkedIn about pursuing the board position, one of my professors commented “Chris is an amazing individual who has been giving back to the education community for a very long time. As a professor at VCU, I can say he never asked for anything in return. He simply wanted to share his insight with the awesome VCU students.”

Around six years ago, I had the opportunity to join the Board of Henrico Education Foundation (HEF), a nonprofit that implements innovative programs in the schools to improve learning, correct discipline problems, and after COVID, improve some of the communication skills lost to the online learning world. One such program was started right here in Powhatan by Zanna Ferdous, (lunchbuddies@powhatan.k12. va.us). It is a mentoring program where adults interact with kids over lunch. Zanna needs volunteers – this is a great program. Please contact her via email if you can afford one lunch hour a week to help a student be a better person. Rick Cole is also sponsoring a program at the high school to conduct “mock interviews” for students. I participated last year and received such great feedback. It’s an excellent program, and I’m scheduled for it again in a few weeks.

If elected to the board, I hope to apply my knowledge and experience in both education and business to further the mission of the schools – preparing our kids for the future. When “door-knocking” as part of my campaign, I often hear, “I don’t have kids so really don’t bother with what’s going on in schools,” to which I reply, “the kids are our future. They are going to take care of us when we’re old, run our country, and at some point, control our destiny. They are our future.” That’s why I care about kids and their education.

What do you feel are the most important issues facing the school board and how would you approach them?

As I have been talking with people in District 1 on my campaign, I have focused my attention on two main issues:

The learning environment, including: parental rights; implementing innovative programs evaluating success with data; creating a positive learning environment; eliminating divisive programs; promoting respect among all students; teacher staffing; and strong discipline to support the learning environment.

Fiscal responsibility: detailed budget and budget variance analysis; cost effective planning and purchasing; and spending taxpayer dollars as if your own.

My mantra - “Bringing Back Excellence in Education Using Good Business Sense.”

I think listening is the best thing I can do as a school board member. I’ve heard concerns of so many in District 1 over the course of this campaign so far, most focusing on the points above I listed on the learning environment. I had the pleasure of meeting with Beth Teigen yesterday to talk about her perspec-

citizens.

tive, as well as mine. I think she will make a positive impact on Powhatan schools. I think she is more in line with the culture and concerns of the parents and voters in Powhatan. My goal is to support programs that help further those tenants I am hearing from parents and voters in District 1, as well as suggesting and promoting programs that make a positive impact on our kids. I must also state, I am not an educator by trade, which puts me in a special position to ask questions, probe and understand what programs educators want to implement, and with my data mindset, how they will evaluate the success of such programs. That’s the value I provided to Henrico Education Foundation, and now that Powhatan is the community where I plan to retire, it’s the value I hope to provide here.

The main function of a school board is to provide local, citizen governance and oversight of education. How do you view that role in Powhatan County?

Governance defined is the way rules, norms and actions are structured, sustained, regulated and persons in authority are held accountable. The school board in Powhatan is a governance function, providing controls over the unelected administration to ensure the voices and concerns of the voters are listened to and accounted for in the curriculum and programs at the schools in the county. The board is also the guardian of the “purse.” The school board has a fiduciary responsibility to the voters in the district that the finances entrusted to them by the taxpayers through the board of supervisors (as well as federal and state taxpayers) are used as intended.

School board meetings can often be drawn out and cover many contentious topics with both sides of difficult issues represented among your constituents. What would be your approach to handling that stressful and tense environment and competing viewpoints?

First and foremost, I’ve said to folks along my campaign, if I win (or not) call me with questions, comments or issues. I’m your advocate. I grew up in a time where we could listen to one another and respectfully disagree, without being divisive. Typically, if you listen hard enough, you are going to glean a bit of truth or find some common point of agreement with people with whom you strongly disagree. Listen for those nuggets. Focus your responses and actions in those spaces. Work for the wins, and don’t focus on the negative. This is the way I work – my style of collaboration. This will be the way I work with the board of supervisors, my constituents, parents and teachers to champion change we can all agree upon.

The school division is coming off of a fiscal year where rising costs strained the budget to the point a spending freeze was implemented to help PCPS end the year in the black. As the school division navigates the higher costs in fiscal year (FY) 2023 and plans ahead for the FY2024 budget, what experience will you bring to that process, and do you have any priorities in the budget process?

In the recent resignation letter from the director of finance for the schools, several key deficiencies were

mentioned as it relates to school financial tenants. Soon, the regularly scheduled external audit of the schools’ financials will be taking place. I hope the current board has them take a close look at the allegations the finance director made. I spoke with the new superintendent about one of those concerns – “poorly managed grant reimbursements.” She explained the diffi culties in the grant reimbursement process, which is definitely counter to the accounting in private business. I am hopeful that the external auditors, Brown, Edwards and Company will dig into these and the remaining seven allegations of the former director and provide appropriate recommendations and corrective action (or determine that the allegations were without merit). The ultimate goal on financials is transparency to the taxpayer. Ensuring all monies in the school system are spent where expected and that the school budget is managed as diligently as your own personal budget.

While school board members make decisions about the schools, working with the board of supervisors is part of getting business done as well. Given your knowledge of how the two boards have interacted in the past, do you have any goals or priorities with regard to working with the board of supervisors?

With the budget concerns and deficit spending mentioned above, I want to have full transparency on budget review with the board of supervisors. I believe the emphasis in working with the board of supervisors should include but not be limited to requests for funding for new programs, budget for infrastructure at school facilities, budget for new teachers and staff, and ways the school system and county can gain efficiencies by sharing resources and technology where it makes sense.

What sets you apart as a candidate for the District 1 school board member position?

My family and I moved to Powhatan because we wanted to get back to a more rural setting. Powhatan is not Chesterfield or Henrico – we have a much smaller tax base to work with, so we have to be smarter and more efficient with what we have. We already have great programs in our schools –Powhatan High School has the Advanced College Academy, the Career and Technical Education program, including engineering, carpentry, culinary arts, and more in addition to the mentoring program I mentioned earlier. During my tenure with HEF, I have seen the types of programs that they implemented that have been successful. My business experience managing a team, delivering successfully to my customers on time and in budget will directly translate to delivering to my constituents – parents, teachers and interested taxpayers. I would be privileged and honored to serve. I would say to all of you in District 1, if I don’t get a chance to meet you on my travels through the county, call, email, or text and I will happily come to you. Chris Coplan / 804-363-9664 / coplan4powhatanschools@coplanfamily.com. Bringing Back Excellence in Education Using Good Business Sense. I would appreciate your support on (or before) Nov. 8.

formal meeting, can probably be improved upon to help the flow of information to

“I really enjoyed it because the format of our board meetings doesn’t allow for interjection during the discussion. The board members, when it is their chance to

speak, they get the chance to speak. Often times there are things as the county administrator you would like to provide clarification for, but the structure of the board meeting doesn’t allow for that clarifica-

tion,” he said. “So to be in an open session like this and to be able to provide any commentary I can on topics is really refreshing for me personally. I enjoy that

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kind of open dialogue.”

He described the coffee event as a good exchange back and forth and a good opportunity for him to get feedback, give some straightforward answers and demonstrate how much he enjoys his job and takes it seriously. He added that even if people walked away thinking “I don’t agree with what the county is doing but at least I know what they’re doing,” one of the major goals of the coffee event was met.

before the reduction, Goodman said.

One of the key changes would be to go from an existing system of cramped bunk rooms to having 11 individual bunk rooms, he said. This would provide privacy, help reduce conflict, and cut down on firefighters disturbing each other’s rest through snoring and other noises to support better sleep.

“Our paid personnel are working either 12- or 24hour shifts – mostly 24s. With that we cannot expect them to be up and awake and moving for 24 hours at a time. That would just lead to fatigue, which comes with poor decision making,” Goodman said. “We do afford them the opportunity to sleep at night while they are on duty. They still have the expectation they have to awake immediately, get on the vehicle immediately, be on the vehicle immediately no matter if they are awake or asleep when the call is received.”

PROJECTS

Continued from pg. 3

niors. Smither said the planning is in its infancy on this project and what he was looking for that night was for the supervisors to support starting a needs assessment and initial space demand review.

County-owned land around the Pocahontas Landmark Center was pointed out as a strategic location since the gym already used by parks and recreation is located there and there is additional land there. Smither gave options with rough estimates of $1.5 million to $2 million for a 5,000-square-foot building on that site.

“Before we went down that path we thought we would check with the board to … make sure you guys were thinking it is worth pursuing as far as the next level of detail and the next assessment valuation,” he said.

Deputy county administrator William Hagy gave a brief update on conversations he had with other localities about the kinds of facilities and programming they use, often through their parks and recreation departments.

McClung liked the idea of keeping the county infrastructure close to existing county buildings. He later elaborated, talking about the need for more meeting

“I was obviously very willing to answer any question they had. We had one citizen who wanted to discuss my practices and procedures as county administrator. We had a polite disagreement with that citizen, but that is the kind of open discussion I was hoping we would have,” Smither said. “It was a good supportive crowd. We did have two people that had complaints of the 27, but in general even those complaints we received were positive in that we were able to exchange professional comments back and forth.”

Some of the topics brought up included the need for a

In regard to the number of individual bunk rooms, Goodman pointed out it is not unusual to have a single paid employee on duty at night with multiple volunteers there to supplement if a call comes in.

A key change for the safety of the firefighters would come with an expansion on the eastern side of the building to add more storage (which will eliminate the need for outdoor sheds) and a dedicated decontamination room where gear will be housed when a member is not on duty.

“Keeping everything clean and decontaminated is important. It has recently been shown that firefighters are actually contracting cancer through the gear we wear. We also recognize that the gear will pick up diesel particulates from exhaust systems and embed that into our skin as well, which is one reason we want to be able to decontaminate and keep separate all of our protective gear,” he said.

Other changes include individual unisex bathroom

space in the county. He was less concerned with what other localities are doing, saying the project should be based on Powhatan’s needs and should be something others look at as an example of what to do right.

Cox said he did not know anyone in support of the project; he felt there were other ways that a community center, if needed, could be accomplished such as with a supporting nonprofit instead of government; and didn’t like the lack of information and direction pertaining to planning and funding this project.

“There is not even enough information for me to say let’s go ahead and start doing some planning,” Cox said.

Later in the discussion, after hearing other board members’ comments, he observed that the other supervisors were trying too hard to spend money.

Carmack said she preferred the idea of a community center to only a standalone senior center and the offerings it could bring to citizens of all ages. The county has $6.5 million as a placeholder for parks and recreation in its CIP, and she suggested some of that could be used toward this project, pointing out the county is hiring a parks and recreation director without a place for him or her to do programming. She liked the idea of a nonprofit that could help support the project.

community center; improving the messages and images put out at board of supervisors meetings; better publicizing county news and notices in a variety of ways; concerns about interactions between board members being too focused on “attacking” each other; whether there should be a time limit on public comment periods; questions about road projects on Route 60; the need for more sidewalks and walking trails in the Village; concerns about how Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests are handled; and talking about the need for a grant writer.

units with a toilet, sink and shower; an enlarged kitchen with commercial grade appliances more in line with the constant use; a new fitness room to maintain physical health; more usable office space; and a larger training/ meeting room that would also be available to the public. He wasn’t sure yet how the parking lot would be impacted. The work would be done in phases to allow the station to continue to operate during construction.

Goodman said he hopes the project can keep moving forward and go out to the construction bid process in January 2023. If the board had not approved the additional funds last week, the project would have been delayed as cuts were made to fit with the smaller budget. After the board approved the extra funding, Goodman said he felt “excitement that we can move forward to provide a facility that is not only going to meet our current needs but is going to be designed to meet the very long-term needs of the fire and rescue department.”

Williams said he also hasn’t seen support in his district for a community center in the center of the county. He balked at some of the localities staff was looking at for comparison and said he needs much more information before he feels comfortable approving a community center that will meet what the county’s residents want.

Byerly lauded the discussion the board was having, saying information is brought out after you first start the conversation and agreed with McClung that they should go down their own path. He also agreed with Carmack’s observations about better planning for parks and recreation as a possible way forward.

Carmack made a motion to “move forward with advancing the community center concept.” Williams amended the motion to make sure no money was spent on the center without board approval. Both of their motions ultimately passed in 4-1 votes with only Cox against.

Cox objected to the nebulous nature of the vote and what it meant.

Byerly clarified it meant moving forward, gathering information and getting a committee together.

Williams added the county needs to work with other agencies to come together to get the best information possible to make a final decision.

If Powhatan were to get a community center, what programs, activities or offerings would you want most?

E-mail answers to editor@powhatantoday.com or share them on the Powhatan Today’s Facebook page.

Center could be good idea but lacks direction

By Laura McFarland Managing Editor

Sitting in last week’s Powhatan County Board of Supervisors meeting taking notes on a discussion about the potential need for a community center in the county, an image popped into my head.

When you start a game of pool, you begin with a single grouping of pool balls all neatly lined up at one end of the table. Then someone lines up their shot, takes aim and – if the break was any good – a chaos of color goes bounding around the table, sometimes with balls finding a mark and sliding into a pocket and sometimes just rolling to a stop and waiting for someone to nudge them along.

That is exactly how it felt listening to the supervisors discuss the concept of a community center at their Sept. 20 meeting.

Many months ago, an active group of members of the 55+ community began coming to the board meetings and pointing out the need for a designated senior center – a place for them to go that could potentially assist their mental, physical and emotional health through programs, activities, exercise, socialization and more, all of which are excellent goals.

The members of that group have reached out to other localities to see what they offer and how they got to where they are today and even completed a few visits. They did a survey to find out what people might want out of such a center if Powhatan were to have one. They have continued to come before the board sporadically and make their case.

Even last week, of the six people who spoke during the first public comment period, five talked about the need for a senior center or community center.

This is a simplification, of course. More has been done behind the scenes, both by this passionate group of residents and even by some county staff who were asked to look into the offerings of surrounding localities. But the point is, that is where this discussion really got started.

Fast forward to the Sept. 20 meeting. The senior center was now being called a community center with possible space designated for seniors and there were concept drawings in the board packet showing ideas for adding buildings onto the Pocahontas Landmark Center on portions of land the county owns. The discussion was flowing about a building that could provide space for community groups, meetings, support groups, extracurricular activities, seniors, adults, classes, church groups

and more.

And then we were at the end of a discussion that left me feeling no more enlightened than when it began about the direction ANYONE wants to take, and there was a 4-1 vote in favor of moving forward on gathering information about the need for a community center that was so nebulous in nature I wouldn’t even know where to begin. (District 4 supervisor Bill Cox was the lone nay vote.) The only constraint of any kind put on the broad motion was through an amendment from David Williams, District 1, who said that any action requiring spending money should have to come back before the board for consideration.

Here is the thing – open, productive discussion is a good thing. Moving forward and making decisions are good things. Trying to assess and meet the needs of Powhatan residents is a good thing. A senior center/community center could be a very good thing for the county, although we are a long way from knowing what this thing could be and what residents need it to be.

Some excellent points were brought up during the meeting as well as some that had the feeling of throw it against the wall and see if it sticks, and admittedly it takes discussion of all kinds to make progress.

What I hope we won’t see is a situation like we have at the Pocahontas Landmark Center – where a large portion of the former middle school sits deteriorating as the two boards have gone back and forth on reasons for renovating and repurposing the space versus tearing it down only to be so overwhelmed by options that they fall back into inaction.

So in no particular order, I thought of a few questions that I was left wondering about after the meeting.

The board voted to move forward on gathering information on a community center. Will that be completely a staff endeavor? What are they tasked with evaluating –senior centers and community centers in other localities or something else? Steve McClung, District 2, talked about not comparing ourselves to other localities and blazing a path of our own – an admirable but quite broad directive.

On one hand, it’s good to not pigeonhole yourself too early in a project; on the other, could the task given to staff be any more all-encompassing?

Chairman Mike Byerly, District 3, in passing mentioned getting a committee together. Would that be a formal committee with appointed members or could anyone show up and take part? Will the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee be asked to weigh in on this topic, especially after Karin Carmack, District 5, alluded to

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Residents lost on supervisors’ vehicle tax decisions this year

Dear Editor, I am sure that there are many Powhatan taxpayers who feel the same way that Mr. Davoud does. They are wondering what happened to their vehicle tax. Here is a recap of the May 18th board of supervisors (BOS) meeting: Mr. Byerly made a motion, for tax relief to the taxpayers, that the county would not charge the $35 vehicle fee. I don't consider $35.00 per vehicle a credible tax relief. It passed with a 3 (Byerly, Carmack, McClung) to 2 (Cox, Williams) vote.

Next Mr. Timberlake, commissioner of revenue, suggested we could use a flat percentage rate reduction of the assessment and show it on a bill without changing the tax rate. Then once used car values have returned to acceptable depreciation assessment we

SMITHER

Continued from pg. 6

Steve Jenkins of Powhatan attended the event with the county administrator because he goes to the board of supervisors meetings and agrees there is no back and forth conversation. He wanted to hear both what Smither and other citizens had to say.

“I did more listening than talking but did bring up the impact business owners thinking about moving to Powhatan might have when they watch the BOS meetings, or a family thinking about moving to Powhatan. I thought (Smither’s) responses were OK,” Jenkins said.

Jenkins said that he liked the more relaxed format where people could ask questions simply by raising their hands and would attend one again. He added he would like to see the board members hold similar sessions in their districts.

“The duty of the county administrator is to carry out the functions and duties of the overall administration of our county,” he said. “Decisions made to build something, replace something, spend money on something, increase taxes, decrease taxes or to move in a particular direction comes from the board of supervisors. The county administrator simply carries out their re-

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possibly using a portion of the $6.5 million in capital improvement plan (CIP) funds that has been designated for use for future parks and recreation development for this project? Not to mention a community center and parks and recreation programming have the potential to meld quite well.

The board talked about the forming of a nonprofit group that could get involved in helping raise funds. Have there been any indications that anyone – including some of the people advocating specifically for a senior center – has the desire and passion to found a nonprofit to help fund the building and running of a community center?

If we are going from a senior center, which would have narrower parameters, to a community center, which could cover almost anything, how are we going to gauge what the community would actually want from such a place?

In 2019 the county financed a Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment, which was meant to “identify the needs of the community that create the foundation for the development of a roadmap for future development of recreational facilities and opportunities for the County over the next 10 years.” The 50-page document is full of great information, including pointing out that the 55+ community makes up the largest age group in Powhatan and is expected to reach 42.6% of the population in 2033. It also lists a community center among the high priority rankings for facilities and amenities.

Looking through the needs assessment, it obviously provides some vital information about the priorities of those residents surveyed with regard to programming, sports and facilities. But I also can’t help thinking about everything that changed in people’s lives and priorities after the COVID-19 pandemic, so I hope staff will draw their estimation of what such a center would need from more sources than just that report.

Contacting your board of supervisors member to let him or her know your opinions on the matter is an important part of helping them gauge interest. For my part, I would also love to hear from some of our readers in letters to the editor weighing in on whether they want a senior center or community center and, if so, what they would most hope it would offer.

All of these questions and more still only scratch the surface of this project, which has a long road ahead. But if a community center is what we are going to get, I truly hope the community makes their voices heard so the finished product is one that will serve residents well for many years to come.

can go back to the normal assessment method. As part of the presentation the commissioner of revenue said that he would consult with the treasurer, the director of finance, and the county administrator to come up with a good ratio for Powhatan. This option showed a good faith effort to the citizenry to keep their taxes at a reasonable rate. Mr. Williams made a motion in support of Mr. Timberlake's proposal. It failed 3 (Byerly, Carmack, McClung) to 2 (Cox, Williams).

After the disappointing vote for taxpayers Mr. Byerly and Mr. Smithers talked about a possible rebate to help the taxpayers with inflation. That was almost 5 months ago and I just paid $4.89 for a loaf of bread! Call your BOS and let him or her know how this impacted you, the taxpayer. And another side note the county made $1.9 million or more off the backs of the taxpayers from this tax increase. You can call your BOS or go to their meetings on the 4th Monday of each month. This is your board of supervisors; you elected them. Be informed it's your money.

Fran Carleton Powhatan County

quests and his authority comes directly from the board of supervisors.”

Ernestine Taylor of Powhatan said she attended because she likes that this type of meeting is more relaxed and not timed. But in attending the event, she found herself wondering if Powhatan County will ever see the need for a place for seniors to meet for quality time to enhance their daily lives.

She also is concerned about affordable housing, but feels the issue is not on anyone’s agenda except people like her having to leave the county to look somewhere else.

“I’ve been here 74 years and it hurts

to leave,” she said, going on to add, “Our youth are very important as well as our seniors. I would love to see less Sheetz/ Wawa type commercial buildings. I’m sorry for the climate of our governing body. Respect is so important as I observed during coffee time or town hall, this would be the place to get your voice heard. I would like to see more participation.”

Eleanor Delaney said she only went to support the need for a senior center. She liked the informal format and said she probably would attend another meeting to be informed about issues in the county.

WE WANT TO PUBLISH YOUR ISSUE-DRIVEN LETTERS

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Robby Fletcher rfletcher@powhatantoday.com

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Powhatan Today welcomes your Letters to the Editor on topics of concern to you and the community. Letters, which should be no longer than 400 words, must include the name, address and telephone number of the author. The deadline is noon the Thursday before publication, but letters may be held until the following week upon the editor’s discretion. The publisher or editor of Powhatan Today reserves the right to edit or withhold from publication any letter for any reason whatsoever. Once received, all letters become the possession of Powhatan Today. Letters reflect the opinion of the author, not necessarily that of Powhatan Today or its staff

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Flippo finds her dream school

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

By the time September rolls around, most senior high school student-athletes have their commitments set in stone with the college of their choice while

the schools themselves close the door on recruiting from the senior class and onto the younger generations of athletes.

Powhatan multi-sport athlete Sam Flippo wasn’t in that boat. By September of her senior year, she admits she was fairly behind the usual

schedule for those decisions, which put her in a tough spot when reaching out to schools about opportunities in their lacrosse programs.

“It was hard to trust the process when I didn’t really have a place,” she admits.

While Flippo is a

standout basketball, volleyball and lacrosse player, she decided that lacrosse was her true love of the three, and she felt her journey as an eighthgrader trying out the sport on a junior varsity rec team to a defensive

pg. 2

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

37-point first quarter leads Powhatan over George Wythe

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

Not only did Powhatan (3-1) win the game on Sept. 22, it flexed its muscles in the process, running see POWHATAN, pg. 2

see

Name: Jack DeBord

Graduating Class: Powhatan High School Class of 2023

Sport(s): Golf and basketball

Stat/Accolade of the Week: Has a season scoring average of six over par as the unofficial captain of the golf team. His average leads the team as they strike to make states

Favorite Hype-up song: Anything country

Name: Kennedy Dowdy

Graduating Class: Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Class of 2024

Sport(s): Volleyball, basketball and soccer

Stat/Accolade of the Week: Served 10 aces, had a 91.3% serve percentage and recorded 21 points for the BSH volleyball team against Tidewater Academy on Sept. 20

Favorite Hype-up song: “Forever” by Drake

Indians battle in two five-set games

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

Inthe Powhatan volleyball team’s first seven games of the season, it has demonstrated a tendency for the dramatic.

In their last three games, the Indians (4-3) have had their matchups take all five sets to find a winner. While the Indians fell in five sets to James River on Sept. 15, they took their next two nailbiters into the win column with victories over Spotsylvania on Sept. 19 and Clover Hill on Sept. 20.

Head coach Cindy Bryant says these early tests against regional opponents they’ll likely face again in postseason play have been promising performances that show this team’s ability to close out games even if they don’t necessarily start out strong.

“The fight was amazing, we keep getting in these five-set realities,” she said.

Against Spotsylvania, the Indians took a hit to

the chin in the first set, falling 25-14, but they bounced back well with a convincing 25-15 win in the second set to tie things up. Bryant says the team’s starting outside hitters took some time to develop a rhythm, but she applauded how they finished the match while also noting the impact of someone on the bench like senior Avah Ether-

idge that can step onto the floor and reliably put balls onto the floor while relieving some of her teammates on the bench.

The two regional foes battled in a very back-and -forth affair in the third set, which Spotsylvania barely squeaked out on its home floor 25-23 to put Powhatan on the ropes going into the fourth set.

The Indians didn’t look like a team with their backs against the wall though, forcing a tiebreaker with an impressive fourth set win of 25-20.

In the tiebreaker, it was still close, but the Indians looked like a team that only improved with each serve, and they left the opposition’s gym

close15-13final.

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Senior Samantha Flippo (4) deals with aggressive defense from the Monacan Chiefs while making a run into the attacking zone in Powhatan’s 23-5 4A regional quarterfinals win on May 25, 2022.

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Powhatan sophomore Matt Henderson (5) stiff arms a George Wythe defender in the team’s 51-16 win on Sept. 22.

Coming off their first loss of the season in a tough matchup against the Manchester Lancers, the Indians football team aimed to get back in the win column with a home game against the George Wythe Bulldogs (0-4).

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Senior libero Sophie Payne (6) sets up her teammates while head coach Cindy Bryant looks on in a matchup against Monacan on Sept. 13.

Powhatan golf hosts last tri-meet before regions

By Robby Fletcher Sports Editor

The Powhatan Indians golf team had one last regular season tri-meet to fine tune its game before heading to the regional tournament in a meeting with Midlothian and Clover Hill on Thursday, Sept. 22.

The home matchup at Mill Quarter Plantation Golf Club was Powhatan’s third meeting with Clover Hill this season and its fourth with Midlothian, with this result going in Midlothian’s favor with a low score of 155.

The Indians came in a close second, finishing with a strong team score of 159, while Clover Hill finished with a final tally of 183 among its six competing golfers.

For Powhatan, the

team’s unofficial team captain and senior leader Jack DeBord had a strong outing in preparation for a highly anticipated region tournament.

DeBord scored a 39 on the front nine of his home course, good for second best of the day behind Midlothian golfer Joseph Weinstein at 36.

DeBord finishes the regular season scoring 6-over par which places him atop the team’s individual standings.

DeBord’s teammate Conner Hedgepeth, who is No. 2 in the starting lineup, played in a close battle with the opposing No. 2 players, tying Midlothian’s Dylan Barker with a score of 40 while Clover Hill golfer Randy Richeson was a stroke behind at 41.

Powhatan junior Luke

McDaniels had a fine day on the course as well, finishing with the team’s second best score of 38, while teammate Parker Unmussig, fourth in the starting lineup, finished at 45.

Rounding out the starting lineup for the Indians was a 47-stroke performance from sophomore

Carter Estep and a 42-stroke day for senior Tanner Wyatt.

DeBord says with the team’s progress over the year, he’s confident in Powhatan’s ability to compete in the postseason.

“I’m feeling good about the team’s progress,” DeBord said. “I was

a little concerned heading into the season because of all of the senior losses but Connor Hedgepath really stepped it up this year and Carter Estep has made major improvements heading into regionals. We are gonna be heavy underdogs, but I think if we stay composed we have a real chance at mak-

stalwart on a programdefining Indians girls lacrosse team made her an attractive recruit despite many schools closing the book on her graduating class.

“It was very special to me because it was my own journey. I couldn’t really compare myself to other athletes because I had to make it all for myself,” she said. “I had to work for every single thing.”

Playing basketball since she was 4 years old, Flippo says she’s always been a defense-first player in everything she did, which carried over into her newfound passion for lacrosse.

While not as experienced as a lot of the college-bound lacrosse players she’s faced over the years, she got so good so quickly in part because her love for defense in basketball smoothly transitioned over into her

early attempts at lacrosse. By the time of her junior year with Powhatan’s lacrosse team, it was clear Flippo was defending at the level of a collegiate athlete.

The recruiting experience could best be described as a roller coaster of emotions for Flippo, who was constantly reaching out to programs to gauge interest, only to find a path of rejections along the way.

“Every time someone viewed my profile on SportsRecruits I would get so excited and every time I got a rejection I would cry because I just wanted someone to want me to play for them,” Flippo said.

With all the recruiting inquiries she sent out, the one school that was always on her mind was High Point University in North Carolina.

Flippo fell in love the program after multiple visits and lacrosse camps, as well as the connections of one of her favor-

ite coaches working there, but after a January visit in her junior year, she was told by the university that they didn’t have any room for someone in her class.

The school checked all the boxes for her: a great campus, the quality of the dorms, a strong lacrosse program and the courses offered that allowed her to follow in the career path of becoming a police officer like her parents.

As far as lacrosse went, what stood out to her was how welcome she felt with the girls she played with at the camps. All things considered, it was the perfect fit.

“The first camp I went to all the girls welcomed me, they were teaching me, and I didn’t really have that teaching in lacrosse until the last couple years so I felt like I could learn so much there.”

After not finding much success getting noticed by the team, she felt she

had to look to smaller schools if she wanted to continue playing lacrosse at the next level. She did receive an offer from Queens University of Charlotte, but she says the fit wasn’t right.

After one more rejection from a school she liked, Flippo ultimately decided it might be time to consider schools beyond her interest in lacrosse.

That temporary defeat lasted just one night once

on for the rest of their playing careers.

she received a message from High Point coach Lyndsey Boswell. What Flippo assumed would be an offer at a walk-on position or even a tryout turned out to be an outright scholarship offer from the school of her dreams. With the offer on the table, Flippo didn’t hesitate to accept.

Now with a decision locked in on her future, Flippo can enjoy one last ride at Powhatan with three teams that will look

with a 4-yard rushing touchdown from Alejo.

ing states.”

With their final tuneup in the books, the Indians will look to impress at the regional tournament and potentially book a trip to their second consecutive Class 4 State Tournament held at Stonehenge Golf & Country Club in Richmond, Virginia on Oct. 10.

Continued from pg. 1

up the score with a 37-point first quarter en route to a 51-16 victory.

The Indians scored on all six of their red zone possessions in the first half, including two on the ground from running back Edgar Alejo and two in the air from quarterback Dylan Trevillian, that allowed them to enter halftime with a 44-0 lead and rest their starters for the entire second half. Head coach Mike Henderson says he felt the team’s perfect performance in the red zone could be attributed to their preparation in watching George Wythe’s film while also emphasizing that area of their offense in recent practices.

VOLLEYBALL

Continued from pg. 1

with a 15-11 win in the final set for a hard-earned victory.

Leading the team in kills were seniors Olivia Moss and Carly Rehme with 10 kills apiece, while senior libero Sophie Payne gave a standout defensive performance with 11 digs. Moss also added seven

“We’ve worked hard on that in practice the past couple weeks trying to tighten up our red zone stuff because we’ve felt like we have left some points out there a couple of times,” Henderson said. “It was good to see it payoff tonight.”

digs and two aces on the day.

Senior Sydney Wade also pitched in 22 assists, nine digs, four blocks and an ace to add another allaround performance to her impressive final season with the Indians.

The Indians had little time to rest after their win, traveling again the next day for a trip to the home floor of the Clover Hill Cavaliers. Bryant noted that her team per-

The Bulldogs were able to have some success against the Indians backups in the second half with two third quarter touchdowns, but Henderson says he was pleased to see the backups find time on the field and generate some experience to build

formed well against a tough Clover Hill defense that does well in throwing a team out of system.

“Clover Hill is one of the hardest teams to put a ball down on. They have incredibly scrappy defense and we needed our defense to match that scrappiness and not be outworked, and they came in and did a great job of that.”

One particular standout was Payne at libero,

“That’s how you build some depth. So it was exciting to see those guys get to play because they work their tails off at practice every day,” Henderson said.

Starting off the scoring in the first half, Powhatan drove down into the red zone with a combination of short passes into space and a stellar rush attack that culminated in a run into the end zone by sophomore Jackson Morris. After a high snap on the ensuing drive led to a safety in Powhatan’s favor, the home team led 9-0 with another drive with great field position in George Wythe territory, which Powhatan took advantage of with another great drive that ended

who was putting up perfect second balls for hitters and helping the team effectively play out of system.

After going down in the first two sets with Clover Hill wins of 25-17 and 25-22, the Indians won the next three sets in thrilling fashion, first winning 25-21 in the third set to keep hope alive.

In the fourth set, the Indians managed to get a

The Powhatan offense then started their next drive right at the doorstep after senior Charles Osterman recovered his first of two fumbles off another high snap that led to Trevillian’s first touchdown pass of the night, which hit freshman wide receiver Ben Whitver right in the hands on a jump ball in the corner of the end zone.

With a 23-0 lead, Osterman again made the play that got the defense off the field, falling on top of a ball jarred loose on a quarterback keeper from senior linebacker Landon Gibbs at the Bulldogs 27-yard-line. Whitver was again the target on Trevillian’s second strike, this time on a quick slant with

little more space between their opponents with a 25-19 win that allowed them to again take the decisive tiebreaker set with a 15-11 result.

Moss built off her previous 10-kill outing with another eight kills against Clover Hill, a team high, while Rehme added seven kills, four aces and two blocks. Wade, meanwhile, added 19 assists, five digs, two kills and one ace.

to her as a leader in every respect.

She doesn’t intend for this to be her last time playing organized basketball or volleyball though, citing intramural or club opportunities as something definitely in her plans once at High Point.

“I can’t see me never playing those sports again,” she said.

Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@ powhatantoday.com.

1:35 left in the first quarter. Morris added another touchdown run as time expired in the first quarter to make it 37-0.

Alejo then added the only touchdown of the second quarter, busting free for a 3-yard touchdown sparked by a 25yard grab from senior Landon Hutchinson.

In the second half, the Powhatan backup unit added one score in the fourth quarter, which came from junior quarterback Matt Layman with 4:38 to play in the game.

Powhatan’s next game comes against the Monacan Chiefs on Friday, Sept. 30 in the Indians’ second road matchup of the season. The Chiefs (13) are coming off a 28-6 loss to Midlothian on Sept. 23.

The Indians have another road matchup on Thursday, Sept. 29 when they take on the Manchester Lancers. They last played the Lancers on Aug. 25, which they won 3-1. Bryant says she plans to use these next few games to move some players around into different positions in order to find a stronger lineup. Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@ powhatantoday.com.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CERISE ESTEP

Left, senior Jack DeBord takes a swing in a tri-meet against Midlothian and Clover Hill on Sept. 22. Right, senior Parker Unmussig takes a turn at a hole at Mill Quarter Plantation Golf Club.

NICK

TODAY

Powhatan’s Sam Flippo (5) attacks in the Indians’ home volleyball match versus Monacan on Sept. 14, 2021.

POWHATAN

PHOTO BY ROBBY FLETCHER

Powhatan linebacker Charles Osterman (35) rushes the passer.

Local group seeks World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War veterans for free road trip to Washington, D.C.

Group also seeks support, community volunteers

Contributed Report

Old Dominion Honor Flight (ODHF) is seeking World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans for a free trip to Washington, D.C. on Oct. 22 to visit the memorials built to honor their service and sacrifice. There is absolutely no cost for veterans.

An ODHF “Mission” is a “trip of a lifetime” for our veterans. Each veterans is assigned a guardian – their personal escort for the day. On a typical ODHF Mission, veteranss will visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps, the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery for the Changing of the Guard Ceremony at the Tomb of Unknowns.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided, as are snacks and drinks. Veterans will also receive an ODHF shirt and jacket, all free of charge.

ODHF takes four buses on each Mission – two out of the Richmond area, two out of Hampton Roads. There is space for 20 to 25 veterans and the same number of guardians on each bus. Priority is given to World War II veterans.

The Richmond-area departure point for ODHF Mission 3 on Oct. 22 will be American Legion Post 175, 8700 Bell Creek Rd, Mechanicsville, VA 23116. This is an all-day trip.

Old Dominion Honor Flight is a nonprofit organization created solely to hon-

or America’s veterans for all their sacrifices. ODHF is a 501c3 corporation. Old Dominion Honor Flight of Virginia serves the Richmond area and Southeastern Virginia to include the Outer Banks and Northeast North Carolina.

Veterans and guardians must apply in advance.

To receive a veteran or a guardian application, or to support ODHF:

Visit our website at https://olddominionhonorflight.org/

Find us on Facebook under “Old Dominion Honor Flight”

Send us an e-mail at info@olddominionhonorflight.org

Call us at 877-261-3430

Write us at 4001 Virginia Beach Blvd #117, Box 150, Virginia Beach VA 23452

WTKR TV-3 (Hampton Roads) photojournalist David Agudelo covered ODHF Mission 2 on April 23, 2022. Visit the WTKR website and search for “Old Dominion Honor Flight” to see his story.

Old Dominion Honor Flight is part of the Honor Flight Network – a national network of hubs that work together to honor our World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans by taking them to Washington, D.C. to visit the memorials built to honor their service and sacrifice.

There is absolutely no charge for veterans for ODHF Missions – it is our hon-

or to give back to those who gave so much to us. Old Dominion Honor Flight relies on the generosity of volunteers, donors and supporters to make our trips possible.

Submitted by Steven J. Combs, Vice President, Richmond for Old Dominion Honor Flight. He may be reached at scombs@olddominionhonorflight.org.

AllyouneedisadependablevehicleandavalidVirginiadriver’s

Signingbonusisforalimitedtime,sodon’tmissout. ContactusNOWatRichmond.com/Carriersor

TRUSTEESALEOF 6388OldBuckinghamRoad, Powhatan,VA23139 InexecutionoftheDeedofTrustdatedMay 20,2016,intheoriginalprincipalamountof $182,631.00,recordedinDeedBook889,page 267,assignedasInst.170000530,intheClerk’s OfficeoftheCircuitCourtfortheCountyof Powhatan,Virginia,defaulthavingoccurredin thepaymentoftheindebtednesstherebysecuredandattherequestoftheholderofthe note,theundersigned,asSubstituteTrustee, willsellatpublicauctionatthefrontentrance oftheCircuitCourtfortheCountyofPowhatanon October3,2022,at10:15a.m. ,thepropertylocatedattheaboveaddressanddescribedasParcelBcontaining4.315acreas shownonplatrecordedinDeedBook766, page581,CountyofPowhatan.TERMS:CASH. PROPERTYSOLDASISWITHSPECIALWARRANTYOFTITLE.Adepositof$16,000.00or 10%ofthesuccessfulbidamount(whichever islower)willberequiredimmediatelyofthe successfulbidder,incashier’scheckorcertifiedfundsonlypayabletoorsignedoverto "DOLANREIDPLLC,TRUSTEE",balancedue within15daysfromdateofsale.Nopersonal checksaccepted.Saleissubjecttopostsale confirmationandauditofthestatusofthe loanincluding,butnotlimitedto,determinationofwhethertheborrowerfiledforandobtainedbankruptcyprotection,enteredintoany repaymentagreement,reinstatedorpaidoff theloanpriortothesale.Inanysuchevent,or iftrusteeisunabletocompletethesale,orifit issetasideornotfullycompletedforanyreasonexceptpurchaser’sdefault,thesaleshall benullandvoid,andthepurchaser’ssoleremedy,inlaworequity,shallbethereturnofthe depositwithoutinterest.Uponpurchaser’sdefault,thedepositshallbeforfeitedandthe propertyresoldattheriskandcostsofthe defaultingpurchaser.Saleissubjecttoallpriorliens,easements,restrictions,covenants, reservationsandconditions,ifany,ofrecord, aswellasinchoateliensandanyothermatterswhichwouldbedisclosedbyanaccurate surveyorinspectionofthepremises.Realestatetaxeswillbeadjustedtothedateofsale. Allcostsofconveyance,deed,examinationof title,recordingcharges,grantor’staxandpossessionwillbeattheexpenseofthepurchaser.Allrisksofcasualtyimmediatelypassto thesuccessfulbidder.Timeisoftheessence. Winningbiddermustsignamemorandumof saleimmediatelyuponcompletionofsale.Additionaltermsmaybeannouncedatthetime ofsale.Trustee’saffidavitandacopyofthe noticeofsaleavailableattheforeclosuresale. Theopeningbidisnotannounceduntilthe sale.Currentsalestatusavailableat dolanreid.com/foreclosure-sales.THISISA COMMUNICATIONFROMADEBTCOLLECTOR. ANYINFORMATIONOBTAINEDWILLBEUSED FORTHATPURPOSE. ForInformationContact: DolanReidPLLC,SubstituteTrustee(s) 12610PatrickHenryDr.,Ste.C, NewportNews,VA23602;(757)320-0255 PublishOn:September21&28,2022

NOTICEOFPUBLICHEARING

POWHATANCOUNTYPLANNINGCOMMISSION

Homes forSale

RealEstatePolicy

Allrealestateadvertisedhereinissubjectto theVirginiaFairHousingLaw,whichmakesit illegaltoadvertise“any preference,limitation ordiscriminationbased onrace,color,religion, nationalorigin,sex,elderliness,familialstatus,orhandicap.”

Wewillnotknowingly acceptanyadvertising forrealestatethatis inviolationofthelaw. Allpersonsarehereby informedthatallthe dwellingsadvertisedare availableonanequal opportunitybasis.

Noticeisherebygiven,pursuantto§15.2-2204ofthe CodeofVirginia, that thePlanningCommissionofPowhatanCountywillconductapublichearingon Tuesday,October4,2022,at6:00PMinthePowhatanCountyVillageBuilding Auditorium,3910OldBuckinghamRoad, toconsiderthefollowingrequest: 22-04-REZP:Oberlander(District#4:PowhatanVillage/Macon) requestsan amendmentoftheprofferstatementforoneparceldesignatedtaxmapnumber 038-F-1-68(3870MillStationDrive)whichcontainsapproximately4.3acresandis locatedneartheintersectionofLowerMillRdHwyandMillStationDr.Theapplicant isseekingtoreducethecashprofferamountfrom$7,236(adjustedupwardby increasesintheConsumerPriceIndex)to$1,880(Case#05-19-REZC).Thesubject propertyiszonedRuralResidential–5(RR-5).The2021ComprehensivePlan designatesthesubjectpropertiesasRuralAreasontheCountywideLandUseMap. 22-06-REZP:PowhatanPlaza(District#1:Manakin/FlatRock/Subletts) requestsanamendmentoftheprofferstatementforoneparceldesignatedtax mapnumber042-25Aandtheeasternpartofparcel042-26Fwhichcombinefor approximately5.2acresandarelocatedneartheintersectionofAndersonHwy (U.S.Rt.60)andLuckStoneRd.Theapplicantisseekingtoaltertherequirement mandatingtheconstructionofaturnlaneonLuckStoneRdpriortoanynew buildingbeingconstructedandinsteadletVDOTregulationsgovernwhentheturn lanewillbeconstructed(Case#18-05-REZC).Thesubjectpropertiesarezoned CommerceCenterPlannedDevelopment(CC-PD).The2021ComprehensivePlan designatesthesubjectpropertiesasGatewayBusinessontheCountywideLand UseMap. Case21-09-REZC:StroudVenturesLLC(District1:Manakin/FlatRock/ Subletts) requeststherezoningofTaxMapParcels#43-39BfromAgricultural-10 (A-10)DistricttoCommerceCenter(CC)Districtwithprofferedconditionsand amendmentofthezoningdistrictmapofapproximately5.93acresoflandlocated onthewestsideofPageRdapproximately0.2milesnorthwestoftheintersection withAndersonHighway.Profferedconditionsaddressadditionalsitebuffers, roadwayaccesscontrols,right-of-waydedication,andrestrictionofpermitted uses.Thisrequestisbeingmadetoallowfortheconstructionofacontractor’s officewhichshallincludethestorageofalimitedquantityofmaterials,supplies, andequipmentinsidethebuilding.The2021Long-RangeComprehensivePlan designatesthesubjectpropertyasRuralAreasandProtectedLands(Route60 CorridorEastSpecialAreaPlan)ontheCountywideFutureLandUsePlan.

Themeetingmaybewatchedlivebyvisitinghttp://powhatanva.gov/432/LiveStream-of-Powhatan-County-Meetings.

AllPlanningCommissionmeetingsareopentothepublicandinterestedpersons areencouragedtoattendonthedayandtimespecifiedabove.Copiesofthe proposedplans,ordinances,andamendmentsmaybereviewedintheDepartment ofCommunityDevelopmentinthePowhatanCountyAdministrationBuilding(3834 OldBuckinghamRoad)between8:30AMand5:00PMofeachbusinessday.Copies ofstaffreportsareavailablepriortothePublicHearinguponrequestandwillbe availableonlineatleastfive(5)dayspriortothemeetingathttp://powhatanva.gov/ agendacenter.Pleasecall(804)598-5621withanyquestions.