We made our predictions for Chairman of the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors yesterday and we were comfortable with them until around 2PM today. That’s when we started figuring out that things weren’t as they appeared to be. Let’s do a BreakDown on what happened and what it means…
Brenda Bowman is the new chairman and Elton Barksdale is vice-chairman. Wow. Let’s get the Big Board out for the BreakDown.
- Brenda Bowman got unceremoniously booted out of the chairmanship in 2013 because of Coy Harville, James Snead, Tim Barber and Jerry Hagerman. Hagerman flipped his allegiance and cast the deciding votes to both boot Bowman out and eliminate the Economic Development office (which was her husband, Ken Bowman). That vote was pure spite against Brenda Bowman for her alliance with Marshall Ecker’s Northern faction.
- That’s when the board started coming unraveled with Harville/Snead/Barber & Hagerman using their majority powers. They got semi-rational when they elected Jessie Barksdale as chairman for 2014. He turned out to be the best chairman that they county has had in a very long time.
- Brenda Bowman had to have two major things happen to let her get her revenge on Harville/Snead/Barber. First, she had to get the support of Jerry Hagerman again. We said it yesterday… “Jerry Hagerman does what’s best for Jerry Hagerman and his district” and that turned out to be prophetic as Hagerman was the swing vote. Second, Jessie Barksdale had to be willing to step aside for Bowman’s return. Barksdale did that with no second thoughts, and that shows his decision was a proverbial middle finger to Harville/Snead/Barber.
- During the election process, Coy Harville said that he couldn’t support Bowman “because she had called them snakes before”. At that time, I don’t believe that he didn’t know the plan that had already been put into motion because he nominated Jessie Barksdale with Tim Barber seconding it.
- Jessie Barksdale voted against himself and for Brenda Bowman. That’s proof that he was highly involved in the plan (like he’d have to be). Harville/Snead/Barber voted for Barksdale but they needed four votes. Jerry Hagerman’s switchback left the Southern 3 high and dry.
- Tim Barber then nominated Barksdale for vice-chair, trying to break up the Bowman/Blackstock/Hagerman/Barksdale alliance but none of them took that bait either. Elton Barksdale was elected vice-chair on the same votes. Barksdale voted against himself for the second time for the second middle finger against Harville/Snead/Barber.
- As chairman, Brenda Bowman made the committee assignments and Harville/Snead/Barber were shut out of any chairmanships on them as well, completing the wipeout.
Here’s what this means. Jerry Hagerman is now the most powerful man in the county. Brenda Bowman’s newly founded coalition will be wiped out if Hagerman switches sides again (like he did last time). Coy Harville, James Snead & Tim Barber are dead in the water in the same way that they did it to Brenda Bowman before. You’ve got to be nice on the way up because sooner or later, you’ll be coming down. I expect Bowman’s coalition to get moving quickly with their first major initiative being restarting an economic development department.
Revenge is sweet and complete for Brenda Bowman. What a wild night.
Now as voters in the County, let us do likewise and sweep Harville, Snead, and Barber out of office. I think we recall well Snead trying to suggest rescue squad workers were trying to bankrupt the county over radios. I know I certainly recall the asinine statements Barber made in his Chamber of Commerce keynote. This Board is still not where it needs to be, but booting these three would be welcome relief.
I live in Barber’s district and will run if no other candidate takes up the challenge. I am serious about there being one serious challenger to these men, though. Those of us who care about the future of this county need to make sure all three are shown they have worn out their welcome.
Are you a city or country resident? Yes, you should run!
I think I answered that clearly above. I think somebody else is going to run, and I am likely to throw my support behind that person rather than split a field. I just want people to know I will do it if nobody else will. It’s time to stand against this unprofessional Board.
Sic transit gloria mundi.
Bowman’s revenge will be short lived. She is more than likely leaving Pittsylvania County soon. Also if she stays, she will face a challenge for the Republican nomination, since she is a total RINO, and has failed to support other Republicans on the BOS.
She didn’t run as a Republican in 2011. The Board of Supervisors is not a place for partisan politics anyway.I stand corrected.
The official election results suggest she was on the ballot as a Republican. Of course, most of the others who people are saying are real Republicans ran as Independent.
In Pittsylvania County the BOS elections are in fact partisan elections, as are the constitutional offices. Perhaps some counties do not conduct elections this way. Danville city council elections are non-partisan, but in Roanoke for example, the council elections are very partisan. The fact that some candidates run as independents does not preclude others from running as the nominee of any political party.
Mostly true. Local election candidates may get party nominations if they want. Roanoke is a good example of why that’s a bad thing.
[…] BreakDown: Pittsylvania County BoS Organizational Meeting […]
So, will Bowman’s husband get his old job back?
I doubt it. He’s doing good at his new Economic Development position.
How does all of these actions make for a better Pittsylvania County? These people were elected to represent the citizens. It gets mired by the politics of who gets to do what and gets to be mayor. Who gets helped by all of this? So much for working for those they are supposed to represent….
In this case, I think it helps a lot. This action strips the Southern Three of any power. That group has been mean and vengeful over the past few years. They punished Bowman for her original move of forming an alliance with Marshall Ecker.
Revenge is sweet for Brenda Bowman. Now let’s give the BoS a chance to change their course.
I know Brenda Bowman supports the prayer issue as do all of the BOS. This is a no win situation for the BOS and the citizens of Pittsylvania County. Why they continue to listen to Bill Stanley is a mystery. If members of the BOS determine they need ‘divine guidance’ to move the County forward, I suggest they seek this at a church of their choice and not during a public meeting. The law is clear on government officials presenting a prayer however, I guess not clear enough for the BOS to spend almost $75,000. of taxpayer money…..this borders on malfeasance and misappropriation of funds. The County has more important issues to address than whether or not a public meeting can begin with a prayer. I sincerely hope the BOS, in 2015, will address economic development, public education, balancing the county budget, etc. Currently, Pittsylvania County is like riding in a vehicle stuck in reverse!!
Couple of things: The First Amendment is clear and in plain language states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” When a member of the BOS stands up and prays he/she is in no way whatsoever trying to establish any religion. They are simply freely exercising their right under the First Amendment.
Second thing: Brenda Bowman is going to run for reelection just as I predicted in this space on January 5, 2015..