Looks like Chairman Pyles has taken his show on the road with the help of his "Pocket Supervisors" Karraffa and Pattie in the form of a "Political Breakfast" in Waynesboro. Comments by the "Gang-O-Three" were dutifully reported by the News Virginian but once again failed to seek comment from the remaining members of the Board of Supervisors. It can only be questioned how many readers of the NewsVirginian who picked up their morning paper to read this piece thought it was reporting of a official meeting instead of a "Political Breakfast" gathering.
Supervisors focus on economic development
Expanding businesses have the best hope of improving county finances
By: | News VirginianPublished: September 23, 2012
Waynesboro,
Va. --
Whatever is financially ailing Augusta County can be cured or
at least modified by more economic development, a trio of county supervisors
said during the SWAC Political Breakfast on Saturday.
The breakfast was conducted at Waynesboro’s Golden Corral
Restaurant.
The supervisors spoke of how 2012 has included some economic
highlights that will pay dividends to the county, including Mary Baldwin
College’s selection of a Fishersville location for a new campus and graduate
programs, and the recent announcement of McKee Baking in Stuarts Draft adding 78
jobs.
They also spoke of how County Economic Development Director
Dennis Burnett has been given a free hand to aggressively promote and create
more jobs for the county’s economy.
“If we don’t have jobs, we deteriorate,’’ said Board of
Supervisors Chairman Tracy Pyles.
Since a new board took office in January, Pyles said the seven
members have worked to reestablish strong relations with state economic
development officials in Richmond. And Pyles said Augusta County has embraced
the idea of regionalism — working with both Staunton and Waynesboro — to create
jobs that benefit the entire area.
“If we are putting our resources together it works better,’’
Pyles said. He said Burnett and other county officials offered a vision of
Augusta County to Mary Baldwin that helped sell the Staunton women’s college on
the county as a location for their new Murphy Deming College of Health
Sciences.
Pyles said Fishersville is becoming a health center that
already includes a burgeoning Augusta Health and Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation
Center.
And of McKee’s expansion, Pyles said “what Dennis (Burnett)
asked for we provided. If he gets them on the hook, we land them.” The Stuarts
Draft plant was competing with two other McKee locations for the manufacturing
of the company’s mini doughnuts product.
North River Supervisor Marshall Pattie said the early meetings
of the new board last winter involved lengthy closed sessions about new economic
opportunities.
Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa called Burnett “a
tireless worker’’ who labors late into the night looking for more jobs. And he
said the infrastructure for future development is in place at the county’s Mill
Place Commerce Park in Verona.
“We are marketing it aggressively. It is a beautiful place to
put your business,’’ he said.
On a different front, Karaffa expressed great confidence in
the Roanoke area business performing the county’s new reassessment.
He said Wingate and Associates is Virginia’s most experienced
reassessment provider.
Supervisors are also expected to decide on a strategic
fire/rescue plan for the county at Wednesday’s meeting that entails how to
deploy 21 new fire/rescue positions obtained under a federal SAFER grant.
Pattie said the new strategy will assure that the county does
not have the ISO rating problems it had two years ago with the Preston L. Yancey
Volunteer Fire Company in Fishersville.
Where is the rest of the supervisors?
ReplyDeleteWhen were we invited to this brain trust event ?
Official comments?
What a joke
I guess there was no one there to ask real questions like why the Board committed itself to long term spending without first securing the income to sustain it through this federal grant? Is Stuart a reporter or a stenographer? Seems a bit cozy with the major players on only side of the aisle. How can he be counted on to treat the other Supervisors or opposition fairly? Real breakfast food for thought- not the sugerfilled BS sandwiches the Swacster likes to serve up.
ReplyDeleteIve quit reading swacsters blog altogether. The BS thats being cranked out is unbelievable. Ive been to several events, meetings, breakfasts etc, that shes reported on and I can tell you whats being reported and what actually happened are completely different. (Swac Breakfast that was boosted to have over 60 people in attendance, I counted 31) Lets not forget the "spin" thats put on each issue involving the members of the "gang".
ReplyDeleteI noticed that the NewsLeader has stopped coverage of these events and in fact they never did seem to buy what was being sold in the past. I have talked with Bob Stuart in the past regarding how supervisor comments in the past only seem to come from the "select" few (Members of the gang)and he says they seem to be the only ones who comment after the meetings so he reports what they say. Fair enough, but this reporting from a "Political Breakfast" is not a official meeting and should not appear that way in the paper. Might just be me but in reading the above article I get the feeling many un-suspecting readers could read it as reporting on a official meeting. Were ALL Supervisors invited to this "SWAC" breakfast? Were any of those not attending contacted and asked for comments regarding what the "Gang-O-three" had told those attending this breakfast club and the "sugerfilled BS sandwiches the Swacster likes to serve up". (!)
ReplyDeleteWell then Stuart's full of BS himself. Its his job to seek out comments from ALL parties not just accept what is fed to him by the select few who have their own agendas for making sure their name is always in the paper. If he is seeking out comments from the others but they are declining to do so, then he needs to say it. To say that he only reports comments from those in front of him is journalistic malpractice. Set the Swacster approved quote-filled note pad down and pick up the phone. What does Beyler have to say? Moore? Incredible!!!- and guys like Stuart and Fritz wonder why their way of life is going away.
ReplyDeleteIronic in a way but I was in the National Art Museum today and took in a exhibit that took one days news story with photos but showed only the frontpage header of the many different newspapers with same photos but no text so you had to imagine how each newspaper presented the "News"...
ReplyDeleteOn the way out there was a great quote: "Just Chimney Soot on Chopped up Trees".....
http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/shockinfo.shtm
What about Sunshine law?
ReplyDeleteNot sure about Sunshaine Law quidelines but with it being a "Public" meeting I don't believe there is an issue here....
ReplyDeleteFOIA wouldn't apply to this but I bet a well worded FOIA request would turn up some interesting things in the Gang's email accounts related to specific county business.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 11:52: Such as Pyles trying to make a side deal with the School Board in keeping Craigsville Elem open? That if the School Board would agree to keep the school open he would send more funding their way.
ReplyDeleteSure if someone knows of shady dealings, a FOIA asking for specific info on a topic can work wonders. It happened with the MegaSite where someone (most likely Sorrells) leaked info to Betty Hamilton who in turn was able to file a FOIA that thoroughly embarrassed and ultimately defeated Pyles and those who were trying to double deal and go against the Comp Plan.
ReplyDelete"Politics" and why so many are sick of politics like this. Just be happy it was not the "Gang of four" !!!.
ReplyDeletecongrats to the BOS and especially the gang in helping the Obama Administration juice its employment #s just in time for the fall election with these 21 positions. Short term Federal govt grant paid for with either borrowed money or inflated printing press cash. Guess they didn't have the political will to hold themselves accountable to inform the folks of a need for more tax revenue or to cut something to make up the difference????
ReplyDeleteBama man is bragging that the last month before the election there is a unemployment rate less than 8%... But that means little with the past 4 YEARS above 8% !
ReplyDeleteAdditional fire\emergency personnel are important and a benefit but at what cost? This became a political issue once insurance rates went up for a select few that played politics with it in a attempt to change the BOS election. Now we have these additional staff but at what cost and who pays down the line once the FedMoney runs out? Chairman Pyles and his Pocket Supervisors will not offer details how they will pay for this staff. Augusta BOS should have been able to find enough waste and eliminate it withing Augusta County to be able to cover these positions.....
ReplyDelete