Citizen outlines roles of BOS, commission, planners

Dear Editor,

Apparently, a basic course in representative government and the roles and responsibilities of various parties, elected and appointed, is of need in Chesterfield County.

Every four years we elect our representatives for the Board of Supervisors (BOS) and School Board. Our elected BOS members then appoint members of various boards and commissions (i.e. Planning Commission) to represent the respective districts on these bodies. The county administrator is appointed/hired by the BOS and is responsible for the appointment of most of those that comprise the administration of Chesterfield County government, including the Planning Department.

While Chesterfield County, as is the case in most localities, is blessed to have a trained and professional planning department, their role is to review the cases that are presented to them and (1) make recommendations to the property owner or developer of the property regarding their plans for its use and (2) provide the planning commissioners with their advice regarding the request based on the information presented to them and their knowledge of the county's comprehensive plan(s). In addition, the Planning Department works with [its] staff and citizen groups to review the data regarding adoption and/or amendments to the various plans of development (i.e. Chester, Northern Courthouse Road, Upper Swift Creek, etc.).

To expect the Planning Commission to "rubber stamp" the recommendations of the Planning Department or the Board of Supervisors to, likewise, rubber stamp what is presented to them from the Planning Commission, is to render both functions of no value or use. Personally, I have no problem with members of the Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors making recommendations to amend what has been presented to them by the administration, whether it is the county administrator or the Planning Department. I would be more concerned, and actually am with the frequency of its occurrence, for members of either body to act solely on the basis of what has been recommended to them by the administration without questioning the recommendation or offering amendments to what is before them.

The administration of any local government serves a very vital and important role in the conduct of the business of the locality's daily operations. However, no one serving in the administration of Chesterfield County was elected to office. Therefore, both the responsibility and accountability is vested with the elected officials and those whom they have appointed to represent both them and their constituents.

We must keep in mind any recommendation by a planning commissioner or supervisor requires the consent of the majority of the members of each respective body for adoption.

Bob Herndon

Chesterfield