COMMENTARY
King reflects on 2006 as chairman
By Dickie King BERMUDA DISTRICT SUPERVISOR

King

Now that 2006 has ended, I would like to thank the people of the Bermuda District and Chesterfield County for allowing me to represent them on the Board of Supervisors and as chairman.

To be chairman last year was the most trying of times and could even be called scary. Because of the loss of former Midlothian Supervisor Ed Barber, who was chairman in 2005, my colleagues on the board, the county staff, friends and citizens were hurt and disappointed. But we rallied and conducted the people's business anyway.

To my fellow board members - Kelly Miller, Art Warren, Renny Humphrey and Terry Cofer Beirne/ Don Sowder - my thanks to you for putting your service ahead of yourself.

During last year, your board made numerous accomplishments. While some may point to others, my brief list would include:

1. Thanks to citizen input, the people's right to have their views expressed was enhanced. The board's public hearing process was improved to equalize the opportunity to speak to elected and appointed officials. At the board and planning commission meetings, citizens now can speak their minds at either of two different scheduled times.

2. Our economic development received a real boost when Northrop Grumman held its memorable groundbreaking ceremony at the Meadowville Technology Park, offering 600 future jobs for our county. Bermuda Planning Commissioner Jack Wilson aided in this effort.

3. Another economic plus occurred when the Watkins Centre rezoning was approved, ensuring office development and more s h o p p i n g selection. It's also Chesterfield's first new effort to ensure that area roads precede growth by using a commercial development authority as the financing mechanism.

4. We held our first Transportation Summit to find a way to solve Chesterfield's road needs. In this spring's budgeting process, we will provide a number of answers to this long-term problem.

5. Last year, we lowered the property tax rate by three cents, the largest reduction in over 20 years.

6. For the business community, the Business, Professional and Occupational License Tax is now the most competitive in central Virginia, which will aid our economic development.

7. Bermuda Hundred has now been placed on the state and national historical registers after considerable support from our citizens and the Chesterfield Historical Society.

On a personal level, my greatest challenges as a supervisor were:

1. To protect the property rights of the individual while managing growth.

2. To solve the dilemma for funding road needs while state funds are diminishing.

3. To maintain property values by providing adequate funding for schools and public safety.

4. While maintaining property values, assessments soared, and we cut the property tax rate to compensate for some of the increased tax burden. Meanwhile, the state was slashing state funding, specifically for roads, which is counter to its traditional role as the builder of new roads.

5. During the public comment portion of our board meetings, it was difficult at times to hear uninformed opinions- often distorted and given without the respect they expect from the board- from certain activists. Those views often differed from the legal counsel we received and the valued opinions offered by our staff.

Despite those challenges, Chesterfield is better positioned for the future. Thank you for the opportunity to share in leading our county.