Reflections on service
COMMENTARY
By Don Sowder OUTGOING MIDLOTHIAN DISTRICT SUPERVISOR

Sowder

As I come to the end of my service on the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, I want to thank the citizens of the Midlothian District and Chesterfield County for the honor and privilege of serving them as their elected representative. The job has been challenging and demanding but also rewarding.

I am pleased with the current board's role in moving the Watkins Centre concept from a plan to reality. The Watkins Centre will be a signifi- cant economic engine for Chesterfield County as we move toward the future. Also, I am pleased with the many new small businesses in the Village of Midlothian which have added to the community's vitality while retaining the charm and character of the neighborhood. In fact, the entire Midlothian Turnpike corridor is experiencing a facelift with the upgrading of Chesterfield Towne Center, a new cancer hospital on CJW Medical Center's Johnson Willis campus and new business development in the Beaufont Center brought about by the anticipated Cloverleaf Mall revitalization.

Among the most significant achievements of the current board is the hiring of a new county administrator after an extensive national search as well as a new police chief. The men filling these slots are included in the top tier in the nation in their area of expertise and in jurisdictions of similar characteristics.

The outstanding reputation of our school system in the state and region is a notable achievement. Our two high schools in Midlothian are rated in the top 3 percent of high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine. I am comforted by the fact that our children are educated in a safer environment as a result of the board's supplemental funding to increase security in all Chesterfield schools.

I will miss interacting with my peers on the current board who have worked so hard to make Chesterfield the outstanding county that it is. We could not have made significant progress without the commitment and cooperation of our dedicated county staff as well as interaction with citizens and businesses that contribute to making Chesterfield a great place to live, work and raise a family. I will not miss being on the receiving end of inaccurate and misleading campaign literature that disparaged both me and my fellow board members. We, as most public officials do, work very hard, consider available facts and strive to make the best possible decisions to benefit the majority of our constituents. Those seeking public office can serve the public better by focusing on positive new ideas and solutions to our many problems.

Congratulations to all the newly-elected board members. We have many challenges facing the county, including infrastructure, schools, transportation, growth management and a reasonable tax base. However, our opportunities far surpass the limits of these challenges. In a few short weeks, the new board will assume the awesome responsibility of the challenges and opportunities to keep Chesterfield moving forward.

Our citizens deserve a continuation of the progress achieved by the current board that has made Chesterfield a first choice community. Working together for the mutual benefit of all businesses and citizens has never been more critical to our future. I look forward to being a good citizen.