The longest serving sitting member of Nelson County’s board of supervisors, Tommy Harvey, has not attended a single meeting since May of last year, according to a review of meeting minutes and recordings of board proceedings. Harvey, an Afton resident, has served the county’s North District since 1984 and last year marked a 40-year milestone of service to the county. The board’s May 2024 meeting also marked the last time Harvey was present. Diane Harvey, his wife, said by phone his absences are due to medical issues. She said he is waiting to see if he will be able to file paperwork to run for another term in the Nov. 4 election.

Spotsylvania County School Board Chair Megan Jackson issued a warning to public speakers via email earlier this week, stating that the board will strictly adhere to a recently-revised policy regarding decorum at meetings. “Due to increasing disruptive behaviors, we are reminding the community of our school board policy BDDH,” Jackson wrote in an email to parents. “This notice shall serve as an official first warning. If a second warning is warranted at a school board meeting, [the] violator will be told to leave immediately.” Jackson added that a failure to comply with the second warning will result in law enforcement ensuring the disruptive individual leaves the school board office and is issued a no-trespassing order on school grounds. Jackson said that while the school division values the input of citizens and encourages community engagement, “to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and the public we expect professionalism, decorum and SCPS Board policies to be adhered to at all times.”

Members of the King George chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF Local 4438)—supported by members of Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Orange, and Winchester chapters—spoke in defense of their First Amendment rights at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. The membership turned out in response to comments made by some of the supervisors at the April 11 budget work session. The comments hinted at retaliation against the Local 4438 president, Triston Beverly, for writing a letter expressing concern about the proposed budget for the fire, rescue, and emergency services department….“I am deeply concerned about the desire of some of this board to discipline the president of Local 4438 for educating the public about proposed budget cuts to fire and rescue,” said Brian McGee, a King George resident and member of the association.

After a lengthy discussion on the Town of Mineral’s water system, the last 20 minutes of the April 29 Mineral Town Council’s special meeting focused on a complaint submitted to the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), with controversy surrounding whether it was submitted on the Town’s behalf by the initiative of an individual council member. Before public discussion, Town of Mineral Mayor Ron Chapman prefaced that the conversation would focus solely on whether a council person “used their title in an abusive fashion,” and not the merits of that person’s actions. In a complaint to DPOR, Hempstead wrote “David E. Hempstead, councilman” under the section where it asks for the name of the person filing the complaint, and “Town of Mineral, VA” under the company name if filing on behalf of a company. Council member JoAnna Von Arb stated that when he added “councilman” to the name, this meant he would be addressing the complaint as a representative of the town.

Sonny Randolph is among five former RPS bus drivers — alongside Cynthia Cole, Katina Hickman, Darryl Brinson-Williams and Kimya Williams — who allege they were fired last month in retaliation for attending a Richmond School Board meeting on April 8, where Williams, Brinson-Williams and some of their colleagues spoke in defense of their overtime pay. “On April 8, several bus drivers ‘called out,’ indicating that they would not be performing their after-school runs,” Kamras wrote. “This led RPS to cancel most after-school activities, leaving thousands of students without programming and causing parents and caregivers to scramble to find alternate childcare plans.” Kamras told Breton and Percival that the drivers’ actions violated state code, which bars public employees from “obstructing, impeding or suspending any activity or operation” by striking. It was the same reason listed in the drivers’ termination letters, obtained by The Times-Dispatch.