Standards of Conduct, Gloucester County Board of Supervisors

In the Agenda for Dec. 2, 2014 BOS meeting:

 

There is a proposal to add the following to the STANDARDS OF CONDUCT GLOUCESTER COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

 

Citizens appearing before the Board will not be allowed to campaign for public office, promote private business ventures, engage in personal attacks, debate among the audience, use profanity, vulgar or abusive language, or jeer, cheer, or applaud, except during ceremonial matters. The Sergeant-at-Arms may be directed by the Board Chair to remove persons who violate these rules.

 

This suggests the People and Citizens in the meeting audience are not allowed to reasonably demonstrate consent or non-consent?  What is wrong with minor levels of applauding or even booing?  What is right with having law enforcement engaged as the Sergeant-at Arms?  There are way too many “will not be allowed” items contained in the proposed language.  Rules of order can be created without binding, gagging and intimidating the People and the Citizens.  The People’s and Citizens’ voices should not be limited, ignored nor silenced. 

 

Section 6-1 of York County’s Board of Supervisors Rules of Procedure is an example of less dictatorial language and reads as follows:

 

The efficient and dignified conduct of public business is the ultimate concern of the Board.  Accordingly, it is the policy of the Board that its meetings be conducted with the highest degree of order and decorum.  The Board's integrity and dignity will be established and maintained at all times during the conduct of public business, and the Board will permit no behavior which is not in keeping with this policy.  The soliciting of funds, the use of abusive or profane language, personal attacks on Board members, the failure to comply with time limits on speakers, or other forms of offensive conduct will not be tolerated.  The Chairman will maintain proper order at all times during all meetings of the Board and shall effect the removal from any meeting of any person guilty of offensive conduct if the offending party fails or refuses to cease such conduct.

 

In York County’s rule the necessity of good order is effectively communicated and control of order is placed with the Chairperson, not law enforcement.  On the other hand, York County’s rule also speaks of personal attacks on Board members.  Without a clear definition of personal attack; one would think a speaker can only compliment a Board member.  Each Board member is elected by the People and Citizens; therefore the People and Citizens should be allowed to publicly address issues pertaining to Board members as long as it is done in a respectful and orderly manner. 

 

Just my 2 cents,

Kenneth E. Hogge, Sr.

Gloucester Point

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The York Herald, Issue No 13, By Phillip Bazzani, BoS

York Herald, 2014 Issue No. 13 
Issue number 13 of the York Herald, by Phillip Bazzani, Board of Supervisor member covering the York District of Gloucester.  News on what happened during the most recent Board of Supervisors meeting.

  Stay informed with this newsletter right here each month on GVLN.  

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The York Herald, Issue No 12, By Phillip Bazanni, Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors, Oct, 2014

York Herald 2014 Issue 12, Phillip Bazzani, GCBoS from Chuck Thompson

Here is the latest edition of the York Herald, Issue No. 12.  Written and produced by Phillip Bazzani,  it's a great tool for keeping area residents up to date on what our local government officials are looking at and considering or adopting.   Mr Bazzani has been kind enough to share these with us each month.

  In order to read the newsletter in larger detail, just click the box at the very bottom right hand corner to open the container into full page format.  This will make reading much easier.

Gloucester, Virginia Links and News, GVLN

Voted

Gloucester, Virginia's Best News Source

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Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors &School Board Joint Meeting With Notes, Sept. 2014

Open letter to Gloucester County.

In the July and first September Board of Supervisors (BOS)  meeting I spoke during the citizen comment period and gave the BOS a list of things they need to do to make Gloucester County "The Land of the Life Worth Living."

Based on the grades on the two report cards I was told that I should provide you with ways to improve your grades. 

Before I do that I have to make a comment about the September 16^th joint meeting.  Does anyone on the School Administrative staff have a degree of any kind?  The staff went into joint meeting with the Board of Supervisors totally unprepared.  I know I would not have any degree if I went into a test as unprepared as the School Board Staff was last night.  With the salaries we pay can’t we get someone with a degree or at least someone that knows why they are going to a meeting as employees?  If I was a member of the School Board I would be embarrassed.

I am going to look at the second item that I am grading the BOS with:  Hold Department Heads and Supervisors to high standards and get rid of them when they break the rules.  You cannot hold lower level employees to high standards if they are not practiced at the higher levels.

There were numerous examples provided in the two September meetings.

I will start with the meeting on the 16^th.  The School Board staff did a great job of not having prepared anything in my opinion with a standard answer that we will get back with you later with an answer.  Do not have any more meetings with them if they do not come prepared as it's a total waste of your time.  If they do, tell them the meeting is over and that you will develop a budget for them without their input.  You give them about $10 million less than they want one year and maybe they will get the hint they need to provide open and honest communications with you.  I do not think it will happen a second time.

In my opinion the County Staff is equally lazy and predictable and like to talk in circles for several minutes without answering your questions hoping you will forget the question or answer they are not responsible.

First, tell them you want an executive summary answer, 20 words or less, and if you need more information you will ask another question again with a short answer.  I like what Mr. Meyer said about the flood document that it needed to be a pamphlet that anyone could read quickly and not a novel as it currently exist.  Hold the staff accountable and make them reduce the document to a size anyone can read and understand; we are not paying them by the pound.  What are they trying to hide?  If it is above the 6^th – 8^th grade reading level they are trying to hide something.  This is the level that most documents are written that are readily used by most of the population.  Above this level it is a coffee table book that is not read.

Second, when you have employees that tell you they are not responsible for what they are presenting to you?  Tell them it is with great sorrow that you accept their resignation effective immediately?  I think it was an ms ditzy that said that; I would have to go back to the agenda to get the persons actual name.  If they are responsible for preparing the document and tell you something like that then they are very much overpaid and need to leave.

Third, when they do this;  stop the speaker telling them they are done; then ask Ms. Garton to get someone qualified to make the presentation.

If you use these suggestions I do not think you will continue to have problems getting answers and employees giving you the required respect.

I am a tax payer and you need to be held accountable to “We the People”.

I have a voter registration card and know how to use it.

Respectfully submitted by

Wayne Crews

Gloucester Point District

P.S.  The school population is increasing because of the new superintendent? What has he done for us for him to make this kind of statement and can he provide proof he is responsible?  You have to go to the meetings or watch them on TV.  More entertaining than anything else on TV in the time slot.  I think the meeting made the top Nelson rating for the night in the time slot if not it should have.

York Herald 2014 11, By Phil Bazzani, GC BoS 

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Gloucester, VA Board of Supervisors Video, June, 2014

We apologize for the extreme delay on us getting this up.  We have been very tied up with research on our new Unleashing Histories Mysteries series that it has put us way behind on a great deal of information we have been working on.  Most all of that is now caught up these days.

York Herald, Gloucester, VA June 2014 7 from Chuck Thompson

Information from Mr Bazzani, BoS, York District.

Now regarding Parks and Recreation division and Woodville Park.  Who might benefit from water and sewer going to that park from route 17?  Well let's look at what the county public info tells us.

The following property is located directly across Bray’s Point Road from the entrance to Woodville Park.

RPC: 41829, PEEBLES INVESTMENTS LLC, Map#: 045-521 Acres: 1.92, Assessed: $23,100.00, Farm, Sale Price: $0.00, Grantor: David L. Peebles, Sale Date:12/20/2012

RPC: 41828, Name: PEEBLES INVESTMENTS LLC, Map#: 045-520, Acres: 1.00, Assessed: $2,200.00, Farm, Sale Price: $0.00, Grantor: David L. Peebles, SaleDate: 12/20/2012

RPC: 41830, Name: PEEBLES INVESTMENTS LLC, Map#: 045-522, Acres: 19.77, Assessed: $9,900.00, Farm, Sale Price: $0.00, Grantor: David L. Peebles, SaleDate: 12/20/2012

RPC: 30195, Name: PEEBLES INVESTMENTS LLC, Map#: 045-519, Acres: 11.45, Assessed: $7,500.00, Farm, Sale Price: $0.00, Grantor: David L. Peebles, SaleDate: 12/20/2012 

The following property connects to the Peebles Investments property and is divided by Glass Road.

RPC: 32797, Name: GREAVES, NELLIE D &, GREAVES MARITAL TRUST, Map# 46-14, Acres: 362.30, Assessed: $1,140,900.00, Farm, Sale Price: $0.00, Grantor: GREAVES, NELLIE D &, Sale Date:10/28/2013

Woodville Park Area, Gloucester, VA, Overlay Map from Chuck Thompson

The above map overlay with properties that would benefit from water and sewer being extended down to the park at taxpayer expenses.  Rather interesting.  Let's hope our BoS's have enough sense to see the issues here and not vote in favor of this.  The alternatives sounded much better and are more sound for county tax payers.

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