Town council: six seats and six candidates
Six candidates are seeking the six Urbanna Town Council seats in the May 4 election. So, barring any last-minute successful write-in campaigns, it appears the six candidates will be elected to office.
Lee Chewning, Richard Donoff, Bill Thrift and Joanie Ward are all seeking re-election. Current Urbanna Town Administrator Lewis Filling is seeking a return to council. Urbanna businessman and civic leader Joe Heyman is seeking his first term on council.
Lee Chewning, 59, has lived in Urbanna six years and during most of that time he and his wife Suzanne have operated the Inn at Urbanna Creek. He has been a Realtor with Isabell Horsley for the last 4 years and has his office in Urbanna. He is also active with the Urbanna Oyster Festival and on the Oyster Festival Foundation Board. This November, he will serve as festival co-chairman for a second year. He is seeking his second term on council and is currently on the finance committee.
Richard Donoff, 70, is seeking a second term on council. He retired in 1993 after a 30-year career in engineering focused mainly on overseeing machine design and development projects. After retiring, he went to Switzerland and worked for three years as an international machinery consultant. Donoff holds an associate engineering degree (Penn State) and a BS in economics (VCU). He married Anne Parker (native of Urbanna) in 1964. They have 2 children and 3 grandchildren.
Donoff’s community service includes five years on the Middlesex Library Board, where he chaired the Grounds and Maintenance Committee. He is a member of Christ Church Parish and served on the building committee for the new parish hall and was treasurer for the capital campaign fund for the new parish hall.
On council he has served as chair of the public utility committee and as a member of the finance committee.
Lewis Filling, 64, served for 8 years on the Urbanna Town Council, and was Town Mayor for 4.5 years, and has served as the town’s Chief Administrative Officer since 2003. He chaired the Town Council Finance Committee and was instrumental in obtaining over $3.5 million in state and federal grants for Urbanna.
Filling served on the Virginia Baptist Mission Board from 1993 to 1999. He also has served as finance committee chairman for the Dover Baptist Association, a group of 67 Baptist churches.
Filling is currently the treasurer for the Central Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad and works with the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office.
He is a member of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, and has five children and three grandchildren.
Joe Heyman operates The Allen Group, an Urbanna construction firm, and is a member of the Middlesex Rotary Club, Oyster Festival Foundation, Middlesex County Little League Board, Middlesex Sports Complex Committee, Home Builders Association of the Rappahannock, James River Green Building Council, and Middlesex YMCA Board.
William Jesse “Bill” Thrift Jr., 66, has served on council for 11 years. He was chief of the Middlesex County Volunteer Fire Department for 34 years and has been a member for 47 years. Thrift has lived in Urbanna 40 years and is plant manager for Pitts Lumber Company in Saluda. Thrift is a member of the Urbanna Masonic Lodge #83 AF&AM, serves on the Middlesex County Communication Committee, and is a member of New Hope United Methodist Church.
Joan “Joanie” Simonton Ward, 56, attended Middlesex County Public Schools and took college courses. Before retiring, she worked for 16 years as an assistant librarian at both Middlesex High School and St. Clare Walker Middle School. She is a member of Urbanna United Methodist Church, and current president of Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department Woman’s Auxiliary.
She has served on the Urbanna Christmas Home Tour Committee, Urbanna Business Association Special Events Committee, and Urbanna Christmas Beautification Committee. She and her husband Pete have 2 children and 2 grandchildren.
The Sentinel recently asked the six council candidates to answer two questions. Their responses are as follows.
1. What are the top two issues/concerns facing Urbanna today and in the near future, and how will you address these issues/concerns?
Chewning: The most important issues we need to address are finding a way to inject new life into the town. We need to attract new businesses and as part of that be attractive to folks who would want to visit our historic town and would consequently support our restaurants, inns and stores. This is a long-term issue and its future is linked to the promotion of our waterfront, future festivals and anything that will draw people to visit no matter what the season.
Donoff: The town of Urbanna increased taxes last year in order to balance the budget, now it will be a priority to balance our expenditures with revenues. A step has already been taken to decrease expense by ending our police agreement with the county and we are reviewing other possible sources of revenue.
Issue 2: Urbanna needs businesses to generate revenue and businesses need people. We need to continue efforts to attract people to Urbanna and to attract new businesses. New businesses like the Serenity at Upton’s Point, The Chesapeake Inn on Virginia Street, the new ventures on Cross Street and increasing use of the marina will bring in both revenue and people.
Filling: The top two issues concerning Urbanna are continuing to rebuild an aging infrastructure and maintain a viable business community in uncertain economic times. We have to conservatively continue to rebuild the aging water system and properties within the Town and try to provide a climate where small businesses would want to start and grow in Urbanna.
Heyman: The biggest issues facing the Town are the loss of businesses and the corresponding loss of revenue. Without a viable business community the concept of a small town will cease to exist; if elected as a business owner I would do everything possible to create a climate that makes Urbanna attractive to new small businesses.
Thrift: (A) Try to bring more business back to town and work with the business association in helping to meet this goal.
(B) We need to bring an end to the lawsuit. Been hanging in the courts too long.
Ward: Attracting visitors and promoting new business opportunities continue to be a top priority. Also, we should better utilize one of our greatest assets—Upton’s Point Marina the waterfront area. The council and town staff, in partnership with the Urbanna Business Association, should continue to explore new and creative ways to promote our town.
2. In what areas could government services be trimmed, and in what areas are there such urgent needs that you would consider raising taxes for needed revenue?
Chewning: I do believe that as a council we have already begun to be as fiscally frugal as possible. We’ve made some difficult choices that will trim the Budget and hopefully keep us from having to raise taxes in the near term.
I look forward to working with the new council and citizens of our special town.
Donoff: Presently there are no plans to raise taxes; however, any person, family or locality can be hit with a catastrophe that requires additional revenue. I think that it is important to have a long term strategy. We will come to a time when our Marina debt will go away and our water fund debt will decrease at the same time our swimming pool and infrastructure deteriorates. We need to anticipate what needs to be done down the road and build a capital surplus for future needs. Presently we enjoy one of the lowest water rates in Virginia and we operate at the break-even point with revenues and expenses about equal. A small water rate increase would allow us to be prepared for the next water line replacement that we all know is coming. Another area that can require increased revenues could be the lawsuit that hasn’t been resolved.
Filling: In the past years we have trimmed all excess money out of the budget and have tried to establish a fair tax rate and still provide for the future of the community. It is my contention that the level of services at the present time can be maintained at the current tax rate for the next two years.
Heyman: I think eliminating the police services agreement was a wise move. I am not familiar enough with the town budget to make an informed decision on the need to raise taxes. If elected I would strive to control spending and maintain the lowest possible tax rate that provides for essential services.
Thrift: No tax hike. If we spend our money wisely we should be able to keep our present services for our citizens as they are. I hated to lose the police agreement but we just couldn’t keep it alive with the loss of state funds.
Ward: The majority of government services Urbanna provides its citizens are important and need to be maintained. The finance committee is recommending the elimination of the police service agreement. In past years, the state has financed a significant portion of the total cost; however, the town has been informed that the amount contributed by the state would be drastically cut in FY 2010-11. Eliminating this program would result in a savings of nearly $40,000 per year.
Most everyone will agree Urbanna has issues that need to be addressed—antiquated water lines need to be replaced; additional fire hydrants need to be installed; Phase II of the Beautification Project cannot be kept on hold indefinitely; the town office building is in need of repairs. However, I do not believe any of these projects are so “urgent” that we need to consider raising taxes at the present time. Over the next several years, Urbanna will retire much of its debt services. The monies now being used to pay off current loans can then be set aside for capital improvements.
