Here are the people who want to be Stafford’s next appointed Supervisor

STAFFORD — For the second time in five years, the Stafford County Board of Supervisors finds itself once again replacing one of its own.

A special meeting of the county’s top governing board is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7 at the county government center. That’s when sitting supervisors from six of the county’s seven magisterial districts will interview a series of candidates whom all seek appointment to the Board as the temporary George Washington District Supervisor.

The Board has 45 days from the start of the Virginia General Assembly session on Jan. 10 to appoint a new interim supervisor. That’s because former Supervisor Bob Thomas was elected to the House of Delegates to replace the long-serving Bill Howell, who was also the Speaker of the House of Delegates.

At Potomac Local’s request, Stafford County spokeswoman Shannon Howell sent us the resumes and applications of the seven people who seek to be the temporary appointment to the Board. We’ll get into the candidates later in the post.

Garrisonville District Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer says the appointment could be made as soon as this week. Whoever is appointed will serve until a General Election is held on November 6. The winner of that election will complete Thomas’ old term which ends December 31, 2019.

One thing we reported on last week, Paul Milde’s move to the George Washington District, will also play a role in this story as it unfolds this year. Milde was the Aquia District Supervisor for 12 years before losing to Thomas in a Primary Election for the 28th District House seat last spring.

Milde told us he would not seek temporary appointment to the Board. Inside sources say he’ll run in the General Election in November for the George Washington seat.

Stafford’s Board in 2013 appointed Republican Ty Scheiber to fill the seat vacated by Dudenhefer when he won election to the House of Delegates. Scheiber completed Dudenehfer’s term but lost a re-election bid to Laura Sellers, a Democrat who served until December 31, 2017.

Now back on the Stafford Board of Supervisors, Dudenhefer replaced Sellers and will be one of the six sitting supervisors to select the interim George Washington replacement.

The seven people who seek temporary appointment to the Board of Supervisors all live in the George Washington District — a legal requirement of the position. They also represent a cross-section of the community.

John C. Van Hoy has served on the county’s Utilities and Planning commissions. He also spent 12 years as Chairman of the Stafford County Republican Committee from 1989 to 2002.

He’s worked as a Geologist and says the county is “again under heavy pressure for changes due to growth.” He credits himself as working to help create an elected School Board in the county, as well as working to find land for the current fire and rescue station in White Oak.

Here’s his submission:

https://potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/John-Van-Hoy-rev.pdf

Gordon Silver is a financial services manager for the parent company of AutoTrader, Cox Automotive. With a long list of professional jobs in sales and project management, Silver’s letter to the Board notes the need for green space and preserving wildlife in the county. The former assistant chief in the local Patawomeck Indian Tribe, Silver pens “This will be the Board that will determine if Stafford County becomes another suburb of Washington, D.C. or a community that offers economic opportunity and a great quality of life close to home.

Here is Silver’s full submission: 

https://potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Gordon-Silver-rev.pdf

Susan Henderson is an Air Force veteran who helped to organize the countys 350th anniversary celebration in 2014. She worked for the King George County Government as a recreation supervisor, and today is a small business owner and a photographer. 

Henderson penned that she believes in storng financial managment in government, and that spent most of the 22 years that she’s lived in the George Washington District raising money for non-profit causes like Friends of the Rappahannock, George Washington’s Ferry Farm, and Freinds of Chatham.

Here’s her full submission: 

https://potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Sue-Henderson-rev.pdf

Anthony “Tony” Detoya hails from New York, and notes in his application that Stafford County reminds him of his home county of Rockland — a place, he says, grew in population size and development. He works as a policy analyst for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, of California. He’s also a former U.S. Senate hopeful who ran in 2014 Virginia primary race.

Detoya says Stafford County needs to focus on a five-year plan, and its capital improvement plan. 

Here’s his full submission: 

https://potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Tony-DeTora-rev.pdf

Jerry Hall is a self-made man. With one year of college under his belt, he went onto become a Vice President of a property managment firm with sites in Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Fauquier, and Orange counties.

Here’s his full submission: 

https://potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Jerry-Hall-rev.pdf

Robert C. “Bobby” Duke, Jr. says he wants to be a temporary replacment for Thomas, but does not want the job full-time. He vowed not to run in the fall election where voters will choose who will fill the role through 2019.

Duke lists work experience as the treasurer for Colonial Beach, Va., and notes he moved to Stafford County four years ago. 

His full submission: 

https://potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Robert-Duke-rev.pdf

Finally, Thomas Coen‘s resume is a long list of pubilc service postistions. He’s currently the Planning Commissioner for the George Washington District, an appointed body that, among other things, hears planning and zoning cases for new residential and commercial developments before they head to the Board of Supervisors. 

On the commission for four years, Coen appears to be the most versed in the opearations of local government noting familiarity with proffer laws, and Stafford’s Comprehensive Plan. 

HIs full submission: 

https://potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Tom-Coen-rev.pdf