As 2016 gets underway I am no longer serving on the
Chesterfield County Planning Commission. Michael Jackson has been appointed to
represent the Dale Magisterial District. He will be known to many readers as
the unsuccessful candidate for the Dale representative on the Chesterfield
School Board. He would have made a great School Board member and I am equally
certain that he will an able, effective member of the Planning Commission. As
is Supervisor Jim Holland, who appointed him, and as I tried to be, Michael is
a leader who listens to his constituents, gathers all the relevant facts, then
makes the decision he believes is in the best interest of Chesterfield County
and its citizens.
One of my great concerns has and continues to be the
leadership of the Chesterfield County schools. Despite several changes in the
makeup of the school board in the last two election cycles, there has been no
meaningful increase in transparency or accountability by that board or by the senior
administrators of the school system. Combined with the system’s woeful behavior
in meeting the educational requirements of special needs children, mismanagement
of capital projects and many other shortcomings, stonewalling of senior
officials, hired and appointed, has done a great disservice to the children and
citizens of Chesterfield County.
You can expect to see more frequent commentary by me not
only about Chesterfield County schools but other issues affecting the greater
metropolitan area.
