Richard Cox will seek election to the Smith River District seat on the Patrick County Board of Supervisors in November.
Cox, who was appointed to the board in April to fill the vacancy in the district, said he initially intended to serve only until the November election. However, after several months on the board, he decided to seek the remainder of the term.
If elected, Cox would serve the remaining three years of the term.
“I thought, ‘Well, I haven’t heard of anyone else that’s stepping up to run.’ That may change as it gets closer, but I felt like if I was in a position to serve the community and the community chose me to serve, that I was in a position to represent them in an effective manner to achieve common goals,” he said.
Cox said one of the county’s biggest challenges is creating economic opportunities while preserving Patrick County’s rural character.
He cited job opportunities and infrastructure — including the electrical grid, broadband access and roads — as key issues facing the county.
“Those are issues that are going to have to be addressed, but they are going to have to be addressed in a manner that’s consistent with the rural community we live in,” he said. “We can hope for a corporate structure to come in here and offer large employment opportunities, but that’s not a reality. That’s a dream because we don’t have the resources at the present time to support a big company moving in here.”
Cox said residents also want to protect the county’s traditions while planning for the future.
“Beyond that, I don’t know what more I could indicate that I would be willing to consider,” he said. “There’s no magic pill to solve the problems facing Patrick County, but a crucial thing is the people themselves have to make the board aware of what their concerns are.”
He also believes the board should allow more time for residents to address supervisors during meetings.
“I sometimes think our meetings are, subject-wise, far too short and don’t allow the public the time needed to make their concerns known,” Cox said.
Since joining the board, Cox said he has learned the position requires a significant time commitment, with multiple committee, authority and community meetings each week.
“You can’t do that by just attending one meeting,” he said. “But I’m thankful for the opportunity because, being retired, it gets to the point where you can only watch the grass grow for 24 hours in one week without it getting boring. I consider this position a challenge. Do I hope to get anything out of it? Nothing more than the satisfaction that I’ve done the best for the people I represent.”
Cox said he is collecting signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Candidates have until Aug. 14 to file the required paperwork.
“Signing my petition doesn’t mean they’ll vote for me,” he said. “It simply means that they think I’ve got the qualifications to be a candidate, and I appreciate that.”
