Vance Agee announced Thursday that he will withdraw from the Mayo River District Board of Supervisors Primary.
“I regret that I cannot continue to go forward in my campaign to become the representative for the Mayo River District on the Board of Supervisors. I have an opportunity to expand my business that will take a significant amount of my time in these next few months and I do not want to detract from the best interests of the people of Patrick County in this time of critical need for new leadership,” Agee wrote in a statement.
“I will support the winner of the primary, whether it be Michael Gravely or Clayton Kendrick. I have shared with them my major objectives and will lend my assistance, advice, consultation, whatever they need to make our county better. On many of these objectives, we whole-heartedly agree, and I now know that we’re in good hands with our next Mayo River District Board Member,” Agee wrote.
He included a list of his objectives in the statement:
1) We need to pass balanced budgets with a long-term goal of becoming debt free. We cannot continue to operate at a deficit while also costing our taxpayers more in interest expense on our debt.
2) We need to audit our utility resources, including energy, broadband, telephone, water, sewer, and electricity. We then need to then determine whether these utilities are legitimate and necessary. If we find waste, we must eliminate that waste.
3) We have a responsibility to support our education system. We must work together to find the resources necessary to provide a great education for our youth in the county. Not only is this reinvesting into our own community, but it can be a draw to those families who may be looking to relocate to our county for the better school system.
4) The county government has a fiduciary responsibility to its taxpayers and therefore they must make tough decisions. If money is being spent that does not move the county forward, then we must look at cuts. Additionally, those department heads that report to the County Administrator and the Board of Supervisors must be held accountable for their budgets. If asked to make cuts, those cuts must be made.
5) Our county needs to be run professionally, morally, and ethically. We must stop waste and mismanagement of our resources and our taxpayer’s money. If we continue in this direction, taxpayers will relocate, potential taxpayers will choose surrounding counties, and we will not be able to recover from our current fiscal crisis.
Kendrick and Gravely will compete in the June 1 primary that will be held at the Patrick Henry Volunteer Fire Department. The winner will challenge incumbent Lock Boyce in the November election.
