The Patrick County Board of Supervisors expressed shock and confusion over a series of emails sent by fellow board member Steve Marshall, representing the Blue Ridge District. In the emails, dated January 13 and January 16, Marshall alleged potential legal violations and issues involving personnel matters.
“It is my belief that supervisors have actively engaged the assistance of members of the public and colluded with them to this end,” Marshall wrote in one email. “I believe that these actions represent intentional and willful misconduct at minimum,” he concluded in another.
Board Chairman Jonathan Wood, of the Peters Creek District, said was shocked when he read the emails.
“I’m unaware of any such collusion between supervisors and members of the public in order to attempt the termination or resignation of any employees. He (Marshall) stated that there had been some chatter about how we as supervisors can do and say what we please with impunity under the claim of sovereign immunity – I’ve not heard that. Obviously, that’s not the case for anybody on the board,” Wood said.
Wood expressed concern about the lack of evidence to support Marshall’s claims.
“They’re unfounded allegations as far as I’m concerned because, as he said, they’re based on ‘beliefs’ and not on the facts,” Wood said, adding that such accusations could erode trust among board members, county staff, and residents.
He noted he would never condone trying to conduct county government in that way and believes the rest of the board feels the same way.
“To reiterate, I was shocked to hear such allegations about board members based on beliefs and not facts,” he said.
Wood also believes this could hinder the board’s ability to work together in the future.
“It’s going to create distrust between the supervisors. Making allegations, like I said, that are not founded that I know of. If they are, then we need to work those issues out,” he said.
Wood hopes Marshall will have more details at the next board meeting to share with the rest of the board.
He said he did not respond to Marshall’s email.
Board Vice Chairman Andrew Overby, of the Dan River District, accused Marshall of using the emails to intimidate and silence other board members.
“I didn’t take it well. A lot of things with Steve, you just have to ignore because he acts like he thinks he knows everything,” Overby said.
He suggested Marshall should defer legal interpretations to the county attorney.
“If he feels we have a legal issue, then he needs to discuss it with the attorney and let the attorneys handle it. and stop trying to be a Facebook attorney or an email attorney. Last time I checked, he doesn’t have a law degree, so he probably just needs to stay out of it,” Overby said.
“I just think it was inappropriate for him to be sending those types of emails,” he added.
Overby didn’t respond to the emails.
Supervisor Doug Perry, of the Smith River District, initially said he was unable to recall the specific emails but referenced a previous controversy involving former interim supervisor Jane Fulk. “The whole debaclery (sic) … and how she got ahold of, or took some, contract wordage, twisted things around, misrepresented them, and started the whole rumor control and misrepresented facts.”
Perry said Fulk did the same thing with the Emergency Management Services (EMS) issue involving the hiring of a new Fire Chief, which led to several residents getting “fired up.”
“She even watched who was coming in and out of the interviews, created a very toxic environment, which was why the first guy never even took the position. She had the guy from Franklin County hired before the first guy even turned the position down, so just her little stunts is the only thing that I know of,” he said.
After recalling Marshall’s emails, Perry said he tried to make sense of Marshall’s emails, and assumed he was referring to Overby’s questioning of the contracts.
“Was it unfair, did it cross lines – that could be arguable,” Perry said. “Plus, he’s new and trying to figure things out. But like I said, Jane’s little stunt is the only thing that I know of that’s happened,” he said.
Perry said Overby may have crossed some lines back in December when he was trying to talk about the county administrator’s contract while she was not present.
“I mean, that’s not on” County Administrator Beth Simms. “That’s on the board that did the contract, and by playing 50 questions with Mrs. Simms, then that would certainly be pressure and stress on her,” Perry said.
Perry believes the board also needs to stop pointing fingers, and if something’s not right take action to make it right.
“There seems to be a movement to trash the county. Too many people with agendas and making things up and twisting facts around, misleading people, and it’s going to be the end of this county. People think that Mrs. Simms is doing a horrible job – she’s doing an amazing job. She’s cleaning up stuff that should have been cleaned up years and years ago,” he said.
Perry believes if the county loses Simms as its administrator, it would cost at least $160,000 to find a replacement. He noted some counties around the same size as Patrick still can’t replace their administrators for that amount.
“Mrs. Simms is highly qualified and she’s doing an amazing job, and I don’t know why these people are just so bound and determined to tear this county down. Something’s going to have to be done or the state’s gonna end up taking the county over,” Perry said.
Supervisor Clayton Kendrick, of the Mayo River District, was also surprised by the emails.
“I just don’t understand what his (Marshall’s) angle is. If he’s got a problem with what some of the rest of us do, then just say it to us, and don’t go write up some kind of legal stuff you can’t understand,” Kendrick said.
Kendrick dismissed Marshall’s actions as an attempt to exert control over the board.
“He’s just trying to bully us and get it to where he can do whatever he wants to do. I’m too hardheaded for that,” Kendrick said.
He also did not respond to the emails.
Marshall did not respond to requests for comment.
