Two incumbent members of the Patrick County Board of Supervisors will seek reelection.
Both Roger Hayden, incumbent Dan River District supervisor, and Crystal Harris, incumbent Smith River District supervisor, on Monday announced their intentions to seek reelection.
HARRIS
“When we get up every day, we have two choices. We can be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I chose to be an optimist,” Harris said.
“After lots of thought and prayers, I would like to be around to help Patrick County to move forward,” Harris wrote, and asked voters in the Smith River District for their support.
HAYDEN
Hayden said he decided to seek reelection because “we face many challenges … (we) cannot continue catering to the wants of a few. Decisions must be made by facts. People want lower taxes, less debt, accountability and transparency of elected, appointed officials,” Hayden wrote.
Hayden said he will continue to be a watch dog for taxes and debt, and noted he has “and will not support any more tax increases or debt. We the people must live within our means to support a government that refuses to live within their means,” he wrote. Hayden said he also will continue to stand for private property rights, the “preservation of our history, southern heritage, (the) right to bear arms, American values, and uphold the Constitution of the United States and Virginia.”
He vows to continue his efforts to improve technology and communications.
“High speed internet service (is) as important as electricity. Connectivity to all of Patrick County, not just the Stuart area, has progressed from dial-up to high speed internet” via a partnership with Century Link, Hayden said of the internet provider for most of the county. He added the partnership was funded by the Tobacco Fund and Connect America grants. Taxpayer funds were not involved.
Currently, Hayden said Century Link is upgrading the 251 and 694 exchanges. Also, more than 20 new substations have been installed in Willis Gap, Ararat and Claudville areas of Patrick, along with others in the 694 exchange, providing Internet connectivity to 95 percent of Patrick households, he said.
Hayden said he also will continue his efforts in tourism and parks and for better roadways in the Dan River District. He noted there were improvements to Ararat Highway, Farmers Road, Squirrel Creek Road, Pine Spur Lane, Deer Run Road, Fish Farm Lane and Mills School Road through the Six Year Road Plan. Handy Mountain Road is slated to be added to list, he said.
Hayden said he also will continue to support volunteer fire and rescue personnel; promote economic development by serving on the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Economic Development Committee. Hayden said he also is vice chairman of the West Piedmont Planning Commission, chairman of WPPD Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and serves on the county’s Planning Commission.
Hayden said he also will continue to support the local school district as well as private Christian schools.
In 2014, Hayden graduated from the Virginia Certified County Supervisor Program offered by Virginia Tech, and sponsored by VACo. He also is a school bus driver, lives with his wife, Mabel, in Claudville, and has two adult children.
