History repeated itself on Nov. 6. Candidates in most three-way races once again failed to unseat the incumbents, not that that was the goal per se. Although there is no guarantee who would have won those races had there been only one opponent, you can probably bet the margins would have been closer.

I’ll be the first to commend the long-term incumbents for their dedication and service. In many cases, their efforts at cost containment and holding down tax increases are laudable.

Unfortunately, with many years of service comes a lack of new vision and a desire to hang on to old ways of doing things.

Supervisors who represent the outlying areas of Spotsylvania County cannot afford to keep resisting new ways to manage growth and transportation just because it doesn’t benefit their districts specifically.

Rest assured, growth will continue, and very soon, developers will be eyeing your patch of paradise for the next mega-shopping center! On the upside, your roads will probably get paved.

Joking aside, we should all extend our thanks to the county supervisors and ask that they remember we are all one county—not a bunch of little counties.

J.D. Daugherty

Spotsylvania