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Orange to scold county leader
Orange supervisors to discuss county administrator's future
Date published: 7/3/2009
BY ROBIN KNEPPER Orange County supervisors are taking the county administrator to the woodshed tonight over his suggestion that they explore other possible sites for a Wal-Mart Supercenter. It is unclear whether Bill Rolfe will still have his job when they are done. The supervisors expressed their chagrin after getting an e-mail from Rolfe June 15 advising that it would be in the best interest of the county to "broker a deal that keeps Wal-Mart in the County and moves it further away from the congressionally approved boundary line of the Wilderness Battlefield." Rolfe continued, "We know we have an adjoining property owner willing to work with the county and with Wal-Mart. We have seen a 50+ year master plan for approximately 900 acres of the approximate 2,000-acre adjoining tract of land that seems to work within the framework of the County's comprehensive plan." Rolfe was referring to the King family's proposed Wilderness Crossing mixed-use development just west of the proposed Wal-Mart location at the intersection of State Routes 3 and 20. He sent a copy of his e-mail to the supervisors to the King family's local representative, Kenny Dotson. Dotson said he, in turn, forwarded it to Jim Campi of the Civil War Preservation Trust, Rob Nieweg of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Catharine Gilliam of the National Parks Conservation Association. Preservationists oppose the proposed Wal-Mart site, saying it is too close to the Civil War battlefield park. "I told them that Bill had gone out on a limb and we needed to support him," Dotson said yesterday. "I have the utmost respect for him, and he is in a difficult position trying to move the board forward." Supervisor Mark Johnson's immediate response to the e-mail was that Rolfe was "treading on some damn thin ice." Supervisor Zack Burkett put the subject of Rolfe's views on the agenda for the closed session after the regular supervisors' meeting this past Tuesday. No action was taken after that meeting, but yesterday Chairman Lee Frame called a special meeting for next Tuesday night to address the escalating situation.
Read more stories about Orange Date published: 7/3/2009
Don't swallow what "Einstein" is selling
(posted by
RoxyFillmore
, July 6, 2009 6:32 pm)
Rolfe lost his job for reasons that went well beyond his email that tried to get the Walmart moved to the Chip King-Kenny Dotson property. If it was all about Walmart why did Teri Pace, who opposes Walmart, make the motion to fire Rolfe? If you want the Wilderness battlefield preserved then the last thing you want is 1000 acres of the King-Dotson property rezoned.
Cont - LINK
(posted by
Einstein
, July 6, 2009 12:14 pm)
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2009/07/06/wal-mart-closer-to-paving-over-civil-war-battlefield-in-virginia.html
Cont -
(posted by
Einstein
, July 6, 2009 12:13 pm)
With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War approaching, there is bound to be increased interest in Virginia's battlefields. Even if greed is their primary motive, the Orange County supervisors should be planning to lure tourists to a preserved Wilderness battlefield, not despoiling it with a shopping center that could be built on another site.
Here are the names of the supervisors who voted to fire Rolfe: Mark Johnson, Zack Burkett, and Teri Pace.
Come the next election, Orange County voters should fire
Cont -
(posted by
Einstein
, July 6, 2009 12:13 pm)
With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War approaching, there is bound to be increased interest in Virginia's battlefields. Even if greed is their primary motive, the Orange County supervisors should be planning to lure tourists to a preserved Wilderness battlefield, not despoiling it with a shopping center that could be built on another site.
Here are the names of the supervisors who voted to fire Rolfe: Mark Johnson, Zack Burkett, and Teri Pace.
Come the next election, Orange County voters should fire
Excellent Editorial in U.S News and World Report
(posted by
Einstein
, July 6, 2009 12:11 pm)
A few weeks back, I wrote about the ongoing controversy in Orange County, Va., where Wal-Mart wants to build a "supercenter" shopping mall on the ground where the Union and Confederate armies clashed in the battle of the Wilderness during the Civil War. Here is a disheartening update: A courageous and wise public official has been fired for suggesting that Wal-Mart choose a different site.
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