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Exit with honor
Orange County supervisors fire their administrator for talking good sense
Date published: 7/5/2009
"PART of this position," former Alas, Mr. Rolfe will have lots of time to go fishing: The board, meeting Friday night in special session, fired him on a 3-2 vote. Evidently, some board members--most of whom favor allowing the Wal-Mart Supercenter (and associated big boxes) on land near the Wilderness component of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park--suffered red faces and quiv- ering wattles when the contents of Mr. Rolfe's e-mail became front-page news in The Free Lance-Star. A couple of board members reportedly critical of Mr. Rolfe's overall performance seized upon the Wal-Mart memo as evidence that a loose cannon was rolling around Orange. Truth and justice have had better days, but the cold fact is that a county administrator serves "at the pleasure of the board," and Mr. Rolfe failed to keep his bosses pleased. Keeping one's honor clean, as the Marines sing, is not always easy, but Mr. Rolfe leaves the service of Orange County with his spotless. He worked hard for two years to clear the bureaucratic thicket for Wal-Mart, but then its location--at one point only a quarter-mile from the national battlefield park and smack-dab in non-park land where the warring armies operated--became a national issue. Historians signed petitions. Out-of-state legislators whose constituents' ancestors fought in the Wilderness raised a hue and cry. Actor Robert Duvall (a descendent of Robert E. Lee, whom Mr. Duvall portrayed in the movie "Gods and Generals") declaimed. A thoughtful person at this point asks, "Might these plaintiffs have a point?"
Date published: 7/5/2009
A much better closing line...
(posted by
TPKeller
, July 7, 2009 1:32 am)
"Why would Orange supervisors not prefer a better Wal-Mart site? People they can't fire are asking that question." Here's a MUCH better closing line for you: "Why would Orange supervisors not prefer a better Wal-Mart site? People who can fire THEM are asking that question."
Free Lance Star Building
(posted by
USA2007
, July 6, 2009 5:16 pm)
in Fredericksburg, is it located on any historical land? I am always amazed when Editors site , the historical significance of property (when someone once to purchase, or already owns land, and wants to build a retail center. The BIG modern building that the FLS is housed in, wonder how many soldiers duting the Revolutiionary, and Civil war fought there, or camped there etc. Maybe Washington stopped by there to rest on that site "back in the day".
A Shame...
(posted by
coffeegal1229
, July 6, 2009 9:17 am)
It is a shame that the BOS fired this man for a differing opinion. Mr. Rolfe good for you to stick to your own opinion.
Shame on Orange County
(posted by
Virginian
, July 6, 2009 9:11 am)
How far has Orange County fallen that they fire someone over the 4th of July weekend for trying to find a win-win solution to a controversial issue? Mr. Rolfe was trying to act in the best interest of Orange County, and for that he was fired. It's disgraceful and shows that some Orange County officials will go to any lengths and ignore all reasoned debate to get a Walmart on the Wilderness Battlefield.
WHO OWNS THE SUPERVISORS?
(posted by
Wasp52
, July 6, 2009 8:26 am)
Firing the guy for asking an obvious question only points to an underhanded deal that's already been made. Someone is on the take.
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