Kristie S. Atwood: We all must ‘Ask Why’

Today the kids and I took a day trip to Washington, D.C. It was the first time we have visited the Holocaust Museum and there I saw the #askwhy. This has stuck with me all day. In no way am I saying I have experienced anything near what the Jewish faced during that horrific, evil time, but we (all of us) need to “ASK WHY?”

Prime examples:

-Valley Health getting rid of its Women’s Care Unit and ICU in a planned new hospital.
WHY?

-Building officials and local government leaders–whether hired or elected–bending rules and only following laws when they choose to.
WHY?

-County attorney saying the USBC and Code of Virginia do not require policies and procedures?
WHY?
(This one, I said much more, like what is my county? A fly-by-night circus?)

-Citizens receiving special treatment when it comes to overdue taxes.
WHY?

-A Contractor LLC who claims to be in business since 2002 and advertises as fully-licensed and insured, who has built many homes in Warren County, yet has never bothered to get a Contractor Firm License. County will not act on behalf of citizens harmed by this LLC.
WHY?

You know why? Because no one comes forward to #Askwhy. No one holds these government employees and elected officials accountable. When you #Askwhy, you make people uncomfortable, you knock on a door, these too-comfortable people don’t want to answer.

The time has come to #Askwhy and let that lead to Who? What? When? Where? How? and a whole Pandora’s Box of other questions these officials and leaders don’t want to answer.

It is time to make these people answer to us, hardworking average citizens.  They work for us. They are here to protect us, serve us, and ensure our safety.

But you know what?  They are failing miserably. With my house nightmare, (By the way,  anyone who would like to know how my family “trashed” the house, I welcome you to come to look.) My family tends not to play in insulation or make exhaust vents look like something from Trailer Park Boys.

My rights have been violated and I have steadily asked why. I have emailed Warren County employees; the administrator, the county attorney, the information officer, the Building Official. I have emailed the Board of Supervisors and you know who has stood up for this Warren County citizen? No one!!!

They are all too busy covering each other’s ass to do the right thing. I have given them chance after chance and no one will stick their neck out and say “This woman has a point, we need to look into it.”

So here it is fellow citizens:  David Beahm, the Warren County Building Official committed a Class 3 misdemeanor when he issued the applying entity of Buracker Construction LLC a building permit. Beahm illegally transferred the applying entity’s name to Buracker Construction, BUT that company did not have a valid Warren County Business license until June/July 2018. That is 16 years in business, NO valid contractor’s license with the LLC and no business license for just Buracker Construction. These are the cold hard facts.

How many of you operate a business in Warren County without the proper licenses?

I told Warren County officials and the Board of Supervisors I was taking this issue public if they did not act. The whole group of them are violating my 14th Amendment right of “equal protection of laws”.

Since the Building Official is a permanent title until retiring or being removed, I demanded–and still demand– that Beahm be removed from his office. His actions, or lack thereof,  have enabled an improperly licensed contractor to cause great harm and distress to my family.

There are more citizens out there who have been damaged. I know, because they have reached out with their stories. David Beahm, Warren County building official,  did not ensure my family’s safety or oversee his department’s work. I recently found during the time my home was being built, Beahm was President of the Virginia Building and Code Officials. Beahm was away from the office at least 1/3 of the time with no one else with the certifications to cover his absence.

WHY?

WHY did Doug Stanley and the Board of Supervisors allow this to happen?

WHY will they not look into the situation and hold him accountable?

WHY do they allow large conflicts of interest to take place on BOS-appointed boards and allow employees with conflicts of interests to be employed in departments they should not be?

WHY do these employees and officials feel untouchable?

WHY?

Who can answer my question?

My Granddaddy said, “There is never a dumb question.” so start asking and holding those accountable.

It is time for Warren County citizens to clean house. I think we need to start going done the line demanding resignations. It is time to straighten up and fly right!
#Askwhy

Submitted by Bentonville, VA resident Kristie Sours Atwood