Out of the frying pan and into the fire – Rogers sworn in as newly appointed town council member Friday afternoon

Shortly after 1:00 p.m. Friday, October 14, in the Warren County Courthouse, Skip Rogers was sworn in as the newly appointed member of the Front Royal Town Council by Circuit Court Clerk Angie Moore. Present was Rogers’ wife, Kathy and a media rep who made it a “Rogers” Trifecta. Skip Rogers membership takes council back to full strength after over two months a member down as the town’s remaining elected officials pondered their options in the wake of Joseph McFadden’s verbal resignation of August 8th and written rescinding of that resignation four days later prior to any official recognition or action by council in reaction to it.

After his swearing-in, we asked Rogers if he was ready to hit Town Hall running on Monday at a crucial Special Joint Meeting with the new Front Royal Economic Development Authority (FREDA) called to discuss the Town’s economic development future and exactly what role FREDA should play in that future.

Circuit Court Clerk Angie Moore swears in Skip Rogers to an appointed seat on the Front Royal Town Council, Friday afternoon, Oct. 14. A Special Election will be held in November 2023 to determine who will fill the final year of that seat. Below, smile for the camera, please …

“The issues surrounding the (FR/WC) EDA and the numerous players involved have been a cancer on our community, and Front Royal deserves much better.  As community members, we place our trust in our town leadership, elected or not, and as far as the EDA issues are concerned, I feel they have been terribly misrepresented.  But there is much I have to learn, and questions I need answered before I can responsibly respond to the discussion underway.  Monday’s meeting will begin this process for me.”

Of his role as an appointed, rather than elected, councilman over the coming year, Rogers said this of the responsibilities facing him: “I am now in the position of councilman to listen and be responsive to my community.  I have spoken recently and often about transparency and non-partisanship in the Front Royal government.  I hope to bring both to my efforts and I look forward to working with my community and fellow council members in this endeavor.”

Following the swearing in at the WC Courthouse, Rogers and wife Kathy headed to Town Hall where the new councilman was scheduled to pick up his official council ‘Notebook’ (of the 21st century laptop variety) from Town IT Director Grant Autry.

Local military veterans advocate Skip Rogers edges out vet Joe McFadden for next year of McFadden’s vacated(?) council seat – But is that the story’s end?