OPINION: Thank you to Royal Examiner for EDA investigation and reporting

The Front Royal and Warren County Community owe the Royal Examiner a great debt for their consistent and effective research, investigation and reporting on the malfeasance at the Warren County-Front Royal Economic Development Authority. Royal Examiner was the only media source that effectively covered this issue as an important community issue.

This corruption involved directly and indirectly many of the leading members of the community. This includes members of the Warren County Board, Front Royal City Council, EDA Board, Sheriff’s Office and other members of the Warren County and Front Royal elite business, real estate, accounting and legal community.

They were involved directly as part of the actual fraud and theft, indirectly by not acting to address EDA issues raised at official meetings, indirectly by continuing to support the continued appointment and employment of the actors in this corruption.

While the present litigation is civil for recovery of money and property, the Examiner should look at the number of criminal actions that should be prosecuted to make it clear this type of corruption shall not be tolerated.

This malfeasance and serious concerns about the EDA were ignored and kept secret by a wide range of County and City officials and elite “leading” citizens. I do not believe the community would have been made aware of the extent of the corruption, the theft of $17 millions of dollars, self serving land deals, conflicts and fraud (and likely tax evasion), if Royal Examiner had not been persistent, consistent and effective in their reporting.

Without Royal Examiner the community would not be aware of the number of County, City officials and elite community “leaders” involved in this who, if not directly involved, worked to keep it quiet.

I also believe the daughter and father team, Bebhinn Egger Rowland and Mark Egger, deserve community recognition for their acts of courage on behalf of our community. Remember when the Warren County Board of Supervisors tried to silence Mark Egger from speaking at Board meetings by limiting the number of times a community member could speak before the Board? Remember when former Front Royal Mayor Tharpe and other City Council members refused to hear and believe the issues Ms. Egger Rowland and Mr. Egger raised were serious and needed investigation? The Mayor and a few members apologized for their failure to carry out their duties. But William Sealock, Bret Hrbek and John Connolly did not apologize but tried to justify their failure to act based on issues raised by another duly elected member of the City Council.

Again, without the Royal Examiner the community would not be aware of the corruption of the EDA and other city officials and citizens.  Just because this is a small and friendly community where everybody knows each other, government corruption is possible, and we need to be vigilant and knowledgeable citizens.

Robert Funk
Front Royal, Virginia