Warren County Board of Supervisors appoints new EDA board member

Board of Supervisors at the July 16th meeting. Photos and video by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner.

FRONT ROYAL — The Warren County Board of Supervisors during its Tuesday meeting unanimously appointed a new member to the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority (EDA), action that seemed overshadowed by Town and County citizens concerned about the EDA’s current financial entanglements.

The board of supervisors discussed the EDA Board of Directors during its closed session last night. Ultimately, the supervisors unanimously appointed Marjorie Martin of Front Royal, Va., to fill an unexpired term ending Feb. 28, 2022.

Martin will be joining the EDA board as it tries to maneuver a financial fiasco in which two former EDA staff  — Executive Director Jennifer McDonald and Administrative Assistant Michelle “Missy” Henry — each are in jail on multiple felony counts for their alleged involvement in the misappropriation or embezzlement of some $21 million in EDA assets.

The ongoing investigation and resulting lawsuits have left residents less than trusting of their local officials.

Melanie Salins of Front Royal, for instance, last night told the supervisors she was concerned about their continued closed session meetings and ongoing purchasing of properties “while we’re in the middle of this scandal.”

Melanie Salins voices her concerns about their continued closed session meetings and ongoing purchasing of properties.

Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the board of supervisors during their July 16 meeting held a closed session to discuss four items: the EDA Board of Directors personnel issue; acquisition of real property located in the Fork Magisterial District within the Town limits; and two consultations with legal counsel regarding possible litigation.

“I would like to ask you to please listen to your citizens,” Salins told the board of supervisors. “Stop doing this, right now at least — not forever, but at least for right now. Please stop buying more properties until we get this mess figured out.”

Paul Gabbert of Front Royal agreed.

Paul Gabbert agreed with Melanie Salins.

“To talk about purchasing more land right now, that’s ludicrous,” he told the County supervisors. “What are you all thinking? You buy this, you buy that, like money is coming off trees and then you raise taxes.”

Following the board of supervisors’ hour-long closed session, members returned to the dais.

The supervisors then made their EDA board member appointment, which wasn’t without a bit of drama.

Supervisor Thomas Sayre first put local EDA activist Mark Egger’s name into nomination, seconded by Supervisor Archie Fox. The move drew confused looks from Supervisors Linda Glavis and Tony Carter, who joined Board Chairman Daniel Murray in defeating Egger’s nomination by a 3-2 vote.

Murray then commented on the Fork District acquisition discussion held during the board of supervisors’ closed session.

“For clarification, since 2011 we have had an individual coming to the County offering their property for sale,” Murray explained. “The only reason why it was on our closed session tonight is because another letter came. We’ve taken no action.”

“A citizen sent a letter asking if we were interested in his property,” Supervisor Carter told the Royal Examiner. “The board has no interest at this time in this property.”

Residents continued to lament the EDA situation during the general public presentations comment portion of the supervisors’ regular meeting prior to adjournment.

“The EDA scandal is by far the No. 1 topic on the minds of most citizens and they feel angry and they feel betrayed,” said Walter Mabe of Front Royal, who announced his candidacy to represent the Shenandoah District, currently represented by Sayre, on the Warren County Board of Supervisors.

Walter Mabe is on the ballot in November for Board of Supervisors representing the Shenandoah District, currently held by Sayre

“I will work hard to renew their confidence in our local government leaders,” said Mabe, who among his professional skills has 21 years of experience as a project manager in the telecommunications industry and five years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Mabe said that citizens have discussed many of their concerns with him and he’s chosen six topics to include in his platform: a balanced budget; managed taxes; improving the educational system; keeping the Shenandoah River clean; tourism; and smart county growth.

“I believe it is extremely important for the board of supervisors to put the county first,” Mabe said.

Bentonville, Va., resident Kristie Atwood voiced her concerns about the local $600,000 that she said has been spent to receive a preliminary report on the EDA’s current situation by the accounting firm Cherry Bekaert LLC.

Kristie Atwood voiced her concerns about the local $600,000 that she said has been spent to receive a preliminary report

“I have found so many errors in this report that it’s unbelievable,” Atwood said. “They were guided on a trip that someone wanted them to take” because the company had limited information to work with in its investigation and subsequent report.

“Now you four board of supervisors members, I am pleading with you,” she said, palming the podium, “you need to step in — and I take Mr. Carter and Doug [Stanley] and Whitten out of the picture,” she said, referring to the supervisor, county administrator and county attorney. “Y’all need to ask the FBI and the Virginia State Police … to come in here and do something that is fair because what’s going on now is not fair.”

Atwood thinks there is much more money unaccounted for than what’s been reported thus far.

“But you’ve gotta get the people’s hands out of it that want to cover their butts,” she told the board of supervisors.

The Royal Examiner’s camera was there: