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Ryan joins three incumbents on Town Council
The three incumbents held onto their town council seats in Tuesday's election, with Mike Olinger coming back for a third term and Chris Snider and Chip Coleman returning for a second.The fourth seat in the hotly contested race went to life-long town resident and former vice mayor Bobby Ryan. Ryan served on council from 1994 to 2002.
Ryan beat Jerry Beckett by only 14 votes, with part-time Sheriff's deputy Frank Reaves, Jr., and Free Clinic Director Laurel Care Gravatte rounding out the top seven candidates.
With the four returning councilmen back for another four-year term, it seems citizens opted for experience, rather than change.
"A lot of people are coming up to me and saying they wanted to vote for someone with experience. When you're in uncertain waters, you want a steady hand at the helm," said Snider.
This year's Town Council election was pretty much up in the air, as the highest number of candidates in recent history, a total of 11, running for one of the four open seats.
The group Help Protect Culpeper put three of its members up for election, seeking change and a new vision in town government.
"It's not about the people anymore. It's about how the county board of supervisors and the town council can protect their kingdoms," Beckett said in January. "They've got to work together and pull together. People are tired of this stuff."
Fortunately, all four elected councilman are experienced in dealing with town and county relations. Olinger has worked with the county in developing a joint water and sewer authority, while Snider has worked with the county on numerous proposals to provide utility service outside the town.
"The town and county leaders need to put all their cards on the table in public and resolve territorial issues that stand to undermine what is good for the citizens, particularly as it relates to water, sewer and residential growth facing Culpeper," said Coleman regarding town and county relations.
Ryan will join the rest of council in resolving these issues and more on July 1, when the term of councilwoman Emma Richards expires. Luckily, the budget for fiscal year 2009 will already be adopted, so the issue of raising taxes will not be a concern until next spring.
That is, if there still is a town by next spring.
Although illegal immigration and tax increases were hot issues during last year's Board of Supervisors and Sheriff's race, it seems the 2008 town election has focused on consolidation, which could collapse the town government for good if enacted.
Ryan said the issue would be one of his top priorities if elected, and it seemed the voters heard him loud and clear.
"I just can't see us giving up our town charter that's going to be 250 years old next year," said Ryan during a candidate forum on April 17.
"People are talking about it and they are concerned," said Snider. "They are concerned about the future of their town and we have a lot of history here and it's something they don't want to give up. They don't want to give up their representation, which would be a huge loss."
Although the town's 250-year existence was on the minds of voters, candidates and poll workers were more concerned with the number of ballots cast. Many said they were hoping to see more town citizens come out and vote this year.
Out of 7,086 registered voters in the town of Culpeper, only 1,261 ballots were cast, which totals only 17 percent, slightly more than 2006 when 16.9 percent of the 6,881 registered voters came out for the town elections.
"I was expecting to see lines. This election has been a big issue," said candidate Julie Peppe.
Likewise, William Platts sat outside Culpeper County Library for most of the day Tuesday, counting the dismal crowd, most of which were more interested in returning borrowed books.
"With as many voters as the town of Culpeper has, this is a pitiful turnout," said Platts. "I hoped people would show more interest in their local elections. Local government has the greatest influence on their way of life than any other, state or national."
Platts blamed the results of the election on the low turnout, with the majority of votes coming from residents who have lived in the town for many years.
"I don't think the low turnout helped our chances because most of our support was with the average citizens and they don't turn out at the polls," said Platts.
Voting official for the West Fairfax district, Bob Houck, said he'd seen a good, steady crowd coming in and out of Culpeper Methodist Church.
"It really has not been what I hoped for, but it's been steady," said Houck. "Turnout is as good or better than the last town election, but certainly not as big as the presidential election or the primary was."
You may contact Hilary Lewis at 825-9882 or email hlewis@timespapers.com
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