Dear Editor,

I will be your voice … but that is not enough.

My campaign promises were: I will speak up for the Citizens, I will bring about transparency and accountability.

I need the help of the Citizens across Charlotte County. You need to hold your Supervisor accountable. I can’t do that.

People across this county have expressed to me the desire to have Board of Supervisors meetings at a time working folks could attend. Counties across the state of Virginia accommodate their Citizens. But the majority of the present Board of Supervisors are determined to hold meetings at 1:30 p.m. I made a motion at the Organizational meeting Jan. 3 to hold monthly meetings at 7 p.m. Only Mrs. Fore and I voted for this motion.

If you go online to charlotteva.com and click on Board Meetings, you can listen to the audio recording of the meeting and hear the excuses given. One excuse was the lack of interest in the budget hearing last spring which was held at 7 p.m. Leading up to the hearing, it appeared to me as a citizen last year that there was an appearance of an attempt to keep the public in the dark. Budget workshop meetings were during the day. No audio recordings or minutes were provided of those meetings (in violation of Code — “shell” minutes were produced many months later). The budget offered online was not enough detail to engage the public. By the time of the hearing, I guess the public didn’t have enough information to go on. Maybe they were just grateful taxes weren’t raised. But what about the future?

Charlotte County’s debt load increased last year by $13.9 million for the courthouse and $6.1 million that the Supervisors incurred to spend on items relating to some school issues (this was a Supervisor decision — not School Board). Bacon and Phenix Elementary schools were recently given a little bit of the leftovers of this $6.1 million.

What’s all this about? Am I going into my role as Supervisor unwilling to work with my fellow board members? No. I spoke with each Supervisor before the Organizational meeting. I told them this is not personal, and I am not trying to just make a lot of noise. What I am going to do is live up to my promises. I will be a voice for the people of Charlotte County. I will stand up for what I believe is in their best interests. Most importantly, I will bring about transparency as to all business of this county.

The way your government is being run will affect us all but none more so than the children of Charlotte County. I appeal to my fellow Supervisors — reverse yourself on this meeting time. With proper notice, the meeting times can be changed. You don’t have to wait until next January to make this right. To the Citizens, remember we Supervisors are responsible to you. Hold us all accountable.

Kay Pierantoni

Wylliesburg-Red Oak District Supervisor