Lloyd announces for Rivanna supervisor seat in Albemarle

A retired engineer has been fielded as the Republican candidate for the Rivanna District seat on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.

Richard Lloyd, 64, cited his business experience as a reason why voters should choose him in November.

“I’ve created new jobs, met payroll and learned a lot of valuable lessons,” Lloyd said at his Thursday campaign announcement outside the County Office Building. “As an Albemarle County supervisor, I think the business experience will help the government run a little bit smoother and more effective.”

Lloyd is running against Democrat Norman Dill and independent Lawrence Gaughan. The successful candidate Nov. 3 will replace Republican Supervisor Kenneth C. Boyd, who is not seeking a fourth term.

Boyd was present to hear Lloyd’s comments, but stopped short of an endorsement.

“I’m here to support Richard and his nomination as the Republican candidate,” Boyd said. “I’m anxious to hear all the issues and find out where he stands on the things that I have worked very hard on for many years, and we’ll see about an endorsement at a later date.”

Lloyd was born in Albemarle County and retired there after an engineering career that took him around the world.

“My parents lived in a two-room tar-paper shack in Greenwood,” Lloyd said. “Originally, it was one room but then we found out that the fireplace was in the middle of the room. So that makes it two rooms.”

Lloyd earned two engineering degrees from Virginia Tech and then worked for businesses such as Ingersoll-Rand Co. and Flow International. He also ran his own firm, Pacific-Rim Enterprises, for 12 years before retiring.

After retirement, Lloyd became involved in Citizens for a Sustainable Water Plan, a group opposed to the expansion of the Ragged Mountain Reservoir. Other members of that group include Bob Fenwick and Dede Smith, current members of the Charlottesville City Council.

“I worked to make my voice heard, and I believe the final [water] plan was better because of our group’s participation in the plan,” Lloyd said.

Lloyd said he is opposed to the 2-cent property tax increase passed by supervisors on a 4-2 vote this April. Boyd was joined by outgoing Supervisor Jane Dittmar in voting against the increase.

“The elderly are often pushed out of their homes and forced to sell them because they can’t afford the increase in taxes and the increase in assessments,” Lloyd said. “They work together to make it a little more expensive every year.”

Lloyd noted that roughly 60 percent of government spending in Albemarle goes towards the school system. He said that money should go towards classroom experience rather than paying for more administrators.

“Education is almost a magical enabler required to provide our youth the ability to contribute to our complex American society,” Lloyd said. “This magic happens between the student and the teacher.”

Later this year, supervisors are slated to decide how to pay for an augmented stormwater management program to comply with federal and state mandates to clean up the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Lloyd said he wants the county to avoid enacting a utility fee like the city of Charlottesville.

“These fees, taxes by another name, would apply to the farms, the conservation easements, golf courses, homes, businesses and churches,” Lloyd said. “We need to carefully consider what we’re doing.”

Over 60 people attended Lloyd’s announcement, including Pam and Terry Maloney. The couple moved to the area two years ago.

“We like the ideas that he has for the county,” Pam Maloney said.

“I think the key issues for us as retired people are increases in taxes and fees,” Terry Maloney said. “It’s of a great deal of interest to us to keep people’s taxes in line.”

Four former Republican supervisors were also in attendance, including Duane E. Snow and Rodney Thomas. Both were defeated in reelection campaigns in 2013. The other two were Forrest Marshall and L.F. Wood.

Boyd, the sole Republican on the Board of Supervisors, advised Lloyd to stick to the issues during the campaign.

“That’s what local government is about,” Boyd said. “It’s not about Democrats versus Republicans. It’s about what’s best for the community.”

Lloyd said it was important to ensure that the board be made up of people with different political perspectives.

“We can work through these issues with the right leadership,” Lloyd said. “Simply relying on the political perspective of one party at the Board of Supervisors … won’t give us the right answers. We need the debate.”