The first of four new members of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors has been sworn in.
Jane DeSimone Dittmar took the oath of office from Albemarle County Clerk of Court Debbie Shipp on Monday afternoon, two days before her first scheduled meeting as a Supervisor.
“The voters have allowed me to do something that is incredibly humbling,” Dittmar said in remarks after the ceremony.
Dittmar takes office after a special election to fill the unexpired term of former Supervisor Christopher Dumler.
Dittmar said she was glad to have the chance to serve for several meetings with outgoing Supervisors Dennis S. Rooker, Duane E. Snow and Rodney Thomas.
“And then we have a whole new team coming on,” Dittmar said.
Fellow Democrats Liz Palmer and Brad Sheffield, as well as Independent Diantha McKeel, will be sworn in before the end of the year but will not take their seats before January.
Unlike her counterparts, Dittmar will not have the opportunity to appoint a planning commission and member of the Albemarle County Service Authority. Dumler’s appointees run through the end of 2015.
“I’m going to see who is on the committees, make sure they want to be there, and will probably leave them in place if they are working hard,” Dittmar said.
Richard Randolph will continue as the planning commissioner for the Scottsville District for the duration of Dittmar’s term.
“We’ve got a lot on our agenda that’s coming up,” Randolph said. “We’ve got the Village of Rivanna proposal, [and] we have a proposal for [the Trump] golf course…that has a certain amount of controversy.”
The ACSA, a six-member body that sets policies and rates for the county’s public water and sewer system, could see at least three new members.
Holly Hueston, a Dumler appointee, has served as the Scottsville district on the ACSA since January 2012 and will likely continue.
Palmer, a current member of the ACSA board, will appoint her own replacement to represent the Samuel Miller District.
Sheffield and McKeel will have the opportunity to appoint new members to represent the Rio and Jack Jouett Districts respectively.
Dittmar’s first meeting begins at 2:30 pm on Wednesday with a briefing on the five year financial plan.
