In Virginia, Boards of Supervisors govern counties and their members are elected to four-year terms. Fluvanna County’s Board of Supervisors has five members, one for each district. 

Two new candidates are vying for the open Fork Union District seat, Mike Goad and Horace Scruggs III. Whoever wins will replace sitting Supervisor Mozell Booker.

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire based on more than 200 responses we received to a voter survey. The questions were sent in August. Goad responded to the questionnaire, Scruggs did not.

Tell us about the economic situation in your county. What would you as a supervisor do to address the major economic concerns of your constituents?

Mike Goad: Fluvanna residents are facing a significant increase in personal property and real estate taxes this year. This, coupled with inflation, high gas prices, and a number of other economic factors has many Fluvanna residents concerned about the growing cost of living in Fluvanna. In the short term, fiscal restraint can go a long way to address these concerns at the local level; however, it will also be necessary to diversify Fluvanna’s tax base with location-appropriate (i.e., that which does not compromise our rural character) economic growth that helps shift some of the tax burden away from county residents in the long-term.

Horace Scruggs III: Did not respond.

What sort of development, if any, would you like to see in your county?

Goad: The availability of infrastructure is a critical component to answering this question. However, all things equal, I am generally in favor of location-appropriate (again, that which does not compromise our rural character) economic growth that helps begin the process of shifting the tax burden away from county residents. There has been a lot of pressure for residential growth in the rural counties surrounding Charlottesville. However, I do not believe that Fluvanna currently has the tax base (or infrastructure in many cases) to support increased residential growth at this time. Given this, more residential growth will simply increase the tax burden on county residents due to increased cost of community services.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

Voters have asked about broadband internet access and speeds in Central Virginia. What is the situation in Fluvanna County and can the Board of Supervisors do anything to help?

Goad: Firefly is currently expanding quality, high-speed broadband access to thousands of residents in Fluvanna County. While they do not currently service areas of the Fork Union District — particularly here in the Fork Union Village where I live — Xfinity does cover some of these gaps. As local officials, it is important to maintain healthy, proactive partnerships with the private-sector entities who enable the continued expansion of these services, particularly to the Bremo area of the Fork Union District, which does not have access to these options.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

Central Virginia counties have commissioned studies that show climate change will have devastating effects on agriculture and flooding in the coming decades. What would you as a supervisor do to prepare?

Goad: The county is currently working with FEMA to update Fluvanna’s Flood Maps. At the county level, it is essential that we take these findings into account when updating the Comprehensive Plan and making decisions about future growth. On the macro level, I believe this is a proactive measure that will help mitigate the impacts of the unpredictable ways of Mother Nature. It is also essential that we facilitate an outreach program to notify county residents — particularly those living in identified hazardous areas — of the need to purchase or carry flood insurance.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

Do you believe gun violence is a pressing issue facing your county? If so, what do you believe local government can do to address it?

Goad: As I write this response in real time, I am simultaneously hearing the very sad news of a drive-by shooting that occurred in the county last evening — an incident that claimed the life of a county resident. I believe that tragic situations such as these are the exception, not the rule in Fluvanna County. Fluvanna — especially the Fork Union District — is home to thousands of responsible gun owners from various demographics and backgrounds. I encourage our county’s residents to continue exercising their Second Amendment rights in a responsible, safe, and legal manner — and encourage them to teach their children to do the same.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

What do you think about local law enforcement working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement?

Goad: Proper communication and cooperation between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies can go a long way in keeping our communities safe throughout the country. With that being said, I do not believe this is an issue that is germane to Fluvanna County at this point in time.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

Do you support building more solar farms in Central Virginia? What would you do to encourage or discourage such projects in Fluvanna County?

Goad: Since I am currently on the Planning Commission in Fluvanna — and since there are several utility-scale solar project proposals in the works — legally, I have to address this question delicately. Here is what I am comfortable saying: There has been a significant amount of concern regarding utility-scale solar in my community. As an appointed (or perhaps eventually) elected official, I believe it is my duty to ensure that these concerns are not only heard but VOICED as we consider where Fluvanna will go with solar — particularly utility-scale solar — in the future.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

What role do you think national politics can or should play in local government?

Goad: There is no denying that the national political scene is perhaps more polarizing than it has ever been — and we see a lot of this polarization taking place in state governments as well. Naturally, some of this is going to spill down to the local level as well. At the local level, I believe it’s important to compartmentalize when this happens. In other words, keep the focus on the local issues, which are often mutually exclusive of the partisan issues polarizing higher levels of government. As local leaders, we cannot allow the polarization in DC or Richmond to serve as a smokescreen that distracts us or The People from the important local issues that often impact our everyday lives.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

What are one or two biggest challenges you see facing Fluvanna County? How would you as a supervisor address them?

Goad: A lack of infrastructure has plagued Fluvanna for many years, and this is limiting some of the growth opportunities in community planning areas (particularly in the Zion Crossroads area) that could go a long way in diversifying the county’s taxbase. This is not mutually exclusive of the high cost of living in the county, where residents are currently shouldering a significant tax burden in the form of personal property and real estate taxes.

Scruggs: Did not respond.

More links about the Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors

• Story about Goad announcing his candidacy for Board of Supervisors, in the Fluvanna Review
• Story about Scruggs announcing his candidacy for Board of Supervisors, in the Fluvanna Review
• Story from 2021 about Scruggs and his daughter making a documentary about their family history, in The Daily Progress
• Goad’s campaign contributions, from the Virginia Public Access Project
• Scruggs’ campaign contributions, from the Virginia Public Access Project

As you get ready to vote, here are some key dates and links from the Virginia Department of Elections:

Polls in Virginia close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, night. The Virginia Department of Elections will publish election results in real time, as they arrive from precincts around the state. To view them, head to this link. These are unofficial results until they are certified. Here’s more about how to get election results.

• Sept. 22: First day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office.
• Oct. 16: Deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration. You can also register after this date, and on election day, but you will vote with a provisional ballot, could take longer for officials to count because they will verify your eligibility.
• Oct. 27: Deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed to you. Your request must be received by your local registrar by 5:00 p.m.
• Oct. 28: Voter registration offices open for early voting.
• Nov. 4: The last day of in-person early voting at your registrar.
• Nov. 7: Election Day. Here is where you can find your polling place.

Need to know if you’re eligible to vote? Here are resources from the Virginia Department of Elections.