Snow knows? Garden guru confirms run for Sally's seat
Three weeks after returning from an 18-month missionary trip in the Philippines, Duane Snow has a new mission. He will run for the Samuel Miller District seat of the Albemarle Board of Supervisors, joining a already crowded band of contenders.
Backed by a large number of friends and family, including ten of his twelve grandchildren, Snow formally announced his decision from the steps of the County Office Building Thursday, May 21 to a handful of supporters, media, and to dozens of County employees (who were out on the grass for an office-wide picnic).
Reading from a prepared statement, Snow complimented neighbor and retiring Board member Sally Thomas who announced in April that she'll step down in December after 16 years.
“The amount of time and effort she has devoted to this county is amazing,” Snow said.
Snow’s speech touched on his love for Albemarle and his desire to bring a “common sense” approach to the issues. Snow concluded with his four-point approach to handling problems: Listen to the people, gather the facts, make decisions based upon facts and common sense, and quick action after decision making.
A graduate of Brigham Young University in 1970, Snow made a name for himself as CEO and President of Snow's Garden Center, serving with the Virginia State Agriculture Council and the Albemarle County Architectural Review Board. He also served with the local board of the American Heart Association and was president of the Charlottesville Rotary club.
Snow stressed the importance of quick action on issues.
“I think if we do a study, we should make a decision on it,” Snow said. “What’s the purpose of a study if you don’t make a decision on it?”
A follow-up question found that he supports a dredging study to ascertain the volume of water in the Rivanna Reservoir.
On another hot issue, he expressed enthusiasm for the under-construction but ever-controversial Meadowcreek Parkway.
“When I was growing up back in the '50s," said Snow, "the big issue was building a bypass around Charlottesville, the 250 bypass. There was a lot of controversy at that point, whether or not to put it in with it going by four schools, but it is one of the nicest roads in Charlottesville. It’s beautiful.
We have to find a way to boost traffic through Charlottesville without being caught up in it."
A Republican mass meeting has been scheduled for May 26 at Shelter 1 in McIntire Park to select candidates to the County Board of Supervisors from the Jack Jouett, Rio, and Samuel Miller district.
Snow faces competition from Philip Melita for the Republican nomination. Other publicly mentioned candidates include Democrat Madison Cummings and Independent John Lowry.
25 comments
Snow-oh's Mex-i-co
Never really been there but I think I'll go.
Mr. Snow seems to be winning the popularity contest.
Melita and or Lowry may be the better choices. I want someone to state no new taxes and fiscally responsible government for a change. I once thought anyone would be better than Sally Thomas when it came to farmers landrights issues but I am afraid when it is said and done the Samuel Miller district will once again have an entitlement minded democrat in her seat.
Is "Shallow Flatts" a cousin of "Rascal Flatts"?
It's good to hear of his father's kidness.
I'm pulling for Mr. Snow in this race. He cleary is not a traditional dirty politician. He is genuine and seems like he would represent what is truely best for the residents. He has no political aspirations and doesn't seem power hungry. He has my vote! My friends all like him as well.
Mr. Snow is a very genuine and kindhearted man. I know him personally, and he will always do what is best for the community and it's residents. I would recommend him highly for this seat. Doing so will bring positive change to the community. No matter what his religious background, he is a good man who wholeheartedly cares about his hometown. If you are in the Samuel Miller district, your support tonight at 6 pm will be greatly appreciated!
snowman never mentioned a political idea to provide the foundation for his support of Mr. Snow, just personality traits which are great for Miss Universe but has little to do with good governmance.
Well said, Sue. I would also like to know about their positions on Unjam and Places29 and the regional transportation authority and its composition. I suspect that some of them do have opinions but they have been advised to be ambiguous in order to appeal to the widest support. What else is new?
It's sad that so many of these candidates are running for office and don't have a clue about the major local issues facing the community nor are they willing to articulate where they stand. Just listened to Melita and it would be fine if he was running on the Republican ticket for Congress but he doesn't even have a clue about the water issue. How can that be possible. The only candidates stating clear positions on any issues so far are Dave Norris and Bob Fenwick. One can agree or disagree but at least we know what we're getting if we vote for them. I'd like to see the media aggressively go after these people and get them to take a stand.
I know Duane and have for years and he is a very no nonsense kind of guy who believes in getting things done. He is one of the most charitably minded persons I know. If a change does not occur and soon, the county is going to end up just like the city. We all know that in the city, it seems like there has to be a committee to study about whether or not to have a committee. It is simply a waste of time and money. If I lived in the Samuel Miller district, my vote would go for Duane. I unfortunately live in the Rio district and am stuck with David Dumbsky (slutzsky). What a waste of energy he is. I have called him, e-mailed him, and no response at all. I will certainly be voting for Rodney Thomas in this race. We need as, one local business man who put a sign out front reads,a "David Slutzsky free zone." that is what we need Albemarle county to be. And hopefully when we get some Supervisors with some common sense things will not be in the same shape they are now. I admit it could be worse, I could live in the city.
Well, you know Rate Payer, some people think and some people repeat and, unfortunately, some people just smile and get elected. These elections remind me of the elections (popularity contests) we had in high school. If I find out a person is a sheep, I just let him graze.
I just attended the Alb. Co republican meeting.
Although I don't live in Duane Snow's district I was
There to support his campaign. He delivered a wonderful
Speech stating his positions on several hot topics. I was so impressed with his diverse background and experience.
I will campaign, fund raise, and do whatever it takes to get him elected.
Oh and by the way he won!!!
Listening to Duane Snow on the radio for a number of years, I'll say he has demonstrated common sense.
I hope Mr. Snow's comment will force the other candidates to state their position on the dredging study and that it will become a campaign issue.
And he would get to make a new appointment to the ACSA, and maybe introduce some 'common sense' there also.
One wonders what "common sense" has to do what distributing a text for 18 months that claims that to some extent the ancestors of the indigenous peoples of the Americas and Pacific Islands were divinely punished with dark skin for general wickedness given that dark skin is said to be "loathesome."
Oh well, the idols of the tribe ....
yea I don't know bout them mormons. Think they are all crazy. Snows has been ripping people off ever since he left his son to the biz.
The last two posts are shallow and ignorant! Mr Snow and his family have done more good for this community than any other person I know. His father Leroy is a legend in this city for his faith and kidness. I have always been treated excellent by the entire family.
And if the Supervisors approve a 200 million dollar water plan and have to pay for it themselves, because that is the agreement they've made, since they are the ones who need more water and the city does not --then you'll wish you lived in the City where officials want to know the cost of things before they make the citizens pay for it
Finally a candidate with common sense about the water plan. Sure hope he wins the nomination I'll support him.
"A follow-up question found that he supports a dredging study to ascertain the volume of water in the Rivanna Reservoir."
Any business person would support this and adhere to the wise counsel of Mr. Crutchfield.
http://readthehook.com/blog/index.php/2008/05/14/crutchfield-im-no-d...
I also heard him say he thinks we should not keep studying things to death but do a study and act on it. Wish he'd been around in 2003 when we had an agreed upon water plan and a signed contract between the City and County to pay for it. The plan was to dredge and put a bladder on the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir for $13 million supplying decades of additional water . Instead of acting on it the board got rid of the director, found new consultants, and spent an additional 5 million studying and studying and not supplying one additional ounce of water. Now none of the data in all these studies is accurate or contains cost estimates that a business person could agree too. Sure hope Mr. Snow understands budgets , debt and cost burden for the rate payer.
Bob Fenwick supports dredging too. Lets get them both elected and finally we may get a sensible cost conscious approach to this ridiculous mess that the County and City can agree to.
From Charlottesville Tommorrow: "ââ?¬Å?It is my opinion that we’re moving in the right direction and we don’t need any more studies other than finding out how much water is actually behind the dam,” Snow said. ââ?¬Å?I know that we have one dam that is faulty and that dam needs to be fixed as soon as possible. We need to look at additional water supplies. But one thing we need to continue to do is to conserve the water that we have.”" This says to me he is only supporting bathymetric study supported by ACSA. It also seems to say to me that Snow is supporting the repair of the fissure in Ragged Mountain. I hope people are not reading more into what he said than he his actually saying.
The press needs to push him on this and find out exactly what he does mean. He claims he wants facts before making decisions well we don't have any facts on which to base a water plan and maybe he hasn't been back from the Phillipines long enough to figure that out. Sure hope that his common sense is not more of the --build the dam full steam ahead we're running out of water nonsense.
Well said, Sue.