VERONA — Last April, the Augusta County Board of Supervisors appointed Carolyn Bragg as the interim South River district representative. Bragg previously represented the district on the board from 2014 to 2019, and served on the planning commission starting in 2020.
Bragg is running for a full-term on the board of supervisors this November. The News Leader sent her questions to answer ahead of Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Early voting is under way. Below are the questions and answers.
What have been your accomplishments on the board of supervisors?
I was appointed to fill an open seat on the Board in April, at the tail end of the budget process. My first priority was to get myself up to speed on the proposed budget and to reach out to my constituents and listen to what was important to them. I held several listening session to gather input. I also met with department heads to gain a better understanding of their needs before I cast my vote.
Since that time, I have worked to get to know people in my new district, and helped to resolve a number of issues and concerns that faced individuals. I serve on several local boards, and have represented our citizens at a variety of meetings and events.
I have supported the improvements for our animal shelter, and look forward to continuing that process as the County works to open a much needed new facility.
There are some big projects in the South River District that I have been involved with, including drainage issues on Wayne Avenue, some traffic flow issues and road maintenance concerns.
Previously I served on the BOS, representing the South River, and during that time we were able to open a public library station. Our library has experienced great success, and I continue to work on improving services to our community. Since my return to the board, they have been able to add an additional part time staff member, so that more programing could be done, and they are in the process of acquiring equipment needed to start a project that will capture and record the history of Stuarts Draft and the surrounding areas.
What are your priorities for another term?
During the next four years our county will face many changes, opportunities and challenges. A new courthouse facility will be constructed, a new radio system for our first responders is on the horizon, a new animal shelter will be opened, the County is in the process of updating the Comprehensive Plan and our Economic Development Plan, and a strategic plan for our fire and rescue department is being developed. There are many operational needs, such as additional deputies as well as fire and rescue personnel that need to be addressed. The County will also be introducing new operating software that will update and improve department efficiencies.
Throughout this whirlwind of activity, I think that my priority lies with making decisions that put the needs and interests of our citizens first. This includes encouraging community engagement, listening to people, and focusing on keeping citizens informed.
What are the three main issues facing Augusta County in the coming years and how would you best position the county to meet these issues in the most productive way?
Individual mental health and how to treat and support those who are struggling is a very real local issue. One of the things that I believe that we are in need of is a crises stabilization center. This would be a place where people who are experiencing a mental health crisis can be evaluated, stabilized, receive treatment and returned home, if appropriate. If long term treatment is recommended this would be a safe environment that could support the individual’s needs until they could be moved to a treatment facility.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to concerns related to mental health and how to support and administer care to those who are suffering. You can consider community training programs, additional health care workers, programs that work to address those who are incarcerated, and on and on. There just isn’t one silver bullet that will solve all of these issues, but the above is a start, and the conversation needs to continue.
A second major issue in Augusta County is how to address the need for universal broadband. The County has several projects under way, which will be implemented over the next few years, but even with the completion of these projects there will still be areas that are not served or are underserved. It is important that we continue to evaluate areas of concerns, and find solutions to broadband access.
And finally, I am going to briefly talk about the Fire & Rescue strategic plan. As mentioned above, the County is in the process of completing an in depth study that will better position us to serve the citizens of Augusta. That plan will include staffing recommendations, possible expansion or consolidation of services, a review of equipment needs, and more. Upon completion of the plan the challenge for the Board will be where do we go next? How do you implement recommendations? How can we use the information that has been gathered to improve services to our citizens and better support our fire and rescue personnel?
What are your views on solar facilities in Augusta County?
I do believe that there can be a balance between solar facilities and other land uses, and I have supported and voted for several projects in the past. I have also opposed several projects that I did not believe were appropriate.
There are many things that I consider when a solar facility is proposed. And I think that these considerations hold true for not only solar projects, but for any project that comes before the Board — It could be solar, or a power plant, or a data storage center, or a truck stop, or warehouses, or a food processing facility.
Examples of things that I look at may include how it relates to the county’s comprehensive plan, the location, size (large or small scale), how it would fit into the surrounding community, the impact that the project would have on neighbors, the impact on current agriculture activities, if utilities are available in that area, if the project is located in a growth area, the economic impact of a project, and the ability for the project to blend in with the rural nature of our County. It is never a quick or simple evaluation.
“Carefully sited” would be the phrase that I use most when discussing my views on solar in Augusta County. Probably my number one concern is locating a facility in an urban service or community development area.
Augusta County is the second largest county in Virginia. It is big! Because of the size, very careful and thoughtful planning has already been done to identify our areas of growth — places where neighborhoods, that are supported by access to public water and sewer, can be built, and where businesses and industries can locate because they have infrastructure available (water, sewer, rail, gas, road access to I-81 or I-64, and power/adequate electrical connections).
Only 6% of all of Augusta County has been designated as growth areas, which are primarily located around Stuarts Draft, Fishersville, Verona and Weyers Cave. It is in these areas that rate payer and tax payer dollars have already been invested to support planned and compact growth.
There are many places in Augusta where solar facilities can be located while still preserving the rural nature of our county, and supporting the investment in infrastructure that has been made on our citizens’ behalf. And yes, there definitely can be a balance between solar and other land uses.
Are you in favor of funding body and dash cameras for the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office? Why or why not?
I really don’t think that the question is “should we have body & dash cameras or not”, for me the question is about meeting needs and setting priorities using the resources that we have available. I don’t think that there is a person on the BOS who does not think that body cams could be helpful, but review the long list of projects that I mentioned above – Courthouse, Radio Systems, animal shelter, implementation of a new fire/rescue plan, a new software system, as well as the need for deputies to show up at your door when called, or fire/rescue personnel available to answer emergency calls..
It is also important to understand that the actual purchase of the camera system is the easiest part of the cost. After the initial investment is made there are ongoing expenses for the maintenance contract, the data storage, and the personnel required to oversee the program.
All of these projects will have to be funded by our citizens, primarily through real estate and personal property taxes. So the challenge that the board faces is to balance all of the needs with the list of what would be helpful or good to have.
How should the board of supervisors address what many see as a lack of affordable housing in Augusta County?
I do believe that this is a very real issue in Augusta County. We have good jobs available in the county, but housing for workers is scarce and then add to that the difficulty in finding housing for those that may have some financial challenges.
I know that as the County works through our comprehensive plan review, part of the conversation will be how we address these needs. Where do we see housing opportunities, and what options are available to make housing more affordable?
And there may be other avenues that we can explore. As an example, when I previously served on the BOS we had a work group, mostly made up of local builders, where we looked for ways to save on building costs, which could then be passed on to the consumer. Through that process some changes were made.
I also want to note that Augusta was one of the participants on an affordable housing study. The report has been completed, and the SAW Housing Summit was held in early October.
How do you balance residential and industrial development in Augusta County?
First, I go back to Augusta’s Comprehensive Plan. This is the ‘road map’, if you will, for development in our county. Our county has what we call designated growth areas. These locations are where we encourage housing, businesses and industries to locate. Investments have been made in these areas to ensure that the infrastructure necessary to support growth is in place (water, sewer, roads, etc).
The county has done a good job identifying areas that are most appropriate for industrial growth. Mill Place is a county owned industrial park that is available for industrial partners to locate in. There are also sites in Stuarts Draft, Fishersville, Verona and Weyers Cave where infrastructure is available that will meet the needs of many different types industries.
Housing is also encouraged to locate in our growth areas. As these areas develop and neighborhoods emerge, we see the expansion of new businesses, the locating of grocery stores, health care centers, restaurants, recreational and entertainment venues, and more. This type of activity is healthy for a locality.
So, more to your question, I see the balance of residential and industrial development is more of a natural occurrence. Good paying jobs are needed to support a strong workforce, and a strong workforce is needed to support the business and industrial economy. Both are dependent upon each other.
As a locality — we need both.
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— Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Contact Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@newsleader.com and follow him on Twitter @Patrick_Hite. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.