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Wills announces candidacy for Middle River seat on County BOS

Former Augusta County School Board and Board of Supervisors member Larry Wills announced on Monday that he will run for the Middle River District seat on the Board of Supervisors.

Incumbent Middle River Supervisor Gerald Garber announced earlier this month that he will not be seeking re-election.

“I firmly believe that to be a good board member, you first have to understand the concept of being part of an elected board,” Wills said today. “You have to fight hard and be vocal about your position on important issues. After public input, board discussion, and a final vote, you have to then accept the results of the vote. Whether you agree with the final vote or not, a good board member then puts the battle behind him and unites with the rest of the board to implement the decision. At the very least, he does not try to undermine the final board decision.”

Addressing head on what promises to be a key issue in the 2011 election cycle, Wills said he supports a new review of the controversial reassessment process in the county.

“I do believe that four years is long enough time between reassessments,’ Wills said. “In normal economic times, four years still creates a large increase in most property values that is not understood by the general public. The five- or six-year span now allowed to Augusta County would only create larger increases in normal economic times.”

Wills is leaning toward supporting a move to stagger terms for members of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board to give county voters more opportunities to let their voices be heard. He also wants to see the county move to a zero-based budgeting approach to give board members “a clear insight into the cost of the operations of the county.”

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