Ken Boyd has decided he’s no longer interested in being chairman of the Board of Supervisors, NBC-29 reports. Boyd wanted to become chair (again), despite that Democrat Ann Mallek was due to be the next chair. Boyd announced this in this press release today, which I reproduce in its entirety because I suspect it’ll be of interest to folks:
Since the November election, when it became clear that David Slutsky was not going to fill out his 2nd one year term as chairman, many Albemarle citizens have ask me to consider filling out the remainder of his traditional term. This would also allow the Vice Chair to fulfill the customary two year term in that position, as all previous Vice Chairs have done in recent times. They were eager for change in the way County government will be run and wanted someone who would champion their concerns. I still remain committed to a new agenda of fiscal conservatism; tax relief for our residents; economic vitality; replacing jobs that have been lost and encouraging businesses in Albemarle to create new ones; and smaller government. I will work tirelessly to accomplish these goals and being chairman does not enhance or detract from these initiatives. I am also honored by the outpouring of confidence and support from constituents and fellow board members.
A few months ago I announced that I was running for the Republican nomination to become the next Congressman from the 5th district. I take this commitment very seriously and have already spent much time and effort furthering that goal. Recently the Republican Party decided to nominate their candidate in a primary rather than a convention. This will involve significantly more time on the road meeting the people of the 5th district. While I look forward to meeting old friends and making new ones, the primary will reduce the time I would have to be Albemarle’s Chairman of the Board of Supervisors.
It is unfortunate that this entire process has played out in the press and that some have tried to politicize the process. I would have preferred this to have been settled the way it has always been done- in consultation with the other supervisors. However, this has become an unnecessary distraction that is not in the best interest for County government and delays the hard work of getting Albemarle County open for business. It is for this and other reasons I have already mentioned that I am withdrawing my name for consideration for the job of chairman.
It’s tough to square a couple of parts of this press release. On the one hand, Boyd writes that he wanted to be chair because voters told him that “[t]hey were eager for change in the way County government will be run and wanted someone who would champion their concerns,” which is to say that Republicans won the races, ergo a Republican should be in charge. On the other hand, he laments “that some have tried to politicize the process.” But, as he admits, that’s precisely what he did. If politicizing the process is wrong, then he shouldn’t have done it. If politicizing the process is what he believes he had the political capital to do after the election, then he shouldn’t accuse others of politicizing it.
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