Government

Four candidates for Bedford City Council — three incumbents and one challenger — spoke before a nearly empty room last Wednesday night at a forum sponsored by the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce.

    Those who attended the event, held at Central Virginia Community College’s Bedford facility, barely outnumbered the candidates.
    Steve Rush, a retired law enforcement officer and currently a Bedford realtor and an incumbent city councilman, stressed his knowledge of the community.

    In a surprise move, Chuck Neudorfer, District 2 supervisor and board of supervisors chairman, resigned near the end of a board meeting, Tuesday night, and left before the meeting ended.
    The action followed his fellow supervisors’ refusal to ratify his appointment of William Piatt to the District 2 slot on the planning commission. That slot came open due to Lynn Barnes’ resignation last month.

    Bedford County Republican’s fundraising dinner, held at Avenel, provided an opportunity for Republicans from a wide area, as far as Franklin County and Rockbridge County to meet and greet. It also gave folks who hope to be nominated for state offices, next year, to meet party rank and file.

    Delegate Rob Bell and State Senator Mark Obenshain were on hand to promote a property rights amendment to the state constitution. It’s on the ballot this year.

Terry Austin, a member of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors is the Republican Party's nominee to replace Delegate Lacey Putney in the House of Delegates. Putney, who announced in March that he will not seek reelection, represents the 19th District which comprises Allegheny County, Botetourt County and a portion of Bedford County.

Austin won Tuesday evening's firehouse primary in a four way race which included Zachary Hatcher, of Botetourt County and Zach Martin and Jim McKelvey, of Bedford County.