Candidate Profile: Robert F. Chandler (Surry County Board of Supervisors, Bacons Castle District)

Robert F. Chandler is a candidate for the Surry County Board of Supervisors, Bacons Castle District. His name will appear on the ballot on November 7, 2023.

Chandler is running against Walter Hardy.

10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race with specific questions. The responses below came directly from the candidate and are unedited. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.

Candidate Name: Robert F. Chandler

Age: 77

Race: Surry County Board of Supervisors, Bacons Castle District

Biography:

I was raised on a ranch/farm outside of the small town of Raywood Texas. We raised beef cattle and farmed about two thousand acres a year. I graduated from Liberty High School in Liberty Texas, and after graduating, I enlisted in the Navy and entered the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program. I advanced quickly, was selected to attend college and advanced into the officer ranks. I spent eight years assigned to NAVSEA 08, the Navy’s Nuclear Program Management Organization.

After retirement I took time to pursue additional college work and obtain a master’s degree, and while doing this I served as a substitute teacher at Denbigh and Menchville High Schools in Newport News, VA. As our children grew, we also served as a Cub Master and a Scout Master, and I earned the PHD of Scout Training the “Wood Badge”. Twice I was selected to be a Jamboree Scout Master for the Newport News District.

I worked at a nuclear powered power plant in Baxley Georga, Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Power Plant, as the planning and controls superintendent. My family wanted to return to Newport News VA, so we did.

I spent 27 years working at Newport News Shipyard in both nuclear and non-nuclear positions including Construction Superintends, Engineering Manager and a Program Manager retiring in 2015. We moved to Surry County in March 1993

In parallel with working at the shipyard my wife and I owned and operated a flight training business and aircraft repair, Chesapeake Aviation, at the Chesapeake Executive Airport. We made our finial retirement in 2015.

I was appointed by the Board of Supervisors to serve on the Economic Development Authority in our county and served for three and one half years.

Why are you running for this office?

Neither our County Administration nor the majority of the members of our Board of Supervisors are in support of the needs of our citizens nor are they listening to our citizens. My purpose in running is to represent and support our citizens in the Bacon’s Castel District.

For example, as part of this physical year’s proposed budget our County Admin proposed an increase in our personnel property tax rate to 72 cents per $100 on the newly assessed property value. At the public hearing associated with this new tax rate of the 24 speakers 22 did not support the tax rate increase and 2 spoke in support. Even with the citizens’ opinion, a majority of the Board approved a 71-cent rate. Each cent increase was worth approximately $630.000.00. This was the fourth rate increase in four years and all without citizen support. The total increase in the tax rate over the past four years was approximately 22%. The rate could have been reduced to 68 cents and the county still would have been able to increase tax revenue more than the previous physical year.

What is the most important issue facing the county, and what is your position on it?

The declining population, and to stop this issue we must take actions to address the three key issues that are causing this, and they are, 1) the creation of jobs within the county, 2) the development of affordable housing, and 3) developing an improved school System.

Affordable housing: In the 30 years we have lived in Surry County the Board has never taken the need for affordable housing as a serious need. Without affordable housing there is no place for young people to move into as they obtain a job either within the county or in nearby areas. And, as we create jobs within the county there is no affordable housing for new citizens to move into.

Jobs within the county: To prevent the continuing decline in the county’s population we need to develop jobs within the county for our young people to be able to remain in the county and for new people to move into our beautiful county. Without both jobs and affordable housing our population will continue to decline.

Improved school system: Our school system has the lowest student to teacher ratio in both the state and country with an average of 9 students to 1 teacher, yet our teachers’ average pay is the highest in our state. We need to concentrate on the three Rs and add additional trades training programs and provide a stronger dual path process allowing students to follow a path to move forward towards either collage or trades training.

What it the top challenge facing your district, and how would you address it?

Both our district and county are suffering from both a dawdling population and the number of students in our school system. There are three basic parts to the answer for this question and they are the same answer as the previous question.

How do you feel about the politicization of public education?

I do not support the politicization of public education. When I was in high school George Orwell’s 1984 was required reading and it revealed the outcome of this process. We are seeing this increasingly as this process is intensifying as time moves forward.

Our school system was founded on teaching our childing the three R, reading, writing, and arithmetic as well as biblical principles so that as they grew into adults, they could become contributors to our society. We need to retrogress and concentrate on the three Rs and develop additional trades training to allow students to develop a path of their interest and a good paying future job. A student with either path can achieve an excellent paying job to support a family.

How do you plan to manage growth while also protecting the quality-of-life residents bought into?

Currently Surry County is a very rural county; however, in the counts’ Comprehensive Plan there are recommendations to develop areas around the three townships within the county, but this has not yet commenced. The County Admin has just received the Board of Supervisors agreement to commence discussions with one of the townships.

The primary issues with attempting growth development within our county is three-fold, the lack of jobs, the lack of affordable housing, and of a school system the has gotten away from teaching the three Rs, and the lack of a strong trades training program.

As discussed above I would take the following actions: 1) The creation of jobs within the county, 2) The development of affordable housing, and 3) To develop an improved school System.

Affordable housing: In the 30 years we have lived in Surry County the Board of Supervisors has not taken the need for affordable housing as a serious need. Without affordable housing there is no place for young people to move into as they obtain a job either within the county or in nearby areas.

We need to create jobs within the county to prevent the continuing decline in the county’s population. We need to develop jobs within the county for our young people to be able to remain in the county and for new people to move into our beautiful county. Without both jobs and affordable housing our population will continue to decline.

Improved school system: Our school system has the lowest student to teacher ratio in both the state and country with an average of 9 students to 1 teacher. We need to concentrate on the three Rs and add additional trades training programs and provide a stronger dual path process allowing students to follow a path to move forward towards either collage or trades training.

I will push for the development of each of these actions, which can be accomplished without destroying the county’s rural environment if done properly and in accordance with our Comprehensive Plan.

What is your view on unlimited campaign contributions? Should that change?

I support campaign contribution, but I also believe the candidates should refuse any contribution that has strings attached. I could support limiting contribution to a dollar value, but not limiting who are what organization can contribute. The campaign should manage the contributions.

How will you still value constituents and politicians with whom you disagree?

Always honestly and politely.

There are certain philosophical processes that I follow when working with both.

There is no such thing as a bad question. Most if not all questions are based on personal beliefs and knowledge and should be answered based on your beliefs and knowledge. If you do not know the answer, then you reply that you do not know but will get the answer and reply.

There are no wrong or bad suggestions. Each suggestion should be reviewed, and a decision made as to the value of the suggestion and whether or not to pursue it. Feedback should always be provided.