Don’t make plans for a going away party yet. Reece Collins might not be going anywhere. I never understood why he wasn’t grandfathered in, but I am not a lawyer.
Supervisor Pete Candland wants to know 3 things from County Attorney Angela Horan. Ms Horan might be on leave. However, here is the latest from insidenova.com: (bold mine)
Gainesville Supervisor Pete Candland has sent a letter to Prince William County Attorney Angela Horan asking whether 11th hour amendments to the recent discretionary fund resolution passed last week by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors will result in an improper dismissal of Collins.
A last-second addition by Neabsco Supervisor John D. Jenkins would appear to prevent Collins – who also works for a political consulting firm – from working for Candland. However, state code Chapter 15.2, Section 1512.2 states “no locality shall prohibit an employee of the locality, including firefighters, emergency medical technicians or law-enforcement officers within its employment, or deputies, appointees and employees of local constitutional officers as defined in § 15.2-1600, from participating in political activities while these employees are off duty, out of uniform and not on the premises of their employment with the locality.”
In his letter to Horan, he asks three things: a formal opinion to the board stating that Jenkins’ additions regarding political consultants and vendors are not part of the county’s personnel policy and would be superseded by state code. He also asks that Collins’ termination process – which he states he began based on Horan’s previously issued opinion – be rescinded.
Finally, Candland states that if Horan doesn’t agree that Jenkins’ additions supersede state code, he would like to have a formal reason for her opinion and hints at a possible lawsuit for an “improper termination.” He also asks that she remove herself from any potential litigation given the fact that she “had determined they [amendments] were a legal action of the board.”
In a phone interview Monday, Candland said he exchanged emails with county executive Melissa Peacor regarding the matter. Candland said Peacor informed him that the issue would not be resolved until Horan returns to the office.
I am glad to see Candland’s tenacity on this issue. Neither he nor the public have really been given any reason for the board’s decision. I find that very troubling. When our BOCS acts like that, in essence, they have said SCREW YOU to the public. Apparently they don’t feel they owe us an explanation. I say, yes they do.
I support Pete Candland’s efforts to get to the bottom of this ill-begotten decision.
Well if we are to believe the Sheriff, the stakes have just been raised. The battle amongst the members of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors just got bumped up several notches. The Chairman of the PWC Democratic Party, Harry Wiggins filed a FOIA request with the County Attorney, Ms. Angela Horan for information on the upstart new supervisor Peter Candland of Gainesville apparently looking for dirt on Mr. Candland. If you are not familiar with our little pissing contest, Mr. Candland proposed and the BOCS adopted his recommendation to do away with each supervisor’s “discretionary funds”, carry over money they have been able to bank for years and use pretty much as they wanted with the rubber stamp approval of their fellow board members. Ms. Horan has raised the ante by giving a copy of the FOIA report to each of the board members and their staffs. We have known all along that politics was a dirty game but Prince William County has taken it to an entirely new level. We celebrated the 150 anniversary of the American Civil War’s First Battle of Bull Run last year, now we have new civil war going on just in time for the celebration of the Second Battle of Bull Run! I will raise the question once again, “When is the Commonwealth Attorney going to step in, see that a special prosecutor is named and get to the bottom of this mess before our county government implodes?”
Corey can kiss his shot at Richmond goodbye also. His inept, vindictive behavior in this matter, and the embarassment he is causing Republicans statewide is motivating other serious Republicans to prepare to challenge him for the nomination, so little birdies are saying. The Republicans statewide have better sense than go with a guy who obstructed elimination of a vastly unpopular slush fund and then helped orchestrate retaliation against the increasingly popular, truly conservative new supervisor who led the move. My bet is that Peter could beat Corey at this point.
Welcome, Ear to the Ground. It sounds like you are not local? Things are just buzzing here in PWC. NOt sure what Corey’s cause du jour is this week. He hasn’t stuck his finger in the wind that I am aware of. He is probably afraid he might get it shot off. A lot of people are not happy with him and they are his own past supporters. Is that what we call, “disappointing his base?”
I’m familiar with Corey. We moved down here a few years ago when he was just getting started – the congestion in NOVA was horrendous and in retrospect the place seems like an insane asylum run by the inmates, no offense meant to you. Most people around Southwest don’t know much about Corey and don’t care. I remember him and am disappointed that he took the turn he did. Several active Republicans in this area are more familiar with him since he announced his candidacy. Moonhowlings and the other blogs let us keep up with what’s going on up there and I’ve given the links to others interested in Republican politics in VA. The question I’m getting is why do you guys in Prince William keep electing him?
What happened to my manners – I must be reverting back to NOVA mentality. Moon, thank you for your efforts to keep everyone informed and in a civil manner. You are being read much more broadly than NOVA. I read your area’s other blogs also – still an active MODERATE Republican but they seem as ready to shoot each others’ heads off as debate an issue. I think that as we get closer to the state elections next year all of you will expand your readsership. Keep up the good work!
Why thank you, ETTG! Did you used to live in the area? Where did you migrate to?
Southwest is as specific as I want to get. We left around the time Corey was elected head of the local board. We liked him then and what he claimed was his priority of slowing all the new houses going up. Even then the county was too crowded for me. We’ve been interested in following what goes on in Prince William and appreciate the blogs, especially Moonhowlings. I don’t understand what happened with Corey. Apparently he gave up on stopping the houses being built so getting out while the getting was good turned out to be a good move. I understand that his new thing is illegal immigration. That’s not going to get him many votes in the Southern parts of Virginia. If you poll people you’ll get nearly one-hundred percent that say they oppose illegal immigration but it’s not their priority. We have some hispanic people living around here. They work in the poultry processing plants and other low-wage jobs. But mostly they are nice folks who mind their own business and don’t cause any trouble. I can’t think of anyone who has ever asked or cared if they were illegal or not. That might get him votes in your part of the state but it’s just not a problem around here. The few Republicans around here who know anything about Corey mostly are wondering why he is going after that kid Peter Candland who wants to get rid of slush funds. We can’t figure it out. Maybe some of your local readers can explain it for us. I don’t know a soul in this part of the state who has any idea who Peter Candland is.
He has not held elected office to my knowledge.
We’ll take Peter Candland if Corey doesn’t want him. From what I’ve been reading on the county blogs he seems like the kind of fellow I could vote for. Maybe he could cut some slush from our budget too. I’ll admit that I’m the only one down here following this very closely.
Pete Candland hasn’t mentioned wanting to move. 👿