Longtime Buffalo District Representative and School Board Chairman Russell Dove didn’t apply to serve another term on the Prince Edward County School Board.

Dove has served on the board for almost 15 years.

According to Longwood University professor Dr. Alix Fink, the chair of the citizens committee for the Buffalo District — which received and reviewed the applications — only two people applied for the seat — Dr. Wilkie Chaffin and Patricia Bobenrieth.

The names of the applicants were revealed during the Tuesday meeting of the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors, where citizen committees reported applicants for the Buffalo and Leigh District seats.

“As I advised previously, I am disappointed with some aspects of the political landscape regarding our schools and I am still working through a personal issue before making a final decision,” Dove said Wednesday. He didn’t elaborate on his statement.

According to County Administrator Wade Bartlett, the deadline for applications for the school board seats has passed. “I don’t see how he can apply now,” Bartlett said.

Following the meeting, Buffalo District Supervisor C.R. “Bob” Timmons offered no comment on the absence of Dove’s application.

According to Fink, both Chaffin and Bobenrieth were interviewed by the committee. “The outcome of our committee’s work is that we believe each candidate would make important contributions to the school board, but each would do so in different ways,” Fink said.

She said that Bobenrieth taught from 1977 until retiring recently “and taught in our own region, Nottoway, Lunenburg and Prince Edward counties, for more than 20 years.”

Fink said she is an active volunteer in the community, schools and civic organizations, highlighting her strengths as understanding the learning environment, ideas for improving communications in the school division, ability to understand teachers’ challenges and sincere passion for education and support of teachers.

She said Chaffin taught in higher education from the 1970s to the 1990s, and also taught in high school. “He’s an active volunteer in our community, including service as the elected director and treasurer of the Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District and in other civic organizations.”

Fink noted his strengths as his ability to look deeply at data and apply it to questions, to understand parliamentary procedure, interest and experience to complex budgets and his genuine commitment to leave an organization stronger than when he joined it.

According to Sarah Edmendson, representing the Leigh District Citizens Committee, two people applied to serve on the school board: Dr. Timothy Corbett, the incumbent, and Dr. Wayne E. McWee. The committee, she said, recommended the reappointment of Corbett, who’s completing his first four-year term.

Edmendson said Corbett’s desire was to improve overall achievement for the school system and the community. “He’s a strong believer in public education and would like to see more attention placed on all students as well as more parent involvement,” she said.

McWee, who served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Longwood University, worked in education for 47 years. McWee also taught at Longwood, she said.

“He believes that Prince Edward County and Farmville needs a quality school system. He feels that with his knowledge and background, he could make a difference,” Edmendson said.

Dove’s and Corbett’s terms expire in June.

A public hearing on the applicants will be held in May. In June, supervisors will vote on the appointments.