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What a mess. I hate saying that, but it’s true in about every way these days, when someone talks about Cumberland County. On the one hand, you have a judge saying we need to spend money we don’t have to fix up a courthouse that’s not always used. Oh and if we don’t, there’s the subtle threat of a legal battle. I think Mr. Carlton’s editorial can speak for me too, there’s nothing more I can add to all that. Well, nothing printable at least. 

But what I can do is ask why we have allowed buildings to get in the sad state they’re in. So if I read the Herald correctly, the courthouse basement floods, some of the older documents we have there are getting moldy and it’s even reached a point where we had to ask the Library of Virginia to come in and take our history, because we haven’t fixed the problem after years of being asked. There’s being frugal and then there’s something else. I think we’re well past the something else part. I also truly appreciated hearing that our election records are in such a secure location, one that’s not at all in violation of the Virginia Code. And yes, that was sarcasm. We’re paying now for the mistakes of years gone by, but let’s try not to make more along the way. 

Bryan Hamlet and John Newman may not speak for my district, but I do appreciate both of them asking questions and trying to get things done. I also appreciate John Seal and the rest of the Economic Development Authority. I know it’s not simple, I know you can’t just snap fingers and make a grocery store or a restaurant or any type of business appear, but I appreciate that you’re trying. I think that’s what some people seem to misunderstand. Not all of us expect things to happen right here and right now. We just want to see work being done. 

Dennis Deems
Cumberland