THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 1, 1995 TAG: 9510310080
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 250 lines
SHERIFF'S ELECTION Spivey most qualified
While Sheriff Phelps has tried to initiate some positives, it's time to elect and put the most qualified candidate in this very important office. There is no question that Shelton A. Spivey Jr. is the most qualified. Here are some of my reasons for going with Spivey.
Mr. Spivey has varied administrative experience in personnel, budgets, administration, training, firearms and self defense. He will bring fiscal responsibility to Isle of Wight. Frugality and public safety will be weighed in the balance.
Educationally, candidate Spivey attended Windsor High School and has two master's degrees in administration. In both experience and education, these qualifications put Spivey far ahead of the other contenders.
Even more importantly, Shelton Spivey will bring a new vision to the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Department. He will revitalize the Sheriff's Auxiliary, redefine its role and use valuable volunteers. He will treat them with respect and delegate them with trust.
Spivey will enforce laws against drugs with initiative and constant cooperation with other law enforcement agencies. Emphasis will be taken off of traffic enforcement, which is primarily a state police function, and be re-focused on felony investigations and especially drug violations, which are a constant threat to ourselves and our children.
In Carrollton, candidate Spivey promises a satellite office will be established and the one in Smithfield, a block from the Police Department, will be closed.
A full-time deputy will be placed in the town of Windsor and new terms negotiated to save both the town and county money.
The bicycle patrol will not continue in its current form. Candidate Spivey says that bike deputies can be used in some areas, such as Camptown, but not the county as a whole.
A vote for Spivey will be a vote for the most varied experience, relevant education and a new vision to make Isle of Wight County safe, responsive and a better place to live for all.
William E. Wilkins
Duke Street
Windsor Re-elect present sheriff
To the voters of Isle of Wight County, please consider re-electing your present sheriff, Charlie Phelps, with all his experience in law enforcement.
Shelton Spivey has not been in law enforcement 24 years as he is saying. He was a deputy sheriff at the old jail in Suffolk, but he served as a jailer and civil process server. He was not then, and is not now, a certified law enforcement deputy. This means he could not then, and cannot now, claim to have law enforcement experience. If he intends to attend a basic training academy for 16 weeks and passes, then he can claim to be a law enforcement officer. But, never having attended a basic training academy, he is making a false claim when he says he has 24 years of law enforcement experience.
Sheriff Phelps is a certified law enforcement officer. Do you want a sheriff who is truthful about his qualifications or a man who tries to pull the wool over your eyes by saying he is something he is not?
Keep experience in your sheriff's office. Re-elect Charles W. Phelps as your sheriff.
Henry R. Hatfield
Turlington Road
Suffolk Experience emphasized
In reference to recent attacks concerning my law enforcement experience, it is clear the present sheriff's administration is jealous and desperate in their whining.
As a certified deputy sheriff with the city of Suffolk for 18 years, I had full arrest powers and have made both misdemeanor and felony arrests in both Isle of Wight and Suffolk. I have obtained and served search warrants and apprehended criminals in neighboring jurisdictions. I have probably spent more time testifying in different courts than all other candidates combined.
The Department of Criminal Justice Services, which supervises law enforcement training for the state, says that the position of sheriff is primarily administrative. Law enforcement is just one spoke in the wheel, along with civil process, court security, jail operations and other administrative functions.
The citizens of Isle of Wight County want a modern sheriff with the education of two master's degrees in administration and 24 years in law enforcement. I am the man for the task!
Shelton Spivey
Randolph Drive
Windsor 'Bust' no political ploy
I am writing this letter in response to Mr. Shelton Spivey's comments toward the investigation of the recent field of marijuana that was discovered in central Isle of Wight.
I would like to say first of all that this ``bust'' was not done as a political ploy. The marijuana plants were located and an investigation was conducted until we had probable cause to make an arrest. If Mr. Spivey would have taken the time to do a little ``investigative work'' himself, before he so quickly criticized the case, he would have found that a direct indictment from the grand jury of Isle of Wight is on file with the Circuit Court. The suspect was arrested Sept. 26, and a court date is set for Nov. 15.
To comment on the bicycle patrol, I would like to say that a community-based police patrol has been proven to reduce crime and improve the ability to solve crimes. When we ride the bikes through an area, such as Camptown, and have 10 to 15 children riding bikes behind us, stopping to swap names and answer questions, you begin to build a bond and a trust. If we can be successful in having better relations with this generation of young people, maybe our crime rate locally and even nationwide will decrease in future years. I have also gained valuable information about problem areas in our neighborhoods which affect everyone in the county. The bicycles give us the opportunity to be more accessible to the citizens of Isle of Wight.
I ask that the citizens of Isle of Wight show their support for Sheriff Phelps and his deputies who strive to make this county a better place to live.
Continue the progress. Vote to re-elect Sheriff Phelps.
Timothy J. Worrell
Deputy sheriff
Isle of Wight Spivey's the one for her
I recently attended a debate of the upcoming sheriff's election.
I was very impressed with candidate Shelton Spivey, as I observed all three candidates and listened with an open mind. Mr. Spivey impressed me the most. He spoke with dignity, honesty and most professionally, and these are the things we need in a sheriff to run Isle of Wight, not to mention that Shelton Spivey was the most educated man on the docket.
My word to my neighboring communities would be, ``Vote for Shelton Spivey for sheriff.''
Cathy Gilmet
Church Street
Windsor Employees like Phelps
This is a letter to the citizens of Isle of Wight County from each and every member of the Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office, whose signatures show our support for Sheriff Phelps. Just about everyone here has worked for the sheriff for the past eight years and we, more than anyone, know the ability of Sheriff Phelps to run the sheriff's office.
Sheriff Phelps has led this department and all of us through many changes, all of which have benefited the citizens. He has delivered the promises he made during the past two campaigns, and this fact alone shows you he is a man of his word and has the best interests of the citizens at heart.
He has entrusted each of us with a duty, and that duty is to give the citizens of Isle of Wight our best efforts in answering your calls for service and giving you a feeling of security. This is what a sheriff's office is: an organization that serves the public. But a sheriff's office is only as good as its sheriff, and that is why you need to consider how important it is that you have a sheriff who has the experience of 25 years working in law enforcement. This person is Sheriff Phelps.
We each stand behind him in this campaign because we have respect for him as sheriff and as a person. We hope you will please vote to keep Sheriff Phelps in office so that he can continue to give the citizens of Isle of Wight County the law enforcement experience you deserve. Each of us appreciate your support in the re-election of Sheriff Phelps.
Letter signed by 23 individuals
STATE HOUSE, SENATE Honest, positive change
Anticipation fills the air as we close in on Nov. 7 and the election of a New Majority for our Old Dominion. Finally, we will have a General Assembly that can work cooperatively with Gov. Allen to bring honest and positive change to our beloved Virginia.
Looking toward that day, Jerry Flowers and Debra Quesinberry recently signed a pledge at the state Capitol to make the needed, honest changes a reality. The Republicans pledged to keep neighborhoods safe, improve the quality of education, return lottery profits to the localities, create more jobs by reducing wasteful government spending, enact parental notification, fully implement Gov. Allen's welfare-reform plan and promote open and honest government.
Debra and Jerry's pledge says the status quo is no longer good enough. It says localities, communities and families have better solutions than centralized government. And it says, unlike our opposition - a party built on power, privilege and pork - we are a party of principle.
And as citizens respond positively to our message based on innovative change, it has become almost amusing to watch the defenders of the status quo, like Richard Holland and Bill Barlow, scramble to cuddle up to Gov. Allen and his popular message.
The contrasts have never been more stark or the choices more clear. Those who have ruled Virginia for over 100 years are out of new ideas and out of time. It's time to decide, which side are you on?
Your vote and support are urged for Jerry Flowers for state senator and Debra Quesinberry for delegate.
Max B. Porter
Boykins Keep Barlow in office
As the sound and fury of political campaigns reaches a crescendo in these last days before the election, I hope the voters of the 64th House of Delegates District can pause for a few moments and reflect upon the campaign and the candidates.
Upon reflection, it is apparent that there is one candidate who represents moderation and reason: William K. Barlow. He is a person of principle and integrity who will not blindly follow the lead of any governor, but one who will carefully weigh the issues and vote for the interests of the citizens of this district and the commonwealth.
We need a delegate who will make thoughtful and intelligent decisions on our behalf. We need to return William K. Barlow to the House of Delegates.
William E. Laine Jr.
Magruder Road
Smithfield Friends of education
If excellence in education could be assured by spending vast sums of money, we surely would have the greatest education system in the world. However, this, we all know, is not the case.
The past programs, policies and mega spending have failed. We must have real education reform! This, I believe, can only be achieved by implementing higher academic standards.
The State Board of Education, in June 1995, unanimously adopted new, academically rigorous standards for Virginia school children in the basic subjects - math, science, reading, writing, history, geography and civics.
For these new higher standards to become effective throughout Virginia's public school system, they must be made enforceable as regulations.
In the 1995 session of the General Assembly, Gov. Allen proposed legislation to make the enforcement of these standards a reality, but the General Assembly Democrats obstructed all efforts by the governor and Republicans to pass this crucial legislation.
I am appalled that the Democrats, with the sole purpose of maintaining their grip on power, put their interests above the vital educational needs of the Virginia school children.
Jerry Flowers and Debra Quesinberry have pledged to support Gov. Allen's ``Rigorous Standards of Learning Legislation.'' A vote for these two is a vote for academic excellence in Virginia's public schools.
Rosemary Riddle
Clay Street
Franklin Let Quesinberry help
In your Oct. 25 issue's glowing account on Bill Barlow, I found it interesting that you felt Debra Quesinberry's flier exceeded the bounds of ``political etiquette.'' I wonder if his calling Debra a ``liar'' for accurately depicting his voting record exceeds such bounds.
At any rate, no one disputes that Barlow is a good man from a good family. The issue is his voting record - a record virtually identical to that of the liberal Democratic leadership and a record which opposes Gov. Allen 83 percent of the time.
Barlow voted against adequate prison space, against Gov. Allen's plan for higher academic standards, against returning lottery profits to localities and for increasing the sales tax to 5 percent.
Billy K. is a gentleman. He is conservative in appearance and demeanor. But his voting record is liberal. Representatives represent you on the issues. By opposing Gov. Allen 83 percent of the time and these liberal votes, does he really represent you?
Send Gov. Allen some help on Nov. 7. Elect a conservative Republican, Debra Quesinberry.
Dan Crumpler
North Main Street
Franklin by CNB