THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 1, 1995 TAG: 9510310135
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story: Campaign '95
SOURCE: BY ALLISON T. WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WINDSOR LENGTH: Long : 101 lines
WHEN WINDSOR VOTERS go to the polls Tuesday to elect their representative to the Isle of Wight County Board of Supervisors, they will choose between an experienced hand and a fresh face.
The candidates:
Windsor Mayor Robert C. ``Bobby'' Claud.
Joan C. ``Joni'' Griffin.
Claud entered the race only after incumbent L. Lorenzo ``Ren'' Spivey, who won the seat in a special election last November, withdrew earlier this year.
Experience may be the key element in the campaign because there is little difference between the candidates' platforms. In recent interviews with The Citizen staff, both Griffin and Claud said their top priorities as supervisor would be education, careful fiscal spending and controlled economic and residential growth.
``Inexperience is not always a bad thing,'' said Griffin, 42. ``I think the things people with experience sometimes take for granted will make an inexperienced person stop and ask questions. I can offer a fresh perspective to the county.''
But Claud, 61, who has served on the Windsor Town Council for 16 years and has been mayor for the last five, is banking on his experience to win votes.
``Serving as the town's administrator and being involved in the daily activities of the town will be a tremendous asset,'' Claud said. He lists construction of Windsor's new fire station, improvements to the town's water system and making fire protection accessible to the entire town as his major accomplishments while mayor.
Both agree that growth is one of the most important issues Isle of Wight will face in coming years.
For example, Smithfield and its most prominent corporate citizen, Smithfield Foods Inc., will be able to connect to sewer service with the Hampton Roads Sanitation District by January, said Dave Murphy, the county's utilities director. And the new line will allow significant commercial and residential growth in the county's north end, from Smithfield to U.S. 17.
Likewise, although plans have been stalled in Suffolk city government, HRSD officials plan eventually to extend sewer and water services through Suffolk pipelines into the southern, Windsor end of the county, Murphy said.
``And once that line does come in, growth on Route 460 is going to burst,'' Griffin said. ``We have to be careful this growth doesn't put a strain on taxpayers already living in the county.''
Both candidates agree this requires that leaders carefully monitor the county's growth.
``We need to maintain a careful balance between residential, commercial and industrial growth,'' Claud said. ``While we are aggressively seeking new businesses, I think it's important to remember the contributions existing businesses and agriculture make to the county.''
Education is as important as economic development in the county, Griffin said.
``Schools are a large portion of the county's budget,'' she points out. ``Schools have been on an improvement trend in recent years. That trend needs to continue to better prepare our students for the workplace.''
Doing that, Claud agreed, includes making sure each school's environment is safe and conducive to learning, that schools have the resources to meet students' educational needs and that discipline is maintained.
Both Claud and Griffin said the current Board of Supervisors has done a ``good job'' keeping the county on a tight budget and that this spending record needs to continue.
``Most people I've talked to have not complained about taxes,'' Claud said. ``Good fiscal management requires looking at the day-to-day operations of the county. I even want to look at the small items because even a lot of little things add up.''
If Claud is elected, the Windsor Town Council will appoint someone from the council or the community to fill his unexpired term, which doesn't end for about three more years.
Claud and his wife, Jean, have two children and three grandchildren. A retired engineering manager with Bell Atlantic Corp., the Isle of Wight County native said he is active on the boards of several local civic organizations and businesses, including United Way, the Isle of Wight/-Smithfield/-Windsor Chamber of Commerce, Farmers Bank, the Obici Foundation and the Isle of Wight County Overall Economic Development Committee. He is treasurer of Windsor Congregational Christian Church.
Griffin and her husband, Hayes, have four children and have lived in Windsor for the last 12 years. She is a Suffolk native. She is active in several organizations, including the Junior Woman's Club of Windsor, the Isle of Wight Civic Club Council and the Smithfield Ham and Gourmet Food Festival's planning committee. She also has volunteered with Special Olympics and been a Girl Scout leader. Griffin is a member of Providence United Methodist Church. ILLUSTRATION: ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Joni Griffin, 42, has lived in Windsor for 12 years and is active in
several organizations.
Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Windsor Mayor Bobby Claud, 61, has served on the Windsor Town
Council for 16 years.
KEYWORDS: CAMPAIGN BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RACE PROFILE CANDIDATES by CNB