October 30, 2015
I've always found it odd that we never really get a debate of local candidates in Louisa County. Over the years, we've had candidate forums, but no one has hosted a real debate between local candidates in Louisa for at least 12 years. However, in the very seldom circumstance that Sheriff Ashland Fortune appears publicly, we do get a chance to question him. This is what happened at the regular meeting of the Louisa Democratic Committee on June 9, 2015. Here are some key points I'd like to put forth from his answers at that meeting:
First is a question from me about his promise to achieve state law enforcement accreditation. Listen to the question and Mr. Fortune's answer:
As you may have read in Stephanie Lacey's article on this blog (linked here: http://mikeforlouisasheriff.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-real-history-of-law-enforcement.html ), the Louisa Co. Sheriff's Office promised in 2007 to get accredited and at the same time they were promising this would be done "by the fall" and they were on the "last leg" of accreditation process, all the while they had not even submitted an application to The Department of Criminal Justice Services. Simply put, they deceived to the paper, the voters and the County Board of Supervisors.
Further, as you can hear, Mr. Fortune states they cannot achieve accreditation because they need a new building. There is NO STATE MANDATE for a separate facility for law enforcement to achieve state accreditation. So who is saying they need a new building? Mr. Fortune? Major Lowe? Where is this requirement coming from?
Finally on this point, you also hear it is Sheriff Fortune who states that the deputies would need to receive a 9% pay raise (NOT Mike Silberman, as stated by the Fortune campaign repeatedly). As an interesting side-note, Sheriff Fortune went ahead and gave himself a $12,500 pay raise* (or nearly 15%) recently, bypassing the State Compensation Board and the County Board of Supervisors. He just did it because he can. Even more telling is the fact that none of his front-line deputies got a pay raise last year equal (or even close) to 15%. I ask, can YOU give yourself a pay raise? That is not leadership.
What I've found quite interesting is the Sheriff's new-found emphasis on fiscal conservatism, while growing his department (and his own salary) far beyond the rate of growth for the County. This brings me to another statement made during this meeting... Listen here:
Well, in fairness, the question posed does exaggerate the numbers a little... but only a little! If you do the math, the rate of growth of the LCSO is actually about 225%, while the rate of growth for the County population in the same time frame is about 35%.
Again, very odd for a department who claims to be so fiscally conservative. What's even more "shocking" is in the election year 2003, Fortune himself stated:
Source: The Central Virginian, 2003
Now, I'm all for increased public safety, but when you expand a single department at nearly 7 TIMES the rate of growth for the County, something isn't right. More to the point, Ashland Fortune stated earlier this year that this rate of growth of 225% ISN'T ENOUGH!
Source: The Central Virginian, 2015
Doesn't sound too "fiscally conservative" to me! Even better, in another article from earlier this year, Mr. Fortune stated he wants 100 employees by the time he leaves office!
Source: The Central Virginian, Feb., 2015
Meanwhile our taxes in the County are increasing more and more to pay for this excessive growth. Either your math isn't right or your motives aren't sincere. Especially when considering Mr. Fortune's 2nd in command has managed to hire no fewer than 4 family members since he's been in office, despite Mr. Fortune's assertion in 1999 that he would not hire family members:
Source: The Central Virginian, 1999
Speaking of nepotism, our Sheriff had a very interesting and unique definition of the term at the Democratic Committee Meeting when I asked him about it. Take a listen:
Dictionary.com defines the practice of nepotism as: patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics.
Does Mr. Fortune hire any of his family members? No. However, his Chief Deputy and heir-apparent more than makes up for this by employing his wife, son, brother and (ex) brother-in-law. I guess we had to find some extra bodies to fill in for all that growth! Especially given the Sheriff stated in a questionnaire it is difficult to hire minorities and woman in the county because they could not pass the drug test or they have gotten themselves into trouble and do not qualify due to backgrounds.
The numbers don't lie. I think it's time to hold this Sheriff's administration accountable. They've had 16 years to break promises to us, the voters and the citizens of Louisa County. Perhaps it's time to put someone else in charge who has shown through a lifetime of service and leadership in the military and law enforcement that he doesn't think of his own self-interest before our public safety, nor will he let his command staff. That candidate is Mike Silberman.
Please remember to vote on November 3rd. Please join me and my family in voting for MIKE SILBERMAN for Louisa Co. Sheriff!
Dee Nicosia
Bumpass
*Sources: Salary figures provided by Louisa Co. Freedom of Information Act response(s) & The Central Virginian, October 29, 2015.
