August 16, 2008 Update:
Supervisor discussions and comments at their July 3, 2008 meeting about the Wellness Center proposed expansion indicate their willingness to increase our taxes in order to fund this project. This project, while an improvement to county recreation, is far from being critical when compared to teacher salaries, school renovations, water quality, and other services funded by county taxpayers. Approximately 3 cents could be added to our county real estate tax to fund this project. It is totally inconceivable to any person with a sense of fiscal responsibility that our supervisors would be in favor of this non-critical expenditure at this time.
Supervisor Spencer
Howard Spencer, Western District Supervisor
540-726-3743
hspencer@suddenlinkmail.com
J. Howard Spencer
Executive Director,Giles County Partnership for Excellence
211 Main Street, Suite 101
Narrows, VA 24124
Phone # 540-726-8201
Fax # 540-726-8206
Email: hspencer@gilespartnership.org
Howard Spencer
Glen Lyn Town Manager
106 Risley Circle
Glen Lyn, Virginia 24093
Giles County: Cadillac of the New River Valley
February 24, 2008
Giles County collected more money per capita ($2,437) than any other locality in the New River Valley for the tax year that ended June 30, 2007. The median for Virginia cities and counties was $2,701 and this includes northern and eastern Virginia, areas known for much higher taxes than we folks in southwest Virginia will ever see (I hope!).
This should concern every county taxpayer because it is a yardstick to measure what we get for what we spend. Do we have better than average roads? No. Do we have an abundance of sidewalks throughout the county? No. Do we pay our school teachers as much as teachers receive in northern and eastern Virginia? No. Do we fully fund a county fire department? No. As a matter of fact, exactly what county services do we receive other than garbage collection, water in some parts of the county, and sewer in some parts of the county? The county provides funding for libraries, public schools, some recreation, social services, and one heck of a lot of money to various New River Valley regional authorities, planning commissions, and of course that all important airport near Dublin (what would Giles County do without it?). Constitutional offices receive some county funding, probably, in some cases, more than what we get for our money.
Our county Treasurer is an example of taxpayer money well spent. Mr. Duncan performs numerous functions that go beyond that of his predecessors and he does it very efficiently and effectively. He should probably be the business manager for our county public schools and then we would see positive results in getting the most for the money spent on education within the county. As a matter of fact, Mr. Duncan would make an excellent county administrator because he has demonstrated his ability to operate frugally, efficiently, and effectively.
Giles County is in desperate need of positive change. If we can’t change our elected officials, can we somehow change other leaders in the county who continue to influence more county spending than we average taxpayers can afford?
The new hospital is receiving county subsidy for site development for the new hospital, the hospital ambulance service receives county subsidy to the tune of in excess of $160,000 per year, the Giles County Partnership For Excellence has received county financial assistance and we all know the dark side of this organization, county supervisors recently voted to approve bonus payments to Social Service workers, the county has approved untold millions of dollars for public education without requiring any accountability as to whether the schools are operating efficiently, and we probably don’t know where many other non-essential expenditures are going.
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Accountability!
Where is it and why hasn’t it been insisted upon by our county supervisors?
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| Giles County Partnership For Excellence (GCPE) January 19, 2008 Howard Spencer is the Executive Director of the Giles County Partnership for Excellence (GCPE). In this capacity Mr. Spencer has made numerous references to how the controversial Cumberland Park Project (Coal Combustion Wastes deposited adjacent to the New River South of Narrows on Route 460) will benefit the Giles County Technology Center. He has stated that a significant donation of money will be provided to the technology center from the profits realized from development of the Cumberland Park Project. I refer you to the web site for the GCPE: http://www.gilespartnership.org/about.html and the following quote from this web site: “The Giles County Partnerships for Excellence Foundation, Inc. has recently announced a new project that J. Howard Spencer, Executive Director, states will create jobs, provide a significant donation to the Giles Technology Center, and consider the environmental needs and concerns of the New River." I challenge Mr. Spencer to provide information in regard to the estimated amount of money that will be donated to the technology center from the Cumberland Park Project. In view of the recent School Board request to the Board of Supervisors for $8,041,886 for maintenance and renovation to the Giles County Technology Center, it is imperative that the supervisors be informed of the amount of money they can expect to receive from the GCPE for the technology center. If this amount of money is truly significant as stated by Mr. Spencer on the GCPE web site, it could help to offset taxpayer costs and assure that these needed maintenance and renovation items are performed forthwith. How about it Mr. Spencer? Is this statement on your web site just another in a series of untruths? Your detractors eagerly await your response and this is your chance to prove them wrong in their assessment of you.
Request for Howard Spencer Resignation - December 6, 2007 How can the citizens of Giles County trust Mr. Spencer when he falsely told those in attendance at his November 9, 2007 GCPE meeting that he doesn’t receive any money from the GCPE? The year 2005 IRS Form 990 filed for the GCPE and signed by Howard Spencer on November 13, 2006 states he received $28,860 in compensation from the GCPE for the period July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006. This same filing with the IRS reports other expenditures by the GCPE that cover travel expenses ($9,416), consulting fees ($38,771), and program service fees ($29,837). It isn’t known whether any of these monies were paid to Mr. Spencer but it’s difficult to imagine that anyone in the GCPE, other than Mr. Spencer, would have been compensated for travel expenses. This isn’t about whether or not Mr. Spencer should or shouldn’t receive money from the GCPE. He made the decision to publicly state he doesn’t receive any compensation from the GCPE for his services. His statement about this compensation issue is obviously false and the question is why did Mr. Spencer make the statement? Why did he compromise himself and his integrity by being the person to raise the issue of compensation and then publicly make a false statement by claiming he doesn‘t receive any monetary compensation? Mr. Spencer has exercised poor judgment in his handling of this matter. He has damaged his credibility as a citizen but even worse he has created an image of a public servant who cannot be trusted by the citizens he is sworn to serve. The combination of his poor judgment, false statements, and his efforts to keep the details about the Cumberland Park project hidden from the citizens of Giles County for over 18 months make it difficult for even the most broad-minded citizens to accept such behavior from an elected official. Once again, I request that Mr. Spencer voluntarily remove himself from the Giles County Board of Supervisors. His resignation is the right thing for him to do under the circumstances as explained herein. When an elected official knowingly speaks falsehoods, that are proven to be false by the filing of an official form with the Internal Revenue Service, that official should resign his/her office. This detailed information has been made available to all members of the Giles County Board of Supervisors, the County Administrator, and the County Attorney. Each of these officials, both elected and appointed, should call for Mr. Spencer’s resignation from the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Spencer, do the right thing. Resign from the Giles County Board of Supervisors and remove any lingering doubt or perception as to whether you have made other false statements to the citizens you are sworn to serve. Your actions in this matter are inexcusable and cannot be tolerated by the good citizens of Giles County. Your only option for damage control is to resign and you should do so immediately.
School Efficiency Review Mr. Spencer, are you going to require an efficiency review of county school operations in 2008 prior to approving additional funding for the school budget? | | | 
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