Posted: 12:23 AM - Dec 21, 2011
From The Winchester Star dated Tuesday 1 Nov 2011.
BERRYVILLE- After 24 years on Clarke County's Planning Commission, Republican Beverly McKay is vying for a spot on the five-member Clarke County Board of Supervisors.
McKay is seeking the White Post District seat being vacated by Republican A.R. "Pete" Dunning Jr., who is stepping down from the board after 32 years.
He is running against Democrat H.R. "Randy" Sprouse in the Nov. 8 election.
McKay said he wants to continue in the tradition of people before him on the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, who he said have worked to craft a Comprehensive Plan to control growth.
"That's the basic root of all the success we've had," he said.
Born into a farming family in Clarke County, McKay, 59, came back to the dairy business after graduating from Virginia Tech in 1974.
He has been an active member of his dairy cooperative for most of that time and is currently secretary and vice-chairman of the board of Minnesota-based Land 'O Lakes Cooperative, which includes crop producers, dairymen and dairy cooperatives.
The co-op is an international business, selling dairy products - mostly cheese and butter - in the United States and overseas.
It's interesting, McKay said, to think that some of the milk he produces eventually ends up as cheese or butter in another country.
Dunning appointed McKay to the Planning Commission in 1987 to succeed Vergil Bates, and he recently served several years as chairman of the group.
"Our planning and zoning has been very important for improving the quality of life" in Clarke, he said.
McKay said the county needs more commercial development, "but it has to be a positive net tax generator."
While county's population of 14,034 isn't large enough to attract big-box stores, there is room in several areas for commercial and industrial development, he said. That includes the county's industrial park in Berryville and areas such as Waterloo and Double Tollgate.
McKay is interested in finding ways to give residents in the southern part of the county, and up on the mountain, access to broadband Internet service.
"We've taken the first step," he said, when the Planning Commission sent a proposal to the supervisors to allow residents to put up non-commercial towers to access broadband.
"It's what I have at the farm," said McKay, who feels it's the best way, at the moment, to help other county residents get service.
He also thinks Clarke should keep close tabs on large nonprofit organizations that want to locate in the county.
"They don't pay taxes," he said. "Taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing big nonprofits."
- Contact Val Van Meter at vvanmeter@winchesterstar.com
By Val Van Meter
The Winchester Star
The Winchester Star
BERRYVILLE- After 24 years on Clarke County's Planning Commission, Republican Beverly McKay is vying for a spot on the five-member Clarke County Board of Supervisors.
McKay is seeking the White Post District seat being vacated by Republican A.R. "Pete" Dunning Jr., who is stepping down from the board after 32 years.
He is running against Democrat H.R. "Randy" Sprouse in the Nov. 8 election.
McKay said he wants to continue in the tradition of people before him on the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, who he said have worked to craft a Comprehensive Plan to control growth.
"That's the basic root of all the success we've had," he said.
Born into a farming family in Clarke County, McKay, 59, came back to the dairy business after graduating from Virginia Tech in 1974.
He has been an active member of his dairy cooperative for most of that time and is currently secretary and vice-chairman of the board of Minnesota-based Land 'O Lakes Cooperative, which includes crop producers, dairymen and dairy cooperatives.
The co-op is an international business, selling dairy products - mostly cheese and butter - in the United States and overseas.
It's interesting, McKay said, to think that some of the milk he produces eventually ends up as cheese or butter in another country.
Dunning appointed McKay to the Planning Commission in 1987 to succeed Vergil Bates, and he recently served several years as chairman of the group.
"Our planning and zoning has been very important for improving the quality of life" in Clarke, he said.
McKay said the county needs more commercial development, "but it has to be a positive net tax generator."
While county's population of 14,034 isn't large enough to attract big-box stores, there is room in several areas for commercial and industrial development, he said. That includes the county's industrial park in Berryville and areas such as Waterloo and Double Tollgate.
McKay is interested in finding ways to give residents in the southern part of the county, and up on the mountain, access to broadband Internet service.
"We've taken the first step," he said, when the Planning Commission sent a proposal to the supervisors to allow residents to put up non-commercial towers to access broadband.
"It's what I have at the farm," said McKay, who feels it's the best way, at the moment, to help other county residents get service.
He also thinks Clarke should keep close tabs on large nonprofit organizations that want to locate in the county.
"They don't pay taxes," he said. "Taxpayers shouldn't be subsidizing big nonprofits."
- Contact Val Van Meter at vvanmeter@winchesterstar.com