Editor, The Smithfield Times:

“Elections Have Consequences” has never been truer than when you look at the six candidates running for Smithfield Town Council.  

In 2021, Mr. Gibbs was on Smithfield’s Planning Commission as Mallory Farms, a large development, was working its way to approval. The developer was granted several special use permits and rezoning applications under a very outdated 2009 Comprehensive Plan. Comprehensive plans are to be reviewed every five years. 

Sixty-five citizens spoke in opposition at Town Council meetings. Gibbs failed Smithfield citizens as a planning commissioner by recommending the rezoning. Eight years past due, he approved an updated Comprehensive Plan to “fit” the development in 2022. Mr. Gibbs was “rewarded” for this, by being appointed to the Town Council in 2023.

Mr. Collins, also appointed, has a track record of supporting large development as a contractor and developer himself. Collins recently stated he and Mr. Gibbs do not represent a “blanket no” to developers. 

Mayor Steve Bowman is asking for you to vote for Gibbs and Collins. The mayor would like to not have any further probing into the $6 million he accepted earlier this year from Mr. Luter. Any change to council will most certainly inquire into this. 

I’m not a fan, as any citizen shouldn’t be, when a politician asks for votes to keep everything exactly as is while there are many unanswered questions.

I supported Mayor Bowman when he ran for election. What I can’t support: appearances put in place to push candidates under false pretensions.  

For example: promoting Mr. Gibbs as a Republican. The mayor did on social media. For the very first time, Gibbs attended the Isle of Wight Republican meeting last month. Gibbs has never declared himself as a Republican. 

Supervisor Renee Rountree posted support of Collins and Gibbs on social media. She then deleted comments and blocked citizens from her Board of Supervisors profile she created when they commented in opposition. Why? Those blocked are even county-appointed citizens on boards she works with.

Bowman and Rountree never give policy reasons to support either Gibbs or Collins, only their resumes. Coincidentally candidate Darren Cutler has a similar resume, yet both do not support him. In fact, this was a comment Rountree deleted from her social media post.

“Elections Have Consequences.” The Town of Smithfield has four other candidates with open transparent policies they have been speaking about: Bebermeyer, Smith, Cutler and Harris.

 

Heidi Swartz

Windsor