Dasher seeking second term

George Dasher (Stevensburg District) says he’s prepared to serve four more years on the Culpeper County School Board in order to accomplish three main objectives.

1) Make sure the new superintendent, Bobbi Johnson, is successful.

2) Work to improve ties between the School Board and the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors.

3) “Continue working on teambuilding among the School Board members.”

Dasher, 67, who serves as chairman of the board, told the Star-Exponent Monday he will seek re-election in November. According to the Culpeper County registrar, no one else has filed to run against him; Dasher also has yet to file paperwork or turn in the required signatures.

As chairman, Dasher described his position as being the “meat in the sandwich” when it came to voting on a divisive issue over the summer. In June, the board voted to “mutually part ways” with former CCPS Superintendent David Cox after seven years.

Dasher says he initially voted in closed session to keep Cox, but changed his vote in open session because he was responsible for negotiating the revised contract.

“So once I put the contract together, I felt like I needed to support it,” he said Monday morning.

Determined to put the board’s vision back on track, Dasher promises to “refocus the board” on instruction.

“The real goal is educating children and not all of this other stuff,” he said. “We, of course, have had our differences, and we still have some differences. But we need to get all of that behind us and start working as a team and get our focus where it really needs to be focused, and that’s on instruction.”

Dasher began his first term January 2006, replacing Barton Hitchcock, who chose not to seek re-election.

In addition to serving on the School Board, Dasher is also one-third owner of ASSETT Inc., a small engineering firm in Manassas.

Dasher, a Georgia native who has lived in Culpeper for 33 years, has worked in the engineering industry for 44 years including serving as an executive for IBM and Lockheed Martin. He managed numerous engineering development projects exceeding $1 billion each, responsible for their cost, scheduling and performance.

Dasher has been married to Faye for 43 years; they have two adult daughters, Amanda and Nicole (both girls graduated from Culpeper County High School), and five grandchildren.

In his spare time, Dasher enjoys woodworking, golf, flying his private plane and traveling in his recreational vehicle.

School Board member Elizabeth Hutchins of the Cedar Mountain District has yet to announce if she plans to seek a third term. Richard Goff began collecting signatures earlier this year as he prepares to run against Hutchins again in November.

Leanne Jenkins of the Jefferson District has yet to announce her plans to run again. Hutchins and Jenkins have both served two terms on the School Board.

The deadline to file is June 9.

Meet George Dasher
Age: 67

Family: Married to Faye for 43 years; they have two adult daughters (Amanda and Nicole) and five grandchildren

Employment: Part owner of ASSETT Inc., a small engineering firm in Manassas

Education: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1965

Public office: Seeking re-election for the Stevensburg District School Board seat; he serves as chairman of the board

Public service: Culpeper United Methodist Church Board of Trustees treasurer; church choir; Sunday School teacher, certified lay speaker; treasuer of the Methodist Men’s group; Merchant’s Grocery Co. Board of Directors for 25 years (finance committee)