Stevensburg businessman runs for supervisor seat

Stevensburg resident Gardiner Mulford plans to challenge the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors’ longest-serving member in November’s election.

Mulford is the second person to announce his candidacy for the seven-member group that oversees the county.

He is challenging Bill Chase, the Stevensburg area’s representative for nearly 30 years. Chase, who is also chairman of the board, said earlier this year he plans to run again. He was unopposed four years ago.

Profile
Mulford, 48, owns a local home, farm and commercial real estate business, Mulford Realty, in Stevensburg.

The Star-Exponent submitted a list of questions by e-mail to Mulford regarding his professional and career background, previous campaigns for public office and his involvement in other community activities.

The questions were similar to those posed to Rixeyville resident Donald Rakes during a March interview with the Star-Exponent. Rakes is challenging incumbent Brad Rosenberger for the Jefferson District supervisors seat.

However, Mulford chose not to respond specifically to the questions posed. Instead, he provided several written documents detailing his positions on current issues, his agricultural, economic and transportation platforms, and his Republican philosophy.

By e-mail, Mulford expressed that he had provided all the information he was comfortable sharing at this time.

Mulford filed candidate paperwork with the registrar’s office March 3, indicating his party status as Republican. He said the effort to collect signatures to get his name on the ballot in November continues.

Supervisor Larry Aylor, a first-term incumbent who represents the Cedar Mountain District, is also up for election. Aylor said in February he plans to run again; he remained unopposed as of Friday.

Platform and philosophy
As part of his economic platform, Mulford says conservation of natural resources, preservation of historic assets, development of tourism and recreational attractions and an overhaul of the county’s economic plan are his priorities.

He also supports allowing the town to expand its borders, proposes a countywide minimum wage of $10 per hour, suggests closing the county’s economic development office and sharing the expense of the position with the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce.

For agriculture, Mulford’s goals include promotion of tourism to agricultural sites, increasing the setback near agricultural areas to reduce the impact of development and establishing a year-round farmer’s market. And in education, Mulford says he will fully fund Culpeper County Public Schools, institute year-round school, promote homeschooling and implement cost-of-living increases for all CCPS teachers.

“The purpose of government is to do those things that have to be done for people that cannot be done by individuals,” Mulford says. “The most effective government is government that elevates the individual in order to provide him opportunities he could not create for himself.”

According to Mulford, the primary role of government is to provide law and order, national defense, regulate trade, protect the rights of citizens and enhance the quality of life for future generations.

“The Republican Party is the best party for governing because of its adherence to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution,” says Mulford. “Yet, recognizing that at one point the U.S. Constitution was new and untested, it follows that embracing new ideas and different approaches is central to my Republican philosophy.”

On other local issues, Mulford supports: a two-term limit for supervisors, construction of an overpass at U.S. 29 and Route 666 near Eastern View High School and construction of an “inner loop road” linking Sperryville Pike and Bus. 29.

He is opposed to: the creation of a joint water and sewer authority, special economic zones for “minimum-wage retail stores,” the county’s purchase of water taps from the town for $3.3 million and construction of the “outer loop road” linking U.S. 522 to Ira Hoffman Lane.