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In Mr. Lane's defense
Last Friday, the Culpeper Star-Exponent lambasted Stonewall-Hawthome District Supervisor Nelson Lane for his frequent absences from the board’s meetings during the past several years.
We agree that Mr. Lane’s absences have been frequent — perhaps too frequent. We can’t, and won’t, defend his record on that score.
But we do object to that newspaper’s characterization of Mr. Lane as often unprepared and unaware of the issues facing the board.
In fact, on several issues, most recently the landfill, Mr. Lane has consistently taken the lead in asking technical questions of the consultants retained by the county. In one meeting with geo-seismic experts, his questions indicated that his knowiedge of that field was far from perfunctory or shallow.
We don’t know’ w’here the Star-Exponent received the “reports” of Mr. Lane’s lack of preparation alluded to in its editorial. We do know’ that first-hand observations by members of this newspaper’s staff over a period of years find Mr. Lane prepared for the board’s deliberations.
On another point; that editorial pointed out that, during 1986, Mr. Lane was absent more frequently than two other supervisors who later died of “chronic” illnesses. One, Hampton District Supervisor Clarence Baldwin, did in fact die of a chronic illness. However, the other, Jackson District representative J. R. “Dick” Latham, died unexpectedly after a massive heart attack — not a chronic illness.
We agree that Mr. Lane’s constituents would be more effectively represented if he were absent less frequently. We disagree, however, that they suffer from any lack of preparation on his part when he does attend the board’s meetings.
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