By Sandy James
Review Staff Writer
Published: May 1, 2008

Town council election preview

Tuesday, May 6, voters will head to the polls to elect two members, for four-year terms, to Orange Town Council. The Orange County Registrar’s Office will be open Saturday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for in-person voting. Only town registered voters are eligible to vote in this election. For answers to election questions, call the registrar’s office at 672-5262.

James D. Darnell
Jim Darnell is a lifelong resident of the Town of Orange.  He and his wife Dolores have three children, Jasmine, Will and Zach.  Darnell owns and operates the Garden Patch in Orange, growing plants and produce for the past 23 years.
Darnell is a 1973 graduate of OCHS. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1978 with a degree in biology, and many elective credits in horticulture.
Darnell served on Orange Town Council from 1992 to 2006. “I would like to continue serving the town residents.  I am pleased there is so much interest this year in the two seats up for election.  It’s important to get involved in your community.”
Darnell’s top three issues are:
“Doing everything we can to offset the proposed new sewer plant costs through state, federal and environmental grants or other means and manage town funds like it is your own, because it is mine, yours and everyone’s.
Promoting the town to improve retail business needs and increase local employment opportunities and to reduce the need to commute.
Managing residential growth, so we don’t turn out like Culpeper or Fredericksburg.
“I believe one council member should be a retail business owner to give that perspective to council endeavors. I believe the council member should be accessible and with my business, anyone can approach me at anytime concerning town affairs.  I believe this is a wonderful town—the envy of other communities—and would like to be part of its betterment.”

Ryan D. Gibson
Ryan Gibson was born and raised in Orange County. He attended Orange County High School and graduated from Hampden-Sydney College with honors in 2001 with a BS in Economics and Mathematics Magna Cum Laude.
He lives in the Town of Orange with his wife Rachel and their two sons, Matthew and Taylor. His sons represent the fifth generation of Gibsons to be raised in Orange County.
He runs the family business, Gibson Rentals, a party and equipment rental store in the Town of Orange.
“We have chosen to earn our living here in the Town of Orange; therefore, I care about the town’s economic status and future growth and development,” he said.
Gibson’s top three issues are:
“Town water and sewer rates are at an all time high. The rates are projected to increase at a rate of 7% each year.  This needs to be addressed or in seven years your water and sewer bill will double.
Implementation of accountability for public funds.  The Town Council needs to adopt a zero-based budget, which would stop all frivolous spending.
Additional revitalization of the downtown district to create a core economic basis that will support the Town of Orange.”
“If I am elected May 6, I will provide a practical approach to the Town Council, and represent all of the town’s citizens.”

Kent C. Higginbotham

Kent Higginbotham was born and raised in Orange County and after graduating from the University of Virginia has lived and worked here with his wife Kathryn and their two children. Higginbotham served for 12 years on the Orange Town Council and as a current member of the Technical Advisory Committee for more than 10 years.
“I love Orange and I am committed to creating a government that serves its citizens and spends taxpayer money like it was their own. I have been an entrepreneur in the Town of Orange for 25 years and I know what challenges a small business faces.”
Higginbotham’s top three issues are:
“As a community at the crossroads of financial prosperity or financial ruin, we have serious issues to confront regarding water, sewer, fiscal responsibility, and the excessive financial burden we are placing on our citizens.
“I know how important it is to cost-effectively and efficiently operate a business entity, and I believe that same philosophy needs to be applied to our town government.
”We know that for the past five years, with every problem the town has faced, the solution has been to spend more and charge the citizens more,” he said.
“I ask for your vote and the opportunity to find creative solutions to cut waste, to support a town and a lifestyle we can all afford to live in, one in which we can afford to retire, and one in which our children can find opportunity.”

F. W. “Rick” Sherman, Jr.
Rick Sherman was born and raised in Orange. He served in the US Army for three years and returned in 1981 to raise his family in town. His two children attended Orange schools. He has served on town council for the last 16 years. He was mayor for three years and vice mayor for 13 years. Sherman works at the family business, W. A. Sherman Co.
“For the past 16 years I have worked as a town councilor to make our local slogan--Sweet Living...Steady Progress--a reality.”
Sherman’s top three issues are:
“Town Debt, economic slow down and completion of capital projects.”
“I have been part of the leadership to stimulate town businesses and improvements on Main Street, supported the formation of Orange Downtown Alliance and started downtown revitalization with the purchase of the train station in 1994 and its conversion to the visitor’s center. I have been part of many capital projects such as a replacement dam on the Rapidan River, a 45-million-gallon raw water storage basin, a million-gallon finished drinking water storage tank, a new public works shop and community room. I am also proud of the town’s public transit (TOOT) for which we won a VML Achievement Award. It’s been an honor to serve the town as your representative on the town council.  There is more to do, let’s keep Orange steadily moving forward while ensuring our sweet living. I ask for your support and vote on May 6.”

Stacey L. Timmons
Stacey Timmons is a lifelong resident of Orange, where he lives with his wife, Cathy and daughters Sarah and Mary. Timmons graduated from OCHS in 1986. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Mary Washington College, a masters from George Mason University and is a doctorate student at Virginia Tech. He is employed as a school administrator in Culpeper County and is a past administrator with Orange County Schools.
Timmons has served on town council since 2004 and is a former Orange Volunteer Rescue Squad Member, volunteer firefighter, and Orange County Deputy Sheriff and an auxiliary law enforcement officer.
Timmons’ top three issues are:
“Attracting more businesses to the area encouraging economic growth, maintaining a family friendly community while managing growth and exploring the possibility of starting a senior citizen and youth center,” he said.
“During my time on Town Council I have helped to move the Town of Orange in a positive direction and if re-elected I pledge to continue to move the town forward and base my decisions on what the citizens want and in the best interest of the town,” he added.
“My promise to you as a citizen of the Town of Orange is that I will serve you as an accessible council member, provide you with an open avenue of communication and that each and every vote I make will be carefully considered based on your input and what is best for the Town of Orange. I humbly ask for your vote on May 6.”
According to the Orange County Registrar’s Office, Robert Lovett is also on the list of candidates for Orange Town Council. Repeated attempts to contact Lovett for inclusion in the election preview have been unanswered.