NEWS: Democrats Hold Majority in Stafford ...
... but early votes in the first Board meeting of the year show this crew isn't likely to move as an ideological bloc.
By Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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Democrats find themselves in an unusual position in Stafford County — they hold the majority on the Board of Supervisors by a 4-2-1 count. Four Democrats, two Republicans, and one Independent.
Republican Meg Bohmke and Independent Monica Gary rolled off the Board in December, and newly elected members Maya Guy (Aquia District) and Kecia Evans (Falmouth District), both Democrats, came aboard giving Ds the majority.
Just as leading from the minority has its challenges, however, leading from the majority does, too. And the first vote of the year to elect the chair and vice chair on Tuesday night showed that this majority won’t be voting in ideological lock-step.
As the call for Board chair nominations was brought forward by County Administrator William Ashton, the two newest members of the Board nominated their two elder-Democratic statespeople — Tinesha Allen (Griffis-Widewater District) and Pamela Yeung (Garrisonville District).
Allen had the support of Evans and Guy, in addition to herself and lost on a 3-4 vote.
Yeung also lost 3-4, with support from Evans and Republican Crystal Vanuch (Rock Hill District) in addition to herself.
The third nominee was Independent Deuntay Diggs (George Washington District) who had the support of the Republicans when he ran. He carried the day 5-2, with support from Darrell English (Hartwood District), Yeung, Evans, Guy, and himself. Vanuch and Allen dissented.
With the win, Diggs will now serve a second term as chair. Diggs acquitted himself well in 2025, showing himself an even-handed leader who plays by Roberts Rules of Order and approaches his job as Supervisor and Chair pragmatically as opposed to ideologically.
The vote for vice chair was also prolonged. The first nomination was for Allen, who asked her name be withdrawn.
Pamela Yeung was then nominated and lost on a 3-4 vote, with supporting votes from herself, Diggs, and Evans.
The next person nominated was English, who also declined. Diggs then nominated Vanuch who lost 3-4 on a party-line vote.
Diggs then nominated Guy, who won the job on a 4-3 vote with support from herself, Diggs, Allen, and Evans.
Raising Awareness
The architect of the Democrats’ majority, Stafford Dems Chair Howard Rudat, offered a reality check not just to the two new members of the Board during the public comment period, but to the other five members as well.
Noting that he daily volunteered eight hours during early voting, he told the Board that “I can guarantee you that 70% of this county have no idea who you are.”
Explaining, he cited regular encounters with voters who did not know what district they lived in, and party-line voters who were not aware that party affiliations do not appear on ballots.
“This is a fixable problem,” he continued, noting that the vast majority of voters are getting utility bills and property tax bills.
His solution? Put on each bill the district the individual lives in, who their Supervisor and School Board representatives are, and who their district Planning Commissioner is.
Doing this would enable representatives to “hear from all of your constituents,” Rudat said.
Better is that it’s a “one-time coding” solution that could be done at little to no cost to the county.
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