Augusta County’s ‘Chapstick Girl’ has gone viral, Fox News calling

Ten-year-old Grace Karaffa’s common sense question asking why it is against Virginia’s Augusta County School Board rules to carry Chapstick to school has gone viral. Now Fox News has come calling.

Grace attended last week’s school board meeting armed with petitions.... (continue reading here)

Grace Karaffa, 10, petitions Augusta School Board to allow ChapStick in schools

Augusta County Supervisor David Karaffa, 30, had better watch his back. He has political competition from within the four walls of his own home. Karaffa’s ten-year-old daughter Grace petitioned the Augusta County School Board (Virginia) at their Thursday night meeting to have the school system’s ChapStick policy changed. ChapStick in Augusta County is categorized by the school system as a medication.... (continue reading here, photos)

Karaffa: Augusta County supervisors will begin staggered terms

Beverley Manor Supervisor David Karaffa 

By Supervisor David Karaffa
Beverley Manor District

Voters always wonder if someone who has been elected has lived up to their campaign promises. When I ran for the Augusta County Board of Supervisors, one of my campaign promises was to push for and support changing the way we elect our local board.

Traditionally, the board was elected all at once every four years. That is seven districts all going to the polls every four years to elect seven representatives to the board.

I didn’t believe this was a good system for electing representatives because it left open the possibility of electing a completely new board all at once, wiping out any institutional memory from the board. Now that I am on the board and have had daily dealings with past issues, I am even more convinced that this was a vulnerability for the board and the county.

Additionally, electing the whole board every four years meant that the public couldn’t have any direct control over the board except for every four years at election time. I believe that is too long for the public to be disconnected from the board in terms of election.

During my first year on the Board of Supervisors, I voted to institute staggered terms, as allowed by state law, for our board. That change passed and three board members, including myself, volunteered to start the process at our next election.

That means that in 2015, when all of the county goes to the polls to elect representatives from their districts, three districts, mine included, will have supervisors running for a two year term. The other four supervisors will be running for four year terms.

In 2017, the three members who ran for two year terms will be up for election. Those who prevail will serve a four year term, thereby beginning the new tradition of staggered term elections for our Board of Supervisors.

This change will allow the citizens of Augusta to make their voices heard through elections every two years, will maintain institutional memory for each board from now on, and will begin the staggered term process for the Augusta County School Board, as well.

I am very proud that, with the support of the current board, we were able to bring this very important change to the Board of Supervisors and School Board in Augusta County.

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David Karaffa, 30, represents the Beverley Manor District of Augusta County on the Board of Supervisors. A registered nurse, he is the Director of Nursing at Stuarts Draft Christian Home. He and his wife, Katie, have three daughters. Supervisor Karaffa can be reached at DavidKaraffa@comcast.net or by contacting the government center in Verona (540) 245-5600. 


Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell

Verona Elementary survives school board meeting

 A standing-room only crowd filled the meeting room at the Augusta County Government Center on Thursday night as the school board met to discuss the budget and Verona Elementary School that had been put on the chopping block two weeks earlier. The Staunton News Leader has the latest.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
March 20, 2014

Augusta County supervisor meeting: Schools come out to urge tax increase

The public meeting room at the Augusta County Government Center was full Wednesday night when employees of the school system turned out to support a proposed real estate tax increase. Supervisors voted two weeks ago to hold a public hearing next week for a 5-cent increase but a petition circulating through the school system has urged a 10-cent increase.

The majority of the crowd backed those members of the public who spoke on behalf of raising taxes. One tea party representative spoke against the tax increase.  Four supervisors are in favor of increasing taxes, and three are against.

Supervisors David Beyeler (South River), Michael Shull (Riverheads), Larry Wills (Middle River), and Jeff Moore voted to advertise the 5-cent increase to be heard at a public hearing. Supervisors Tracy Pyles (Pastures), Marshall Pattie (North River), and David Karaffa (Beverley Manor) feel the time is not right to raise taxes.

Augusta County School Superintendent Chuck Bishop attended tonight's meeting as well as various school board members and numerous teachers and students.

The public hearing for the budget discussion is next Wednesday at 7:00 at the Government Center's public meeting room. Those interested in the 2013 budget are encouraged to attend.

Augusta School Board begins new year with new leadership

At a meeting held Thursday night, school board member Chad Shomo from Riverheads District was elected chairman for 2008. David Shiflett of South River District was elected vice chairman.
Not surprisingly, Shomo said it would be tough to find money to pay teacher salaries even though the Augusta County Board of Supervisors has been generous in funding for schools. The school board offices will be moved this year from the Woodrow Wilson complex to the Government Center with other county government offices.