Though there are now more Republicans than Democrats on Albemarle’s Board of Supervisors, the body on Wednesday unanimously selected a Democrat, Ann H. Mallek, as its chairwoman.
Her selection may have been ensured, at least in part, by a newly elected Republican.
Mallek was the only person seeking the post, but GOP Supervisor Kenneth C. Boyd would have been a strong contender had he not removed his name from consideration.
Boyd had said in an interview late last year that he was willing to be chairman if it were the will of the board. But he withdrew from consideration last week after drawing fire from Supervisor Dennis S. Rooker, who had accused Boyd of practicing “crass” politics for vying for the chairmanship role.
Ultimately, a decision by new Republican board member Duane Snow all but guaranteed Boyd would have lacked the necessary support. Snow said Tuesday that he had decided sometime in December to support Mallek, noting that the board traditionally has rotated the chairmanship such that Mallek, the former vice chairwoman, was next in line.
Snow said he had initially indicated that he was interested in Boyd becoming chairman but later changed his mind.
Boyd’s political power has increased dramatically with the swearing-in of the new board. He had been the lone Republican on the six-member board last year but has become the leader of a conservative movement since Republicans overtook an independent supervisor’s seat and a Democrat’s seat in the November elections.
Boyd had initially referred to “an era of change” and rejected the idea that Mallek automatically should become chairwoman. He noted that the vice chair usually serves two years before moving up and said that if he took the position, he would have been filling a one-year gap in the chairmanship left vacant when Democrat David L. Slutzky was voted out of office.
Boyd said that his decision to take his name out of consideration for the chairmanship post was not based on a calculation of whether he had enough votes to be appointed chairman. Boyd said that Snow didn’t tell him that he would have supported Mallek until after Boyd had already decided to remove his name from consideration.
“I’m really happy for Ann,” Boyd said. “I’m really glad that she could be chair.”
The new board, which held its first meeting Wednesday, consists of three Republicans, an independent and two Democrats, one of whom calls himself a “fiscal conservative” and typically votes in line with Boyd.
Republican Rodney S. Thomas said he wanted Boyd to chair the board, and Democrat Lindsay G. Dorrier Jr. revealed Tuesday that he had been “leaning toward” voting for Boyd. Rooker had committed to voting for Mallek as chairwoman. The tally would likely have been at least three votes for Mallek and two or three votes for Boyd.
The board unanimously selected Snow as vice chairman.
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