By Linda Cicoira
Two men will compete in the November general election for the District 4 seat on the Northampton County Board of Supervisors.
L. Dixon Leatherbury, a farmer who is chairman of the county planning commission and husband of Commonwealth’s Attorney Beverly P. Leatherbury, and David L. Kabler, a real estate broker, both of the Machipongo area, will compete for the post. Supervisor H. Spencer Murray, of Franktown, the longtime chairman who currently represents District 4, is not seeking re-election. Roberta Kellam, of Franktown, dropped out of the race.
District 5 Supervisor Robert Duer, Exmore’s town manager, is also not seeking another four-year term. Former Supervisor Betsy Mapp, of the Jamesville area, is running unopposed for the seat.
The board of supervisors and the school board are on staggered terms so not all the members’ terms will expire at the end of the year.
Beverly Leatherbury is also seeking re-election as commonwealth’s attorney with no opponents. In addition to holding the top prosecutor’s job, she serves as the county’s attorney, which is not an elected position.
Sheriff David L. Doughty Jr., of the Cape Charles area; Commissioner of Revenue Charlene P. Gray, of the Machipongo area; and Treasurer Cynthia S. Bradford, of Exmore are also seeking another four-year term without opposition.
A special election will be held in November to fill the unexpired term of J. Wesley Travis, who resigned from the Cheriton Town Council. Jason P. VanMarter is unopposed in his bid for that job.
Charlena Jones, who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign during a previous election, is officially running for the at-large school board seat held by Nancy Proto. School board members Jo Ann P. Molera, of District 4, and William J. “Skip” Oakley, of District 5, are seeking re-election. Molera lives in Franktown and is the court’s victim’s advocate. Oakley, the school board chairman, lives in Exmore.
S. Kyle Sturgis and Robin L. Rich-Coates are running for the two seats on the Eastern Shore Soil and Water District Board of Directors. Rich-Coates is an incumbent. Sturgis is a newcomer.