Despite receiving five applications, the Orange Town Council vacancy remains.
Earlier this month, five applicants applied to fill the seat left empty following Jeremiah Pent’s Nov. 6 resignation. In an email to his fellow council members, Pent said his work situation had changed dramatically and its demands made his continued involvement with the council impossible.
“I am sorry this precludes me from finishing out my term and I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you in filling my seat,” Pent wrote.
Pent’s term on the council expires Dec. 31, 2026. The town council opted to receive applications from those wishing to serve in his place. Five Orange residents applied for the role–Jeff Crane, Richard Langford, Elliott Fox, Patrick McAloon and Timothy James Bosford, Jr. Langford, Fox and Bosford, Jr. have all previously served on the town council. Crane is currently on the planning commission and McAloon is on the town’s Industrial Development Authority.
In his resignation letter, Pent suggested that Crane be appointed to complete the remainder of his term. Crane sought election to the council during the recent election and was the fourth top vote getter.
“I believe he would do an excellent job in that capacity,” Pent wrote.
During Tuesday’s town council meeting, four of the applicants spoke during public comment. Bosford was not present.
Langford said he’s been a member of the community for approximately 50 years and operates a small business in town with his brother that the two took over from their parents in 2016. Langford previously served on the town council from 2014 to 2018, opting to step away to spend more time at home with his wife and daughter. He said he was planning to run in the upcoming election.
“When I heard about the vacancy, I thought I’d toss my hat in the ring to see if I could go ahead and serve my community again,” Langford said.
Crane said he was raised in Orange with family on his mother’s side going way back. His father, Crane said, was a businessman in town for nearly 50 years and his wife is from a local family who once owned Colvin Motor Lines.
“I want to see what’s best happen here,” Crane said. “I have a deep interest in this community. I feel I’m a competent candidate to serve on this council and do what’s right for this community.”
McAloon is fairly new to town, having moved to Orange four years ago. He and his wife own the Holladay House, a six guestroom inn on Main Street. McAloon said shortly after his arrival, he jumped in on community activities and working with groups who make the town thrive.
“I would love to be a part of this great group where a lot of important decisions get made,” he said. “I would appreciate the opportunity to work with you guys and those here at this meeting.”
Fox has been a longtime member of the Orange community having joined the fire department in 1963. He is currently an associate member and has served on the county planning commission and the town’s board of zoning appeals. He said he was proud of his work, especially on the town’s rate committee which helped develop a plan to make the wastewater treatment plan profitable.
The comments proved to be moot. During a one-hour closed session prior to the start of the meeting, council members were unable to come to a consensus on their next member.
Council member Donna Waugh-Robinson thanked the applicants and said being willing to serve shows their commitment to the town. She said her thought process for choosing an applicant was to select someone who isn’t already considering running in the next election. She said being appointed to council may give a candidate an advantage others don’t have.
“We have five great candidates,” Waugh-Robinson said. “That being said, I didn’t want to give somebody an advantage [and] we couldn’t come to a consensus.”
Jason Cashell also thanked everyone for applying, noting serving on council isn’t an easy job and is time consuming. He said he didn’t want to subjectively choose someone to take Pent’s seat, but rather vote objectively, which for him would be the person who received the fourth most votes in the most recent election–Crane.
Mayor Harrison Cluff agreed. He said he’s been uncomfortable with the idea of appointing someone to fill an elected position.
“Each one of us here on this council is a duly elected representative of the Town of Orange,” he said. “We all were elected, not appointed to be here. That’s why I believe the people should choose who fills this vacancy and I think it’s paramount to listen to the people’s vote.”
Cluff said in his estimation, the clearest voice heard from the public is through the general election process and the most recent election results are “the best reflection of that voice.”
By Virginia Code, council members have 45 days to appoint someone to fill the vacancy. If they cannot agree, the judge of the circuit court may make the appointment.
“I think us punting it to a circuit court for a judge to decide for us is egregious on our part,” Waugh-Robinson said.
She made a motion to appoint Fox to fill the term.
“Having served with him before, he can hit the ground running,” she said. “He’s done more than a capable job in the past.”
The motion was seconded by council member Delmer Seal, but failed 2-2 with Pent and Cluff dissenting.
Waugh-Robinson then made a motion nominating McAloon to fill the position. It was again seconded by Seal, but failed 2-2 with Pent and Cluff dissenting.
Cluff then made a motion nominating Crane to fill the position as the “next highest vote getter in the most recent election.” It was seconded by Pent, but failed 2-2 with Waugh-Robinson and Seal dissenting.
Interim town manager Chris Snider said the council has not yet exhausted the full 45 days to appoint someone. It’s unknown if the council plans to make an appointment before the deadline.
