HEATHSVILLE—Northumberland County citizens Jim Penney and Patrick O’Brien on April 2 initiated the statutory process for eliminating the elected county school board and to replace it with a school board appointed by the county board of supervisors.
As required by state statute, they filed a petition with the Northumberland County Clerk of the Circuit Court calling for a referendum on the question in the November 2025 elections, according to a press release issued by O’Brien.
Penney and O’Brien believe that appointment of qualified accountants and business persons can eliminate school budget chaos while improving the quality of education in the county and relieve taxpayers of wasteful spending. They note that overall academic performance has declined relative to other local counties, while spending has skyrocketed amid a steady decline in the numbers of students.
“Retired and low income taxpayers are at the breaking point,” said O’Brien.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court must certify receipt of the petition within 10 days of the filing, after which the petition may be circulated for signatures by registered voters who are citizens of the county. At least 10% of the citizens registered to vote in the county, some 1,000 voters, must sign the petition form before the question can appear on the ballot.
Signed valid petition forms must be submitted to the court and the Virginia Board of Elections at least 111 days before the elections, July 17. The same question can appear on the ballot only once every four years if defeated by a majority of actual voters, noted the press release.
