PROSPECT — Cornell E. Walker Sr. has announced that he will seek the Prospect seat on the county’s board of supervisors as an independent candidate.

Walker, born and raised in Prince Edward, attended the Prince Edward County school system until they closed and completed high school in Media, Pennsylvania. He has taken college courses at the University of Maryland and Northern Virginia Community College. Walker returned and worked for the Free Schools, served eight years in the Army, including two tours in Viet Nam, worked as a general superintendent for Fortune 500 Company Vulcan Materials Company and was responsible for budgeting, safety, production and all aspects of operations. Walker also notes that he worked with customer leaders to insure that their sales orders were being met to their satisfaction.

The Prospect District seat became vacant with the passing of the late Mr. Howard “Pete” Campbell in July. Supervisors appointed Rev. Calvin L. Gray last month to serve in the interim and a special election to fill the remaining part of Mr. Campbell’s term is set for November 4. Prospective candidates have until August 15 to file the necessary paperwork to be included on the ballot.

Walker cited that he is seeking the position because he believes a better job can be done to stop freelance and wasteful spending, more support and programs should be given to citizens (creating jobs and recreation), and in a business approach to help solve the County’s high debt and budget problems.

Walker offers a pledge to the citizens of the district and the county to be accessible to citizens and seek their input on issues that come before the board of supervisors, to work hard to reduce wasteful spending and reduce the county debt, to strive to improve public schools and fire departments, and to improve services to citizens.

Walker notes that he has been attending boards of supervisors meetings since returning to the community (he retired in 2004) and had attended the meetings of the City Council in Alexandria and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

“…Attending the meetings there (and) attending the meetings here…you see quite a difference in it. I know one is city and the other is kind of country, but I just see so many things that I think could improve in Prince Edward County and I would like to be a part of that improvement,” he said.

The board’s decision to select a finance committee, he noted, is a first step to reduce part of the County debt and holding the County responsible for spending.

“And I think with some of the money that has been spent…we could’ve gotten a bigger bang for our buck. But since those things are in the past, we need to see where we can go forward, how we can go forward, and how we can help the citizens as we go forward,” Walker said.

Walker is a deacon at Mt. Moriah Upper Room Baptist Church in Tuggle, Vice Present for the Mary E. Branch Community Center, and president of the Robert R. Moton Prince Edward County School Alumni Association.

He is married (Elsie Robinson Walker), who is also originally from Prospect, and has two children.