John N. Staton, who represents District Four on the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors, has announced his bid for re-election in the November general election.

Staton, who is running as an Independent, was first elected to the board in November 2011.

“I feel like the good people of…[the] Maysville District asked me to represent the citizens of Buckingham County on the board of supervisors. I happen to be from the Maysville District, but I try to represent

everybody,” Staton said.

Staton retired in the early 2000s from the telecommunications industry, and is a resident of Buckingham.

Regarding issues of importance to his district, he said that one was getting the message out that “we have so much bureaucracy from Richmond and Washington that it’s costing the local budgets tremendously.”

He says he wants to make people aware of the matter so people can speak up about it. He offered the county having to pay over $100,000 for new voting machines as an example.

He said citizens’ health, education, welfare, and law enforcement was as another issue. “It’s a negative impact on you and your family,” he said of people and communities that don’t feel safe.

“I try to serve all the people of the Maysville District and … the county,” Staton said. “I answer my phone and I return my calls.” Alongside voters who live in his district, he said he tries to represent District Four landowners who live elsewhere.

He called economics the number one issue facing people living throughout the county and in District Four. “I don’t care what level of society the world puts you in, I think basically it goes back to economics … Most of the stuff that affects any given district will affect all districts. The vast majority of it.”

Regarding his accomplishments during his first term, he cited one as his “clearing the air, so to speak, surrounding…” some zoning matters and special use permits. “Probably the one I’m the most proud of … is facilitating between the landowners and VDOT the ability to open Sprouse’s Corner for development.” Staton called the matter a win-win for everyone, and a win for the county, because it’ll enhance the tax revenue and take some of the pressure off of real estate tax revenues, he stated.

“I had some input … in the [new] EMS [emergency medical services] radio system,” he said. He said that he worked with IT Manager Jamie Shumaker and other county staff on the project through his committee positions. “I’m proud [that] I could bring something to the table,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the people of [the] Maysville District for having the faith in me and those who asked me to run. …,” he said.

Staton is the lay leader at Glenmore United Methodist Church in Glenmore, where he also serves as a Sunday School teacher and chairman of the administrative council.

The election is Nov. 3.