On what would have been his father’s 90th birthday, Matoaca District Supervisor Kevin Carroll was elected Wednesday evening to serve as chair of the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors through the end of 2023.
“He really would’ve been amazed,” said a clearly moved Carroll during the board’s annual organizational meeting. (His father, James, died in 2002).
It’s the first time as chair for Carroll, a retired Chesterfield police officer who was elected to represent the Matoaca magisterial district in 2019. He previously served as vice chair in 2020.
“As I’ve said many times, it’s an honor to serve our community in this capacity,” he said. “I want to say thank you from my heart to the board members for your support. It means a lot to be given this opportunity to lead.”
Bermuda District Supervisor Jim Ingle, who also took office in 2019, was elected to serve as vice chair this year.
Ingle thanked his fellow board members for “sharing leadership” over the course of their four-year term and noted some of Chesterfield’s monumental accomplishments from 2022, including LEGO’s decision to build a $1.4 billion precision manufacturing facility in Meadowville Technology Park.
“We have to top last year this year. It’s going to be tough, but we’re going to work on that,” Ingle said.
“I’m absolutely thrilled at the accomplishments this board has had, but we don’t have them without our staff and the citizens’ support,” added Clover Hill Supervisor Chris Winslow, the board's outgoing chair. “This is one team moving forward for all human beings in this county.”
Carroll said the Board of Supervisors will remain committed to attracting economic development projects, supporting small businesses and providing a compensation package that aids the recruitment and retention of a high-quality workforce, while remaining mindful of balancing the cost of public services against the tax burden on county residents.
“One thing we all realize is we serve at the pleasure of and in the interest of the people,” said outgoing vice chair Jim Holland from the Dale District. “We’ve done some phenomenal work over the last three years and I believe we will continue to do great work as we go forward, to make a difference in the lives of everyone who lives, works and plays here in Chesterfield County.”
The newest member of the Board of Supervisors, Dr. Mark Miller, won a special election in November for the right to represent the Midlothian District until the end of 2023.
Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, Miller and Carroll were talking about relationships between fathers and sons. Carroll recalled recently helping out a community member who needed a ride; as it turned out, Carroll knows the man’s father.
“There are no coincidences,” Miller said to Carroll in remarks from the dais. “I think it’s just perfect that tonight is the night you become chair, on your father’s birthday.”