Carrying on

The Goochland Board of Supervisors appointed Charlie Vaughters to fill the remainder of the District 4 board term that became vacant upon the untimely death of Don Sharpe last month. By law, the supervisors had to name a successor to Sharpe, who was elected in 2019, within 45 days of the vacancy, or the appointment would be made by the Goochland Circuit Court.

It is believed that at least ten duly qualified voters in District 4 applied for the position. After interviews and careful deliberation, the Board selected Vaughters.

The Hon. Dale Agnew, (l)Clerk of the Goochland Circuit Court, administers the oath of office to Charlie Vaughters (r)

A Goochland resident for about seven years, Vaughters is a graduate of Rice University in Houston, and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He has extensive experience in the energy sector of banking and finance. Currently, he is managing director and head of commercial banking for Primus Bank in Richmond.

Vaughters became board chair of Jacob’s Ladder, (https://jladder.org/) a non-profit organization that aids and encourages intellectually gifted at risk middle through high school students to reach their full potential, earlier this year. He also teaches financial literacy to offenders at federal prisons and is a board member of the Union Presbyterian Seminary.

He was appointed to the Virginia Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation by Governor Youngkin.

A native of Aiken, South Carolina, where Vaughters’ mother served as an elected official, he is well acquainted with the joys and challenges of governing on the local level.

“I saw this (filling Sharpe’s unexpired term) as an opportunity to engage with my community,” said Vaughters. He hopes to use his communication skills to find beneficial solutions to land use and other issues facing Goochland.

His background will be put to good use in the coming months as the supervisors grapple with the impact of inflation on construction costs for the new Goochland Elementary School and crafting the Fy’24 budget.

Vaughters lives in Manakin Sabot with his wife and daughters. Welcome Charlie, thanks for stepping up.