BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – Bedford County residents packed the hallway and meeting room Monday as the Board of Supervisors discussed a resolution against Governor Ralph Northam’s executive order limiting gatherings to 25.
Chairman John Sharp silenced the crowd, explaining the resolution was not on the meeting’s original agenda. The board voted whether to add it to the program and rejected it 6-1.
Supervisor Bob Davis was the sole vote in favor.
“The governor is just encroaching upon our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness,” Davis said.
Sharp said it’s the wording that the board is against. The resolution would order the county sheriff and commonwealth’s attorney to arrest, detain and prosecute state agents who are enforcing the governor’s executive order. The board said they have no control over the sheriff or attorney, but stand with the public.
“The governor’s orders are unconstitutional. They are not narrowly tailored,” Sharp said.
After the vote, the crowd took their fight from the board room to the hallway, discussing the next steps, possibly looking to revise the resolution and present it again.
Bedford County resident Isaiah Knight wrote the resolution and led the public into the meeting.
“We’re going to absolutely keep fighting, because what’s going on with that tyrant in Richmond is going to continue to happen unless we have individuals who are tired of questioning and tired of words, and start working with action,” Knight said.
As for why so many people were gathering without social distancing and masks, Sharp claimed he was following VDH guidelines, permitting a group that size to come together for a brief time.
“That portion of the meeting was extremely short. As you saw, we limited it to the 15-minute citizen comment period, and 95 percent of the people left,” he said.
“He was following the First Amendment. We have the right to peaceably assemble,” Knight added.