Know Your Candidate: J. Bryan Nicol, OC Board of Supervisors District 5

J. Bryan Nicol, candidate for Orange County Board of Supervisors District 5. (Photo Credit: J. Bryan Nicol)

This interview is part of a series intended to give readers an overview of local political candidates and what they believe. Read responses from candidates for the Orange County Board of Supervisors in Districts 2, 3 and 4 by following the links below, and check soon to hear from Nicol’s fellow District 5 candidate, Anne LeHuray .

District 2: Ed Van Hoven; Delton “DJ” Anglin

District 3: Ellen Pitera

District 4: Laird Knights; Crystal Hale; Brit Lewis; Ryan Soon

(Note: Responses may be edited for length or clarity.)

Can you tell us about your background?

I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today and give voters an idea about who I am. I've been in Orange County now for 15 years with my wife of 30 years, Traci. We have three adult children who live in different parts of the East coast. We have been in Lake of the Woods since 2008 as homeowners.

I bring 36 years of working experience in infrastructure and transportation to the campaign. I have served half of that time in public service and another 18 years in the private sector.  

I’m the current District 5 Orange County Planning Commissioner and have served in that role for about two and a half years. I'm also an advisor to LOWLINC in Lake of the Woods, which is an organization designed to keep folks in their homes as they age. I'm a member of the Men's Golf Association in Lake of the Woods. I'm a member of the Indiana Bar, so I'm a licensed attorney in the state of Indiana. On the personal side, I love the outdoors, and I'm an amateur photographer and enjoy taking photographs of nature, especially the lake and sunsets.

Do you have any previous political experience?

I served in Indiana state government for nearly 18 years. I started my public service career back in 1987 for Republican Governor Robert D. Orr and then subsequently worked for three other governors. I also had the opportunity to work with two attorneys general, where I served as deputy attorney general, and I finished my public service career as the commissioner of the Indiana Department of Transportation. So, I have that kind of appointed experience, as well as additional appointed experience as a planning commissioner.  

Any community involvement outside of politics?

My community involvement has been centered around the Lake of the Woods community, serving as a planning commissioner for essentially all of Lake of the Woods in the eastern part of Orange County.

I bring with that a history of working with organizations, including LOWLINC as I mentioned earlier. That is important because we have an interesting community of new families and growing families, as well as retired individuals. To have vibrancy in the community, it's important to support those retired and elderly individuals. That's been a special source of inspiration to me — to be able to support an organization that helps our community and keeps the Lake of the Woods members in their homes and active in the community.

What motivated you to run for a position on the Orange County Board of Supervisors?

As the District 5 planning commissioner, I was heavily involved in looking at issues in and around Lake of the Woods, but also across all of Orange County. When I heard from past supervisor Lee Frame that he was retiring, I felt as though I could bring a wide variety of experiences, expertise, and knowledge to be able to serve my community. As I've noted, I have worked in a variety of positions, but this was one where I saw a significant need for an open and transparent government, and an ability to work to advance solutions that provide a positive impact to the community.

What is your understanding of the role of a county supervisor?

The board of supervisors is the legislative body for the county that oversees county government in its entirety, including approving budgets and directing appropriate policies for staff on a day-to-day basis. The board also serves as a way for citizens to have input and address their needs, whether it be a rezoning case or an issue with trash and recycling, all the way to the funding of our schools. It is a wide-ranging body designed to lead and represent the citizens of the entire county, organized by district. 

Both the Wilderness Crossing hearing and drought conditions earlier this year have brought concerns about Orange County’s water supply into focus. If elected, what steps do you plan do take to ensure that residents have adequate access to water, now and in the years to come? 

Well, we're currently under mandatory water restrictions. In the Wilderness Crossing work sessions and the public hearing, I cited water as an issue that we needed to address, to put the foundational requirements in so that we could have the kind of complimentary and harmonious development that is appropriate for our county.

Without water, it's very difficult to have businesses and communities that can thrive, both from a citizen and tax base standpoint, and to attract those businesses and individuals. We have one source of water, and that source of water is not adequate for the long-term future of our county.

My focus would be to roll up my sleeves, get to work on looking at the water supply issues that exist in Orange County, particularly on the eastern end, where we have a significant need with the water restrictions and no alternate source. I've been an advocate for doing the proper planning, design and construction of what ultimately could be a reservoir-type facility that could serve us in a time of severe drought.

About 90 percent of Orange County is considered abnormally dry or in some sort of drought. Combined with the lack of an alternate source, that’s a significant issue. It has a tremendous impact on the existing residents and businesses in the eastern end of the county. If we don't have water, all the property values go down, and that's a scenario we do not want to encounter. We want to be able to have a thriving community on the eastern end, both commercial as well as residential, and make sure that the basics are in place.

District 5 almost entirely consists of the Lake of the Woods community, which has its own unique character that sometimes diverges from that of the county at large. If elected, how do you intend to balance the needs and concerns of your constituents in Lake of the Woods with those of the county as a whole?

We have to look at Orange County in its entirety, and we have to respect all the differences that exist, whether it be the rural, agricultural and forestry heritage that we have, the incredible tourism advantage we have with the battlefields and Montpelier, or the more densely populated area of Lake of the Woods.

But we have far more in common with the values that the people of Orange County have — not only to protect, but to enhance our community, and to bring positive solutions that advance a quality of life where people can live, work, and play in Orange. We need to have the kind of facilities that we can all be proud of, whether it be a regional park or the proper public safety resources in place, or the kind of schools that lift up our children.

Each district and each area has its own uniqueness — Lake of the Woods, Gordonsville, the town of Orange — but we have so much more in common as Orange Countians than we have in terms of differences. And I think that commonality is the engine that allows us to come together to bring thoughtful solutions that advance our entire county and have respect for its different aspects. I think that an approach of respecting our history, looking to our future, and bringing all of that together to advance solutions is the best way to take on any issue that we may have in the county.

What has your campaign for the Board of Supervisors taught you about how you intend to communicate effectively with Orange County residents?

I've been all over my district, talking to individuals that are homeowners and residents, hearing and discussing the issues that they bring to the table. I've also done that in other parts of the county. On the planning commission, I have a history of being present and showing up, and then actively communicating with my community and with those in Orange County.

We have a newsletter in Lake of the Woods called “Lake Currents.” From time to time, when the issues are appropriate and relevant, I give updates and provide an opportunity to receive input from individuals, whether it be a phone call, an email or just walking down the street with my dog. I've had all kinds of interactions throughout this campaign, and I've found out how vital it is to listen, not to respond, but to understand, so that I can be a great supervisor for District 5.

During your time as planning commissioner, you’ve been extremely outspoken regarding what you’ve perceived as a lack of transparency by the current Board of Supervisors, even it sometimes means confronting other elected officials. If elected, how do you intend to foster positive relationships with the rest of the board while continuing to push for transparency?

I intend to foster transparency working with my fellow supervisors. The most important thing we can do is have open, honest discussions and transparency that fosters an approach to deliver thoughtful solutions for our citizens. My asking for that is a direct result of the residents, citizens and voters who've asked for the same thing. So, I've been their voice at the Planning Commission to ask for transparency and to have the information in front of us so that we can make the proper decisions, and for people to comment on and provide input in a public process.

With this new board, we are either going to have three or four new members of the board. It'll be very important that we come together to work for the benefit of all of Orange County, and that takes effort. So, the best thing to do is to show up and be present, work together, and advocate for citizens having information so they can give us proper public input. I think that's a hallmark of how we ought to operate.

It also builds trust in the public that you're representing their interests, and showing up in a way that they can see what you're doing and why. We're not all going to agree on everything and that's okay, but the process needs to be open and transparent so that the citizenry can have confidence in the decisions that we make.

Let’s wrap this up with a few apolitical get-to-know-you questions. Favorite song?

I'm going to go back to my staple, and that's the Beatles. For a long time, one of my favorites has been “All You Need Is Love.” It's upbeat, it's aspirational, and if we could live that song, we would have such an amazing world.

Holiday?

Thanksgiving is special one because I take great pride in making that meal for my family and just enjoy having family around. It’s a time to be grateful for all your blessings, whatever they may be, and you have a chance to reflect a little bit on the prior year.  

Way to spend a weekend? 

In my community at Lake of the Woods. Whether it’s on the lake or in the garden, walking the dog or just being outside in a beautiful community setting, I love everything about Lake of the Woods. It offers a variety of activities and there's always something new every weekend.

To learn more about J. Bryan Nicol, visit www.jbryannicol.com or send a message to nicolforsupervisor@gmail.com. For more information on Orange County elections, visit www.orangecountyva.gov/354/Voter-Registration-Elections or call the Orange County Office of Voter Registration and Elections at (540) 672-5262.