Appomattox elects supervisors, school board member

By: Duffy Taylor | New Era Progress
Published: November 04, 2009

Incumbent Sam Carter and Jerry Small came out on top in the two contested races for the Appomattox County Board of Supervisors.

Carter beat out planning commission member Peter Zdgiebloski for re-election in the Courthouse District with 71 percent of the vote. Carter was elected with 551 votes while Zdgiebloski received 222.

“It’s a real honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Appomattox County in the Courthouse District,” Carter said following the results Tuesday.

Small edged his opponents, Jeffrey Drinkard and Jessie Lewis, with 50 percent of the vote in the Piney Mountain District. Small garnered 446 votes while his opponents Lewis and Drinkard received 183 and 257 respectively, according to the State Board of Elections.

Carter has served on the board for 12 years, acting as chairman for six of those years.

A lifelong Appomattox native, Carter, 61, works as a transportation specialist for Areva.

He said his primary concern in his fourth term would be to ensure that the board selects “the best qualified” candidate to serve as the county’s economic development director.

Amy Martin, 65, was also elected to serve her third term as school board member for the Piney Mountain District. She edged her opponent, Shirley Lewis, by 123 votes.

“I am really honored the voters had faith in me to put me back in for another term,” Martin said Tuesday night.

Martin said her top priorities for the board would be paring down the budget and addressing the needs of the county’s educational facilities.

Martin, an Appomattox native, was first elected to the school board in 2001, she said.

Meanwhile, Small will replace Russell Moore, who will retire at the end of the year after 18 years of service on the board.

Small, 65, has lived in the county for 35 years. This will be his first term in public office.

Now retired after a 42-year career with Thomasville furniture, Small described himself throughout his campaign as a “fiscal conservative” with strong Christian values.

He also said if he were elected, he would strive to bring more industry to Appomattox and forge a better working relationship between the town and county.

Small could not be reached for comment on his win Tuesday night.