Walter Michael is candidate for Republican Party nomination in Blue Ridge Supervisors race

Walter Michael is a Republican candidate for the Blue Ridge District. He is challenging incumbent Billy Martin, also a Republican, in the June 11 primary. Here are a few facts about Michael that he shared with The Botetourt Bee.

First he prepared his resume:

Education:  BS Chemistry / Physics

                              Summer Institute –  University of Maine

                              Coordinate Indexing –        Battelle Memorial Institute

                             Chemical Line Notation – Institute for Scientific Information

                              MC (MBA) – University of Richmond

Work Experience: 

Taught Business classes at J. Sargent Reynolds Community College

Worked for two research and development firms

Worked for a Pharmaceutical Manufacturer in the Research Center and Archival Control center

Worked for Conrail  and Norfolk Southern Railroads

Accomplishments: 

Chosen as Chapter Member of the year three times for the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA).

Chosen as Chapter Member of the Year for the Association of Energy Engineers

Developed Transportation Incident Severity Index that was adopted by the Association of American Railroads

Led Class 1 RRs in implementing Responsible Care Programs

Educated local communities on hazardous materials handling

Michael said, “My mother was an election official in Ohio where I grew up, so I have been around the process since I was a child.” He also worked as a GOP official at elections from 1973- 1999 in New Jersey where he worked at Conrail. Michael moved to Botetourt in 1999 to work for Norfolk Southern. He retired from Norfolk Southern 10 years ago. He is married and has lived in Botetourt County for 20 years.

He has established a citizen oversight group called “Citizens for Fiscal Responsiblilty,” that meets monthly at the Blue Ridge Library. The next meeting is May 6, 2019 at 7:15 p.m. He goes to every Board of Supervisors meeting so he has become familar with the local government process.

Asked about a personal goal he achieved, though he had many work related highlights, Michael responded. “One of my proudest moments was helping my friend Mike realize a bucket list dream by helping the fellow participate in “One Lap of America.” He outfitted a Ford Van to accommodate Mike who had ALS ( Lou Gehrig’s Disease) so he could go on the run from Detroit to Los Angeles and back in a week of serious driving over secondary roads.  “Seeing him smile from the hospital bed in the back of the van was worth the trip,” said Michael.

Here are the items in his platform that he feels differentiates him in the race for Republican candidate from Blue Ridge District.

He titled it: My vision of where we go from here:

           Fiscal Responsibility

           Benchmarking successful counties

           Authority for expenditure of all projects over $20,000

           Reviewing completed projects to assure proposed benefits are realized

           Zero based budgeting

           Addressing citizen’s issues (we are elected by the citizens)

           Being accountable to the citizens

           Becoming more transparent

           Bidding all contract work and holding public bid openings

           Helping seniors

For more info about his views: Botetourt Citizens for Fiscal Responsibilty on Facebook

Resume by Walter Michael, Story by Cathy Benson