Overview
The Governance Committee serves as PNK’s face to County government, elected, appointed and employed. Its principal role is promoting citizen engagement in concert with the operations of County government.
Purpose
The Governance Committee (Committee) of the Partnership for New Kent, LLC (Partnership) will assist the Partnership in developing and maintaining strong relationships with elected and appointed County Officials, as well as partner with for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, for the advancement and strengthening of New Kent County during this period of unprecedented growth.
The Governance Committee reports to the Executive Committee “EXCOMM” of the Partnership. The Chair of the Governance committee will serve as a member of the EXCOMM. The Chair of the Partnership will chair the EXCOMM.
Membership
The Committee will consist of at least four members, all of whom, including the Committee Chair, must be residents of New Kent County. The Chair of the Partnership will appoint one member to be the Chair of the Governance Committee.
Meetings and Structure
The Committee will meet at such times as are deemed appropriate by the Committee Chair. The Chair and any two members constitute a quorum of the Committee. The Chair will be responsible for preparing the agenda, presiding over the meeting and coordination of reporting to the EXCOMM. In the absence of the Chair of the Committee, any other member of the committee may perform the responsibilities of the Chair. The Governance Committee members will assist in coverage of county meetings, along with all other members.
The Governance Committee may appoint “Specialty Teams”, as sub-committees of the governance team. These teams will become subject matter experts and leaders to ensure transparent, collaborative, inclusive governance in and between New Kent County Board of Supervisors, the School Board, the Planning Commission and the Economic Development Authority, as examples.
Authority and Responsibilities
The Committee will act on behalf of its members, the EXCOMM and the Partnership.
Responsibilities will include:
● Establish open channels of communication with elected, appointed and administrative county officials and at times, State and Federal elected officials. The committee will focus on discussing and delivering the goals and objectives defined in the Partnership’s Strategic Plan and other county issues that may arise.
- The Governance chair will assume the primary liaison and communication responsibilities with the Board of Supervisors chair on behalf of the Partnership.
● Review with Partnership members and volunteers, EXCOMM and outside interested parties the county’s key issues and challenges, public/political sentiment, stances of the county officials and how these issues correspond with the Partnerships policy and strategic positions.
● Work collaboratively with the Citizen Outreach Committee to ensure a Partnership member attends all Board of Supervisors, School Board, Planning Commission monthly and Work Session meetings. The representative will complete the Partnership Meeting Documentation Form, submit for Partnership records and use in informing the community of governance issues and actions.
● Create an Issue and Voting Record Database to document and profile each elected officials’ stance on county issues and their respective voting record.
● At least annually, the Committee will assess its own performance and once a year update the Committee Charter to be current with relevant government activities. The Committee will report the results of the review to the Chair of the EXCOMM
● The Committee will perform other duties and responsibilities as specified by the Partnership and the EXCOMM.
Additional Responsibilities Regarding Elections:
● Work with Chair of the Citizen Outreach Committee to create a public awareness campaign introducing the New Kent citizens to county electoral position and the opportunities for individuals to run for these leadership positions.
● Draft a candidate questionnaire to use in interviews with all incumbent and new candidates. After input from EXCOMM members, finalize the document and schedule time with each candidate.
● Form an interview team and a process for documenting candidate responses.
● Conduct interviews with all incumbent and new candidates willing to participate in the interview process.
● Identify the candidates to be considered for endorsement by the Partnership. Recommendations will take into consideration a candidates’ vision for planned county growth, use of resources to establish needed infrastructure, process to engage citizens and whose principles generally support the Partnerships’ Strategic Goals and Objectives. In addition, the endorsed candidates will demonstrate professionalism, understanding of demeanor needed to be a public official and show steadiness under pressure.
● Distribute to all endorsed candidates, a Campaign Project Plan and timelines, educational opportunities, prospective campaign managers and other needed resources for a successful campaign.
● Organize and facilitate “Meet and Greet” public sessions to introduce candidates to New Kent citizens.
● September through November communicate weekly with candidates to identify needed resources and support. Present any ads or written communication to endorsed candidates for their input and edits prior to public release.
● Identify volunteers to assist in door to door or letter writing campaign activities, as requested by a candidate.
● Create Candidate specific Sample Ballots to be handed out during door to door visits and at polling locations.
● Provide volunteers to staff all polling locations on election day.
Authority to Retain Experts
The Committee will have the authority to retain, replace or dismiss advisors to assist in fulfilling its responsibilities. The Partnership will provide funding, as determined by the Committee and approved by EXCOMM, for payment of compensation to these advisors employed by the Committee.
Committee Members
Deborah S. Briggs, BSN, MBA
Deborah Briggs is a skilled leader and thoughtleader. Her career in healthcare led to many opportunities; creating a nationally recognized care management company, directing the strategic operations of the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals, performing ground-breaking research that defined improvement opportunities and the needed resources to build a stronger primary care physician workforce.
Over the last ten years, this comprehensive research and data reporting led to numerous improvements in the medical education curriculum and infrastructure, within the four medicals schools and the eighteen academic medical centers in New Jersey. Additionally, the state of New Jersey increased graduate medical education funding from $30M to over $250M annually, based on this research. The new funding allowed teaching institutions to focus on “physicians of the future” competencies and increasing retention throughout the state’s healthcare workforce. This decade of effort generated new skills; an appreciation for the art of negotiating and devotion to local, state and federal representative education and advocacy.
In addition to her healthcare career, Deborah is an equine entrepreneur, running a boutique equestrian center in Bucks County, PA. She has been breeding, training and caring for horses for over 40 years. In 2016, she combined her expertise gained in these two careers and developed the Physician CUES curriculum which focuses on developing awareness of the subtleties of non-verbal communication and listening skills to create stronger relationships and trust between patients and their physician. One interactive work session, within the Physician CUES two-day learning session, works with horses to develop communication competencies in areas of self-awareness of body positions, including facial and body signals; improving vocal tones that exhibits respect and empathy; and including silence and other non-verbal cues to create patient engagement that builds optimal physician – patient partnerships. The Physician CUES interactive work session has been offered to medical students, residents, practicing physicians and other healthcare professionals.
Deborah grew up in the Midwest, moving to a farm at age 10 where she developed a passion for gardening and surrounding herself with many four-legged friends.
Linwood Gregory
Linwood Gregory
Robert (Bob) Hopewell
Educational Background:
1. Hopewell Valley Central High School, June 1970
2. Mercer County Community College, June 1972, Associate Degree in Architecture
3. College of New Jersey, December 1975, Bachelor of Arts in History
Member of Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society for History
Work Background:
Howe Nurseries, Inc., June 1968 to August 1976
Perkins, Kanak, Foster, Inc., August 1976 to 1979
PKF-MARK III, Inc., 1979 to March 2013
Post Retirement:
1. Member of the Viniterra HOA Advisory Committee (2016 to Present)
Worked with New Kent Farms, LLC (Developer of the Farms of New Kent) and Supervisor Patricia A. Paige to secure the approval of the Amended &
Restated Planned Unit Development (“PUD”) Ordinance & Proffers for New Kent Farms, LLC by the NKC Board of Supervisors on March 13, 2018.
2. Working with Supervisor Patricia A. Paige (NKC Board of Supervisors – District No. 3, Delegate Christopher K. Peace – 97th Legislative District (VA House of Delegates) and representatives of V-DOT (2018 to Present) to expedite the widening of Interstate Route 64 from Exit 205 to Milepost 224.3 (New Kent County / James City County Line).
3. Member of the PNK Governance Committee (June 2019 to Present)
Personal Data:
Married to Bess M. Hopewell – June 21, 1980.
Prior to Bess’ retirement in March 2013, Bess worked for Princeton Dental Group for 36 years as a Dental Hygienist.
Bob and Bess lived in Englishtown, New Jersey on the family farm for 15 years, before moving to New Hope, Pennsylvania. Bob and Bess lived in New Hope, Pennsylvania for 15 years before moving to New Kent, Virginia. Bob and Bess moved to Viniterra (New Kent, Virginia) on March 31, 2013 to be close to their family (Son – Tony, Daughter-in-Law – Cyndi and twin Grandsons, Aaron & Zach). Bob & Bess have now lived in Viniterra (New Kent, Virginia) for 6-1/2 years.
Member of American Association of Woodturners (AAW);
Member of Richmond Woodturners Club;
Member of Rappahannock Decoy Carvers & Collectors Guild;
Hobbies:
Gardening;
Woodworking (Furniture);
Bowl Turning
Duck Decoy Carving
Taylor Moore
Taylor Moore
Paul P. Ross
Paul P. Ross retired from Federal service after 27 years in April 2018. Before retiring from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) he was the Senior Advisor to the Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer and served 3 years as the Federal Security Director (FSD) for the state of Nebraska at Eppley Airfield (Omaha) from September 2013 to July 2016. He was responsible for federal security oversight of nine federalized airports and statewide TSA surface transportation security operations in the State of Nebraska.
Mr. Ross joined the Transportation Security Administration in May 2003. Assigned to the Northeast Area Staff, Aviation Operations Division, Mr. Ross was the principal area Operations Officer responsible for the oversight of 81 Northeast region airports and all aspects of passenger and baggage checkpoint operations, including equipment acquisition, maintenance and training, airport checkpoint security standard operating procedures, facilities and space acquisition, and checkpoint construction and expansion scheduling.
In May 2004, Mr. Ross transferred to the Transportation Security Operations Center (TSOC) where he became the senior TSA Command Duty Officer and Training Officer. Mr. Ross completed three details assignments to the Los Angeles International Airport as the Deputy Federal Security Director and was designated as a certified Senior Executive by OPM in March 2010. He was a member of several interagency working groups representing TSA and TSOC interests for a variety of security and domain awareness topics. In November 2010, Mr. Ross transitioned the TSA Contact Center, security component, from the Office of Special Counsel to the Office of Law Enforcement.
Prior to joining the TSA, Mr. Ross was a commercial airline pilot for sixteen years with US Airways. He also served twenty-seven years in the United States Navy, seven years on active duty and twenty years on Reserve assignments, including four command tours.
During his career with US Airways, he was based in Greensboro, North Carolina and Washington DC flying as a Flight Engineer on the B-727 and A-300 and as a Copilot on the Fokker F-100, Douglas DC-9, and Boeing 737-300. Additionally, Mr. Ross flew as a Captain on the Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 737-200. During his active duty Navy career, Mr. Ross flew P-3B Orion aircraft based at Barbers Point, Hawaii. His Navy Re-serve assignments included three squadron tours and three assignments on the Chief of Naval Operations’ staff (OPNAV). The three OPNAV tours included one Executive Officer assignment and one Commanding Officer assignment. He also completed two Commanding Officer assignments with US Joint Forces Command, and a Commanding Officer assignment with a forward deployed logistics unit supporting the European theater.
Mr. Ross holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland and a Masters of Arts degree in National Security Studies from the US Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. He is an OPM certified Senior Executive and retired from the US Navy Reserve as a Captain.
Minutes of Meetings
