In the News...

ACCOMAC -- Even just a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable that a citizens group would form to monitor Accomack County government, advocate a position or even publish its thoughts.

The group Save Our Necks -- which states as its mission to "advocate, promote and support responsible leadership in Accomack County" -- has now done exactly that for two years, and has expanded its endeavors by publishing a survey of candidates for the Accomack County Board of Supervisors.

The survey was released on its Web site, saveournecks.com, on Monday. It likely was an historical moment indicative of the influence cyberspace wields -- the first time a non-news-gathering organization in Accomack County has published its own survey of candidates for elected office.

In addition to taking an active role in the county's governmental process -- the group has a pending lawsuit against the Accomack County Board of Supervisors over the question of appointments to the county Planning Commission -- it has presented an alternative to mainstream media with the Web site, which gives its opinions on the county's political direction.

And for the Nov. 6 election, one of the group's members has continued that spirit of citizen journalism by surveying the candidates.

But the survey rankled some candidates -- 11 of the 16 responded.

Two plainly stated that the group's opinions and lawsuit make them think better of responding -- even though the man conducting the survey said he was doing it independently of the group and is a professional analyst who has 20 years of experience with surveys.

Tony Picardi of Belle Haven said he essentially performed the survey independently of the group -- "on my own time." Picardi is recently retired as senior vice-president for global software and services for IDC, a Framingham, Mass.,-based company that provides market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets with clients in 90 nations.

He holds a doctor of science degree in social environmental systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has spent 35 years in the software, market research and consulting business.

"People are just starting to get a view that sound bytes don't cut it anymore," Picardi said Monday. "In order to have people informed about choices, you've got to get a little bit deeper.

"It's possible to bring out an unbiased survey if you do it right," he said, adding, "the people who responded were very cooperative."

Picardi is a member of the SON's executive committee. Its leader, George Parker of Craddockville, in a Monday release summarized the responses.

"Common threads in the survey responses abound and focus on issues that many people recognize to be of broad concern," he said. "Growth, water, roads and services dominate those concerns."

He said other areas of concern among candidates include jobs, education, gangs, taxes, small-town vitality, teacher pay and waste/sewage.

The five candidates who didn't respond were Supervisors Wanda Thornton, Reneta Major and Donald Hart Jr., and candidates Kay Lewis and Tim Raynor.

"I don't feel that it is appropriate for me to respond to any questionnaire or any dialogue from them on any subject that is associated with Accomack County," said Thornton, referring to the lawsuit.

"I feel like they are very biased in their opinions, that they don't present a fair and balanced picture.

"I have nothing positive to say about special-interest groups."

Major echoed Thornton's remarks.

"I've been asked to come to several debates, and I just think if it had come from the radio, had come from the newspaper, from the Chamber of Commerce, some viable organization, I would have been more than happy (to respond)," she said Monday.

"But I know that Mr. Picardi is affiliated with Save Our Necks."

Picardi said the survey had a guarantee -- that he only would publish online what they had submitted and double-checked.

"I just want to get a discussion going," he said.