Supervisor criticizes Economic Development Authority spending, director pay and 'pad‑ready' investments

A supervisor told the Board of Supervisors he believes the Bedford County Economic Development Authority has mishandled taxpayer resources, questioned the EDA director’s qualifications and objected to county funding of a pad‑ready site at the New London Commerce Center.

The supervisor said the EDA director is paid about $100,000 a year and “has absolutely 0 business experience,” and added that the authority owns real estate that the county would have to repurchase if it wanted to use the property. He criticized a $785,000 grant to the New London Commerce Center and said the county contributed about $400,000 in taxpayer funds to build a road and pad‑ready site; he also said restoration costs for a damaged disc golf course had been reported as more than $400,000.

“I'm about to finish. The EDA owns real estate in Bedford County. And this is what gets me. If we want to if we want to use that real estate for Bedford County, we have to buy it from the EDA,” he said. He urged the board to consider whether EDA activities are promoting or harming local businesses and said the county’s economy appears robust based on budget numbers.

The transcript records these remarks as board comments; there was no recorded motion, committee referral, or formal investigation launched at this meeting. The supervisor framed his comments as personal observations based on conversations and his review of EDA finances; the transcript does not include responses from EDA officials or an independent accounting presented during the meeting.