ESVA Chamber Eggs and issues covers broadband, infrastructure, teacher pay and more

The ESVA Chamber held its annual pre-General Assembly Eggs and Issues forum at the Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club Wednesday morning.

This forum was held as a town hall style discussion, where questions were solicited from Chamber members and asked of the panel, which consisted of Senator Lynwood Lewis, Delegate Rob Bloxom, Accomack Board Chairman Ron Wolff and Northampton Board Chairman Dixon Leatherbury.

The topics ranged from broadband, affordable housing, teacher pay and large projects that may be headed our way following this General Assembly session.

The need for affordable housing in both counties was discussed. Here is Leatherbury discussing recent steps the Northampton Board took on the matter:

Accomack Chairman Ron Wolff discussed a proposed development in northern Accomack County, and how existing infrastructure was vital to those plans:

Delegate Rob Bloxom mentioned ways he hopes the General Assembly will be able to help with affordable housing development this year.

Another topic discussed was broadband internet. There still remains no silver bullet for the matter, despite billions of dollars being thrown at the problem. Here is Delegate Bloxom explaining:

Northampton Chairman Dixon Leatherbury discusses the conversations at the County level with ways to help locally:

Accomack Chairman Ron Wolff also offered some helpful tips:

Recently an independent study of the Virginia Employment Commission found major issues with the agency during the pandemic under Governor Ralph Northam. Senator Lynwood Lewis discussed what’s being done to fix these issues:

Delegate Rob Bloxom said it shocked him Governor Northam did not foresee problems with the VEC on the horizon after he shut down Virginia’s economy:

Senator Lynwood Lewis also reported cost of competing funding for Accomack and Northampton County teachers as a recurring item should be included in Governor Northam’s outgoing budget:

Lewis discussed the large infrastructure projects he will be pursuing for the Eastern Shore in this year’s General Assembly session:

Delegate Bloxom said he will be focusing on a the HRSD expansion and a $25 million investment to being natural gas from Pocomoke City down to Accomac:

Northampton Chairman Dixon Leatherbury says Northampton is focusing on workforce housing as well as school renovation projects:

Accomack Chairman Ron Wolff reported the Wallops Flight Facility could very soon be launching as many as two rockets a month:

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