Gordon Metz is throwing his hat in the ring for the Reed Creek District seat on the Henry County Board of Supervisors.
Metz said he decided to run because of his lifetime of experiences and because several people in his church urged him to seek the position after incumbent Tommy Slaughter said he would not seek reelection.
“That’s when I got it in my mind to do it. I looked into it. After talking to several people, I decided to try and do it so I could maybe look at what’s going on,” he said and explained he considered getting involved in local government “several years ago, but” at that point, didn’t have the time.
When he retired, “I thought I’d have gobs of time,” he said, but somehow, he manages to stay busy. However, Metz makes the time to read all the minutes from board meetings.
Pamela Cobler is also seeking the seat. Cobler has described Slaughter as her mentor – both in her social media posts and according to previous reports.
Slaughter “didn’t know I was running,” Metz said, adding that he hopes voters “look at what she brings to the table and what I bring to the table, and make a decision based on facts.”
His name and reputation are familiar in the agriculture and human services fields as well as many others. For years, Metz and his family have supported local food banks, aided Christmas projects, and organized/conducted events such as community Thanksgiving dinners.
He recalled that during the final dinner before the pandemic, 42 dinners were delivered. His wife, Brenda, other family members, and volunteers prepared “26 or so turkeys,” as well as side dishes and desserts that included pies.
Preparing and delivering the meals was rewarding to the family and the network of volunteers who helped, Metz said.
A beef cattle and hay producer, Metz spent 34 to 35 years with the Farm Bureau, including serving 11 three-year terms on the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation (VFBF) board of directors. In that position, Metz represented Farm Bureau producer members in Henry, Patrick, Franklin, Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, and Roanoke counties.
“I even went to Augusta County” when seeking the necessary permits for a project, Metz said. “In that position, I was doing a lot of meetings. I chaired a lot of meetings in” those counties.
During his time with that agency, Metz said he met with the boards of supervisors in all of the counties and worked on projects with them, including those which involved the school systems. His efforts included attending legislative meetings and meetings with state legislators in various areas.
“In Farm Bureau, I was exposed to many areas of the state. I dealt with all the legislators, from Lynchburg to Roanoke, Martinsville and Henry County” and all of the counties he represented, Metz said. Due to those frequent interactions, “I know them all fairly well” and he considers many friends.
He retired from board service at the conclusion of his final term in 2020, and in 2021, was honored with the agency’s Distinguished Service Award.
At that ceremony, VFBF President Wayne F. Pryor said, “Gordon is the very embodiment of community service, and his commitment to Farm Bureau and to his neighbors is inspiring. He’s unfailingly generous with his time and ideas, and he imparts solid business sense and a wealth of contacts to any project he takes on.”
His experience includes working with budgets, serving on and/or being chairman of various committees, personnel issues that extended to hiring and firing, and a well-rounded knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order, and organizational structure.
If successful in his bid, Metz said he will work to ensure the county has the economic development it needs. That includes examining the current practices to ensure accountability, both to the county, residents, and other stakeholders.
Other issues of interest are “checking the school system to see what we need to do as far as being able to provide teachers a better place to work. I do think that we need to look at that, we’re losing so many teachers,” he said.
“I’m concerned about teachers, teacher pay, teacher responsibility, and parent responsibility,” Metz said, adding his family includes teachers. While he understands that “some of these areas, I don’t have much say in,” he also is willing to help and ask questions to gain a better understanding.
Metz also hopes to have some input on other issues that come up, like zoning and solar panels.
He is open and willing to visit various groups during his campaign and encourages residents and voters to ask him questions and/or share concerns.
“I’m not afraid to say I don’t know,” he said, adding he is good at asking questions that will lead to a better understanding of issues. “I find out all I can and vote for the people. That’s my job,” he said.
He has experience with several county and city departments, and along with his family, has owned/managed several local businesses, including the Midget Market, BG’s Express convenience stores, and others, Pinecrest Meats in Bassett (closed after he and an employee were injured), and Pinecrest Equipment Sales. He also helped start projects like Hunters for the Hungry, a program that provides meat to those in need.
In addition to his service on the VFBF board, Metz chaired the organization’s Equine Advisory Committee and served on its Membership Services Advisory Committee and the boards of Mississippi-based Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Co. and New York-based Countryway Insurance Co.
The Henry County native is a past president of Henry County Farm Bureau and served for more than 20 years on that organization’s board. Additional local involvement includes service on the advisory board for Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Plantation and active participation in Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church. Metz also is a former president of the Figsboro Ruritan Club, the Augusta Military Academy Alumni Association, and the Augusta Military Academy board of trustees, according to online reports.
Metz, who grew up on a dairy farm, and his wife, Brenda, have six children, 11 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. He lives in the Figsboro community.
I have known Gordon Metz for over 50 years and know his credibility, commitment, and sense of dedication to whatever he has involvement with. He is a Godly man who, along with his wife, have raised six children, who are also contributors to society. Gordon, most assuredly has the experience as well as the credentials to be an outstanding supervisor for our district! I encourage each of you in the Reed Creek District to vote for Gordon Metz in the upcoming election!