Snyder supports Orchard Lake residents
I was truly honored and humbled to win the Republican Primary this past June. However, the deciding votes will be cast this coming Nov. 4. As I ask for your continued support in my campaign to become the next Board of Supervisors representative for Amsterdam, I want to share some of the most important concerns that have come up in conversations on front porches, sidewalks, and living room sofas.
Not surprisingly, people love it here in Botetourt. But along with that pride, I’ve also heard real concern— particularly about the future of Orchard Lake.
The Orchard Lake Dam is currently out of compliance with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). While not widely known until recently, this issue has been ongoing since 2022. As one of the dam’s official owners, Botetourt County has had three years to compile the facts and make a decision about whether to remediate the dam or pursue a total breach, eliminating the lake altogether.
Breaching the dam means the permanent loss of Orchard Lake, which would cause a local ecological and habitat disaster, and destroy a beautiful amenity that adds both environmental and community value. It’s more than just water— it’s where families gather, friendships grow, and memories are made. Residents in the surrounding area have expressed— loud and clear— that they want the dam and lake preserved, and I support that position without hesitation. At the most recent Board of Supervisors meeting, the county chose to pursue a 50% matching grant that would fund the complete removal of the dam.
Although it’s been mentioned that the Orchard Lake Dam might be recognized as a “high hazard,” that classification has not been finalized. This important designation should have been made years ago. Meanwhile, there has been no public discussion of the 10% matching grants that are available to help fund risk assessments, engineering studies, or construction efforts aimed at saving the dam and lake— a path that could very well be the best option but has yet to be fully explored or shared with the public.
When I met with Delegate Terry Austin on Sept. 22, along with other concerned citizens, we brought this matter directly to the attention of the director of DCR and two senior engineers. At that meeting, DCR confirmed that no designation had been made on the dam’s classification, and that the aforementioned 10% alternative grant funding exists to support preservation. This critical information should have been shared and discussed publicly. The community deserves to know all the facts— and all the options— before any irreversible decision is made.
As someone who is looking to represent the Orchard Lake community, I believe in preserving this beautiful amenity, and I stand with the residents who have made it clear that they want to keep the lake intact.
I also share the frustration of residents who were not aware of this potential breach, and I too am disappointed that we are not further along in determining all available options. Transparency and open dialogue have been missing from this process, and that needs to change.
I want to be absolutely clear on this point: At no point in time have I supported a tax district to fund the breach of the dam and loss of the lake. While we may breathe a sigh of relief that the tax district was not approved at this time, I want to be on record as having opposed it from the very beginning.
Leadership means working with fellow elected officials, building relationships with Virginia government leaders, and forging new partnerships that benefit not just Orchard Lake, but all residents of Amsterdam and Botetourt County.
If elected, I will work to ensure transparency, build trust, and advocate for the people’s priorities. The future of Orchard Lake is not just a policy issue— it’s a reflection of whether our local government is truly listening to its citizens. I believe it’s time we do just that.
If you want a representative who will listen, advocate, and work tirelessly for your community, then I humbly ask you vote Tim Snyder on Nov. 4— or better yet, vote early. You may reach me at the following email address: timsnyderboco@gmail.com
Tim Snyder, Candidate for Board
of Supervisors, Amsterdam District
George questions county’s decisions on Orchard Lake
I attended the contentious monthly Botetourt Board of Supervisors meeting on Sept. 23. I’m pleased that creation of a proposed service district has been postponed until further investigation, but the supervisors did vote to accept the grant intended for breaching the dam. Based on the information from that meeting, the county continues to make decisions about and move forward on this project without having done the necessary investigation to provide enough facts for the affected property owners, surrounding community, and county government to make appropriate informed decisions.
Again, I implore my fellow residents and taxpayers to engage with this topic. Depending on what the county decides to do about this issue, the choice could have serious financial implications for many residents, not simply the property owners with custody of the lake and the immediate neighborhood residents.
Gravely important, unanswered questions include:
- Why are major tax levy decisions being made prior to even having a Dam Break Inundation Study to determine the Hazard Classification of our dam?
- How is the county assessing the cost of compliance as “prohibitive” (an unquantified term), without knowing the real cost of remediation or dam breach?
- What is a cost breakdown of each option for resolution?
- Why didn’t Botetourt County maintain the portion of the dam that it owns?
- Why did Botetourt County allow a developer to build in a flood zone, and why without natural and artificial drainage improvements and stormwater runoff allowance?
I have also communicated with the DCR on the Orchard Lake dam issue, asking what their experience is with lakebeds and the aftermath of drainage. They have responded that they don’t know because they have no experience with a lake this size. Why is the county moving forward on a contested decision when the so-called state level experts don’t even have answers for the consequences of these decisions?
Many of these questions recur in decisions the county continues to make, such as addressing traffic situations, development expansion, and other issues coming up in the last five to 10 years. The county continues to allow, even encourage, decisions like this without looking in detail at the situation and the long-term implications. This is an objection many county residents, in all five districts, have expressed, which continues to be ignored.
I and my fellow community members have suggested alternatives, including that the county wait and reapply for other grants. We can find a solution that works better for everyone, but not if choices are made in haste. Haste makes waste— we don’t want our tax dollars wasted, our voices not to be heard and a beautiful lake unnecessarily destroyed.
Linda George, Write-in Candidate for
Board of Supervisors, Amsterdam District
Bonsack-Blue Ridge Ruritans invite new members
Ruritan is a great civic organization, and we believe our community can benefit from helping the Bonsack-Blue Ridge Ruritan Club continue their legacy of service to the community. For over 70 years the club has been active in the area providing thousands of dollars in support for the community, hundreds of scholarships, and thousands of hours of work to make our area a better place to live and work.
Please join us for “Sip N Social” on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at Bonsack United Methodist Church. We want to hear your ideas for future projects that can help this great organization continue to grow and serve. This will be a relaxed reception atmosphere. Refreshments will be provided by “Just a Smidge” and there will be door prizes. We will have current members available to answer your questions and to tell you their experience with Ruritan. No commitment, just information and ideas.
Ruritan is a community service organization with the purpose of creating a better understanding among people and, through community service, making their communities a better place to live, work and raise a family.
We are looking forward to meeting you and bring a friend!
Chris Pugh, Secretary
Bonsack-Blue Ridge Ruritan Club
