Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I am writing to express my support of Robert "JJ" Orth for supervisor of Abingdon District. I have known JJ and his family since 1978 when they built their house in the Ladysmeade subdivision where I reside.

From the viewpoint of a neighbor, I have seen him exhibit leadership qualities that I believe will carry over into his role as a supervisor, if he is elected. For example, JJ played a major role in the development of our Ladysmeade Road Association, which was organized primarily to insure that our roads—which are not in the county system—are properly maintained. He is currently serving as our president and has taken a proactive approach (e.g., having all sections asphalted). He does an outstanding job in bringing consensus among the 30 family members and conducts our annual meetings in a fair and objective manner. Most importantly, he leads by example by actively working with members when we have regular work days to fix problems...