In Purcellville, VA, questions about local leadership and transparency are heightened as Eric Olsen, the Stafford County Commonwealth’s Attorney, has been appointed as a special prosecutor to review Vice Mayor Carl “Ben” Nett’s grievance process. The appointment, made by Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert D. Anderson, follows several pivotal developments related to Nett’s previous employment with the Purcellville Police Department.

Timeline of Events:

– August 12: The Town of Purcellville filed a petition with the Loudoun County Circuit Court to review the grievance panel’s decision involving Carl Benjamin Nett, assessing compliance with the Town’s written policy.

– August 23: Interim Town Manager Anthony Sabio’s wedding took place. Sabio explained that invitations were broadly sent to his entire Secret Service Academy class, including Nett, who RSVP’d yes but did not attend.

– October 27: The Court issued a Letter Opinion and Order dismissing the petition with prejudice, citing lack of jurisdiction. The decision outlined that the Commonwealth’s Attorney would proceed with decisions if the Town’s chief administrative officer was directly involved in the grievance’s events.

– November 12: Anthony Sabio was appointed as the new town manager. Despite aiming for just a three-month term, concerns arose due to his prior acquaintance with Nett and his campaign for a Congressional seat in Virginia’s 8th District, which excludes Purcellville.

– November 13: Diana Hays, Acting Town Manager, recused herself from the grievance process. Consequently, the responsibility to address grievance-related issues shifted to the Commonwealth’s Attorney due to perceived conflicts involving Sabio.

Sabio’s Response and Appointment Concerns:

Sabio has clarified his limited communication with Nett over the years and has tried to dispel rumors about their friendship. Addressing his wedding invitations, Sabio stated, “I sent it out to everybody in my class. All the people. A lot, a lot of people did not show up…My wedding was in the August time frame, and so I sent it out to everyone in the Secret Service. There’s a bunch of people in the Secret Service I sent it out to… Nett, he never showed up. I sent it out then to every single class member I had back then.”

Upon acknowledging skepticism about his appointment, Sabio emphasized the importance of leadership and accountability among town staff. He remarked, “I have to talk with staff… I believe in leadership that listens to the leaders that are in place. I have to look in each staff, each area and say, ‘We need to save some money. Go and show me a better budget what’s in your section to save money.’ That is what I’m going to do.”

He further explained his approach to improving the town’s administration by stating, “Now, if the leadership isn’t willing to do that, the department heads are not willing to do that, then I’m going go in there. But first and foremost, it’s their responsibility to… do an audit themselves and see where they can do cost-cutting savings.” Sabio added, “We need to restructure. We need to do things a lot better. I have ideas that I want to make sure we’re saving money.”

In a divided council landscape, Sabio stressed his commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility. Although he plans to serve for only three months, his focus is to establish a stable, unbiased administration for his successor. With the special prosecutor’s review of Nett’s grievance underway, the focus will be on ensuring transparent and accountable leadership in Purcellville.

Purcellville News will continue to monitor and update on these developments.