Two long-term James City County residents have been recognized for decades of service to the county, dating back as far as the 1970s.
The James City County Board of Supervisors recognized L. Carlyle Ford and Jack D. Edwards at its Tuesday meeting, presenting the two men with resolutions of appreciation, according to a county news release.
Ford served on the county’s Agricultural and Forestal District Advisory Committee from 1986-2018 and helped start the AFD Program, which focuses on preserving agricultural and forestal land.
The program includes land use exemptions, which means designated forestry or agricultural land parcels are assessed at a lower value, so property owners pay less in taxes.
Over 17,676 acres of land in the county have been preserved under the program during Ford’s tenure.
Starting in 1974, Ford also served as a county business license inspector. He was promoted to deputy business license inspector in 1980. He was also the county commissioner of the revenue from 1984 to his retirement in 1999.
The second man to be recognized, Edwards, served on the James City County Electoral Board from 2002 to 2018. With the board, Edwards helped conduct elections and certified the election results in the county.
Edwards was one of three members appointed to the board by Williamsburg-James City County Circuit Court judges.
Edwards also served on the board of supervisors for nearly three decades, from 1972 to 2000.
“James City County extends its thanks to Ford and Edwards for their tireless service to our community,” the release said.