School board candidate owes at least $4,000, records show

Posted to: Elections Local Elections News Suffolk

By Hattie Brown Garrow
The Virginian-Pilot
© October 14, 2008

SUFFOLK

School Board candidate Robert L. Barnes owes at least $4,000 in outstanding personal property taxes and other debts, according to public records.

Barnes announced in June that he would run as a write-in for the Nansemond Borough seat after not gathering enough signatures to appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. He is a senior pastor of Canaan Baptist Church and a former guidance counselor.

Thelma V. Hinton and Marion H. Matthews also are running for the seat.

Barnes disputes some of the debts shown in court records, which include judgments dating back to 2000. He said they are personal matters that do not affect his ability to serve on the board.

According to court records, Barnes' debts include judgments owed to the City of Chesapeake's Treasurer's Office, including at least $363, plus interest, for personal property taxes, and more than $2,700 to Eastern Virginia Medical School Health Services.

Barnes said the amount owed to EVMS is closer to $70. He described the charges as medical bills he thought were covered by his insurance company.

Records from 2007 and 2008 also show Barnes owes $900 worth of judgments to the Mansfield Farm Homeowners Association Inc.

"I have to check on that," he said. "That's paid."

Hattie Brown Garrow, (757) 222-5562, hattie.brown@pilotonline.com

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out of character?

Submitted by jreid8231 on Tue, 10/14/2008 at 10:31 am.

Let's see....a senior Pastor and former guidance counselor who owes thousands in back taxes....And he feels he has the right to oversee a part of our school system? Please sir...let me be the first to congradulate you on your win! With those credentials I'm certain you'll be voted in by a landslide. LOL

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And why

Submitted by Always a Lady on Tue, 10/14/2008 at 9:26 am.

And why is this any of our business. VP needs to come up with more news worthy information.

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Barnes

Submitted by seitzjus on Tue, 10/14/2008 at 8:36 am.

That is the kind of people we want on the school board, people who can't even balance their own budget. Im sure the suffolk schools will be fine not paying some of their bills. People shouldn't be able to hold public sector positions when they couldn't even hold a private sector job.

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