Billy Cook, 59, of Mathews is one of five candidates vying for a seat on the Mathews County Board of Supervisors in the upcoming election. He is running as an independent.

Cook said he is seeking to bring a fiscally responsible, conservative, common-sense approach to the board, along with transparency, accountability, and community involvement. He said he will “work tirelessly” and “always take time to hear every side of each debate.”

Among the issues Cook seeks to address are revitalizing Haven Beach and the parking there, making outfall ditches a priority, rebuilding the drinking water infrastructure in the school system, and adjusting local regulations to make them more business-friendly. He promises no increase in real estate taxes and said he’ll “get the Hole in the Wall restaurant septic issues resolved once and for all.”

A Mathews native, 1981 graduate of Mathews High School, and lifelong county resident, Cook has been the owner of several small businesses in Mathews s...