By Heather Michon
Correspondent
If elected Commissioner of the Revenue, Donald Reynard says one of the first things he would remove is not a regulation, but a sheet of glass.
The protective partition that greets residents at the commissioner’s office, he argues, sends the wrong signal.
“It feels like going into the sheriff’s office,” he said. “That’s not a welcoming environment. I want people to sit down across the table, see their data, and talk through problems.”
That small act of demolition symbolizes a larger promise: breaking down barriers between taxpayers and the officials who assess and collect their property taxes.
It is also a tangible part of a campaign that relies heavily on accusations of inequity in Fluvanna County’s tax rolls and pledges to hold both staff and supervisors accountable.
Campaign built on disparities
Reynard, a retired I.T. executive who lives in Palmyra, is challenging Lauren Ryalls Sheridan in a two-year special election for commissioner.
The election was triggered by the retirement of Commissioner Andrew ‘Mel’ Sheridan, who has held the office for 22 years.
“My campaign is totally self-funded,” he notes in his campaign literature. “I own no favors or promises to anyone, and I don’t and won’t represent any particular group over the other.”
He views himself as a reformer who has uncovered “literally thousands” of discrepancies in the county’s land records and believes homeowners, especially those on smaller lots, bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden.
Questioning land use
At the heart of Reynard’s critique is the county’s land use program, which allows qualifying properties to be taxed at lower rates. These include land used for agriculture, horticulture, or forestry, as well as open space.
The goal of the program is to keep land from being sold for housing or commercial development, and it is one of the key factors in protecting Fluvanna’s rural character.
He contends that the county does not follow state standards, which require documentation such as farm tax filings or timber management plans. Instead, he says, it relies on what amounts to signing a piece of paper, “and [Mel] Sheridan calls it an affidavit.”
“Here, we’ve been told, ‘We don’t care what’s being done, as long as the land isn’t being developed.’ That’s not right.”
Virginia, he argues, has “a very good conservation easement process,” where landowners give up the right to develop their property in return for substantial tax credits, while retaining the ability to sell the easement to a third party if they choose.
“I am 100 percent in support of conservation easements, protecting land in a legal way as clearly laid out by the Virginia State Assembly,” he said.
He bristles at rumors that he is “anti-farmer.” He stresses that he is “pro-farmer” and wants agriculture in Fluvanna to thrive.
Frought relationship with Supervisors
Reynard has not shied from public confrontation.
For months, he has stood up during public comment periods and criticized Mel Sheridan and his office of not following the law.
He has accused three sitting members of the Board of Supervisor including Tony O’Brien, Mike Sheridan and current board chair Chris Fairchild of receiving favorable tax treatment on their properties. Those board members have quietly pushed back denying that narrative in recent meetings, and his assertions have not been independently verified.
His stance has put him at odds with county leaders, raising questions about how he would work with them if elected. The primary role of the Commissioner of Revenue is to implement the decisions made by the Board of Supervisors.
“I’m sure it’ll be challenging,” he said. “But it won’t be the first time. If I’m elected–when I’m elected–I wasn’t voted in by the people to win a popularity contest. I was voted in to do a job.”
Meals Tax and Communication Gaps
Beyond land use, Reynard points to the county’s rollout of a food and beverage tax as evidence of poor communication with local businesses. Some winery and restaurant owners have told him they were unaware of the new levy until it took effect, leading to confusion at the cash register.
“If I’d been in office, I’d have gone out and met with every single business owner,” he said. “We’re a small enough county that it could have been done. Instead, people were blindsided.”
Staffing and Technology
Reynard acknowledges he has no direct experience in revenue assessment.
He says his decades in I.T. and management would help him modernize the office, improve training, and evaluate whether the current staff is capable of handling the work.
Given the accusations he has made against Mr. Sheridan’s actions while in office, is he comfortable keeping the current staff of five deputy commissioners?
“I don’t know,” he said. “Certainly, there needs to be both individual and unit discussions with everyone that works there now. But it has to be a situation where people are confident and they’re doing their job.”
He also envisions a closer partnership with the treasurer’s office, allowing residents to look up their data and pay bills online seamlessly — a change that neighboring counties have already adopted.
Reynard’s zeal is unmistakable: he has pored over land books, challenged supervisors, and vowed to make the office more accessible.
To learn more about his positions, visit https://www.cvilletomorrow.org/qa-with-lauren-ryalls-sheridan-and-donald-l-reynard-who-want-to-be-fluvanna-countys-commissioner-of-the-revenue/
