By Lewis Loflin
In early 2008, the Bristol Herald Courier reported on hiring practices at Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU), a city-owned utility, raising questions about transparency. The newspaper highlighted three hires: Jamey Rector, son of then-BVU board chairman and Mayor Jim Rector; Freddy Bowman, son of City Councilman Fred T. Bowman; and Brian Weberling, son of former councilman Doug Weberling. These cases sparked public debate over whether personal connections influenced employment decisions. Bristol Herald Courier, January 6, 2008
BVU’s CEO, Wes Rosenbalm, defended the hires, stating they followed a competitive process. He noted that job openings were sometimes filled from existing resumes without public postings, saying, “If we’ve got a good batch of resumes, we won’t put it external.” Rosenbalm denied political interference, asserting, “Nobody has ever told me to hire anybody.” No records of the hiring processes were released, and the city’s hiring policy, which encouraged advertising vacancies, did not formally apply to BVU, per City Manager Bill Dennison.
Jamey Rector, hired in April 2006, held a bachelor’s degree in engineering andRector worked in engineering, provisioning, and sales at BVU, earning $45,320 annually. He previously taught at Virginia Highlands Community College and worked at Dana Corporation, which closed its Bristol plant in 2005–2006, leaving many jobless. Rector claimed he did not inform his father, Jim Rector, of his application until after receiving the offer. Jim Rector, BVU board chairman (2004–2007), denied influencing the decision, stating, “The board has nothing to do with personnel.”
Freddy Bowman, hired in September 2007 as a tree trimmer at $20,800 per year, had worked at a golf course. BVU cited internal recommendations for his work ethic, though the position was not publicly advertised. Private-sector tree trimmers earned about $7 per hour, highlighting BVU’s higher pay. Rosenbalm said he never discussed the hire with Councilman Fred T. Bowman.
Brian Weberling, hired for OptiNet’s network support, earned $31,708 annually by 2008. With minimal college education, he had worked in IT in Richmond. His father, former mayor Doug Weberling, connected him with Rosenbalm, who interviewed and likely hired him. Weberling later earned a degree from King College.
In 2008, Bristol’s economy relied on retail, restaurants, and low-wage manufacturing, often through temp agencies. Public-sector jobs, especially at BVU, offered significantly higher salaries than the private sector, where per-capita income was approximately $17,000. This disparity fueled frustration, as qualified locals struggled to access high-paying roles. Between 1988 and 2008, around 15,000 college graduates left Southwest Virginia, driven by limited opportunities. Nearly one-third of Bristol’s population lacked a high school diploma, further constraining economic mobility.
BVU’s OptiNet division, launched in 2002 to deliver fiber-optic services, aimed to attract high-tech jobs but incurred $50–$60 million in debt by 2008. The lack of advertised positions deepened perceptions of favoritism, though no illegal actions were proven under Virginia’s then-lenient hiring laws.
BVU sold OptiNet to Sunset Digital in 2016 for $50 million, becoming solely a city utility (electric, water, sewer). Bristol’s job market in 2025 remains dominated by retail, hospitality, and call centers, with wages averaging $12–$15 per hour. High-tech employment is less than 1% of jobs. Population in Bristol and Washington County has declined 2–4% since 2010, reflecting ongoing economic challenges.
Hiring transparency has improved with stricter state guidelines, but small-town networks still influence opportunities. Virginia’s $1.5 billion broadband investment (2021–2025) has expanded access but not significantly diversified employment, echoing BVU’s earlier experience.
Below are key salaries in 2008, compared to Bristol’s $17,000 per-capita income:
| Name | Position | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Wes Rosenbalm | BVU President/CEO | $120,536 |
| Bill Dennison | City Manager | $111,000 |
| Stacey Bright | BVU EVP/CFO | $104,985 |
| Robert Kelley | OptiNet VP of Operations | $99,329 |
| Mark Lane | Network Architect | $97,854 |
| Robert Snodgrass | VP of Operations | $93,418 |
| Stacy Evans | Network Engineer | $86,888 |
| Jerry Brown | Economic Development Director | $85,437 |
| William Price | Police Chief | $78,024 |
| Luther Minor | Clear Creek Golf Club Manager | $76,839 |
| Bob Childress | Parks and Recreation Director | $73,720 |
A LENOWISCO study foresaw non-unionized call centers’ collapse, warning of offshoring risks (Asia’s $1–$5/hour wages), low-skill reliance (~30% no high school diploma, 2003), and firms exploiting subsidies, like VCEDA’s $5.6 million for Sykes. Non-unionized sites lost ~2 million U.S. jobs by 2015, unlike AT&T’s protected workforce. Education gaps—~50% no diploma in Dickenson County (2008)—worsened vulnerabilities. LENOWISCO Study, sullivan-county.com
The 2008 BVU hiring concerns underscore challenges in small communities, where personal networks can shape access to opportunities. While no laws were broken, the lack of public job postings fueled distrust. Bristol’s economic struggles, then and now, highlight the need for transparent policies to ensure equitable job access.
Originally posted February 2008. Updated April 15, 2025.
Acknowledgment: I’d like to thank Grok, an AI by xAI, for assisting with drafting and refining this article. The final content reflects my own analysis and edits.
