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Jim Patrick started work as a general laborer,
working on rehabilitating and renovating old buildings. In the early 1970's the "Urban Renewal" programs
were in full swing, and it took great effort to keep many of these buildings away from government bulldozers. Working
with a variety of experts, Jim learned the various skills needed in the restoration and reuse of historic structures.
With razor-thin margins, Jim also learned that common-sense decisions could make the difference between profit
and loss.
In the late 1970's, a series of newspaper articles uncovered corruption in the police department. In the resulting
scandal many policemen were fired or left, and the chief replaced. Desperate for manpower, they made a special
plea to the community and Jim Patrick stepped forward; the first officer appointed under the reform administration.
Recognizing Jim's integrity, area lawyers had "high regard for his truthfulness and fairness", and the
judges "found him to be completely truthful even when it was detrimental to his case." In other words,
he's blunt straight-talking.
Although he enjoyed police work, Jim was often disappointed by the results of a revolving-door justice system in
the period before George Allen's parole reform. He resigned and started working nights at a factory in Harrisonburg and taking
technical courses at the community college in the day. His skill as a troubleshooter and innovator soon earned
promotion offers, and he stayed in the manufacturing industry until 2001.
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"I have a diverse background. My first jobs were in historic renovation, I've never lost interest in it, and am still involved. Of all the Supervisors I'm the only one who has any experience with the role that history, preservation, and historic tourism plays in the economy or culture."
"Later I later went to work as a police officer. I kept a high level of trust with the community by being truthful and absolutely fair. It's the only way to keep trust relationships in a small-town, and I understand what public service really means."
"I went on to have 15 years experience in manufacturing. I've had the privilege to work under some of Virginia's brightest stars, and I've been in plants throughout the state. I understand how manufacturers work, what industries need from a jurisdiction, and how smaller businesses or entrepreuneurs can benefit out county." |
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