The five Martinsville City Council candidates talked about moving the city forward amid the ongoing municipal saga during a Cardinal News election forum Tuesday night.
For over two years, city staff, elected officials and attorneys have been involved in a Virginia State Police investigation, several lawsuits, an attempt to remove the mayor and the firing of a city manager.
Incumbent Mayor L.C. Jones is the lone incumbent running for reelection, after a judge dismissed the case to remove him from office due to insufficient number of signatures on the petition. The challengers are Michael Greene, Chad Hall, Tina Jenkins and Charles Niederstadt. Candidates run as ballot independents in Martinsville council elections.
The candidates are vying for two open seats, with hopes to move the city forward, allowing the city’s successes to outweigh the negativity surrounding city hall, they said.
During the forum at the Heritage Center & Museum, some said they believe that the city is already moving forward, and a shift of attitude is needed, while others think there is unfulfilled potential, a lack of trust and a need for a functional government.
All five highlighted the positives in the area, and the need to focus on them more. They also all said there’s a need for collaboration, within the city and with state and neighbor Henry County.
Jones and Jenkins said the negativity is a distraction.
“We have bigger fish to fry,” Jenkins said. She mentioned the poverty rate and food insecurity.
“The negativity we’re facing … is just a mirage,” Jones said. “What I can tell you is the city is moving forward.” He pointed to the population growth.
Jones said he understands why the negativity is talked about and acknowledged things could have been handled differently.
“Negativity is a distraction to the good things that are going on,” Niederstadt said. “But unfortunately, it is something that’s going on.”
Hall, who owns the local TV station BTW21, pointed to the media.
“The media has not helped us at all the last two years,” Hall said. “I don’t even know why we even let media in.”
Greene, Hall and Niederstadt all pointed to a need for a functional city council. Hall said it is going to take time to rebuild the trust that was lost with “completely frustrated” residents.
“The bottom line is we need a miracle in this city,” Hall said. He said the only way forward is with five accountable city council members who can admit when they make a mistake.
Hall said the members of the city council need to work together and find solutions. Niederstadt said the city council needs to disagree civilly.
Ideas to move forward
Candidates pointed to economic development, affordable housing and approving a 1% school sales tax as solutions.
“We are able to see successes, but we need bigger successes,” Niederstadt said. He highlighted the need to be a business-friendly city for higher paying jobs, so residents can find their career here rather than commuting elsewhere.
Hall agreed. “We’re landlocked,” he said. “So we’ve got to use every square inch that we have to bring in new jobs.”
Almost 11,000 residents in Martinsville and Henry County commute somewhere else to work, while almost 10,000 workers in the two localities do not live here, according to 2023 data.
Greene emphasized the need to transform Martinsville into a family-friendly community where people want to relocate.
“Instead of taking their paychecks back and forth from other communities and spending that money here, we want to grow our tax revenue base,” Greene said.
Hall said it’s important to keep the businesses that are already in the city.
Jones said the city needs to capitalize on opportunities, like the 1% school sales tax referendum on the ballot.
“Our schools are the most important thing in our community,” Jones said.
Jenkins said to move forward, the city needs to focus on other business and let the courts handle any litigation.
To learn more about candidates’ backgrounds and stances on important issues, check out the Martinsville page on Cardinal News’ voter guide.
