Martinsville City Council member Chad Martin said Tuesday that he has accepted a position with the Department of Environmental Quality in Roanoke.
However, Martin said that he is primarily able to work remotely, and the new job will not require him to move from Martinsville. The new post also will not impact his ability to serve on council.
City Attorney and Assistant City Manager Eric Monday said that council members are required to reside full-time in Martinsville. He said that questions have come up in the past about the residency of other city council members but “there’s no hard and fast definition of ‘residency’” in the Code of Virginia, “a lot of it is a question of ‘what’s your intention?’”
Courts “typically look at things, like where do you spend the majority of your time, where are you registered to vote, where does your mail come,” he added.
While Martin is having some problems in getting his mail delivered, Martin said that has been a recurring issue at his apartment complex.
“I have had some things bounce back and people have told me. ‘Hey, your mail’s not getting to you,’” he said.
The issue has been more pronounced since his former roommate moved out, Martin said.
“For some reason, they just assumed that I was no longer there” too, he added.
While that issue may have prompted concern about his address, Martin said that he plans to remain in Martinsville.
