The Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce hosted a forum for candidates seeking the two contested seats on Martinsville City Council and the At-Large seat on the Henry County School Board.
Council candidates – LC Jones, Charles Niederstadt Jr., Chad Hall, Michael Green and Verna Jenkins – discussed city finances, reversion, economic development, rising costs and their priorities if elected.
Budget
Niederstadt said he reviewed the city budget with City Manager Rob Fincher to ensure he understood the city’s finances.
“I’ve had to do it in business for 25-plus years. I believe a council member has a responsibility to understand the budget before voting on it, not simply rely on somebody else to tell them whether it is good or whether it’s a good budget or not. I’ve been reviewing the city’s budget, financial information, audits and the way the city raises and spends money because I want to be prepared to ask questions from day one.”
Jenkins compared Martinsville’s American Rescue Plan Act funds with Danville’s and said she agreed with how Martinsville spent its funds, particularly on Parks and Recreation.
“Now I think that was a pretty good way to spend your money too, because I agree with parks and recreation. I have a certificate in parks and recreation, so we spend it in parks and recreation.”
Hall said he wants to focus on creating new revenue for the city rather than immediately considering tax increases.
“I don’t think the first thing we need to automatically run to is ‘let’s raise taxes.’ We’ve got to realize that every dollar spent or every budget dollar that’s misplaced or misused comes from a homeowner. It comes from somebody’s wallet, whether it be yours or mine or they are a business that’s employing 10,000 people. And it’s very important that we utilize every dollar that we have. And I think that it’s time for us to begin to look towards new revenue, creating new revenue into the city so we can begin to move forward.”
Jones said he has heard Martinsville described as not being a “business-friendly city” and hopes to change that.
“Incentives is the big things that we have not touched on, that we need to capitalize on businesses and homeowners to incentivize them to do better. Whether it be businesses starting off or homeowners who’ve owned their homes for a while and need to redevelop, work on them, or businesses who are getting started and need those incentives.”
Jones also said he wants to improve infrastructure and bring office jobs to the city.
“We have a lot of individuals, landowners, some individuals who own multiple plots and areas of land in our cities that we can work with to incentivize to redevelop and bring in developers here to work on our land here.”
Green pointed to his current involvement with the city and his review of the current budget.
“I serve on the Architectural Review Board, I serve on the Zoning Board of Appeals. I have a deep interest in the city. I was provided the proposed annual budget before it was approved. I read and studied the proposed annual budget. I went to every one of the meetings the council had with each of the departments, and I listened to their concerns and their budget needs and where they were trying to save the city money. I was there at each and every one of these department meetings. I understand budgets.”
Reversion
Jenkins said she is opposed to reversion.
“I’ve been here two years in Martinsville and I did just a small amount of research on reversion. And I think at this point the city has said no reversion. And Henry County, I don’t think they want to take on the financial responsibility that the city has at this particular time. So that’s my take on reversion.”
Green said he supports holding a referendum on the issue.
“I was 100% for the referendum. We need to focus on what we can unify with the county and grow together. I’ve seen it done in other states and other communities where counties and cities work together and have been successful and achieve great things for their communities. That’s what we need to focus on.”
Hall also said he opposes reversion and said Martinsville and Henry County should work together.
“I’m a firm believer that we don’t need to build walls around the city to protect it. We need to grow. And the only way to grow is to partner with our brothers and that’s the county. That’s the bottom line. We’re not in competition with the county. We’re all in this thing together and we need to understand that. I don’t think just jumping right back into reversion is the right answer. I think we need to first build a relationship where we can sit down and discuss business. Again, what do the people want?”
Jones reaffirmed his opposition to reversion.
“I’ve been a strong opponent against reversion. I would explain this sort of like a broken family — reversion is like having a husband sleeping downstairs in the basement and the wife sleeping upstairs in the bedroom. And they eat together, they pay bills together, they may work together and help each other out, but they’re not doing anything to grow together. That is the relationship we have with the county. They are good partners at times, but it’s only when it benefits us and benefits them.”
Niederstadt also said he opposes reversion but believes residents should have a say in the matter.
“Reversion is a step backwards, but as this thing expired, I do agree that it’s the citizens who need to make that decision — the city and the county. We don’t need to be at odds with each other. We should be partners with each other. We should work together where we can. Martinsville and Henry County are economically connected. People live in one and work in the other. Businesses draw customers from both. Our roads, utilities, schools, workforce, housing market, emergency services and economic development all affect one another.”
Changes to financial oversight
Green said he has discussed the city’s financial issues and wants to explore alternatives for financing debt.
“Let’s try some solutions that would bring us into a debt service of about 25 million and not 46 million. Taking a look at other options for funding that debt service than a city bond, 30-year bond at these interest rates. And there are options out there. … And so this is what I’m willing to do is work with our city manager and its staff and our people that you elect to come up with solutions that are affordable that benefit the taxpayer of Martinsville.”
Hall called for increased financial transparency and regular review of the city’s budget.
“I feel like there’s something that should be looked at all year round. And I’m sure that it is, again, because this is the citizens’ money, we can look at what we budgeted, what we actually spent, even what actually came in, and then we can begin to even make some adjustments to the budget. And again, I don’t think that the citizens need to have an accounting degree to understand it. Most average citizens will look at this budget and just look at it. I don’t know how that’s going to work to ever be transparent enough where everybody can understand what that budget looks like.”
Jones discussed the city’s transparency page and said officials need to do more to ensure residents understand financial information.
“If you’ve seen, the transparency page is something we put together for the last couple of years you haven’t had. That transparency page allows you to see the budget and understand it. What we have to do better is get that information to citizens who aren’t on the page, who don’t read it, who can’t understand it and make sure that they are reading through and understanding the aspects of the budget, not only on a local level but also on a state level.”
Jones also said the city needs to maintain relationships with state legislators to seek funding and economic development opportunities.
Green said financial information should be accessible to the average resident.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if we could see what’s going on without having to call an accountant or lawyer and figure out how things work? I would favor making financial information easier for the average citizen to understand and access. That includes clearly identifying major expenditures, contracts, capital projects, debt-dependent spending, and significant changes from the previous budget. I also believe the council members need to ask more questions if we’re not. Before you vote yes or no on something, know what you’re voting on, know what’s going on, know how it impacts the community. This is your money that the council spends, and we need to be judicious and we need to be wise with how we spend it. Transparency isn’t simply putting a document on a website.”
Jenkins said the city could improve financial oversight by requiring departments to provide quarterly budget reports to City Council.
“The only thing that I else that I could add to is that we could possibly pull the city departments, each one of them together and have a meeting and start to um, ask them to give us a budget on a quarterly basis and then report them back to City Council. And that will help us to keep on balance on where we are as far as the budget is concerned. That will allow us to not always have to run at the last minute to make a budget because we’re just looking at it at date month nine or month ten. So that’s the only thing that I would add to pull the departments together, head departments and to have them to have accountability on a quarterly basis to the city council.”
Rising costs
Hall said the city needs to live within its means while also preparing properties for new investment.
“The government is just like anybody else, it’s got to live within its means and within the budget just like any family, any business. We have to live within that budget and make it work. And I do want to say, this city council has been handed some things they didn’t, they didn’t do what they didn’t see coming, and I think they’ve done an excellent job to move forward. And I commend them on that. But I do believe that the next steps that we’re going to have to take, and I like the idea of if you look around at all these old investment properties that nobody wants, they’re not set for the new economy. They’re not set for the new generation of employees that have come or businesses that will come. We need to begin to market those properties and get them site ready.”
Jones said energy costs will be a major issue and emphasized small businesses and affordable housing.
“Energy cost is going to be the biggest issue that we face over the next few years. I know we keep talking about transparency, and we get into the transparency with the government. We start talking about Flock cameras, how they’re affecting us, and we talk about data centers and whether they’re coming or not. Data centers bring a lot of money, could bring a lot of money to a local city or the county. But what we have to focus on is what we do best and what the opportunities we have right here in our cities. And, our focus should be small business and continue to build affordable places for people to live.”
Niederstadt said he opposes increasing taxes and favors business growth as a way to increase city revenue.
“Personally, I don’t like any tax that if you go unpaid, they could take your property from you. I want to see us not in fear of my mortgage going up to a point I can’t afford it anymore. I think business growth in the community that offers jobs to our citizens is a way to grow revenue to where we can take care of ourselves and take care of our obligations. As far as attracting private investment, my first priority would be making Martinsville a place where business actually wants to do business.”
Jenkins said working with the Chamber of Commerce and other partners is important to attracting businesses.
“I think it’s very important that we do work with Chamber of Commerce and other partners to help continue the growth that we already see. We see small businesses coming in, which is good. And like everyone else has said on the panel, we got to start small and build our way up. I think one of the most important things that we can do is, like LC Jones just spoke of, us making sure that we are in Richmond, making sure that we are making the delegates accountable for what we voted them for. And we need to do that and keep a close relationship with them, not just when something comes available. Let’s check with Richmond to see if we can get any funds from them.”
Green said bringing manufacturing jobs back to the city requires a qualified workforce.
“These manufacturing, small manufacturing companies that are looking for communities like ours to bring in industrial manufacturing, high speed processing need about 150 to 250 employees. Problem we’re running into again is the quality and quality of educated workforce, drug free workforce. I’ve had production engineers from several plants in our area complain about they go out and they advertise, they have six jobs available. Thirty-five people show up and the minute they say, well, the state requires you all to take a drug test, 60 to 70% of those people walk out of the rooms.”
First Year Focus
Jones said residents should not expect major accomplishments immediately from a new council member.
“It’s not a lot you can get in your first year. You’re going to learn that very quickly. You just can’t get things done. The government just doesn’t move that way.”
He highlighted his work with community programs, including Virginia Career Works, violence prevention and efforts to help people experiencing homelessness.
Niederstadt said he would focus on making Martinsville more business-friendly.
“Yes, the future is our children, my daughter’s here tonight. And if we don’t become a business-friendly city, what opportunities does she have? What reason does she have to stay here? Or is she going to turn 18, join the military, go to college and leave Martinsville behind? I’d like to think that we can create a community, a business-friendly community that gives opportunities to people like my daughter, that gives her a hope for her future. If I can make one change in my first year, I would make Martinsville a much more business-friendly city by simplifying and speeding up the process for businesses that want to invest here.”
Jenkins said her first year would focus on learning more about residents’ concerns.
“The first year is always a year of learning. The first year is the year that I would get out and continue to meet with the citizens, talk with them to see what their concerns are for the first year compared to what’s going on in the city already and make those changes accordingly. But first of all, I’ve got to get to know the citizens. I’ve got to get to know what they want and make sure that they can trust me when it comes time to vote on issues that they are interested in. And it’s most important to them, no matter how small, how big.”
Green said addressing blighted properties would be his priority.
“Boarded up, blighted, neglected properties that have yet to be addressed. Our city had a goal of demolition of 40 abandoned properties a year. We’ve only done 20 this year. We have people that are good stewards, and have taken care of their properties all around the city. And this blight issue is not just limited to Precinct 5 or Precinct 6. It’s everywhere. And it is on the city to be the steward of those situations that are outside your property line that you can’t control. If you’ve been a good steward of your property, you take care of your property, you have a pristine property, but yet you have three boarded up houses or five boarded up houses around you, why should you be penalized and pay full assessment tax value when you’re impacted in real estate?”
Green also said the city should prepare vacant properties for redevelopment.
“We got to take care of these lots, get them ready and go sell them. Martinsville, they’re looking for hospitals, affordable housing. That’s why I don’t want to let one business slip through the crack. Now once you become a business owner, you understand that statement. You don’t want one customer to slip through the crack. I believe Martinsville is a place that can grow and we can see its better days ahead of us. The bottom line is we get these old furniture factories and all these things down. We make sure our school systems are where they need to be. And when the citizens come again, we’re a perfect fit and I believe they will come to us. I think the phones will ring.”
