The Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce hosted a candidate forum where local residents heard from those seeking office in the upcoming election. Fred Smith, local attorney, moderated the event that was held at Patrick & Henry Community College. Each candidate received the questions a few hours before the forum.
Commonwealth’s Attorney race
Patrick Flinn, chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney for Martinsville, said he wants to address gaps in the justice system.
“We’re not addressing that clearly. Some of you might be familiar with what used to be called drug court, now recovery court. I want to model that and get a mental health docket started,” Flinn said.
He also emphasized the need for stronger ties between prosecutors and the public.
“Part of what we’re dealing with right now and partnering with the community is we have challenges with witnesses and victims going forward with cases,” he said.
Flinn noted his involvement in addressing problems in the municipal building. “Several of y’all are familiar with what I’ll just call the city hall shenanigans, if you will. We got involved with that. I’ve been plugged in from the start working with Mr. Andy Hall to address these issues,” he said. Hall, the incumbent, is not seeking reelection.
Flinn also noted that his office helped reorganize space inside the municipal building, and has experience in everything a commonwealth’s attorney does.
His opponent, Lynda Hartsall, has worked in both criminal law and as a public defender. She said her background gives her insight into the challenges facing attorneys.
“My campaign rests on three principles. Restore, prepare, and empower. I want to see more time given to look through files, as it’s a problem I faced as the commonwealth’s attorney’s assistant,” she said.
Hartsall also serves as a special justice in the civil commitment court for mental health cases.
“I’ve been appointed as a special justice of the mental health civil commitment court. When people are brought to court and it’s to be determined whether or not they need to be committed to a mental health facility against their will, there’s a procedure with attorneys and … we come to a decision on what’s best for them.”
Treasurer race
Sheila G. Clark, a longtime employee of the treasurer’s office, said her experience makes her well-prepared for the role.
“I’m a member of the Treasurers’ Association of Virginia. I’m a 15-year master government treasurer. I supervise staff, I train new employees, I assist in budget preparation, and I am responsible for state and local accounting and audits,” Clark said.
She listed payroll, budgets, customer service, daily collections, utility payments, business licenses, state income, animal licenses, and other transactions among her responsibilities.
Her opponent, Kendall Davis, a Magna Vista High School graduate who studied at Old Dominion University, said returning home shaped his desire to serve.
“It’s one of those things where youth leave the area and say, ‘I’ll never come back.’ Well, I came back and fell in love with it. My family fell in love with it,” Davis said.
Through his communications role with the city, Davis said he learned the importance of leadership and saw areas where government services could improve.
“One glaring thing that stood out in every department, whether it was parks, whether it was community development, was the ability to purchase simple transactions online,” Davis said. He said he was told “no” when he suggested automating the system but remains committed to making the process easier.
He also said he wants to improve tax collection practices and give residents better access to account information, including previous and upcoming bills.
Commissioner of Revenue race
Shasta Carmichael, a community engagement specialist, is challenging longtime incumbent Commissioner of Revenue Ruth Easley.
“I am not a politician. This is all new for me,” Carmichael said. “I’m someone who doesn’t just talk about change. I’ll show up.”
She said organizing “Worship on the Lawn” in 2023 inspired her to run. “It shifted something inside of me because I saw the power of unity. I saw that when people come together, we leave with love. Anything is possible when we do it together.”
Easley, a Martinsville native who has served as commissioner for 23 years, recalled how she got her start.
“I was hired by my predecessor as a temp, and shortly after I went to work there, he took me aside and said, ‘I think you ought to run for commissioner of revenue. I don’t intend on running for reelection, and you have the qualifications that I think will make you a good commissioner,’” Easley said. “And I looked at him and said, ‘Are you nuts?’ He took me under his wing. He mentored me along with the circuit court clerk.”
House of Delegates race
Melody Cartwright, the Democratic nominee running against incumbent Del. Eric Phillips in the 48th District, said her family’s experiences with poverty shaped her perspective.
“I understand the need for Medicaid, raising the minimum wage without hurting small businesses, and taking care of education,” she said.
She said she believes Democrats will maintain control of the House of Delegates. “If I’m elected, I will be able to pass legislation which will actually help our beleaguered area. I will step in to aggressively find funds for health care for the working poor,” Cartwright said.
Finishing his first two-year term, Phillips, R-Martinsville, who won a special election with 71 percent of the vote, highlighted his legislative record, and fielded questions about Medicaid and other issues.
In terms of the Medicaid issue, Phillips noted the candidates received the questions around 1 p.m. “I was a little disappointed in some of them. We’re not running for Congress. We’re running for the House of Delegates, and what happens on the news is not always the truth, that’s why there’s many outlets that tell many different sides of the story.
“I respectfully reject the premise of the reason that the recent changes to Medicaid eligibility and coverage Virginia … are a return “to pre-pandemic normalcy. The current eligibility redetermination process simply marks a return to the standard procedures” in place before the Covid pandemic, “and are critical for maintaining program integrity.
“If you’re able bodied, you have to either go to school or” work 20 hours to be eligible, providing the person is healthy and able to do so. “I don’t know about you, but … I think that if you’re going to receive benefits and you’re healthy” the eligibility requirements should be in place.
Those who are handicapped from birth, who have injuries that prohibit them from meeting the eligibility requirements, would still receive Medicaid, he said.
He also opposes an increase in the minimum wage, and noted that it began to help teens just beginning to work.
