By Jessica Dillon
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of profiles on candidates running for Martinsville City Council.
Michael Greene is one of five registered candidates seeking a seat on the Martinsville City Council. Greene said his experiences in Virginia, South Carolina and Canada have shaped his desire to help Martinsville grow, with a focus on economic development, housing and community investment.
Greene said his faith is a central part of his life and that he hopes to invest in Martinsville’s future, particularly through economic development.
Greene and his family moved from Greenville, South Carolina, to Martinsville in August 2018.
“I am not a stranger to the state of Virginia. Born in Newport News in 1953, I lived the first 23 years of my life in the Tidewater region of Virginia. My construction career and education also took me to western Canada, where I lived and worked for (20) years in Alberta, the Northwest Territories, the Arctic Circle, and British Columbia,” Greene said.
Greene has served on the Martinsville Grand Jury, the Martinsville Architectural Review Board, the Martinsville Board of Zoning Appeals and the First United Methodist Church USDA Food Bank.
His career included two years with the City of Edmonton Building Engineering Branch, where he analyzed building issues, oversaw architectural and engineering projects and worked to develop cost-effective, long-term solutions.
In 2002, Greene transitioned into real estate appraisal after completing Appraisal Institute coursework, an apprenticeship and earning his South Carolina Certified General Real Estate Appraiser license.
Economic development
Greene said one of his priorities is supporting economic revitalization through diversified manufacturing job growth.
His plan includes “working with local, national, and international businesses, along with other agencies such as the MHC and EDC, to help facilitate healthy and steady Martinsville-Henry County economic growth.”
Greene said he saw similar economic growth while living in Greenville.
He believes corporate office jobs will follow industrial growth.
Greene also said he wants to work “with the city manager, city staff, city sheriff, and police departments in maintaining political and economic transparency and accountability.”
He said he hopes to use his connections to assist city leadership and help determine ways to better market Martinsville.
“We just think people have awesome potential,” Greene said.
Housing and schools
Greene said expanding housing options is another priority.
He said he would like to see “new subdivision, multi-price-point neighborhoods, blended neighborhoods.”
Greene also said improving schools will help attract new residents.
“I’ve seen it all over Greenville. Families gravitate toward good schools. They want to live close to good schools for their children and their families,” he said.
Data centers and revenue
Greene said he has a mixed view on data centers, noting that some facilities in Canada have been successful without becoming a burden on communities.
“Data centers will generate a lot of construction jobs. They don’t generate a lot of long-term jobs when they are up and running,” Greene said. “It needs lots of power and lots of water.”
He said he has concerns about the potential environmental impact.
“I’m really concerned about our groundwater. Noisy generators sitting on the roof—I got a lot of big question marks about it and a lot of environmental concerns,” he said.
Greene also raised concerns about Martinsville’s tax revenue, saying the city generates about $1,600 per person while some top-performing communities generate about $6,000 per person.
“We need to grow a healthy tax revenue base,” Greene said.
