By Taylor Boyd
A few days after his first Martinsville City Council meeting, Michael “Gene” Teague said his immediate focus is on the city’s budget and capital improvements during his three-month term.
Teague was appointed by Judge G. Carter Greer on Feb. 23 to fill in for Mayor LC Jones while Jones is suspended pending a June 5 jury trial. A former council member with decades of experience, Teague has returned to city hall to lend his perspective and guidance during the current budget cycle.
“That’s really my focus—how do I help from a budgetary standpoint, and then if there are any issues that happen during that period, to make sure that I am a fifth vote,” Teague said.
He said returning to the council after years away gave him perspective on current operations and priorities. Teague emphasized the importance of a line-item budget to make expenditures transparent and ensure alignment with revenue.
“I think during the previous administration, they had gotten away from the line-item budget and moved some categories around and made it very difficult for people to understand at a low level where the expenditures are. Honestly, I want to make sure that we got that line-item budget so everybody understands what we’re spending, why we’re spending it, and that it’s definitely aligned with the revenue,” he said.
Teague also wants to restore the meals tax fund—originally passed in the early 1990s to fund capital improvements—as a separate line item. He said previous council decisions moved the fund into the general budget, limiting its use for dedicated capital projects.
“For the first time in a long time, there was surplus money in the meals tax fund that could pay for capital improvements. So, when you move it to the general fund, what you’re saying is that it’s a regular revenue stream, so all the debt service becomes an expense, and all the revenue becomes a regular revenue stream that supports the operations. Councils change, and people can do what they want, but what you’re really saying is that money is no longer dedicated to capital improvements, it’s used for city operations,” he said.
Teague said maintaining a dedicated capital improvement revenue stream honors the original intent of the tax and benefits residents.
He also noted dramatic increases in travel expenses in previous budgets and said he wants to keep such spending in check.
“I want to rein that in big time. Rob (City Manager Rob Fincher) has already done some of that and eliminated that travel, but I want to make sure that we have that from a budgetary standpoint,” he said, adding this is why a line-item budget is important.
With only six council meetings remaining in his term, Teague said he cannot take on major projects beyond budget matters but hopes to collaborate with other council members to address city needs.
“It’s just not enough time, but at the same time, I want to try to work with everyone to solve the issues that we have. We need to get to the business of serving our citizens and providing the best services that we can. That and budgetary responsibilities are the big roles of a council member,” he said.
Reflecting on his first council meeting, Teague said he was encouraged by the engagement and passion of his colleagues.
“Council is engaged, they all care and are passionate about the city, and it’s comforting to come in and see the love for the city. Everybody wants the city to grow and move forward. We disagree about how that should occur, but nobody’s going to run for office and put themselves through this if they’re not in it to improve the lives of our citizens,” he said.
Teague began his first tenure on the city council in 1994 to finish out Steve Draper’s unexpired term when he ran for and was appointed as Sheriff. He then ran for reelection in 1009 and 2000.
Teague did not seek reelection in 2004.
In 2008, Mark Anderson, who had been elected in 2006, moved from the area for a job. Teague was appointed to finish that inexperienced term and sought reelection in 2010 and 2014.
He chose not to seek reelection in 2018.
Teague described his first meeting back as encouraging, noting the passion of his colleagues for the city.
