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“A high-profile indication that conflict has seeped into the relationships of town leaders and citizens came in September, when a divided Town Council voted down, 4-3, a motion to censure Mayor Marion for interacting with town employees on personnel matters.”
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An undercurrent of discord that has been simmering in South Hill for months has begun to spill out into the public, heightening the attendance of business owners, citizens and lawyers at monthly meetings of South Hill Town Council. While largely operating at a mute level, the clash has drawn in Town Manager Kim Callis, Mayor Dean Marion, Chamber director Frank Malone, members of Town Council and leading town merchants, and it may have figured into the departures of two management-level town employees in recent months. A high-profile indication that conflict has seeped into the relationships of town leaders and citizens came in September, when a divided Town Council voted down, 4-3, a motion to censure Mayor Marion for interacting with town employees on personnel matters. Backers of the motion did not offer specifics on what prompted the aborted censure vote. Business owners are mostly not commenting about their motivations for attending monthly council meetings, and Callis says no one has voiced concerns to him in his role as town manager.
Mecklenburg Sun
Martinsville City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to begin the process of reversion. After a public hearing, this council finally took a step many of its predecessors long had pondered and tabled to deal with the city’s bleak financial footing. After hearing from former Mayors Barry Greene and Gene Teague, speaking in favor of reverting, and Commissioner of Revenue Ruth Easley, asking council to slow down and not act so hastily, everyone on council indicated it was time to start the process of becoming a town and part of Henry County. The legal firm retained to represent the city in the process presented the long-awaited studies showing Martinsville in dire need of affording itself of the financial relief reversion offers. The studies the council had requested had been kept out of the public’s hands throughout the process. They will be posted and available for the public and the media on Wednesday, Monday said.
Martinsville Bulletin
Winchester is one of just five school boards in Virginia that does not pay its members, but that may change. On Monday night, the Winchester School Board unanimously passed a resolution asking that its members each receive annual pay of no more than $4,500. Of the 133 school boards in Virginia, 128 receive some form of compensation. Winchester School Board members are currently appointed by City Council, but a referendum to switch to an elected body was approved by city voters in the Nov. 5 election. That created an opportunity to decide if the board wants to compensate its members.
The Winchester Star
The Warren County Board of Supervisors has opted to allow the incoming board, which will include three new members, to decide whether current and former Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority board members will be reimbursed with county money for their personal legal fees. On Monday night, the EDA board approved a resolution seeking $36,827 from the county to fund seven current and former board members’ legal fees related to their misdemeanor counts of misfeasance and nonfeasance, which were dismissed last month because the charges did not represent actual crimes. EDA Chairman Ed Daley previously explained that the resolution states that if the county will fund the legal fees, the EDA will pay for them.
The Northern Virginia Daily
The Williamsburg community can check in on the city’s progress on projects in a new software rolled out by staff on Monday. Using the new system, city staff presented how far its come on initiatives dealing with everything from transportation to environmental sustainability.
The Virginia Gazette
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“University of Michigan spokesperson Rick Fitzgerald said the University does not consider separation agreements including non-disparagement provisions to be non-disparagement agreements.”