City Council

July 31, 2018 Special Session Council Meeting A special session council meeting of the Council of the City of Martinsville, Virginia was held on July 31, 2018 in Council Chambers, Municipal Building, at 7:00 PM with Mayor Gene Teague presiding. Council Members present included Gene Teague, Jennifer Bowles Chad Martin and Kathy Lawson. Staff present included City Manager Leon Towarnicki, City Attorney Eric Monday, Assistant City Manager Wayne Knox, Police Chief Eddie Cassady, Police Deputy Police Chief Rob Fincher and Finance Director Linda Conover Mayor Teague called the meeting to order. Consider options for filling a vacant Council seat – City Attorney Eric Monday summarized a review of certain sections of the City Charter and State Code as related to the issue of filling a vacant Council seat. The Charter directs Council to fill the seat by a majority vote appointment within 30 days of the vacancy. Council Member Hodge resigned effective July 24, making the 30-day deadline to fill her vacant seat by August 23. This appointment would be to serve out Hodge’s remaining term ending December 31, 2020. If Council Members cannot agree on a candidate, they can petition the Circuit Court by August 8 for a special election to coincide with an upcoming general election, otherwise the special election would have to wait until the fall 2019. Each of the four Council Members discussed their position. Council Member Bowles stood firm in her preference to hold a special election to fill the vacancy. Teague, Lawson and Martin prefer to abide by the Charter and Council’s appointment to the vacancy. Council Member Lawson made a motion to begin the process for appointment to the vacant council seat and accept applications online, by mail, hand delivery, etc. no later than the close of business day on August 14, 2018 and to reveal and make public those names of applicants at the August 14, 2018 Council Meeting. Vice Mayor Martin seconded the motion with the following 3-1 roll call vote: Teague, aye; Martin, aye; Lawson, aye; and Bowles, nay. Council discussed holding a public hearing at the August 14, 2018 Council meeting to accept names and applications from citizens interested in serving on Council. City Attorney Monday stated that his office would handle the advertisement for the public hearing. Council agreed to set a special meeting for Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at 7:00pm for the purpose of reviewing candidates and possible interviews, but they will finalize details regarding the process at the August 14 Council meeting once they know how many candidates have applied. Mayor Teague explained that the public hearing would not be for anyone to bash any candidate and asked that anyone wanting to express his or her opinion do that privately with a Council Member. Vice Mayor Martin suggested residents July 31, 2018 Special Session Council Meeting visit the website to obtain contact information for Council Members if they would like to voice their opinions. There being no further business, Council Member Bowles made a motion to adjourn the meeting; the motion was seconded by Council Member Lawson with all Council Members voting in favor. The meeting adjourned at 7:30 pm. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Karen Roberts Gene Teague Clerk of Council Mayor