Council candidates in their own words

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

A total of 17 candidates will appear on ballots for the May 6 town elections in Chilhowie, Marion and Saltville. Chilhowie’s four incumbents, Mayor Gary Heninger and council members Brady Skeen, Jeff Mash and James “Bo” Bonham, face no opposition to their re-election bids.
In Marion, four candidates seek three seats. Herb Clay and Jim Gates will seek re-election, but 16-year councilman Gene Hendrick chose not to run again. Jane Hale and Bill Weaver join the incumbents in seeking positions on Marion’s council. Mayor David Helms is unopposed.
In Saltville, eight candidates are on the ballot. Billy Whitely hopes to unseat mayor Jeff Campbell. Terms end this year for Sabrena Ison, Ron Orr and Bill Palmer, who is not seeking re-election after filling last year the vacancy left by the resignation of Craig Barbrow, who later died. Stanley M. “Rusty” Cahill, Dickie W. Dye, Leigh Ann Campbell Franklin, and Thomas W. Holley, seek to fill Palmer’s vacancy and unseat Orr and Ison.
The News & Messenger invited candidates in the Saltville and Marion contests to respond to a standard set of questions posed generally enough to give them room to craft answers and give voters insight into their philosophies and goals.
Here are profiles of the candidates, in their own words.

Marion
● Herb Clay, assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney, has served one term on council.
Why are you seeking election/reelection? In my first term some great things were started. These changes will have a significant impact on the economic development of Marion. I am seeking re-election so I may continue my efforts and to ensure that the economic changes come to fruition.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office? My greatest qualification to hold office is good old fashion “common sense.” I have used this God given ability to serve the people of Marion for the last four years. I feel that this ability has been beneficial in my efforts to find solutions to problems that have faced the town. Accordingly, it will also be used in the next four years to find solutions to those yet undefined problems.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? The town needs a more diversified commercial enterprise sector. This will assist our citizens in their efforts to find better paying jobs and create a large tax base. This will have the effect of reducing the tax burden on the everyday working citizen. As councilman, I can facilitate the relocation of business to this area by ensuring that the infrastructure meets the needs of a 21st century business.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? Marion’s greatest and biggest asset is its people. Without their inventiveness and hard working attitude, the growth that Marion has experienced would not have happened. I plan on supporting the people by helping to create an environment that stimulates their creativity and economic influence.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? I would like to change the public transportation system here in the town. With the increase in gas prices and the movement of stores to other locations, a lot of individuals will find it hard to get to those new locations. Thus, I would like to see the public transportation be used in a more efficient way. Great changes are coming to Marion and I want every citizen to enjoy those changes.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? Appropriate growth is growth which allows the community to take pride in its town while providing job and economic diversity. On the other hand, inappropriate growth is one where a single vision is created. Inappropriate growth is one that does not take into consideration the needs of the individual citizen. When there is no diversity stagnation sets in. Once stagnation has set in the community dies. It has been said that the “need of the many out weight the needs of the few or the one.” This is especially true when dealing with growth and development of a community.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? The best way to enhance and maintain growth is by providing a sound infrastructure for land owners and businesses. A good infrastructure is one of the keys for business and individuals in their decision to relocate to Marion.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Yes, preservation of the town’s historic resources is important. It needs to be part of any community development plan. However, maintaining historical resources needs to be done in a prudent and logical manner. The concerns of everyone and the impact of each individual needs to be considered in any historical development.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? My goal is to help the citizens of Marion to have a town they can be proud of and provide an avenue by which they can voice their likes and dislikes as to how their government is fairing.

● Dr. Jim Gates, a Marion dentist for 27 years, has served four terms on council.
Why are you seeking election/reelection? I am still excited about serving on Marion Town Council and there are still goals that I would like to be a part of helping the town achieve.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office? I am a good listener and willing to consider other people’s ideas on different issues. I have been able to help facilitate the many decisions town council must make and am always sensitive to the needs of our town citizens.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? Our town council must continue to be aware of the needs of both our large corporate industry and our small business owners. I have been a supporter of downtown Marion and am proud of its continued growth. With the new courthouse expansion we are working with the county to address the need for additional downtown parking. Also, I still would like to see Marion have a recreation center which would allow our recreation department to have its own facility or partner with the county. As funding allows, I hope this will become a reality.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? In the future tourism will play a greater role in downtown growth. The Lincoln Theatre, with its quality programming and its nationally known Song of the Mountains, has encouraged the growth of other downtown businesses. I have been a firm supporter of the Lincoln Theatre and have served on its board. I have also supported new downtown programs such as the soon to come Museum of Country Music and the Farmer’s Market.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? Over the years we have realized that a number of people who work in our town and county do not live here. The town has worked towards new housing areas and will continue to do so. I would like to see more of our young people be able to find attractive, stable jobs in our community so they can live, raise their families and contribute to the life of our community. 
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? Growth that is well-planned and benefits the community is of primary concern to our town. With the increased cost of gasoline and the nation-wide emphasis on conserving our natural resources, it will be imperative to provide services as close to home as possible. The town has worked with Mountain States Alliance as they propose the building of a new state of the art health care facility. We are also currently working with a developer to provide increased shopping nearby.  With new growth the possibility exists that current facilities could become vacant and we are continuing to address this problem. While I want Marion to maintain its unique character, I also want our town to provide the same services as adjoining communities.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? The Town of Marion continues to offer tax incentives for downtown historical preservation and I have supported these programs.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Currently, I have supported the town’s decision to study the best possible uses of the county’s old school building. As the consultants provide reports, we will make informed decisions that meet the needs of the citizens of the Town of Marion.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? After college and serving four years in the United States Navy, I chose to come back to Marion to establish my dental practice and raise my family. I am honored to have served the town of Marion for 16 years and I have taken this responsibility seriously. I will continue to make honest, informed decisions if re-elected.

● Carol Jane Hale, a social worker helping with aged and disabled adults:
Why are you seeking election/reelection? I was born and raised in Marion. This is my hometown and I want to be involved in the town where my children live and hopefully the town where they will raise their family.
What do see as your qualifications to hold public office? In my career of over 30 years with Smyth County Social Services I have the experience of knowing how to gather information and look at the facts in order to make informed decisions that impact the lives of families and individuals; sometimes having to make difficult and tough decisions. Throughout my employment I have worked with a broad base of individuals and have been a good listener as well as someone who can communicate back with people at many different levels.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? I feel the town needs to assess its current work force and if there are shortages in areas due to the lack of skilled personal or persons retiring, we need to be prepared to offer the training necessary to get the positions filled. We need to work with the school system and the community college system to identify our current and future skill needs to make sure we have a skilled workforce. I believe the town needs to address our youth and make sure that there are safe places for them to spend time. An idea is to develop a park that would be appropriate for the youth and families, a place were youth could ride their skateboards, listen to their music, feel safe and their parents could be involved in monitoring the young people’s time and activities.
What are you town’s assets and how do you propose to support them?  Some of the town’s assets are the small town environment that lets you know your neighbor, the downtown atmosphere and the historic distinction associated with it. The beauty of the town and county and its potential for growth due to its location and quality of life are truly an asset. I will work with council on preserving the assets already established and work on exploring the many other assets yet not discovered and/or developed.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do and why?  If I could change anything about my town it would be to get more people involved in what is going on in their town. I would get more people involved by holding Town Hall meetings, asking the people what is important to them and what they are willing to do to make it happen. I would try to get town council meetings available on TV-3 or PBS or local radio stations; that way people could have different ways of knowing what is going on.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate?  I believe the housing developments that target a mixed income bracket are appropriate. Recreation facilities that offer something for all ages would enhance our town. I also support businesses that offer potential for advancement, a decent wage and support systems for families (child care – flex work hours). I believe that businesses that do not support our quality of life and family values would be inappropriate. I also believe that we should not encourage growth that will impact our environment and beautiful green areas.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? I believe the council should conduct a study of what kind of growth would be best for the town with input from the citizens. Then a plan could be developed to address the results of the study, so that we can plan current and future growth, and avoid unwanted growth.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Yes, the preservation of my town’s historic resources is important as it can be shared with younger generations. Also the historic distinction opens up other resources/grants to support our town. Tourism can be promoted which helps to increase the revenue coming into the community which in turn helps the job market. Our historic resources are important assets.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you?  The most important thing for voters to know about me is that I will listen to their concerns. I will follow up and provide them with feedback even if the feedback is not what they want to hear. I believe that being the person that I am, that I will bring a different and unique point of view to the council.

● Bill Weaver, human resources manager with Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co.:
Why are you seeking election/reelection? I was born in Marion and have lived here my entire life. I could have moved away after college, but I love it here. I want to be part of the leadership that will guide Marion’s growth and progress in the future.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office?
I have lived in Marion for 55 years. I have been married to my loving wife, Barbara, for over 31 years and together we raised two sons, Benjamin and Matt. I have a broad background of work experience: accounting, purchasing, computers, production management, human resources, steel and concrete construction, youth pastor, stock broker, and even one summer with the USDA. I have also previously served on the town’s planning commission.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? Our town needs more housing. As we attract new businesses, jobs and tourism to Marion, we don’t want those new people and our own children to have to live in Chilhowie or Abingdon. This new housing will not only increase our tax base but will give Marion new citizens with all kinds of abilities. We can develop a program to get developers to build more housing in Marion and provide some incentives to land owners to develop their properties.  We also need to continue to refurbish and grow our downtown district. We could do this by providing more assistance and promoting more events to attract more people into the downtown district.  Our town also needs to promote more business growth at our interstate exits. We have a huge market of people that drive by Marion every day.  We need to develop more programs to attract those drivers to stop here.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? Marion’s greatest assets are its citizens, the people who live here. Marion is a great place to live and to raise your children.  We all need to take a more active role in protecting and encouraging our way of life here. That’s why I am running for this office.  Also, our downtown district is a wonderful asset that we all need to support and use. Our town’s businesses currently offer a lot of different experiences. Our citizens should frequent them and we need to draw those living outside of town to come into town more often. Another asset is that along with having good water and good roads, our town has a very functional infrastructure, all being managed by a very capable and experienced group of town employees. They are a big asset and do a super job every day. 
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? The property owners backed out on the deal to develop and sell housing lots on the Callan property in town. If I could change anything, I would work with our town’s leadership to find a way to develop this property and provide Marion with a lot of new growth potential. This new influx of homes would provide Marion with new people with many abilities, new business growth, more tax base, more jobs, etc., and more upward spiral would result.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? Appropriate growth for Marion would be a 3-5% increase in our population each year or new housing to begin on the Callan property. Inappropriate growth would be businesses moving out of town or an increase in our low crime rates or our current trend of having fewer citizens in our censuses every ten years.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? In addition to what our town is already doing many things to enhance appropriate growth, I would encourage our town leaders to re-evaluate our one-year, three-year, five-year, and ten-year goals for growth. We could look at how other towns with similar situations overcame their problems and use this to help us maintain long term growth while minimizing unwanted development.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Preservation of our town’s historical resources is important. We should enlarge our museum and, if possible, revamp some historical buildings for our citizens to visit and also to promote as part of Marion’s tourism program. Marion has a rich and unique historical record that we all would enjoy visiting.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? I am not a politician. I am a real person who grew up here and enjoys living here. I do not have a personal agenda and I will do my best to serve the citizens of Marion to the best of my abilities. I will work hard to help guide our town in the right direction.

Saltville
Mayor
● Jeffrey Campbell has served two terms as mayor and has six years’ prior service on the council.

Why are you seeking election/reelection? I am particularly interested in continuing the progression we have managed to enjoy over the past four or five years. When I was first elected mayor in 2004, we had only one of the five buildings suitable for industry occupied. Now, all of their buildings have been filled by high quality employers with tremendous employment potential. The actual job creation has been greater than 200 to present. The economic benefits to the commercial and retail sectors in town have been obvious. What was once a veritable ghost town now has nearly all buildings filled with merchants of some capacity. I only expect this to grow into the future as these fledgling industries ramp up production.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office? My background and experience in the business, industrial, political and legal venues give me a broad perspective of all of the challenges that the town faces in the ongoing economic redevelopment.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? When I became mayor in 2004, I believed that the town needed to seek broad diversification in its economic redevelopment. Firstly, we needed to recruit industry to create job opportunities for our existing citizens and to recruit new ones. Secondly, I believed we needed to jump start the tourism potential that so many have spoken of for so many years. With the creation of the Salt Trail and the addition of the new wave pool, I believe we have added two critical attractions to complement the Museum of the Middle Appalachians and our natural eco-tourism assets. People now have a reason to come to Saltville and stay for awhile. That is critical to their spending money in town which obviously translates into a stronger local economy. Lastly, we need to address new housing creation in Saltville. By identifying and negotiating with potential developers, we have laid the groundwork for new housing subdivisions which will improve the tax base, increase enrollment in the local schools and further churn the local economy. Keeping strong enrollment in the schools is of particular concern to me since the voices of consolidation seem to be getting louder and louder each passing day. We need to do whatever is necessary to keep our high school here in Saltville.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? Our town’s greatest asset is its people. I believe you say that about any community. We must commit ourselves to providing good jobs, good housing, and recreational opportunities for our citizens. I believe every time we spend a tax dollar there should be some correlation to the betterment of the citizens’ lives.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? I believe actions speak louder than words. For many years I heard the government talk and talk and talk about redevelopment. Not much was really accomplished. We have made some tough decisions and spent some money in our redevelopment. We have converted some stagnant assets into what we hope will be revenue producing assets in the near future. There has been noticeable change in Saltville in the past four years. We cannot erase the prior 30 years of a history of the government’s fear to invest. We can only move forward with a strong belief that what we are doing will make future generations better. Change can only occur prospectively and I personally believe that process has already been set in motion.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? Appropriate growth would be that which creates occupational, educational or social opportunity for our families. Inappropriate growth would be that which would not result in a net positive for the citizens from a cost-benefit analysis.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? I think that the town should always weigh the benefit to the citizens when considering whether growth is appropriate or inappropriate. This can sometimes be a particularly difficult thing to do, requiring the elected official to gaze into a crystal ball, metaphorically speaking. Certainly, proper use of the zoning ordinance can be a tool to control growth. However, the ordinance is only a tool and not the end-all, be-all. A real life example of this would be some resent proposed rezonings. When consistent with the town’s overall plan of redevelopment and when the potential benefit to the public is clear, rezoning should be pursued.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Preservation of the town’s historic resources should be given high weight when making decisions on growth and maintenance. As I said before, I see tourism as being a vital part of Saltville’s economic diversification. Allowing those assets to erode away or be swallowed up by growth would be counterproductive to my overall plan.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? I have lived here nearly all my life and would wish to live nowhere else on Earth. I always hear our children commenting about how they can’t wait to graduate so they can move to the city. I have been to nearly every major city in America. I can only say that I do not want my children to flee there to raise my grandchildren. We must commit whatever resources are available to ensuring our children remain here at home. Saltville really is a wonderful place to raise a family. We have problems just like every other place on Earth. Those problems can be addresses and cured with a thoughtful commitment of time and prayer. We must only have the courage and belief in our maker that he will deliver to us what we need.

● Billy Craig Whitely does not hold a job because of disability. 
Why are you seeking election? I would like to help the young people in Saltville because they don’t have anything for them. I would also like to help the senior citizens of Saltville because I don’t think that they know what is going on in our town!
In my belief the people in Saltville should have the right to say yes or no to the wave pool. In my opinion there are too many closed sessions within the town council.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold office?  I have been president for the Allison’s Gap Ruritan Club and also Zone governor for the Southwest Virginia
Ruritan. I am now President of the Saltville Ruritan Club. I am the financial advisor for the cabinet of Southwest Ruritan. I graduated from R.B. Worthy High School in 1971. In the year 1972, I served as scoutmaster of troop 19.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them?  I believe that the town of Saltville needs a YMCA for the young people. If not a YMCA then a health club so that anyone no matter what the age can come and enjoy themselves. I think that there should be more industries brought into this town. I think that the town council and the mayor should work together for a better life for the citizens of Saltville.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? The Labor Day Celebration brings in a lot of people that grew up in Saltville as well as a lot of visitors. I think the town of Saltville should be behind this event 100%. The annual Fish-A-Ree for the children is supported by the town.  Saltville has a great Civil War history and this should be supported by everyone. The museum that is in Saltville is a great asset, and also needs the town’s support. I will support all the assets of Saltville and anymore good ideas that the people of Saltville have.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? There would be a lot less closed sessions in the town council meetings. The people would have a vote and more say so in what goes on in their town!
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inapproriate?  The town of Saltville needs more jobs for the people that live here. Too many people are saying bad things about Saltville and to many rumors are spreading that are untrue. This needs to stop. This should be a town that the people can be proud of and join together for a better life for everyone, young and old.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long tern, and inhibit unwanted development? The people of Saltville have the right to know what is going on in their town. Proper studies should be conducted by the right people in order to supervise the growth of our town.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not?  As I have said before the town of Saltville has a great history from the Civil War all the way back to the mammoths. The history of Saltville should be protected and kept as a big part of every citizen’s past as well as its future.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? I am married to the former Linda Whitely. I have one daughter, Tina Hogston, and she is married to Big Mike Hogston. I am proud of my granddaughter, Marina Hogston. I am a member of the Wytheville Moose Lodge 394. I was born and raised in McCready’s Gap and attended McCready United Methodist Church. I ask that you come out and support me for mayor of Saltville May 6, 2008.

Council
● Stanley M. “Rusty” Cahill has been a graphics artist since 1978, but currently is disabled.
Why are you seeking election? I want to see Saltville keep progressing in a positive way.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office? This is my 16th year as a member of the Saltville Industrial Development Authority. I was part of the committee that successfully negotiated the contract between Virginia Gas Co. (now Spectra Energy), and the Town of Saltville. I assisted in negotiating the contract between United Salt Co. and the Town of Saltville. I also helped rewrite the Town of Saltville’s Enterprise Zone program.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? The town has numerous needs including, but not limited to, good drinking water. Every true need is a serious issue. I propose to examine each need on a case by case issue, and approach it with a common sense outlook, balancing need versus what the citizens of Saltville can afford.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? The Town of Saltville has a lot of physical assets, but the biggest asset of all is its citizens! I would like to help develop enough employment and housing to keep Saltville’s citizens from being forced to leave town to seek employment or a place to live. If elected, I will work toward that goal.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? There is not much I would change about Saltville. I love it! The one thing I would change is to bring the rates for public services, like water and sewer, back in line with what the citizens can afford. Saltville has a lot of under-employed, low income, and fixed income families and with prices of everything going up, it hurts them to have to pay higher utility bills. If elected, I would only be one vote, but I would try to help our citizens.
What are the appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? Appropriate growth, would be industry that would locate here for the long term. Or education that will assist our youth and adult citizens cope with the future, as well as today’s issues. Good housing is an appropriate growth. Inappropriate growth would be an industry that does major harm to the environment, because if it harms the environment, it ultimately harms your citizens.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? The days of industry begging to locate in your town are over. Towns have to actively recruit industry now. These responsibilities lie with your town government. That is why people should try to elect a council and mayor they believe are capable of safe guarding the town’s best interests. These government officials need to be able to decide what is and isn’t appropriate for the town.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Preserving Saltville’s historic resources is important to me, because a lot of our history has already disappeared. But you have to approach this issue with a little discretion. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a little to gain a lot. It is a delicate balance.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? I am always willing to discuss any issue, and if elected, I will always vote what I think is best for everybody in Saltville.

● Dickie Dye retired after working 22 years as a supervisor with U.S. Gypsum.
Why are you seeking election/reelection? To help the needs of the town and people.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office? Management skill set and problem solver.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? Install fiscal responsibility back to town government.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? The new industries in town, Saltville historic sites, Little League sports and the employees of the town.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? Make sure the people have activity in what is going on in town government, newsletter per week of what’s happening in town.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? New homes and new site for industry – clear cutting of timber.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? Do three year, five year and 10 year planning for the goal that would keep the town growing.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Yes! I think the town needs to make sure that all sites are accessible for the tourists that visit our town.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? Lived in Saltville all my life. Been on the Saltville Industrial Development Authority and committees since 1977. I would like to serve the people on the town council.

● Leigh Ann Campbell Franklin is a special education teacher for Smyth County Public Schools.
Why are you seeking election/reelection? The town of Saltville is rapidly undergoing several positive key changes such as the town revitalization and the wave pool. I am excited about these changes and want to be an integral part into the progression of Saltville’s future.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office? I have a BA in education from Emory & Henry, and an MS in special education from ODU. I am also the community relations coordinator for the NHS Band Boosters, and recently joined the SIDA (Saltville Industrial Development Authority).
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to support them? Our town needs to attract industry that will bring jobs in for our dedicated work force. The people of Saltville have a strong work ethic and are willing to work. We just need a few more jobs. Support will come from being informed by SIDA of any industries that have interest in our town.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? Saltville has many assets. Our town’s willingness to attract industry, the work force and work ethic of the town’s people, and our location in relation to the interstate are all important. Our cultural identity of who we are—the Museum of the Middle Appalachian and our Civil War reenactments—is important to the town.  Once again, support will come from the SIDA with information about possible industries that have an interest in our town.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do? I would like to change the town’s attitude that there is nothing to do here. Our town is undergoing some very important changes—the town revitalization program, the wave pool, the new walking trail-- and with change comes a chance. The town needs to capitalize on these changes and the chance to further build the tourism base which will attract more people into our town. The new tourist base could allow Saltville to develop more areas of growth (businesses) which might allow our young people to want to stay in Saltville. We need to focus on what is important for our youth and find outlets for them.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? I believe that economic growth is the most important growth, but educational, spiritual and cultural growth are all important areas of growth for our town.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? We need to focus on industry that will bring jobs into our area. We all need to realize that growth in Saltville is growth in Smyth County and vice versa.  To inhibit unwanted development we need to focus our attention through the selection of the SIDA and the appropriateness of the town’s ordinances that are already in place. The constant recruitment of industry into Saltville or Smyth County will help to maintain growth for the long term.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Saltville has a rich history and our Museum of the Middle Appalachians does a fantastic job in displaying this history. From the ancient sea beds, woolly mammoths, Native Americans, the Civil War, and the importance of salt, have all played a major part in the town’s history.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? I have a deep love of Saltville. I don’t settle for mediocrity. I want to do it and do it right. I may not have all the right answers, but I will do my best to represent the people of Saltville on the issues that will most benefit our community. The people will know where I stand as I won’t flip flop on issues.

● Thomas W. “Tom” Holley worked for Westinghouse Electric until the plant closed. He formerly served on council, filling a vacancy left by Garland Parks’ death.
Why are you seeking election? I am seeking election to be a voice for all the citizens of Saltville, and to listen and offer fair and honest representation to all the citizens. I want to keep water, sewer, garbage pick up as low as possible for handicapped, low income, and senior citizens. I want to get control of outrageous spending in town, for example the wave pool.
What do you see as your qualifications to hold public office? I was appointed to fill the remaining term of Councilman Garland Parks that was approximately three years. I helped to locate Global Contact Services in Saltville.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? The town needs to take advantage of warranties it has on purchased equipment, and to hold contractors accountable for work they perform for the town. The town needs to recruit more industry and help our existing businesses grow. The more industry the town has, the bigger the tax base is, which means the town can keep taxes on its citizens lower.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? The work ethics of the Saltville citizens is one of the town’s best assets. It is top notch! Saltville’s history is another asset. I propose that the town outline its priorities and start a development plan. But to do so, the town needs to start at the beginning instead of the middle of any such projects.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? The town needs to be more open about the town’s business. I propose to move to a more open form of government, and keep the citizens more informed. If elected, I would try to do that.
What are appropriate forms of growth for your town? Inappropriate? The hiking/biking trail is a good example of appropriate growth. The town needs to develop an infrastructure that goes along with tourism. Things like an additional motel, adequate sidewalks, and paving. We need industries that provide a wide range of jobs so that all of our citizens can find employment. Inappropriate growth would be business and industries that come to Saltville, take as many grants and tax breaks as possible, then leave. That hurts the town.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? First, the town needs to work with the museum to promote tourism. The town needs to recruit industry that is good for the town and will stay for the long term. The town also needs to place responsible citizens on its committees and boards. These committees and boards help determine what is and what isn’t appropriate.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not?
Saltville is rich in history and we should be proud of that. Being the largest supplier of salt to the Confederacy is what makes Saltville the “Salt Capitol of the Confederacy.” The Civil War is only part of Saltville’s legacy. We represent everything from early man to rocket fuel that launched man to the moon the very first time. It is all important.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you?
I was raised to be fair and honest. All of Saltville’s citizens will be treated equally and with respect. I am a Vietnam veteran, having served in the U. S. Army, and I have a son named Michael that lives with me.

● Sabrena Ison has served one term on council.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? Our town needs more housing. With all the land that the town owns we as representatives are looking for the best location to start a new subdivision. So when industry comes in we have places for the people to live.
What are your town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? We have many historical areas, prehistoric and history in our town. The museum is great and our bird trail can not be beat. Labor Day is a treasure that many always look forward to, the celebration and socializing.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do, and why? I think change is something that can not be done all at once but gradually, people have to adjust to change and some citizen may not do it willingly. That is why it is important to do things gradually. The downtown revitalization is happen and is going to be a great change, but we will adapt to the change.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? Industry is important to have jobs that people would not have to travel so far to work and enjoy the lovely town we live in. Housing so when industry arrives there are places to live. Inappropriate would come in when you have to destroy your history and historical sites for growth. The discussions should be made to go around the historical sites.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? The town and it citizens need to use their rezoning laws to enhance appropriate growth and to inhibit its unwanted development.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Yes, it is. It is important because it makes the town what it has become. It is also important for us to share and make known the wealth we have in Saltville. The history and information is endless.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you? I am honest, truthful and a very caring people. I care what becomes of the Town of Saltville.

● Ronald S. Orr has been a project engineer at General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products in Marion since 1976. He has served one term on council.
Why are you seeking election/reelection? During my first term on the town council, I have learned what is required to be a good representative of the people who entrusted me to make the daily decisions for our town by selecting me to be one of their representatives in 2004. I would like to use this knowledge to continue my service to our town to make the decisions that are in the best interest of our community.
What do you see as your qualification to hold public office? I feel that my background in a business environment that deals with multi-million-dollar programs provides essential knowledge that is necessary to understand the needs to the town’s citizens and to provide for those needs in the most economical way. My experience in working directly with the customers provides the basis for a sound business mentality that assists in dealing with the day-to-day business that must be transacted for the town.
What are your town’s needs and how do you propose to respond to them? The major need for our town is employment opportunities that will provide a place to work for our citizens and a means of keeping our younger citizens from having to leave to find good paying employment. I intend to continue to work with the SIDA and the town council to assist our current employers to grow their businesses to afford this opportunity as well as recruit new employers to locate in our community.
What are the town’s assets and how do you propose to support them? The town’s biggest asset is the abundance of scenic, historical and scientific attractions that are located in the area. I will work diligently to develop tourism to bring visitors to these attractions. This effort will involve working close with the respective local organizations to ensure that such attractions are made available and manned to support the tourism activity. I will continue to pursue the completion of the Salt Trail from Saltville to Glade Springs so that our citizens and visitors can utilize this wonderful recreational venue. I will also work closely with the Museum of the Middle Appalachians and East Tennessee State University to ensure that the scientific excavation continues in the well fields with the hopes of discovering artifacts that will bring the scientific community to our area.
If you could change anything about your town, what would it be, what specifically would you do and why? The one thing that I would like to change about our town would be to achieve the involvement of the majority of our citizens in the day-to-day operation of our town. Currently the majority of the citizens do not become involved until a particular decision has been made and then their involvement is an expression of their dissatisfaction of the decision that was made. My involvement in this process would be the determination of which citizens are willing to participate, providing such names to the elected officials for possible committee assignments and then work with those individuals to ensure that their concerns are addressed. By involving more of the citizens, the rationale for the various decisions that must be made would include input from a broader segment of the population and thus be more prone for acceptance.
What are appropriate kinds of growth for your town? Inappropriate? Appropriate kinds of growth for out town is growing our current businesses and/or recruiting new businesses as well development of tourism related businesses in conjunction with development of the Civil War attractions that are within our community. In addition to business development, development of affordable housing is essential to make our community a viable choice for our current and new citizens. Inappropriate development within our community would be any entity that would destroy the area’s many scenic, historical or scientific attractions.
What do you think the town should do to enhance appropriate growth and maintain growth for the long term, and inhibit unwanted development? The town should encourage each of its businesses to increase their business and provide assistance and guidance to promote such growth. The town should work with the businesses to grow in a manner that is friendly to our community and promote cooperation to ensure that damage to the environment and historical/scientific venues are minimized.
Is preservation of your town’s historic resources important and why or why not? Preservation of our town’s historic resources is extremely important to our community. The quantity and quality of these resources available in Saltville will play a vital role in the future of our town as tourism begins to play a major role. Development of a plan for preservation of these resources is underway and the town needs to work diligently to secure funding to develop these resources so that our town will become a tourist venue for years to come.
What is the most important thing voters should know about you?
I do not nor will I ever have an agenda other than to do what I believe is best for the citizens of the Town of Saltville. I am also not afraid to voice my opinion when I feel that actions are being considered that are contrary to what I believe is in the best interest of the citizens of the Town of Saltville.