By Ava Tallat-Kelpsa and Haley Stoltz
Voters in Goshen and Glasgow are casting ballots for town council in Tuesday’s general election, while incumbent Goshen Mayor Thomas McCraw is running unopposed for re-election.
Meanwhile, citizens in the Walker’s Creek district of Rockbridge County will be voting for a representative to fill a vacant seat on the county’s board of supervisors. Toria Brown is running unopposed for that seat, one she has been filling on an interim basis since Jay Lewis was found unqualified to serve in March after he didn’t take the oath of office.
In Glasgow, a group of residents recently filed a petition to oust Mayor Paul Williams. During the town council’s monthly meetings, the environment has turned hostile, according to Mary Beth Reynolds, the resident who filed the petition and is now waging a write-in campaign for town council. The petition failed and Williams is not up for re-election until next year.
Four candidates are on the ballot for three seats on Glasgow Town Council. Reynolds and another resident also have been campaigning as write-in candidates.
Natalie Harris, 63, an incumbent Glasgow Town Council member, said she is “always for the people” and will vote against her personal opinions if it means supporting the wishes of the community.
“I voted for the Dollar General and I didn’t want it there,” Harris said. “But the people wanted it, so I voted yes.”
Brandall Branch, an incumbent Glasgow Town Council member, said there have been six generations of his family who lived in Glasgow. He said he wants to raise awareness about drug problems in the town.
“I just want to see Glasgow be the place that I knew as my child, in my childhood,” Branch said. “It was a safe place for my children to be, and I care about my community.”
Incumbent town council member Marcie Hill is also on the ballot.
Newcomer Kris Springer, who works in technology, said he is seeking a seat on council because he believes the council needs to improve communication with residents.
“They need better ways to reach things out of town like through a newsletter or using the bulletin board,” Springer said.
There are at least two people running as write-in candidates for Glasgow Town Council. Reynolds, who filed the petition trying to oust Williams, said she is concerned about community projects that have lost funding, among other issues.
Another write-in candidate, Charles Gibbs, said he wants to fix the website and make information about the council and the town more easily accessible.
In Rockbridge, Brown, 39, is running unopposed to represent Walker’s Creek on the board of supervisors. Brown said she wants to help the county emphasize economic development in a way that preserves the rural nature of the area.
“How do you balance keeping our community rural and keeping our natural beauty and how do you keep the essence of what Rockbridge County is, but at the same time continue to grow and meet the needs of your population?” Brown said. “I feel like that all comes down to economic development and how can you help expand and grow the businesses we already have.”
In Goshen, residents will vote for mayor and for three positions on town council. There are four individuals running for three seats on council.
Incumbent Thomas McCraw, 76, is running unopposed for mayor. Incumbent council members Derrick Ogden, 45, Chris Robertson and Michael Hicks, 65, are looking to continue on council, while newcomer Jeff Shaffer, 69, is seeking a seat.
Shaffer also ran for town council in 2024 and lost.
In Buena Vista, William Kerr is running unopposed for a vacant city council seat. Kerr is currently serving as an interim council member.