MARTINVILLE, Va. – After five decades of discussion, it’s finally official. The City of Martinsville will revert to a town within Henry County following majority approval of a memorandum of understanding by both sides.
Wednesday night’s joint meeting between the county board of supervisors and city council was one for the history books. But it’s not harmony just yet. A county staffer passed out fliers immediately following the adjournment of the meeting making their stance clear. The county could not stop reversion and it says that reversion is not a good deal for Henry County.
There’s still a long way to go but approving the MOU is a giant step forward. Martinsville Mayor Kathy Lawson said it’s a long time coming.
“This is just the beginning, but we’ll work through it and work out more details, this was a monumental evening,” Lawson said.
The process officially began in December 2019 and earlier this year the two met for two days of mediation. State law does not give Henry County a choice in the matter and board of supervisors chair Jim Adams said this was better than fighting it out in court.
“We’ve heard from other localities it can go multiple years and with that it still becomes an uncertainty,” Adams said.
Upon completion, city constitutional officers will no longer exist and the two school systems will consoldate among other changes, with county backed operations prevailing.
Martinsville City Council unanimously said yes, but the county board voted 4-2, with supervisors Debra Buchanan and Joe Bryant voting no.
“Our system is not big enough to house all this new stuff coming in, we can’t afford to take them in within without expanding ourselves, this is going to be adding expenses to the county,” Bryant said.
The plan agrees to a ten year delay on any future town annexation, eight years on top of what’s legally required. A special
The reversion needs approval by a panel of judges, and then can begin no sooner than six months following.
“People in the city are going to get a county tax and a town tax but the equal of those two will not be greater than what they’re currently paying,” Lawson said.
“If it will happen, when it will happen, how will it happen, I think tonight it will at least bring some things together and answer some questions,” Adams said.
A number of citizens attended the meeting, but were not allowed to speak. Both the city and county will host public hearings on the matter in the future.