In Virginia, town councils are elected leaders charged with overseeing town government. They have the power to set tax rates, make zoning decisions that determine how land can be used, oversee local emergency services and much more.

The Town of Mineral has six council members and a mayor elected to four-year terms. This year, seven candidates are running for six open seats on Town Council. Michelle Covert, Rebecca McGehee and Afton Von Tye are incumbents, challenged by Christopher Dillard, Maggie Larson, Cara Lundgren-Stowe and C. Blair Nipper. 

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire for the candidates based on responses we received from our voter survey. Five candidates — Dillard, Larson, Lundgren-Stowe, Nipper and McGehee — provided answers below, published in the order they were received. 

The future of the town

For the second time in five years, some Mineral leaders are considering giving up the town’s charter and dissolving into Louisa County. According to reporting from Engage Louisa, Mayor Pam Harlowe raised the idea again this summer, amid serious turmoil. Council failed to pass a full annual budget; fired and then tried to rehire the Town Manager Nicole Washington; Washington then sued the town; and, separately, the town’s treasurer resigned, citing a “hostile and toxic work environment.” If the process goes forward, and residents ultimately vote to approve it, Mineral would stop existing as an independent town. Where do you stand on this? If you’re against it, what do you think needs to change to keep the town going?

Christopher Dillard: I think there are pros and cons to this the pros are a higher budget and more oversight into projects like water for example which we have struggled with for quite some time, the cons however lean more into the oversight side as well, there will be more hopes to go through to achieve our desired outcome as a community than it would be if it were up to a smaller group. The concerns and betterment of our community deserve to be handled by our community.

Maggie Larson: I do not support giving up Mineral’s charter. Our town has a long history, a distinct identity, and the ability to shape its own future through local government. I believe we should build on those strengths rather than give up the opportunity to govern ourselves. Keeping Mineral strong will require collaborative leadership and a renewed commitment to public service. We need to prioritize the basic responsibilities of town government, communicate transparently with residents, work effectively with town staff, and focus our energy on the issues that will shape Mineral’s future. I believe the answer to challenges isn’t to abandon the town. I want to help build a town that honors its past, serves its residents well today, and is prepared for the generations who come next. We owe it to the people who built this community to carry that work forward, even when things get difficult.

Cara Lundgren-Stowe: I do not support revoking the charter. As the question mentions, Mineral’s Council meetings have been tumultuous as of late however I think this election gives the town a chance to put that behind us and start fresh with a new Council who is able to focus on the issues of revitalizing our current well, creating a new well, increasing pedestrian infrastructure, and fostering the healthy growth of Mineral’s economy. As for what needs to happen to “keep the town going”, I think that we need to increase the citizenry’s awareness of what happens in Mineral Council meetings and therefore increase their trust in the Town Council. In order to do this I would use our towns Facebook page to publish more comprehensible and “reader friendly” summaries of the Town Council’s actions as well as begin work on a town newsletter to keep the citizenry engaged.

C. Blair Nipper: I strongly oppose dissolving the Town of Mineral. Our town has a rich history, a unique identity, and tremendous potential. We should not surrender our independence because of political disagreements, poor leadership, or administrative failures. What Mineral needs is accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility, and elected officials willing to put the community ahead of personal agendas. We need a balanced budget, clear policies, professional management, improved infrastructure, and a long-term economic development plan that encourages businesses, tourism, and community involvement. Our elected officials must work together, respect the Town Charter, follow Virginia law, and remember whom they serve. Dissolution is not a solution to leadership problems; it is giving up on the people who call Mineral home. The answer is to fix what is broken, rebuild public trust, and create a stronger, more sustainable future for Mineral.

Rebecca “Becky” McGehee: No way I want the town to dissolve. This was just a way the mayor and David Hempstead were trying to do because they were not getting their way.* There was no way I was going to vote for the budget in June where the mayor was trying to cut salaries and no raises.** Some of the changes that needed to be made have been made. We hired Nicole Washington back for good this time.*** She has done an amazing job in the past two months. Our town had hit rock bottom. Bills were not being done with the exception of the lawyer bill. And that bill was not approved by Council and some charges are very questionable.**** We also lost our treasurer during the time the mayor was acting as town manager because of some questionable action.*****

Michelle Covert: The recent suggestion to dissolve our charter was advocated by only two members of Council, one of whom resigned and the mayor, who has completely quit participating in all Town Council meetings and functions.* I believe abandoning our town should never be a reflex to turmoil or the actions of a few individuals. Mineral has shown repeatedly that when disruptive behavior is removed from the equation, Council can function lawfully, transparently, and productively. What must change is simple: adherence to process, respect for roles, transparency and commitment to professional governance. We must maintain administrative stability, finalize budgets on time, and ensure employees are treated with dignity. Charter revocation is a permanent decision; instability is temporary. With responsible leadership, Mineral can continue governing itself and serving its residents.

*Editor’s note: Reporting from the Central Virginian and the Daily Progress found Mayor Pamela Harlowe and Councilor David Hempstead proposed dissolving the town charter. Town Council minutes show that Hempstead submitted his resignation on Aug. 5. The Daily Progress and the local news substack Engage Louisa report Harlowe has not attended the last several Town Council meetings. 

Afton Von Tye: Did not respond.

Council relationships: 

Given the high turnover and turmoil among the town leaders, if the town continues, what steps would you support to strengthen relationships between town council members and prevent burnout among local leaders?

Dillard: These people are our neighbors and members of our community, regardless of circumstance I am still neutral and on good terms with all of them. Having met other candidates I have confidence that we can all get along and work together on common goals and problems cohesively. Things that happened in the past can stay in the past. I’m more interested in our future and what is best for all of us. If we want better water, better parks, and more things for all of us to do then I can easily communicate and coordinate that with members of Council and vendors to give us all what we need to thrive and take pride in our community.

Larson: I believe strong relationships on Council start with a shared commitment to professionalism, respect, and working toward the best interests of Mineral. Council members will not always agree, but disagreement does not have to prevent us from working together effectively. I would also like to see our committees become a more meaningful part of how the town operates.* Giving Council members clear responsibilities and projects to work on together creates opportunities to build relationships outside of formal Council meetings while also getting important work accomplished. It allows members to bring different perspectives to the same projects and share responsibility for moving them forward. Overall, clearly defined responsibilities and better use of committees can help prevent burnout by distributing the workload rather than allowing too much responsibility to fall on a few people.

*Editor’s note: Mineral’s town committees are listed on its website. 

Lundgren-Stowe: I think that at the beginning of the year the new Council will need to state and affirm the obvious, that as Council members our job is to serve the people of Mineral. Any personal disagreements between Council members are not to come into play. With that central goal in mind, we should be able to take the procedural actions necessary to ensure that Mineral’s citizens get what they pay for from the town and work with the local and state government’s bureaucracies to increase the services we can provide our residents. In order to prevent burnout, I would encourage the creation of additional commissions (with Council liaisons there to ensure actions advised can be taken) to delegate planning to members of our community who wish to be involved thus lessening the overall burden on Council members themselves.

Nipper: Strong leadership begins with mutual respect, accountability, professionalism, and a shared commitment to serving Mineral’s residents. Personal disagreements should never interfere with the town’s ability to conduct business. I would support establishing clear roles and responsibilities, regular Council work sessions, annual training through the Virginia Municipal League,* and a formal code of conduct emphasizing respectful communication and ethical decision-making. To prevent burnout, we must distribute responsibilities fairly, establish effective committees, provide adequate administrative support, and ensure elected officials and town employees are not overwhelmed by unrealistic expectations. I also believe Council members must communicate openly, address disagreements constructively, and respect decisions made by the governing body, even when they personally disagree. Most importantly, accountability must apply equally to everyone. Serving on Town Council is a responsibility, not a personal platform. Our residents deserve leaders who show up, work together, and put Mineral’s future first.

* Editor’s note: The Virginia Municipal League is a nonprofit association of local governments. According to its website, it assists town, city and county governments “through legislative advocacy, research, education and other services.” 

McGehee: Hopefully going forward we will have a Council that works together.

Covert: To strengthen Council relationships, we must restore norms of professionalism and civility. We have made noticeable progress in that direction since July. That begins with clear procedural expectations, consistent enforcement of meeting rules, and structured communication practices that prevent surprises and reduce conflict. Regular work sessions, joint training on municipal governance, and defined boundaries for individual authority would help rebuild trust. Supporting leaders and senior staff also means preventing burnout—ensuring workloads are reasonable, staff roles are respected, and no single member is forced to compensate for or be the object of dysfunction or hostility. A stable, respectful environment in the Town Hall, the Town Meetings and the community is essential for effective service in our Town.

Von Tye: Did not respond.

Town finances: 

This year’s budget standoff showed disagreements among Council members on how the town should spend its money. With money tight, what would you prioritize funding, and what would you be willing to cut or delay to pay for it?

Dillard: That is a great question, water is top of the list and has been for a while, Nicole* is honestly really good at budgeting and has a lot of formal education in this matter and I have the trade and vendor knowledge to parallel that in a way where I believe we can come up with a permanent solution and not a Band-Aid. This is a high velocity problem that needs a high velocity response and as far as cutting things out of the budget it won’t happen. We can secure the funds we need to fix/replace our wells without sacrificing anything. We also have a lot of great town employees that deserve a raise — big shout out to them — and I want to encourage new faces to apply to positions that benefit us all as well.

*Editor’s note: Nicole Washington is Mineral’s Town Manager. 

Larson: With limited funds, my first priority would be water infrastructure. Reliable water is essential to our residents and to Mineral’s ability to support future growth. Pedestrian infrastructure would be a close second, particularly improvements that make our streets and downtown safer and more connected. I am hesitant to name specific cuts without first reviewing the entire budget and understanding what each expenditure accomplishes. Where necessary, I would prioritize essential services and projects with the greatest long-term benefit while delaying projects and expenses that are less urgent. I also believe that responsible investment is necessary for a town to become financially stronger. We need to invest in the infrastructure and people necessary to make Mineral more functional, attractive, and economically productive. I would rather see us make thoughtful investments that strengthen our tax base and create opportunities for future revenue than simply cut our way to a smaller budget.

Lundgren-Stowe: At this point in time, maintaining the services Mineral provides its citizens is of the utmost priority and that cannot be done without a staff. To that end, making sure our staff is paid fairly so that we can retain them, keeping our trash pick up, and keeping our water infrastructure maintained are areas of priority funding for me. After that, the obvious next goal is to expand our water infrastructure.* Goals that will have to be worked into the budget over time or partially funded using grants are things such as expanding pedestrian infrastructure and expanding sewage access. To be clear, I think these goals can be done, but it will take well timed and well managed actions to get the grants written according to the long term plans of larger and higher government agencies many of whom operate under multi year plans.

*Editor’s note: Town of Mineral currently relies on one well, Well #4, for the town’s water supply, with the rest purchased from Louisa County. The draft Capital Improvements Plan for Mineral says that “existing local water production capacity is insufficient” to fully meet demand, and calls to expand water supply resources. You can view that draft Capital Improvements Plan in Mineral Planning Commission agenda packets, such as this one from June 25, 2026.  

Nipper: Mineral must prioritize water and sewer services, critical infrastructure, qualified employees, and financial stability. I would delay cosmetic projects, nonessential purchases, and discretionary spending before cutting essential services. Accountability requires specific, enforceable standards. I would support:

• Monthly financial reports: Publish revenues, expenditures, fund balances, and budget variances within 15 days of month-end.
• Spending controls: Require recorded Council approval for unbudgeted expenditures exceeding $2,500, subject to lawful emergency exceptions.
• Quarterly reviews: Publicly review budget performance and require corrective action plans for significant overspending.
• Annual independent audits: Publish findings and require written responses to deficiencies within 30 days.
• Capital planning: Adopt a five-year infrastructure plan identifying project costs, funding sources, and deadlines.
• Public transparency: Post budgets, contracts, audit reports, and Council spending votes online.

These measures should be adopted as formal town policies, consistent with Virginia law. Every taxpayer dollar must be tracked, justified, and accounted for.

McGehee: Right now our water is priority. I am not sure what we can cut but maybe the upgrade at the old school that we have & hope to use as a park.*

Covert: With Mineral’s limited resources, what we have must be directed toward essential services — especially water system upgrades, administrative stability, and compliance obligations. These are the core responsibilities of a lawful, functioning government. I will always support delaying discretionary or non-essential projects when they do not provide a clear, documented benefit to residents. Predictable budgeting and responsible stewardship must guide every decision we make on behalf of taxpayers. With respect to the most recent budget conflict, I will not support reducing staff salaries based on personal preferences or interpersonal disagreements.* Any change to compensation must be grounded in data, performance metrics, and lawful process. Likewise, I will not support blindsiding an employee — or Council — with an unsubstantiated termination request from a single subgroup of members. The currently participating Town Council members (Covert, McGehee, Spedden)** acted to reverse these unfair practices not once, not twice, but three times.*** Stability and fairness must remain our standard.

Von Tye: Did not respond.

Water supply: 

Mineral is working to stabilize its water supply after years of problems, including boil water advisories, issues with its well and a state order restricting new water hookups until the town secures more supply. Where is the town in this process today, and what would you prioritize to stabilize Mineral’s water supply going forward?

Dillard: To stabilize our water we need to be independent and figure out why it is having issues in the first place, there is no sense in fixing or replacing a well if that water is exposed and or leaking underground somewhere so I would order a thorough inspection of our water system from top to bottom and work with other members of Council on a project plan to get this taken care of as soon as possible. Vendors also play a huge role in this as well, this can bring employment opportunities to the town, however we only want the best for our people and that is what we will get.

Larson: We are currently working to revitalize an existing well and complete a Preliminary Engineering Report for a new well site.* Completing that report is an important step toward securing grant funding and moving the new well project forward. Going forward, I would prioritize approving the funding necessary to complete these projects, pursuing every available grant opportunity, and making sure the town has the agreements and plans in place to move quickly from engineering to construction. We also need to look at increasing our water storage capacity so that we have an adequate reserve and are better prepared for future needs. Reliable water is essential for our current residents, for public health and safety, and for responsible future growth. I would make completing these projects and establishing a dependable water supply one of the town’s highest priorities.

*Editor’s notes: Mineral’s Planning Commission is working on a Capital Improvement Plan that includes development of a new town well system, including an “ongoing engineering study” to determine location and design capacity. More information is available in the agenda packet for the commission’s September meeting.

Lundgren-Stowe: It is my understanding that the planning commission is in the process of pursuing an engineering study for a new well, location to be determined. Until that new well comes to fruition the best thing we can do is to continue buying water from Louisa as necessary.*

*Editor’s notes: The Town of Mineral purchases water from the Louisa County Water Authority to supplement supply from its one existing municipal well, according to Mineral’s draft Capital Improvements Plan. 

Nipper: Mineral’s water supply must be our highest infrastructure priority. Residents deserve safe, reliable drinking water, and businesses need confidence that the town can support responsible growth. I would prioritize securing dependable additional water capacity, repairing aging infrastructure, establishing emergency backup supplies, and developing a funded, long-term water system improvement plan. I would also pursue state and federal grants to minimize costs to residents. Accountability is essential. Council should require monthly public updates documenting water capacity, project milestones, expenditures, regulatory compliance, and progress toward lifting hookup restrictions. As of today, the town is still working toward a permanent solution, but I would insist on a verified public status report identifying exactly what remains before restrictions can be lifted.* Safe drinking water is not optional. It is a fundamental responsibility of local government, and residents deserve results, not promises.

*Editor’s notes:  After well #4 was temporarily taken out of service in 2024, the Virginia Department of Health issued an order in February 2025 restricting Mineral town residents and businesses from creating any new water hookups for at least two years, until the town revitalizes its wells, as reported in the substack Engage Louisa.

McGehee: We are in the process of finding a good place to drill a well. This will be a costly endeavor but hopefully with grants it can happen.*

*Editor’s notes: Reporting from the Central Virginian says cost estimates for the well range from $125,000 – $250,000.

Covert: The Town of Mineral has been moving toward a stable water future in the last two years. We have begun the process of securing a new well, replacing aging lines, and complying with state requirements that restrict new hookups until supply is increased.* But this work must accelerate and be guided by wise governance. My priority is securing grant or low interest financing, completing engineering and permitting without delay, and maintaining strict oversight of project timelines. Water is not optional — our residents deserve a system that is reliable, modernized, and resilient for decades to come.

*Editor’s notes: After well #4 was temporarily taken out of service in 2024, the Virginia Department of Health issued an order in February 2025 restricting Mineral town residents and businesses from creating any new water hookups for at least two years, until the town revitalizes its wells, as reported in the substack Engage Louisa.

Von Tye: Did not respond.