In Virginia, towns and cities can have either a “weak mayor” or “strong mayor” system. In a strong mayor system, like in the City of Richmond, the mayor holds a lot of power. They carry out policies passed by the City Council and handle local government administration.

But most towns in Virginia have a “weak mayor” system, where the mayor has a mostly ceremonial position and presides over Town Council meetings. Often, mayors can only vote to break a tie and have no veto power. Towns with weak mayors often hire town managers to handle day-to-day administration. Not every town elects their mayor – some select a mayor from within town council – but the Town of Appomattox does.

Appomattox Town Council has six council members elected to four-year terms, and a mayor elected to two-year terms. According to the town’s charter, the mayor is “recognized as the head of the town for all ceremonial purposes, the purposes of military law, and the service of civil process”, but cannot vote unless there is a tie.

This year, incumbent Richard Conner is the only candidate running for mayor.

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire for Conner based on responses we received from our voter survey. When Charlottesville Tomorrow reached him over the phone, he said would not respond as he was running unopposed.

Conner was also unopposed when he first ran for mayor in 2020, as well as the following two elections in 2022 and 2024, according to the Virginia Elections Database.

Here are the questions we sent Conner. You can find his contact information, as provided to the Virginia State Department of Elections, searchable by name, if you would like to reach out to him yourself.

Data centers: A company called AVAIO Digital is planning to build a $3 billion data center development at the Appomattox Center for Business and Commerce, which sits outside the town limits, but relies on a 1999 agreement allocating up to 45,000 gallons of Town of Appomattox water daily to the industrial park. That’s about one quarter of what Appomattox town residents typically use in a day. Though the developer, AVAIO Digital, says the facility will use far less water than that, residents remain concerned. What steps, if any, do you think the town can or should take regarding this agreement and the AVAIO Digital data center? And, more broadly, what is your stance on data centers within the town limits?
Water & sewer infrastructure: Building on that water issue: The Town of Appomattox faces ongoing costs to repair aging water and sewer pipes. What is your strategy to pay for future, critical utility upgrades, and under what circumstances would you vote to raise water and sewer rates again?
Water supply: And a final question on the topic of water: Appomattox buys its water from the Campbell County Service and Utility Authority. This summer’s drought led that authority to ask residents to voluntarily conserve water. Scientists predict that droughts will become more frequent in the future. Are there any steps the town should take to prepare to protect its water supply?
Downtown redevelopment & housing: The Town of Appomattox recently began demolition on the old garment factory site on Confederate Boulevard, using a $400,000 state grant to clear the way for 34 new “workforce housing” townhomes. The project is meant to offer homes affordable to middle-income workers, like teachers and first responders, who earn too much for low-income assistance but are often priced out of new homes. However, town-assisted housing projects like this can draw criticism for a number of reasons. If elected, under what circumstances — if any — would you vote to use town resources, state grants or zoning changes to help build affordable or workforce housing in Appomattox?