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 Scottsville has six council members and a mayor elected to staggered four-year terms. The Scottsville Town Council is holding a special election this year, after councilmember Meredith Hynes resigned last October. Two candidates are running for the seat: Edward Payne, who was appointed to serve out Hynes’ term, and Molly Angevine. Both Payne and Angevine wanted Hynes’ seat last year, and Payne prevailed.

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire for the candidates based on more than 160 responses we received to a voter survey. Angevine provided answers, below. 

Payne did not reply. You can use the information his campaign provided to the Virginia State Department of Elections, searchable by last name, if you would like to reach out to him yourself.

Responses have been fact-checked by reporters and lightly edited for readability.

The town of Scottsville does not have a pharmacy after the Rite Aide on Scottsville Center closed in May. Is there anything you believe you can or should do as a Town Council member to encourage a new pharmacy to open here, and remain open?

Molly J. Angevine: In our digital age, partial solutions to this problem have emerged using online prescription ordering and home delivery of prescriptions. In Scottsville, people are having to travel to other pharmacies away from our area. But not everyone has ready access to computers and the internet. Others do not have access to reliable transportation. It’s this segment of our population that concerns me most. Solving this may not be easy since our numbers are low* which makes it difficult to attract corporate players to our community. So we will continue to look for creative answers. I would like to see more community engagement. I think that residents, together with area businesses and community health organizations, could assist us with a solution.

*Editor’s note: Scottsville’s population is just under 500 residents, according to the latest U.S. Census and American Community Survey data. 

Edaward Payne: Did not respond.

What is your opinion on development within the Town of Scottsville? Its population has remained under 600 for the last decade.

Angevine: The challenge with growth is that too much could overwhelm existing infrastructure and resources, but no growth will make it increasingly difficult to fund and operate the services needed to ensure a healthy, sustainable community. Uncontrollable growth could erode our small-town character, increase traffic, and create parking difficulties. This would most certainly change the nature of the town. I think that we all use “moderate growth” to describe what we want for Scottsville. This is what moderate growth means to me: We currently have 36 homes being built in the southwest area of town. A development of this size will not overwhelm the existing infrastructure and will give us helpful information about traffic effects in that area. This will inform our decisions as we move toward the next stage of development.

Payne: Did not respond.

Like many rural communities in Virginia, Scottsville is vulnerable to flooding, particularly during heavy rainfall that climate scientists predict will become more frequent in the future. What do you believe the town can or should do to prepare?

Angevine: This is an excellent question! This topic is very important. A colleague and I were discussing the Scottsville levee, and she turned to me and said, very emphatically, “We will have another flood,” or emergency incident, and the town does not have all the resources, nor processes well enough defined, to deal with some of them. The issue here is that this topic encompasses so much more than just flooding. We need an overall emergency plan that addresses not just flooding but other emergency protocols. Our best course would be to collaborate with the Scottsville Fire Department to create a comprehensive emergency plan that gives easy-to-follow procedures tailored to each possible disaster. This plan would provide step-by-step instructions for caring for and keeping our townspeople safe. The Town Council recently voted to dissolve the current Emergency Preparedness Committee,* not by unanimous vote. I would like to bring that committee back.

*Editor’s note: Charlottesville Tomorrow spoke with Scottsville Mayor Ron Smith to confirm that yes, Scottsville Town Council did vote to dissolve its Emergency Preparedness Committee during its August 18, 2025 regular business session.

Payne: Did not respond.

Several Scottsville residents raised concerns in our survey of voters about long response times for emergency services. Is this a concern for you as a council member? If so, is there anything the town government can do to improve the situation?

Angevine: I have to think that everyone believes that reports of long response times from our fire department are a concern.* I will first say that the Scottsville Volunteer Fire Department is made up of fine, hard-working individuals. They are passionate about what they do, and I respect that. I do not feel qualified to comment on this topic since I have not had an opportunity to work directly with SVFD. If elected, I will endeavor to explore all areas of town concern.

Payne: Did not respond.

Editor’s note: The Town of Scottsville is served by the Scottsville Volunteer Fire Department as well as Albemarle County Emergency Services. While Charlottesville Tomorrow could not confirm response times for SVFD, Albemarle County’s website says that for the county’s rural areas, which includes Scottsville, emergency service response times are 21 minutes or less 90% of the time.

Scottsville does not collect a real estate tax, though residents pay one to their respective counties. The town collects taxes through other means. Do you believe the town’s tax income is sufficient to meet its needs, or do you think an increase in taxes is necessary?

Angevine: No. I do not believe that Scottsville’s tax income is sufficient to meet its needs, but I do not necessarily believe that instituting a real estate tax in Scottsville or raising the meals tax is the answer. I remember that one time I stood up to speak in front of the Town Council to ask them to institute a real estate tax. Over the next few years, I educated myself, getting the full impact of taxes in a small town. The reality is that it is not that much money when you collect a real estate tax. I think it is time to explore alternative ways to generate income for the town. Grants are still possible. Fundraising is possible. I believe that when we acquire more income, we can continue to thrive.

Payne: Did not respond.

Are there any other pressing issues facing the town you think voters should know about?

Angevine: Thank you for considering me as your candidate! Please be sure to vote on November 4, 2025, and bring a friend!

Payne: Did not respond.

More about the candidates and issues

• A report about the 2024 Scottsville mayoral race, which came down to just a handful of votes (Charlottesville Tomorrow, Dec. 3, 2024)
• A 2024 Voter Guide Q&A with Ron Smith and Eddie Payne Jr., who were running for Mayor of Scottsville (Charlottesville Tomorrow, Oct. 24, 2024)
• A report on how the end of COVID relief funding affected the Town of Scottsville’s budget (Charlottesville Tomorrow, Feb. 21, 2023)
• Voters didn’t have a say in nearly 75% of local Central Virginia races in 2023 — because there weren’t enough candidates (Charlottesville Tomorrow, Nov. 22, 2023)

Here are key dates and deadlines in the 2025 elections

Friday, May 2, 2025	Early voting for primaries begins weekdays at local registrar’s offices.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025	Deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration for the primary election. You can still vote in the primary if you miss this deadline by registering at the polling place and casting a provisional ballot. You do not have to be a member of a political party to vote in that party’s primary election. However, you can only vote in one party’s primary election each year.
Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply for your ballot to be mailed to you. Requests must be received by your local registrar’s offices by 5 p.m.
Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply online for an absentee ballot using the Citizen Portal.
Saturday, June 7, 2025	Local voter registration offices open on Saturdays for early voting for primaries.
Saturday, June 14, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Early voting for primaries ends at local registrar’s offices.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025	Primary Election Day!
Friday, Sept. 19 to Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 5:00 p.m.	Check with your local registrar’s office for early in-person voting.
Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply with your local registrar’s office for a ballot to be mailed to you.
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025	Election Day!

We will update this list periodically as deadlines approach or we receive new information.

Register to vote, check your registration, find your polling places and apply to vote absentee at the Virginia Department of Elections here. Remember, even if you miss registration deadlines, you can register through Election Day and vote using a provisional ballot.

Need to know if you’re eligible to vote? Here are resources from the Virginia Department of Elections.