Martinsville’s Tuesday night city council regular session ended with pointed comments between council members and resulted in Councilor Aaron Rawls’ removal by a deputy.
Much of Tuesday’s packed city council meeting proceeded without incident until near the end of the meeting when councilors are encouraged to provide comment.
Rawls used his time to address recent concerns expressed by some members of the council.
“I really want to talk about real issues,” Rawls said, Tuesday. “I’m going to need about five minutes here. There have been many nights where I have been given back my time so I’d like to reclaim a few of those minutes here tonight. I have a lot I want to discuss.”
Rawls’ comments follow statements made last week about a closed session meeting in which councilors discussed staff contract negotiations. Rawls, who was unable to attend the meeting, took issue with both the timing of the closed session and the possibility of increasing senior staff pay in the midst of a property tax reassessment.
Martinsville Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides offered her own comments.
“I have committed my time and my energy and I will continue because of you,” Ferrell-Benavides said to the members of the public present, numbering over 50 people. “If anyone has a problem with me, my salary… I will continue at whatever rate they pay me to serve you and the council who hired me.”
Mayor L.C. Jones expressed his own concerns about the possibility of privileged information from the closed session being leaked. Jones did not specify the source of the suspected leak.
Councilor Julian Mei addressed the leak during the Tuesday meeting.
“It has recently been alleged by Mayor Jones and others that I am the source of leaked information regarding a closed session meeting of council…to the media,” Mei said, adding that the council has too much on its plate to engage in controversy.
Both Jones and Rawls said they would address their concerns publicly at Tuesday’s meeting.
“This council is working hard,” Jones said. “Not [everyone] on this council, but this four is working hard.”
‘It’s been a problem in this community’
Rawls described what he saw as a lack of leadership.
“It’s not a backhanded slight to this council,” Rawls said. “It’s been a problem in this community way before this council. We feel everything in this world harder than most other communities because of our lack of leadership.”
Rawls cited taxes and utility bills for what he said was the growing cost of living negatively impacting residents.
“And now we’re talking about raising executive pay in the city of Martinsville, with your money,” Rawls said, alluding to the previous week’s closed session in which councilors discussed Ferrell-Benavides’ contract. Were people aware, he asked, that she was making “almost two hundred thousand dollars a year in the city of Martinsville?”
Jones told Rawls to “fall in order.” Rawls said he couldn’t hear what the mayor was saying and attempted to continue before Jones chose to move on to Mei’s comments. A deputy approached Rawls and placed her hands on his arms after he did not immediately get up. Rawls gathered some of his things and left quietly.
The meeting continued with each councilor giving their comment following Rawls’ departure. Councilors Kathy Lawson and Rayshaun Gravely’s comments did not include anything about Rawls’ removal or comments.
In his comments, Jones touched on serving as a councilor.
“When you can’t hold a sensible conversation,” Jones said. “When you can’t represent your constituents on a regular basis, to show up for a meeting and articulate their challenges…we’re undermining not only the integrity of this office but the whole community.”
The recording of the meeting can be found online. The comment section starts around 3:08:30.
