Turmoil in Mineral Puts Small Town’s Future in Question

Mineral, a small Virginia town that once faced the possibility of being dissolved, could avoid that fate if its leaders can overcome months of political turmoil and dysfunction, the Daily Progress reported last week.

The Louisa County town of 555 residents has seen town council meetings marked by shouting, name-calling and cursing. There has also been an accusation of attempted blackmailing involving a failed honeypot scheme, while the town manager has been fired, rehired, fired and rehired again in less than a year.

Checks intended for town vendors have gone missing, and until this month, two council members were engaged in back-channel negotiations with Louisa County over dissolving Mineral’s charter.

Questions have also emerged over the town’s handling of public meeting records.

Mayor Pamela Harlowe has acknowledged doctoring meeting minutes, making records of council proceedings difficult to track and understand.

Before leaving the council, former member David Hempstead defended Harlowe’s approach during a Feb. 9 meeting, arguing that “not everything” needed to be recorded in open session and that “meetings don’t have to be public.”

Under Virginia law, meetings of public bodies are generally required to be open to the public, except when they are lawfully convened in closed session.

Despite the turmoil, Mineral may still avoid dissolution. Whether it does could depend on the ability of town leaders to resolve their disputes and restore basic government operations.

Email the Mineral Town Council:
Pamela Harlowe, pharlowe@townofmineral.net,
Bernice Wilson Kube, bernice@townofmineral.net,
Michelle Covert, mcovert@townofmineral.net,
Rebecca McGehee, bmcgehee@townofmineral.net,
Bob Spedden,
Afton Von Tye, avontye@townofmineral.net,
Board contact: townclerk@townofmineral.net