Marion Town Council Meeting – July 7
A key topic of discussion during the July 7 Marion Town Council meeting was the report presented by Todd Long, the town’s Zoning and IT Administrator, concerning the revised sanitation ordinance. Long had previously been directed by the Council to make revisions to the ordinance and post it on the town website for public review during a 30-day comment period.
Proposed Trash Ordinance:
https://www.marionva.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif6101/f/uploads/sec_58_solid_waste_code_revised.pdf
In his report, Long noted that he had received no public feedback, stating, “I personally haven’t heard anything from any citizens.” He added that the ordinance had been posted under the “Public Notices” section of the website but acknowledged that some individuals were struggling to locate it. He provided little explanation or solution for the visibility issues, simply stating, “I don’t know how to help that.”
Vice Mayor Dr. James Gates clarified that Long had not received any phone calls requesting changes to the proposed ordinance. However, Long contradicted this by finally acknowledging that one citizen had submitted feedback twice and had provided photos and video documenting several sanitation-related concerns. That citizen also copied their concerns and the need for accountability to be considered for the ordinance to the Mayor, every council member, Mr. Long, and the Town Manager.
One incident described by Long involved a trash can being damaged by a sanitation worker after removing a bag from it rather than picking up the whole trash can—an act not visible in the trash truck’s onboard video due to its limited field of view.
Despite this evidence, Long appeared to downplay the citizen’s documented concerns, failing to address the broader issue of accountability for sanitation workers. He further minimized the issue by stating, “They dropped a piece of paper on the street near her house and didn’t pick it up,” followed by, “We do the best we can do and that’s all I probably need to say.” This attitude was echoed by Councilman Larry Carter and Councilwoman Susie Jennings, and the revised sanitation ordinance was passed unanimously without incorporating any further revisions or accountability measures.
Concerns about Long’s performance have been raised by citizens in a prior council meeting during Public Comment time concerning other issues and ordinances. Rather than addressing these concerns, Councilman Hunter Atwell responded at a subsequent meeting by drafting a resolution commending Long and others, effectively dismissing public input and undermining community trust.
Further compounding the issue, a review of the Town of Marion’s website (www.marionva.org) revealed significant display issues between mobile and desktop devices. On mobile platforms, the “Public Notices” section is obscured by the site’s banner, making critical public documents, such as the sanitation ordinance and budget, difficult or impossible to access. The town’s IT Administrator, Mr. Long made no mention of this issue and offered no corrective measures—an oversight inconsistent with standard IT practice.
In contrast to Long’s dismissal of video evidence, a review of footage from the town’s trash truck confirmed that its cameras only show straight-ahead and rear views, lacking the peripheral range needed to capture events occurring at the curbside. This significantly limits their usefulness in evaluating reported incidents. In that instance, the other video provided by the citizen clearly shows the sanitation worker pushing the trash can over with his right hand. In another citizen-submitted video mentioned by Long, sanitation workers are seen allowing trash to fall from the back of the truck onto the street and continuing without picking it up, an act that would constitute littering if committed by a private citizen.
Screenshot
A review of the town’s budget shows $453,678 in “Garbage Revenues” collected in 2024 from residents who pay for trash collection services. This amount suggests sufficient funding is available to provide town-issued trash containers—something neighboring towns like Saltville and Chilhowie already do. Instead, Marion is pushing forward with selectively enforced ordinances that some council members themselves do not follow. Observations indicate that certain council members continue placing trash bags at the curb without containers, which is a violation of the very ordinance they voted unanimously to implement without further consideration.
25-26 Proposed Budget:
https://www.marionva.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif6101/f/uploads/budget_2025-26_rotated_0.pdf
Portions of the meeting were difficult or impossible to hear due to several participants not speaking directly into microphones or not having a microphone at all. However, there was discussion about new billing software for radio-read water meters and reports of meter tampering. Town Attorney Mark Fenyk warned that tampering would result in criminal charges. Councilman Larry Carter agreed, stating, “They should be criminally charged and let’s be rather harsh on that because those meters are expensive, and we got to be fair to everybody.”
Before adjournment, Councilwoman Jennings thanked staff for “a good job tonight,” and the Council voted to continue addressing an ongoing issue involving a homeless encampment on private property adjacent to Riverbend Park. The area has been the site of repeated citizen complaints, including recent reports of nudity and confrontational behavior from individuals residing in tents along the riverbank as well as sanitation and environmental concerns.
