Danville City Council Candidate Profile

DANVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) – Nine candidates are vying for five open seats on the Danville City Council this election year.

They include Shakeva Fraser, Petrina Carter, Maureen Belko and Felice McWilliams, as well as five characters: Barry Mayo, Lee Fogler, Madison Whittle, Sherman Saunders and L.G. Campbell Jr.

All nine are running as independent candidates.

WDBJ7 asked each candidate the same four questions. Here’s information on the four candidates vying for your vote this November. We are awaiting responses from the other five.

Why should people vote for you?

“People should vote for me if they want the city to spend less on tourism and aquatics and focus on improving our infrastructure and things that affect our daily lives,” Maureen Belko said.

“For 12 years, I have consistently advocated for positive change in Danville. Today there is a clinic for city employees and their families that I suggested several years ago and it has a 100% satisfaction rate. It also saved Danville taxpayers more than $180,000. The bike share program, which has been used by thousands of people over the years, was an idea that I brought back to the Council after a trip to Chattanooga. I worked with Dr. Miller and other board members to achieve this. The White Mill is currently undergoing a dramatic transformation that will forever change the landscape of our waterfront. This process began with a tweet I sent to Alexander encouraging them to come look at the property. Luckily they said yes. Public safety is the most fundamental responsibility of local government, and for many years I led the implementation of a community policing model that has now resulted in a 30-year low in crime. I also fought for increased pay for our police officers, firefighters and first responders. Supporting small businesses has always been a cornerstone of my work on City Council because I believe they are the backbone of our economy. I proposed and the Council passed the elimination of licensing fees for small businesses with revenues of $100,000 or less. I also currently serve on the Virginia Small Business Commission after being appointed by Governor Youngkin. Tax cuts were another key focus of mine. Last year, I led an effort to cut the personal property tax, commonly known as the car tax, which will go into effect in January 2025. In addition, I successfully fought for tax credits for seniors for three years in a row. I will continue to push for further tax relief for all citizens if re-elected this November. Over the years, I have voted against utility increases and other fee increases. This year I voted against raising city council salaries. I believe Danville’s newfound prosperity should be seen and felt by our citizens. That means taking care of the people of Danville first,” said Lee Fogler.

“People should elect me as their candidate because I am deeply committed to serving and empowering our community. My personal experience creates a strong compassion for those who are often overlooked. With a strong background in community advocacy, as well as academic achievements and professional experience, I have a clear understanding of the needs and aspirations of our residents. I am a strong believer in equal opportunity and fair distribution of resources to ensure prosperity for all,” said Shakeva Frazier.

“With 36 years of business experience in Danville, I understand what it takes for our city to thrive. My business background means I will bring strong financial management skills to the City Council, treating our city’s resources with the same care that I have applied to my business for decades,” said Madison Whittle.

Would you like to make any changes to how the city spends casino revenue?

“Casino revenues should be used to upgrade our utilities, our animal shelter and our roads,” Maureen Belko said.

“I believe we must continue to make strategic investments in our casino revenues that will position Danville for success for many years to come. That being said, I believe we can use a percentage of casino revenue to expand programs that will help Danville residents lower their utility bills. I have proposed several specific programs that will help achieve this. However, I do not support sending money from Danville casinos to other communities, as another candidate’s recent campaign proposal would have done. I also believe that we should consider further tax breaks for all our citizens. As we become an increasingly tourism-oriented city, we must continue to shift the tax burden from our citizens to those who come to our city, use our amenities, and then leave. I will continue to put the people of Danville first and foremost,” said Lee Fogler.

“I appreciate the initiatives already funded by Casino revenues, but I envision more efficient use of these funds. I propose devoting more resources to reducing taxes for our citizens and increasing investments in education and training programs for our youth and young adults,” said Shakeva Frazier.

“Yes, I would like to see 40% of the casino tax revenues invested in Danville Utilities and used to reduce the tax bill, which I put in the floor for and it failed 8-1!” Madison Whittle said.

How do you plan to combat homelessness in the city?

“We need to improve our housing so that all citizens have more affordable options, which will reduce the number of people displaced,” said Maureen Belko.

“One of the unintended consequences of the rapid growth Danville is experiencing is that many of our citizens are now forced to leave their homes. This, coupled with a severe housing shortage, has left some members of our community homeless. It is therefore vital that we continue to work with developers to build a wide range of new housing in our city to increase supply. Currently, demand significantly exceeds supply, which leads to rapid rise in prices. By treating housing construction the same way we treat economic development, we can quickly increase supply, which stabilizes prices. This will allow many of our citizens to find affordable housing. In addition, we should work with community partners and local churches to provide resources to those in need. Many groups do good things, but often they work in isolation and don’t talk to each other. By combining these resources, we can more effectively address this problem,” said Lee Fogler.

“As the Executive Director of Homelessness Prevention, I am dedicated to advocating for those experiencing homelessness. I plan to work closely with community members and agencies to proactively provide needed resources such as rental assistance, legal assistance, and financial literacy classes. In addition, I will actively pursue grants and build partnerships with landlords and housing organizations to address the critical need for affordable housing. I will tirelessly advocate for the needs of our local homeless shelters and other organizations that support people without stable housing,” said Shakeva Frazier.

“Homelessness is a community problem, not a government problem. So, I’m asking all churches to join me in addressing this issue by pledging $500 a month to help reduce homelessness in the city of Danville. I have personally already provided resources to Redemption Center and God’s Calling at Last, both of which are mission ministries that are currently focused on solving the problem,” Madison Whittle said.

Additional comments?

“As a compliance auditor, I have experience reading complex contracts, analyzing large data sets, and reviewing budgets—all of which will be critical skills to review future projects our city undertakes as we continue to grow,” said Maureen Belko.

“The opportunity to serve the citizens of Danville on the City Council has been one of the greatest honors of my life. This is something I don’t take for granted. I have to earn it. That’s why I’m running FOR re-election. I’m not involved in anyone. I am running for the people of Danville and for the future of our city. I’m Lee Fogler and I would appreciate consideration of one of the five votes people have on the City Council,” said Lee Fogler.

“As the first name on the City Council ballot, I would greatly appreciate your vote. For more information about my position and experience, please visit my website frazierforcouncil.com,” said Shakeva Frazier.

“If re-elected, I will continue to fight for lower taxes, lower city utility bills. I will also be donating my 30% pay raise to Danville Police, Fire and Rescue and the remaining 70% will be divided among 7 local charities,” said Madison Whittle.

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