By Debbie Hall
Commonsense governing, restoring the county to its residents, and conservative fiscal responsibility spurred Malcolm Roach to seek the Smith River District seat on the Patrick County Board of Supervisors.
Roach, 71, who is facing Rick Swink in the Nov. 4 election, said the county’s finances need work. If he is elected to the position, he plans to review the budget, question expenses, and work to reduce the cost of government.
“It’s not right that when people here get ready to retire, they have to sell their homes and land they’ve worked for all their lives because they can’t afford to pay the taxes,” said Roach, who has been active in county affairs since moving to Patrick County from Pennsylvania.
His own real estate tax bill has more than doubled over the last decade, from $1,700 to $3,500, Roach said, noting that Patrick County’s real estate tax rate is 0.73 cents per $100 of value, compared to 0.55 in Henry County. “Why?”
As the owner of a carpentry business for more than 40 years, Roach said he decided to run in part due to his business experience. “I’ve been self-employed my whole life, and I know how to work with and stay within a budget.”
He said the county’s current financial situation concerns him. “The budget here is out of control. We have a population of 15,000 people, and we’re $36 million in debt,” Roach said, citing a mix of overspending and unfunded state mandates as potential reasons.
“The state cannot create a hardship on its citizens,” he added, noting that when he lived in Pennsylvania, localities frequently challenged unfunded mandates and “90% of the time, the state would pony up.”
Roach believes the county faces a pivotal moment. “We only have two choices — either continue to increase the size of the administration again and again and again while taxes go up again and again and again, or shrink the size of the administration. The people here can’t afford to keep feeding the machine,” he said. “This isn’t personal. It’s math.”
He also said the board should focus on broad fiscal goals rather than reviewing the budget line by line. “The board shouldn’t be cherry-picking expenses,” he said. “Give the budget back to the county administrator and say, ‘Cut it 10%,’ or whatever — then let the department heads make that cut.”
Roach said the spending plan should be easy for the public to understand. “It needs to be a commonsense budget, written so anyone can pick it up, see what’s being spent and know how their tax dollars are used.”
He said he wants to “put control of the county back in the hands of the people,” and criticized the board’s lack of engagement with residents during public comment. “What happened to the board talking to people who speak?” he asked. “Didn’t they use to do that?”
He is committed to holding regular town hall meetings to solicit input from residents. “I will work for the people of the Smith River District,” he said.
Roach said he has been active in county affairs since moving to Patrick County from Pennsylvania, has attended 80 percent or more of board of supervisor meetings — as well as planning commission sessions, solar project hearings, and a recent meeting with state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Moneta, at CrossRoads Café.
“I attended planning commission meetings when the solar issue was hot and heavy,” he said. “I went to two or three meetings a week then.”
He views a supervisor’s role as listening to residents when making decisions, and Roach said he would welcome the input.
“I speak with a lot of people,” he said. “I have an open-door policy. If you have a question, come down my driveway and knock on my door. Or call me. I’ve put my phone number and address out there.”
That openness, he said, extends beyond politics to anyone who has a need.
As for renewable energy, Roach said he’s not opposed to solar projects if they meet safety and environmental standards. However, the county needs to be better prepared. For instance, fire crews need specialized hazmat suits and other equipment to respond to a blaze at a solar farm.
“Everybody thinks I’m against solar, but I’m not,” he said. However, he opposes wind energy projects. “To be honest, wind is useless in generating power — and it’s ugly.”
Roach said he wants a “commonsense approach to economic development” and plans to evaluate the costs and benefits of the county’s Economic Development Authority Board. “How much revenue does it bring in? How much does it cost us? Again, it’s math,” he said.
While he doesn’t believe most residents want large industries to locate in the county, Roach believes strengthening trade education would help grow the economy and retain young people.
“We like our lifestyle the way it is,” Roach said. “I didn’t try to bring Pennsylvania with me when we moved here. I love how the county is.”
He supports Patrick & Henry Community College offering more trade programs. “If you need to hire a plumber, electrician, or carpenter in Patrick County now, can you?” he asked. “Why aren’t we teaching our children to work with their hands?”
Training young people in the trades, he said, would encourage them to stay, open businesses, build homes, and raise families here. “This county is really at a crossroads,” Roach said.
Before taking on new debt, Roach said he would ask tough questions. “Is it moral? Do we have a right to put our children and grandchildren in debt because we can’t control our spending? Aren’t we supposed to leave it better for them?
“I don’t have a magic wand,” he said, “but it’s time for the people to take their county back.”
He previously served on the Electoral Board but declined payment. “I’ll do the same if I’m elected to the board of supervisors,” he said.
His hobbies include carpentry, horseback riding, fishing, camping, hiking, and community service. He’s used his carpentry skills to repair a local restaurant and a home after fires, to remodel a bathroom for someone with mobility issues, and worked on a deck for another person.
He also donates pet food to the Blue Ridge Animal Welfare League, is active in Fairystone Church, and, as an ordained minister, often serves as a substitute pastor at other local churches.
His service to the community “is all part of my faith,” Roach said, referencing Luke 12:48: “Unto whom much is given, much is required.”
