Erica Wade is seeking her second term on the Stuart Town Council in the November election.
Wade, 34, said she’s seeking re-election as she wants to be able to help continue the town’s momentum and see some of its existing projects get completed. She said she believes the town’s ability to see through its dreams and demands with the people it has in office is its biggest challenge.
“One of my goals is to maybe help influence additional personnel and additional grant funding to make sure that these projects can get completed. Basically, we have great options for the town, we just need the people, manpower, and paperwork to be able to all be done at the same time to get things done,” she said.
Wade said funding these challenges will be budgeting.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a great budget for the last couple of years,” she said. But with some of the planned improvements, “we may have to come through alternative sources which we need to find either through governmental agencies or additional grants,” she said.
A supporter of public involvement in local government, Wade said the town council welcomes people to attend its meetings and speak during the public comment period. She noted the town also piggybacks off similar events, like the community business breakfast meetings, to hear from residents.
“I think our goal is to have a few more of those in the coming year, specifically for town policies and/or projects. That would certainly be something that I think would be beneficial to have the public involved in,” she said.
Wade said she’s also a supporter of transparency between the town and its residents.
“I think transparency would solve many issues on every board, from the small non-profits all the way up through government. It definitely needs to be maintained with the town council,” she said.
Stuart excels at creating its own brand with the energy and people it currently has, she said.
“I think that we are on a solo trajectory to make the Town of Stuart a place that people want to visit frequently and/or move to,” she said.
Besides funding for infrastructure projects like sewer projects, Wade doesn’t believe the town lacks anything. Having served on the council for the last four years, Wade said she’s gained the knowledge and insight of the town’s working.
“Working for the town attorney (Chris Corbett) is also helpful to make sure that things are followed through with property,” she added.
A Patrick County native, Wade is a graduate of Patrick County High School (PCHS). She also received a B.S. in Science from Longwood University.
Wade started her career at Hall’s Plants in Ararat and has worked in Corbett’s office for the last 13 years. She’s also been with the Stuart Volunteer Fire Department for the last 12 years.
Wade is married to her husband, Robbie Wade, and the couple have a daughter, Evelyn. In her spare time, Wade enjoys camping, being a mom, and being outside.
