The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) City council officials moved closer this week to filling the District Two council vacancy created from the unfortunate passing of Mayor Forbes while also confronting steep water and sewer rate hikes needed to keep the utility system afloat.
At a public meeting on the vacancy, candidates Michael Green, Milton Helton, and Gene Mundy outlined their backgrounds and visions for serving District Two, emphasizing safety, community engagement, and integrity as central themes of their pitches to council and residents.
Green, who cited a 42-year career at West Rock, pointed to his experience leading safety initiatives and holding union leadership posts as evidence he could work collaboratively and keep residents’ interests at the forefront.[CIM] He also highlighted years of volunteer work in his church and stressed that honesty, integrity and respect for individuals would guide his decisions on council.[CIM]
During questioning, Green said his leadership experience and focus on teamwork would translate directly to district service, promising to ensure constituents feel heard and to stay visible in the community.[CIM] He told questioners he was motivated by a broad desire to serve and confirmed he would remain interested in the council seat in the fall even if not selected for the current appointment.
Helton detailed a long work history that includes time in the automotive industry and work with the city of Covington and Westvaco. He emphasized the need to put God first in all things and shared that he’s Now living with a disability, he described himself as deeply invested in community life and said his experience had given him a front-row view of the impact of job losses and economic shifts on local families.
Mundy spoke about community involvement and stressed his desire to contribute to the city, noting that his twenty-four years in the service would be beneficial when deciding the best way to represent the citizens of Covington. He called Covington “Home” after sharing that he hadn’t grown up in Covington but chose it as the place he wanted to raise a family. Gene pledged the need for City council to collaborate with others to address the City’s concerns and shared he would run for the district two seat in the future if not chosen at this time.
In a separate session, the council reviewed a detailed water and sewer study that projects a $14 monthly increase in residential bills as the city grapples with rising operating costs and aging infrastructure.
Consultants reported that Covington’s water and sewer system faces a $2.6 million operating budget in fiscal year 2026, about a 10 percent jump from the prior year, along with $9.1 million in capital improvements needed over the next five years. Rate adjustments, they said, are necessary to keep the system financially sustainable.
Officials also discussed the potential installation of water meters, which could shift the city away from its current structure and lower bills for residents who use less water.
However, staff and consultants cautioned that continued increases in operating expenses will likely require additional rate hikes in future years.
City leaders underscored the importance of transparency as they weigh the changes, saying they intend to clearly explain how new rates are calculated, what projects they will fund and how they will affect different groups of customers. Council members and staff also pointed to ongoing and potential grant-funded projects as one way to ease the burden on local ratepayers while still addressing long-deferred infrastructure needs.
Together, the council vacancy deliberations and utility study reflect a pivotal period for Covington, with leaders trying to balance representation, public trust, and the financial realities of running core city services.
