The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE, VA (VR) – In their latest Community Gathering on Wednesday, October 14th, 2026, community members had the opportunity to meet the candidates for Clifton Forge Town Council on the ballot this upcoming November. There are currently five candidates running for three open seats on the council. On the ballot this year are Dale Burdette, Michael Foster, and Debbie Loudermilk (all incumbents), Pamela Lightfoot (non-incumbent), and Thalia Turner (write-in). Each candidate had the opportunity to give a brief background on themselves and their affiliation with Clifton Forge, and also the opportunity to answer a series of questions from community members.
Here are a few of the following questions that were asked to each candidate:
Question 1: Introduce yourself and tell us why you are running for town council.
Question 2: What are the 2 most important things the town council should accomplish during your term, and how will citizens judge whether you have succeeded?
Question 3: Our town has several buildings in the downtown area that are currently being used for storage or have been vacant/abandoned by owners. What ideas do you have for encouraging property owners to sell or otherwise make their building(s) available for redevelopment? Does a code exist to apply it to the situation?
Question 4: What are you personally doing to attract businesses to Clifton Forge to encourage citizens to open a business in Clifton Forge? How do you think Clifton Forge’s historic downtown can best be marketed as a tourist destination?
Question 5:
Considering our new branding, “Spark Something New”, that was introduced earlier this year, can you briefly describe your vision for the future of Clifton Forge? If you had a million dollars for the town, how would you spend it?
Question 6: How would you handle negative comments in-person or on social media?
Dale Burdette
A lifelong resident of Clifton Forge, Burdette is currently the Vice Mayor of the town, seeking re-election. Burdette describes himself as :”fully invested” in the town and mentions how even though he went away to two different colleges, he “always came back to Clifton Forge”. Burdette aims to continue the work he has already done for the town thus far if re-elected. Burdette lists affordable housing and downtown revitalization as two top priorities during his term if re-elected. Specific goals he has in mind are to work with surrounding communities to get locality/housing trust funds established, “like they have in New River Valley, for example”, and to acquire more grant funding as well. Burdette aims to further support and promote downtown business, “encouraging more people to stay overnight in Clifton Forge”. When asked about vacant buildings around town, Burdette cites the council’s recently developed “Vacant Buildings Registry” as a step in the right direction, but also says if he is re-elected he aims to take it a step further. He aims to have more conversations with out-of-town property owners who are using vacant buildings for storage, and promises to develop a better incentive for selling these properties to the town.
Burdette is focused on “making the town’s current businesses stronger”, claiming it will make more people and businesses want to flock to Clifton Forge when they see the current stores, residents, etc. doing so well already. He harped on the Historic Train Center and walkable downtown as the most marketable parts of the area, and says they need to continue to be highlighted for tourists. Burdette envisions more large “community events” (like the Fall Festival for example) in Clifton Forge in the future. When asked what he would do with the $1,000,000 he would “bring more healthcare options” to Clifton Forge, and/or create a “Recreation/Youth Center” for the town. When it comes to any negative feedback, Burdette believes in having “honest conversations in person”, and prefers not to converse in the comments on social media.
Michael Foster
Foster, another incumbent, moved to Clifton Forge nearly five years ago because he desired to be part of a small-town community. Foster sees serving on the council as a unique opportunity to meet and converse with people, “even if we don’t always agree on everything”. Foster describes himself as an “open slate”, always up to hearing from the people of Clifton Forge, and always wanting to engage with others. Foster’s goal is to continue working on the council and build “more momentum” for current and future projects.
Foster is focused on downtown revitalization as well. He echoed Burdette in that he wants to bring more healthcare options to Clifton Forge, and that the “envelope needs to be further pushed on the Vacant Building Registry”. As far as bringing in more dollars to Clifton Forge, Foster mentioned his popular annual “Clifton Forge Beer Fest” as an example of how he has already brought life to the town. Since Foster also serves on the Board of Chamber of Commerce, he was recently able to meet with others about advertising a “VIP Alleghany Experience Package”, involving local outdoors businesses, hotels, and restaurants. He uses this experience as the epitome of what it means to reach across aisles and connect people of different business backgrounds. Foster describes Clifton Forge as being unique in that it can be marketed as historical, but also as an “open promise”, as a town that holds lots of potential. Foster is open to conversation both online and in-person, both negative and positive feedback, and describes this interaction as part of a council member’s responsibility to remain “committed, authentic, and willing to set your differences aside”.
Debbie Laudermilk
Having served five years on the Clifton Forge Town Council already, Laudermilk has grown more passionate through the years about the town ever since she moved to Clifton Forge in 2017. A former employee of the VA State Parks System, she harps on tourism as “being paramount to the success of Clifton Forge”. Having been a part of the team that has made the downtown more walkable over the years, Laudermilk desires to continue serving on the council and having a direct hand in the future improvement and development of Clifton Forge. Laudermilk’s agenda if re-elected will center around infrastructure repairs, and continued revitalization of the main street area. She claims that so far, she has helped secure over $11 million in grant monies for various projects in town, and that will continue to happen if she continues to serve on the council.
Laudermilk believes that a strength of Clifton Forge is its attractiveness to older people looking for a small-town to retire to, and that this is something that the town should take advantage of in the future when marketing. Laudermilk states “there is a code” to handle vacant buildings in town, but is also honest in highlighting the setbacks the council has had with trying to convince property owners “using vacant buildings in tax shelters” to sell to the town. Laudermilk has attended numerous small-town conferences over the years, and continues to do so in order to make “this small town vision come true”. If given a million dollars to work with, Laudermilk says she would use it for a new business incentive. According to Laudermilk, “social media has certainly become the new gossip”, but is open to responding to comments online as long as council’s comments are “responsible, courteous, and educated in nature”.
Pamela Lightfoot
Originally from New Orleans, Lightfoot moved here over five years ago. In her own words, she “is just enamored with the town, sees there is a lot going on here, and desires to be part of the efforts and renovations to the town already underway and in the future”. Lightfoot has done lots of volunteer work within the community already, and is looking to take it up a notch by serving on the town council. Lightfoot lists improvements to infrastructure, and the repurposing of old vacant properties as top priorities during her term if she is to serve.
Lightfoot wants to see and be involved with more action revolving around the vacant registry. She gives the old high school as an example of a possible community “hub” that could be created using the old building, mentioning how “the old kitchens could possibly be developed into commercial cooking areas for locals to sell goods”. Full of creative ideas, Lightfoot also suggested the use of QR codes, and self-guided/walking historical tours to help with revitalization efforts downtown. As far as business, Lightfoot suggested the town council look into giving “microgrants” in the amount of $500-$1000 for small businesses to get off their feet. Lightfoot has been hesitant to engage too much on social media as a candidate, but vows to have open and civil conversations in person and online if elected.
Thalia Turner
Turner has been visiting Clifton Forge often ever since she was a child, as her father’s family is from the area. Turner desires to bring a “voice” to all of the people of Clifton, not those just in the downtown area”. She aims to bring more diversity and youth to the table on the town council. One of Turner’s goals if serving on council in the future would be to give troubled youth more spaces in town. Citing the area’s problems with young-adult addiction and suicide, Turner envisions a town where the youth have more voice and involvement with the community. Turner also wants to see more diverse businesses downtown that represent a wider variety of age groups and cultures. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Turner has experience in connecting with investors and contractors, and believes in the “pop-up shops” around Clifton Forge, as “they serve as good tests/gauges” for future business spots/tourist interest. Turner states that the council in the future should be “more creative in how we reach people”, including those who are holding out on those vacant buildings in town.
“If we come up with an actual plan or initiative first, and then show them what the sale of their property could do for the community, they might be more willing to change their tune”, Turner claims. If given the million bucks, Turner would choose to use it for youth programs, funding for minorities, and possibly for some kind of “healthy initiative” like a farm-to-table program, for example. Turner views negative feedback as a necessary part of serving on council as a public servant, and claims that listening with a calm, level-headedness and making compromises is essential.
Election day is November 3rd, 2026.
Clifton Forge wants to remind voters that the town is organized under the council manager form of government, guided by the town charter. The five council members are elected at large, and serve overlapping four year terms. This year (2026), residents will elect three members who will serve four years, and in 2028, residents will elect two members that will serve four years as well. All council members are equal in their responsibilities.
