Mayor Brad Grose and Town Council members Laurie Mullins and Keith Liles are all running
unopposed in the November 5 general election. Town Council members do not declare affiliation
with a particular political party.
Grose has served on council since 2000, and as mayor since 2004. Mullins was first elected to
council in 2020 and Liles in 2016.
The three candidates were asked to comment on progress in the Town of Vinton in recent years.
Statement from Mayor Grose:
“Please permit me to use this opportunity to thank God for allowing me to serve Him while
serving the people of Vinton. I also want to sincerely thank my family for the many sacrifices
they have made since I first ran for public office in 2000. I am truly thankful for the people of
Vinton who have permitted me to serve as their mayor since 2004.
“The Town of Vinton has certainly been blessed, especially during the most recent decade. There
have been many improvements in Vinton, some physical that can easily be seen and some that
cannot be seen. The citizens of Vinton can see our progress by the many new businesses in town,
pavement of neighborhood streets, new traffic lights, new streetlights in downtown,
improvements at the Farmer’s Market, a new parking lot, sidewalk and stormwater
improvements, additional greenways, and, of course, a few years ago the Roanoke County
Library in downtown Vinton.
“The Town of Vinton has also removed or reclaimed blighted properties in our town and
significantly improved the appearance of our town. A complete list of improvements would
certainly consume more space than I should use.
“The Town of Vinton has been transformed into one of the best places for entertainment in the
Roanoke Valley. There are always activities such as outdoor music, festivals, sports, gaming,
restaurants, and, of course, many church and family events. The staff at the Vinton War
Memorial always has a full agenda of meetings and activities.
“Many improvements cannot easily be seen but are vital to keeping Vinton a safe, attractive and
growing community. All the departments are staffed with well-trained and motivated
professionals that deliver enhanced services to our citizens and businesses. While the total
number of staff members has decreased, the service delivery and citizen support has steadily
increased.
“There are many reasons the Town of Vinton has enjoyed such growth and improvement.
Certainly, the Lord has blessed us; the staff continues to deliver improved services; we have
many wonderful private and public partners; and the citizens of Vinton have been very
supportive as our town has experienced some incredible changes.
As mayor, I cannot claim credit for all the progress that we have experienced in the Town of
Vinton. However, I have had the privilege of serving as part of the team that has performed
extremely well for the Town of Vinton. Therefore, I ask the citizens of Vinton to support me as I
seek another term as mayor of our great town. Thank you!”
Statement from Council Member Keith Liles
When asked about recent accomplishments by the town, Liles said, “The town has come back to
life; however, that wouldn’t have happened without having an excellent staff. Vinton is lucky to
have its dedicated staff who all work together for the same goal, which is making Vinton the
place we all call home. I am very proud to be a part of Vinton's transition of being a ‘go-to town’
instead of a ‘go-through town.’
“I would like to continue to see forward movement for Vinton by allowing the staff to have the
freedom to make decisions that support Vinton’s vision.
“Again, Vinton is very fortunate to have the staff that sees the Vinton vision. To be honest, town
staff makes Town Council look good.”
Statement from Council member Laurie Mullins
“First, I would like to the citizens to know that even though the three of us have not put
campaign signs out nor have we been openly campaigning, it doesn’t mean we aren’t invested.
We run as Independents, and we focus on our town. I don’t want to get involved with the current
political climate so I can keep my concerns here. The state legislature moved our elections to
November, and in doing so, may have brought the political parties to the forefront, like the
national elections. That is not what our council is about.
“Since I was elected in 2020, our Town Council has been busy! Vinton has made leaps and
bounds into the future. I am proud of the fact that we have had the largest paving budgets and
are making our way through the entire town for a fresh look.
“The staff and council have used ARPA funds wisely, have not raised taxes, finally brought
Mountain View Road up-to-date, and have hired incredible new employees. Council gave raises
to the wonderful staff without raising their benefit costs. Not to mention the water system being
transferred to Western Virginia Water Authority. I could go on and on, because I truly love our
town, the citizens, and staff!
“Looking forward, there are some important items that we need to focus on. My biggest concern
right now is the fire-damaged property on Lee Avenue. The citizens may not know that there are
steps we have to follow and work with the owners to do the best we can for everyone. I would
like to see that beautiful corner back – and better than ever. The downtown area is so vibrant and can continue to grow with new businesses and continued updates. I also would like to continue to
keep our Vinton taxes low, and maybe lower if we can make that feasible.”
