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Mack Smith, a lifelong Rockbridge County resident and farmer, is seeking to return to the Board of Supervisors. He represented the Buffalo District from 2004 to 2012 and served on the county Planning Commission for more than a decade.
“I’ve remained engaged in various aspects of county government throughout my life,” said Smith. “My approach has been being an active listener and striving to uncover common ground among different viewpoints. My love for our county and the beauty of Rockbridge County has been cultivated through generations of my family’s involvement in agriculture. I’m devoted in my commitment to preserving the county’s beauty, integrity and uniqueness.”
If elected, issues he’ll prioritize include “ensuring the availability of affordable housing, enhancing programs and services for the aging population, increasing support for mental health programs, maintaining land use taxation [and] promoting the growth of a skilled labor force.”
He said he would like to address food insecurity and care services. He wants the supervisors to adopt a solar ordinance. He hopes to expand “the taxable base while preserving the natural beauty and integrity of Rockbridge County.”
Capital projects Smith would like to see the county tackle are expanding county-wide broadband, finalizing trash collection centers across the county, increasing funding for fire and rescue services and allocating more funds for youth recreational facilities. The last of these, he said, would “deter drug use and reduce gang affiliations through [providing youth with] alternative activities.”
During his prior two terms on the Board of Supervisors, Smith and his fellow supervisors were able to accomplish much, he said. They secured funding for renovations of all of the county’s elementary schools and for the first stage of a remodeling/expansion of Maury River Middle School. The county offered economic incentives to attract Devil’s Backbone brewery here and facilitate the expansion of White’s Travel Center. The county courthouse project was completed, water and sewer services were extended to Raphine and funding for the creation of the Effinger Rescue Squad was provided.
A fifth-generation farmer, Smith’s family farm is currently focusing on cattle, hay and grain production. He is president of the Rockbridge County Farm Bureau. He and his wife of 46 years, Ann, who is originally from Castleton, Vt., have three grown children and two grandsons. His daughter Margaret Ann and son Marcus both work on the family farm, as does Marcus’s wife Sara. His daughter Martha works in the agriculture industry for Bayer Crop Science.
Smith said he was “raised on our family’s farm just outside Lexington, where I attended Central Elementary School. Later, I graduated from Lexington High School and pursued my education at Virginia Western Community College.”
He noted that he’s “dedicated a significant part of my life to public service,” and would like to continue this service by serving another term on the Board of Supervisors.
