TO THE EDITOR:

On May 26, 2026, Town of Mineral Council Member David Hempstead circulated a message to Council members, the Mayor, and staff asserting that former Town Manager Nicole Washington “was terminated a long time ago” and questioning why her Town of Mineral email account remained active. He further claimed that the mere existence of this email account constituted “total access… including confidential communication” and described it as “an extremely serious security breach.”

It is my opinion that these assertions are inaccurate. The continued existence of Ms. Washington’s Town email account does not constitute a security breach, nor does an email address provide “total access” to Council communications or confidential information. Moreover, Ms. Washington bears no responsibility for the account’s status. Throughout this difficult period following what I believe to be an unjust termination, she has consistently conducted herself with professionalism, integrity, and restraint— even as the Town’s actions have repeatedly jeopardized her ability to support her family. The responsibility for this situation lies with the current town leadership. A fundamental lack of awareness and understanding of basic electronic security protocols created the confusion that led to Mr. Hempstead’s message. His sudden alarm over an issue he believed had existed for nearly six months—when in fact the Treasurer acted promptly in January to restrict access—reflects a broader pattern we have seen in recent months in what I believe to be inadequate planning, inconsistent implementation, limited understanding of Town operations, and a persistent focus on targeting disfavored employees and Council members rather than competently managing municipal responsibilities. Had the same level of energy devoted to personal grievances been directed instead toward system oversight, administrative follow‑through, and adherence to established procedures, this matter would never have escalated into a staff‑draining distraction. Unfortunately, it has become yet another example of the reactive, disorganized, and uninformed governance that has taken hold.

When I shared these concerns with Mr. Hempstead, his emailed response was simply: “Just shut up Covert…” I firmly believe the residents of the Town of Mineral deserve better representation.

This November, every elected position in the Town of Mineral—Mayor and all six Council seats—will be on the ballot. Voters will have the opportunity to decide whether they want a Town government focused on growth, service to residents, support for local businesses, and reliable, professionally managed infrastructure, or a continuation of the bullying, cronyism, waste, confusion and disregard for legal and procedural standards and requirements that have characterized the past six months as Pamela Harlowe finishes up Mayor Jarvis’s term. It is time to restore professionalism and stability to Town leadership. MICHELLE COVERT, PH.D.

Town of Mineral resident

Dust a problem at landfill

TO THE EDITOR:

I think Louisa is a lovely place to live. One thing that puzzles me is why the county hasn’t placed a water truck at the county landfill. The dust on the roads is unbearable. The workers at the landfill deal with rotten garbage and dead animals, then they have to deal with a dust storm. A water truck won’t solve all of the problems, but it would help a great deal with incoming vehicles. Hopefully a wind storm doesn’t come.

SYLVESTER COURTNEY
Louisa