Stephanie Porter-Nichols Smyth County News & Messenger
After questioning the actions of his peers and the town manager, a Marion councilman quit in the middle of Monday evening's town council meeting.
Councilman Jim Barker, who has served on the Marion Town Council since 2010, said he had been working to improve Marion without gaining personal rewards. However, with what he said he has witnessed, Barker said he has grown frustrated. He indicated that frustration reached a tipping point during a closed session at the last council meeting when Barker said he was berated, and some council members even yelled at him. The behavior, he alleged, was an effort to intimidate him.
"Hatred, falsehoods, and half-truths were aimed at me and some citizens," said Barker.
Barker suggested that his peers were responding to his decision to start checking the accuracy of information reported to the council by Town Manager Bill Rush. "'Trust but verify' became my motto," Barker said.
Handing out what he called a retirement letter, Barker said he was frustrated with the town manager and the "complicit and malfeasant council."
Barker said he was retiring immediately and that he would not be running for mayor even though he had previously filed to do so. However, he declared, "I will not disappear."
As he was walking away from the council dais, a citizen yelled out, "You were bullied."
Barker replied, "Yep."
As he left, Barker received scattered applause from a group of citizens who regularly question the town council's actions.
The letter Barker addressed to Vice Mayor Jim Gates read, "I am hereby retiring from the Marion Council, effective immediately. My iPad, building pass, and ... key are on the dais."
The document continued, "I am also retiring from the Marion Planning Commission, Marion Tree Commission, and Song of the Mountains."
A Smyth County native, Barker retired from the USDA-Forest Service after 33 years of service in 2009. He then launched Jim Barker Appraisal LLC.
Barker was not shy about taking stands on wide-ranging issues. The council representative to the Planning Commission, he was heavily involved in development issues. He long advocated for the town's police, fire and EMS responders and worked with Smyth County to establish an EMS funding agreement.
In recent years, Barker had taken a more aggressive stance in challenging Rush and his peers on the council.
Barker made his announcement during the time set aside during council meetings for individual member reports.
Following Barker's walkout, those reports continued.
During his time, Councilman Avery Cornett noted that he came across Maya Morrison in the Virginia Town & City magazine published by the Virginia Municipal League (VML). Morrison, a Marion Middle School student, was recognized in May as the VML's regional winner of the "If I Were Mayor" Essay Contest.
"We've got to show them a better world," Cornett said, saying that a lot of youth are watching what's taking place. "Let's try to make them proud," he said.
The council entered an unscheduled closed session to discuss privacy protections, consultation with legal counsel, and personnel. After returning to open session, the council took no action before adjourning.
Following the meeting, Gates declined to comment on Barker's allegations other than to say that the issues had been ongoing over several years. He also said the council's actions were supported by "verifiable facts."
Rush also chose not to respond.
On Tuesday, a Marion statement on Barker's action said, "The Council and staff of the Town of Marion acknowledges Mr. Barker's service, and wishes him well."
When running for his council seat in 2018, Barker said one of the three important roles of a councilmember is "Being a part of a cohesive working team that includes the other council members, the mayor, the town manager, the town staff and the public. It takes team work to produce desirable change."
In 2019, Barker challenged then Delegate Jeff Campbell for the 6th District House of Delegates seat.
Barker's departure impacts the already short council.
Mayor David Helms died in March, and, last month, Councilman Bill Weaver stepped down to move to be closer to family.
Gates has stepped up to serve as the council's presiding officer. Other council members include Larry Carter, Cornett, Susie Jennings, and Tricia Spencer.
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