Ann Marie Green is making her first run for Salem City Council.
By Meg Hibbert
Contributing Writer
Ann Marie Green is running for Salem City Council with a platform of making it a better place to live, work and do business. It is the first run for the president of the Council of Community Services, a nonprofit in Roanoke.
Her late husband of 31 years, Mac Green, served on Council in the 1970s, 80s and 1990s, and was vice mayor for 20 years.
Green is one of four candidates running for Council in November. The others are incumbents Randy Foley and John Saunders, who, like Green, are running as independents, and Republican Hunter Holliday.
“I’m running as an independent because I really don’t think political parties have anything to do with the issues that face local government,” Green explained.
She outlined what she believes are the most important issues before the city now. “I am concerned we are coming into a recession, and I think that will be an issue for the city to keep providing services. Salem has infrastructure that needs to be done, particularly the Civic Center which really needs some work and the city is planning to do that,” she said.
“The football stadium needs work, too, and the storm water system. Areas flood after heavy rain.”
She continued: “I think zoning decisions are on top of a lot of people’s minds. The city needs to take into consideration existing zoning, and have a plan for economic development. Those are the things I want to help with.”
Green pointed out that she has been involved in local government in Roanoke County and Roanoke City for 33 years. “Nobody running knows as much about local government as I do,” she emphasized. Green pointed out she was the county’s community spokeswoman, and headed two different departments when both were tackling big tasks. For the last four years before she retired, she was head of Roanoke County’s Human Resources Department. Green had started with the county as its public information officer in 1989, then was director of general services.
The 65-year-old emphasized that in addition to her background in local government, “I have new ideas. I think that’s a positive for me.”
Green decided to run right before Memorial Day, she said. Why now? “I don’t have as much on my plate now,” she said, referring to the death of her husband a year ago after years of declining health.
Green is the mother of two grown children, Emily, 31, who is a Roanoke County Social Worker in child protective services; and Adrian, 27, a water treatment operator for the regional water plant at Spring Hollow Reservoir.
Green plans to continue going door-to-door as she did when she collected qualifying signatures, and said she hopes some of the local civic organizations will have candidate forums or give candidates the opportunity to talk to their members.
“I think the more people you talk to, that’s how you get your case out,” Green said.
She holds a law degree from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where she joined a law practice. Later Green began working as an aide for the city manager of Alexandria, Va., her hometown, and realized she loved working in local government. “I liked being able to make that direct impact and improve people’s lives,” she concluded.