Richlands Town Council · Nov 3, 2026
Laura A.
Mollo
Laura A. Mollo, the incumbent, is running for Richlands Town Council in the Nov 3, 2026 election; 5 candidates are running for 3 seats.
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The race · Town Council
- 01Daniel L. "DJ" Lankford
- 02Frances D. Meadows
- 03Lynna M. Mitchell
- 04Laura A. MolloYou’re reading
- 05Rick L. Wood IIIncumbent
Background
- About
- Member of the Richlands Town Council.
Laura A. Mollo, Rick L. Wood II and Jannis R. "Jan" White won the three Town Council seats in the November 2022 election. Virginia Department of Elections · Nov 8, 2022
On the record: Laura A. Mollo
13 sourced01Electric rates and generator4 sourced positions
Voted no on Ordinance O-2026-06-03, raising the residential electric rate from $14.90 to $16.00 (passed 4-1, June 2026).
Council voteRichlands Town Council minutes, June 9, 2026 · Jun 9, 2026LinkHow the council voted
quoted by WVVA
Said she voted no on the rate increase because the burden falls on the council to solve the issue.
I believe the burden falls on the Town Council to solve the issue, not just to reach our hands out to the citizens and say, we’ve raised the rate, now you’re going to give us more money”
Own statementWVVA · Oct 9, 2026Link
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said she believes in the need to generate the town's own power and in the generator project, but that the burden should be on the town and not on citizens.
Own statementRichlands Town Council minutes, January 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026Link
Voted no on reinstating the power cost adjustment at $8.61 per 1,000 (passed 3-2, April 2025).
Council voteRichlands Town Council minutes, April 8, 2025 · Apr 8, 2025LinkHow the council voted
02Budget2 sourced positions
Voted no on the FY2027 budget, Resolution R-2026-05-03 (passed 5-1, May 2026).
Council voteRichlands Town Council minutes, May 28, 2026 (special called meeting) · May 28, 2026LinkHow the council voted
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said she would vote no on all the rate changes because she voted no on the budget due to the deficit.
Own statementRichlands Town Council minutes, June 9, 2026 · Jun 9, 2026Link
03Capital purchases2 sourced positions
Voted no on buying a $160,000 salt building (passed 3-2, February 2026).
Council voteRichlands Town Council minutes, February 10, 2026 · Feb 10, 2026LinkHow the council voted
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said she voted no on the salt building because of the many budget amendments, and would support it as a capital expenditure in the next budget cycle.
Own statementRichlands Town Council minutes, February 10, 2026 · Feb 10, 2026Link
04Real estate tax2 sourced positions
Voted no on real estate tax Ordinance O-2026-07-02, after the interim town manager recommended leaving the rate at 19 cents (passed 4-1, July 2026).
Council voteRichlands Town Council minutes, July 14, 2026 · Jul 14, 2026LinkHow the council voted
Moved to set the real estate tax rate at 18 cents; the motion died for lack of a second (July 2026).
Own statementRichlands Town Council minutes, July 14, 2026 · Jul 14, 2026Link
05ATVs on town streets2 sourced positions
Voted yes on Ordinance O-2026-01-01 to repeal the town's ATV ordinance (failed 2-4, January 2026).
Council voteRichlands Town Council minutes, January 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026LinkHow the council voted
as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote
Said the current ATV ordinance lets ATVs into neighborhoods and she wanted to repeal it and build a new ordinance after the bridge is completed.
Own statementRichlands Town Council minutes, January 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026Link
06Past candidacies1 sourced position
Ran for Richlands Town Council in 2022 (won).
Own statementVirginia Department of Elections · Nov 8, 2022Link
Every claim links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works
Laura A. Mollo: their words and their votes on the same issue
Electric rates
In their words
Said she voted no on the rate increase because the burden falls on the council to solve the issue.
Oct 9, 2026 ·quoted by WVVA ·WVVA · Oct 9, 2026
On the record
Voted no on Ordinance O-2026-06-03, raising the residential electric rate from $14.90 to $16.00 (passed 4-1, June 2026).
Jun 9, 2026 ·Richlands Town Council minutes, June 9, 2026 · Jun 9, 2026
Electric rates and generator
In their words
Said she believes in the need to generate the town's own power and in the generator project, but that the burden should be on the town and not on citizens.
Jan 13, 2026 ·as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote ·Richlands Town Council minutes, January 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026
On the record
Voted no on reinstating the power cost adjustment at $8.61 per 1,000 (passed 3-2, April 2025).
Apr 8, 2025 ·Richlands Town Council minutes, April 8, 2025 · Apr 8, 2025
Budget
In their words
Said she would vote no on all the rate changes because she voted no on the budget due to the deficit.
Jun 9, 2026 ·as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote ·Richlands Town Council minutes, June 9, 2026 · Jun 9, 2026
On the record
Voted no on the FY2027 budget, Resolution R-2026-05-03 (passed 5-1, May 2026).
May 28, 2026 ·Richlands Town Council minutes, May 28, 2026 (special called meeting) · May 28, 2026
Real estate tax
In their words
Moved to set the real estate tax rate at 18 cents; the motion died for lack of a second (July 2026).
Jul 14, 2026 ·Richlands Town Council minutes, July 14, 2026 · Jul 14, 2026
On the record
Voted no on real estate tax Ordinance O-2026-07-02, after the interim town manager recommended leaving the rate at 19 cents (passed 4-1, July 2026).
Jul 14, 2026 ·Richlands Town Council minutes, July 14, 2026 · Jul 14, 2026
ATVs in town
In their words
Said the current ATV ordinance lets ATVs into neighborhoods and she wanted to repeal it and build a new ordinance after the bridge is completed.
Jan 13, 2026 ·as summarized in the council minutes; not a direct quote ·Richlands Town Council minutes, January 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026
On the record
Voted yes on Ordinance O-2026-01-01 to repeal the town's ATV ordinance (failed 2-4, January 2026).
Jan 13, 2026 ·Richlands Town Council minutes, January 13, 2026 · Jan 13, 2026
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