Martinsville Mayor Shannon Kohl Will Not Seek A Second Term

Martinsville Mayor Shannon Kohl will not seek another term.

The Republican announced this week she’ll step aside when her term ends at the end of the year.

Kohl says she believes she accomplished everything she set out to do as mayor, and is especially proud of the financial changes.

"Our city is now actually growing cash and has every years since I’ve been in office, even with the deficit budget that I inherited in 2016," she says.

Kohl defeated longtime Mayor Phil Deckard in the Republican primary in 2015. During the campaign, she accused Deckard of mismanaging the city’s budget.

Kohl says a combination of personal and professional factors contributed to her decision not to run again.

A recent cancer diagnosis means Kohl will spend the next couple of months focused on a treatment plan.

"But that is not going to keep me from doing my mayoral duties," she says. "I’m going to finish out my term and I’m going to finish it out strong."

Kohl says she’s exploring a few job options for the future, both in the public and private sectors.

"I love the community, it’s a great place," she says. "We’ve improved it and I’m thankful to the people that were here for giving me four years to make their community a better place."