Meet Your Candidates: Elkton's 2026 Town Election

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Elkton voters will choose a mayor and members of Town Council. Before you head to the polls, here's a chance to hear from the candidates in their own words.

How this works: Inside Elkton sent every candidate the same eight questions. Answers are printed as submitted; spelling and punctuation were corrected only where a candidate asked us to. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name. Hensley Realty Group does not endorse candidates.

Thank you to every candidate for taking the time to answer, and for stepping up to serve our town.

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Candidates for Mayor

Virginia Fulginiti · Joshua Gooden · Wayne Printz

Virginia Fulginiti did not respond by the deadline.

1. Tell Elkton voters about yourself. How long have you lived in Elkton, and what experience would you bring to the office you are seeking?

Joshua Gooden: As a lifelong resident of Elkton, I have been proud to serve our town as a member of Town Council since 2012 and as Mayor since 2018. Professionally, I serve as Deputy Director of Economic Development and Tourism for Rockingham County, a role that allows me to help promote Elkton and our surrounding community, strengthen our local economy, support businesses, and create opportunities for the future.

My commitment to Elkton extends beyond town government through my involvement in EPIC, EDRC, Civil War Trails, and the Blue Ridge Committee for the SNP among others. I also have a personal passion for preserving our historic character, supporting community projects, honoring our veterans, and ensuring Elkton continues to grow in ways that benefit our residents.

I bring to this office experience, a strong sense of responsibility, and a genuine commitment to listening to our residents, addressing challenges, and making thoughtful decisions that protect what makes Elkton special while preparing our town for the future.

Wayne Printz: I have lived in Elkton for over 45 years, where I have maintained two businesses, Elkton Car Wash One and Two, since starting in 1984 up to the current time. With 40 years business experience, 27 years as Mayor and Council, and 6 years as President of Local 94, Merck and Company, I am ready for the challenge.

2. Why are you running for this office?

Joshua Gooden: I'm running for Mayor because I believe Elkton has tremendous potential and deserves leadership that listens, communicates openly, and brings people together. I want to build on the progress we've made, continue investing in our infrastructure, strengthen our downtown and local businesses, and ensure that decisions made today serve our residents both now and for generations to come.

I believe the responsibility of the Mayor and Town Council is to identify problems, listen to the people affected by them, and work together to find practical solutions.

Leadership means being willing to address difficult issues, consider different perspectives, and make decisions in the best interests of the entire community.

I have always believed in being a clear, calm, and consistent voice for our residents and businesses. As mayor, I will continue to encourage public involvement, keep communication open, and approach every decision with Elkton's best interests at heart.

Wayne Printz: I truly love our town, and the good Lord has led me to be prepared to lead our town in a new era by unifying our people with faith, hope, kindness and strength. With Greg Lunsford, our town manager, recently resigning, our people need a strong leader now. With my in-depth experience, I will be able to sort through and separate the town's needs and wants with common-sense analytics and laser focus. I will reduce spending and clean up a dyslexic capital project plan and fragmented financial picture. Other serious considerations are split council, a broken community center, utilities skyrocketing, employee disparities, street paving, alternative water sources, and involving our citizens while mandating transparency and free speech.

I am not the person I used to be. I have revisioned myself to be a better person and tell everyone how I will make our citizens' and families' lives better and not be critical of others. My faith will be with me at all times, injected into all my decisions. Wherever you're from, whoever you are, my door is open to help us to work together to solve the town's problems.

3. What do you see as the most important issue facing Elkton over your term, and how would you address it?

Joshua Gooden: Infrastructure remains one of the most important issues facing Elkton. Reliable water, sewer, electric service, roads, and public safety are fundamental responsibilities of town government. We have made significant progress, but we must remain focused and committed to ensuring these essential services meet the needs of our residents today and in the future.

An important part of that effort is building and maintaining strong partnerships. Our relationships with organizations such as the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission have been instrumental in helping us secure grant funding for essential projects, reducing costs to local taxpayers. We must continue to pursue every appropriate grant and funding opportunity, plan strategically, and make responsible investments that strengthen our infrastructure without placing an unnecessary burden on our residents.

Infrastructure improvements require long-term planning, careful financial management, and continued oversight. My priority is to build on the work already accomplished, address remaining needs, and ensure Elkton has the reliable systems and services necessary to support our existing and growing community.

Wayne Printz: There is an absence of conscientious, focused leadership. The town's priorities are fragmented. The town is almost 24 million dollars in debt; the spending is out of control. When I was Mayor, the budget was 6.2 million; now it is 8.9 million, and last year it was 9.3 million.

The finances will come first. Street paving and water supply are second. Community Center, transparency and free speech are a top-tier priority also. A friend told me regarding finances, "When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep will be your downfall."

4. How should Elkton balance new growth and development with protecting its small-town character?

Joshua Gooden: I am working with our Town Council to establish stronger safeguards for new developments. These include ensuring adequate infrastructure capacity, protecting green space, considering phased development, requiring appropriate traffic studies, and evaluating the broader impact of proposed projects on our community. I also believe planning for affordable housing should be part of the conversation so that people who work here and families who want to remain here have opportunities to live in Elkton.

Growth must be supported by infrastructure, sound planning, and a clear understanding of its long-term costs and benefits. At the same time, we must make thoughtful investments in roads, pedestrian safety, and accessibility, taking full advantage of available VDOT funding and partnerships.

Responsible growth means welcoming opportunities while protecting our quality of life, and preserving our small-town character.

Wayne Printz: A citizen advisory board with a cross section of different ages, and include the Elkton Historical Society.

5. What would you do to support local businesses and a healthy downtown?

Joshua Gooden: Elkton is fortunate to have established businesses that serve as important anchors for our community. Supporting those businesses, encouraging new entrepreneurs, and creating a vibrant downtown are essential to our town's long-term economic health.

I would like to see the Town work in partnership with our local businesses and partner more with the Shenandoah Valley small Business Development Center. The SBDC along with venues like the Elkton Downtown Marketplace can continue to help early-stage businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs get started and grow by providing access to resources, a sales venue, mentorship, and business training.

We should also continue looking for ways to promote our existing businesses, encourage people to shop locally, and make downtown a welcoming place to visit, work, and invest. By working together, the Town, County, and business community can create opportunities for new investment while helping established businesses thrive.

A strong local business community creates jobs, expands economic opportunity, contributes to the tax base, and helps support the services our residents depend on. Investing in our businesses is an investment in Elkton itself.

Wayne Printz: A business consortium including all town businesses and town officials, and possibly a welcome center. This would improve advertising and cross-promotion. Also include legal professionals advising on a changing legal environment and new technology.

6. What are your priorities for town services and infrastructure, such as roads, water and sewer, and public safety?

Joshua Gooden: My priority is to ensure Elkton continues to provide reliable essential services, including water, sewer, electric service, and public safety. These are fundamental responsibilities of town government, and I am committed to building on the progress we have made in recent years.

Aging water and sewer infrastructure has been one of our highest priorities over the past four years, and it will remain a major focus. We have made significant investments in systems that are essential to our town's future. These include the wastewater treatment plant that came online in 2023, the new above ground water storage tank expected to be completed by the end of 2026, and major water transmission line upgrades throughout town. These projects address critical needs and will benefit Elkton residents for many years to come.

We must also continue replacing smaller water and sewer lines in older neighborhoods and advancing plans to establish a third well to provide additional redundancy and reliability. Maintaining our roads, improving traffic and pedestrian safety, and ensuring our emergency services have the resources they need are also important parts of serving our community.

New development can help share some infrastructure costs through connection fees paid by new homes and businesses, helping offset the expenses of system upgrades and maintenance. Growth must be managed responsibly, with infrastructure capacity and long-term costs carefully considered.

Infrastructure work is never truly finished. My goal is to plan ahead, maintain reliable services, pursue grants and other outside funding whenever possible, and distribute costs fairly among existing customers, new development, and available funding sources. By making sound decisions today, we can protect our residents' quality of life and ensure Elkton remains a strong, safe, and welcoming community for generations to come.

Wayne Printz: Without question, improving water distribution and alternative water sources. Also, more strict planning and implementation when delaminating streets and public walking areas, to improve safety and faster completion so as to maintain public confidence and trust.

7. How would you keep residents informed and involved in town decisions?

Joshua Gooden: No answer submitted.

Wayne Printz: Open forums, broadcasting council meetings, less closed-door decisions, develop mandated policies for strict transparency rules, and allow public comment for 5 minutes on any topic. Also, a 30-day limit on responding to a citizen's questions.

8. What is one thing you love about Elkton?

Joshua Gooden: No answer submitted.

Wayne Printz: Our people's friendly, fun demeanor. Also, our people's love and respect for country, family and friends. There is an abundant respect for our town's history and culture while living in the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Candidates for Town Council

W. Josh Davidson · Joseph Dawson-Testa · D. E. "Gene" Kite · Phillip "Rick" Workman II

D. E. "Gene" Kite and Phillip "Rick" Workman II did not respond by the deadline.

Inside Elkton was not able to reach W. Josh Davidson in time for publication.

1. Tell Elkton voters about yourself. How long have you lived in Elkton, and what experience would you bring to the office you are seeking?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: My wife Sophie, a native Elktonian, and I moved to Elkton in 2022 to be closer to her family. We are raising our two children Aurelia and Solomon, here and recently closed on our home in town. I work full-time as an Accounting and Project Management Assistant at Harman Construction, part-time at Elkton Brewing Company, and my wife and I own Sophie's Sweet Treats. I am currently finishing my Bachelor's in Data Analysis and Financial Planning at Liberty University. I bring hands-on experience in financial management, budgeting, billing, invoicing, and compliance. I graduated Blue Ridge Christian High School in 2018, and earned my Associate's Degree from Blue Ridge Community College in 2025.

2. Why are you running for this office?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: When people I respect in this community encouraged me to run, I knew it was the right thing to do. I am raising my family here, our home is here, and I want to serve the town that has become ours. I believe I bring skills this council needs, specifically in financial management and accountability. I have attended council meetings for over a year and I am ready to contribute. I also see a need for a council member who is neutral and accessible; someone every Elktonian feels comfortable approaching, regardless of where they stand. I want Elkton's best days to be ahead of us, and I want to help build that future with hard work, accountability, and an open door.

3. What do you see as the most important issue facing Elkton over your term, and how would you address it?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: Fiscal responsibility. As Elkton continues to grow, the decisions we make with our town's budget will shape our future. Every dollar should be accounted for and put to its best possible use. No small detail is worth overlooking, whether it is a major infrastructure project or a line item in the operating budget. I would address this by bringing the same financial discipline I apply professionally. Growth is exciting, but it has to be managed wisely or it works against us.

4. How should Elkton balance new growth and development with protecting its small-town character?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: Growth and small-town character are not mutually exclusive. Elkton can welcome new businesses, new families, and new investment without losing the heart of who we are. The key is being intentional. Every zoning decision, every development approval, and every infrastructure investment should be measured against the question: does this serve the people who live here? Growth should benefit Elktonians, not change the community beyond recognition. We also need to listen to residents when these decisions are being made, not after. People who have called Elkton home for generations deserve to have a voice in how their town evolves.

5. What would you do to support local businesses and a healthy downtown?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: I live this every day. My wife and I own Sophie's Sweet Treats, and I work part-time at Elkton Brewing Company. I know firsthand what it takes to run a small business in this town and the challenges that come with it. On council, I would advocate for policies that make it easier for small businesses to start, operate, and grow in Elkton. I would also make sure the town's economic development efforts are focused on attracting businesses that complement what we already have. The Elkton Downtown Marketplace has shown what is possible when the community comes together to support local businesses. I want to build on that momentum.

6. What are your priorities for town services and infrastructure, such as roads, water and sewer, and public safety?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: Maintaining what we have should come before building what we do not. Our roads, water, and sewer systems need consistent attention and investment to stay functional and safe. I would prioritize regular maintenance and address aging infrastructure before it becomes an emergency, which always costs more. For public safety, I want to make sure our police and emergency services have the resources and support they need. On every infrastructure decision, I would apply the same financial discipline I bring professionally, getting multiple quotes, reviewing costs carefully, and making sure projects are completed on time and on budget.

7. How would you keep residents informed and involved in town decisions?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: I want to be the council member you can walk up to at the marketplace, call on the phone, or stop on the street and tell me what is on your mind. Your voice matters and I will make sure it is heard. Beyond personal accessibility, I believe the town should make every effort to share information about upcoming decisions with residents well in advance. Not just by meeting the minimum legal requirements, but by actively using every communication tool available to keep citizens informed. Residents should have the opportunity to understand and weigh in on decisions before they are made, not after. Transparency builds trust.

8. What is one thing you love about Elkton?

Joseph Dawson-Testa: The people. When my family moved here in 2022, we were welcomed like we had been here our whole lives. Neighbors are not strangers. People lean on each other. There is a spirit in this town that I have never experienced anywhere else. It is the reason Sophie and I are raising our children here, and it is the reason I want to serve on Town Council. Elkton's small-town heart is worth protecting.

Write-in Candidate for Town Council

August Napotnik is running as a write-in candidate for Town Council. His name will not be printed on the ballot. Voters who wish to choose him write his name in the space provided.

1. Tell Elkton voters about yourself. How long have you lived in Elkton, and what experience would you bring to the office you are seeking?

August Napotnik: My parents moved to Elkton after I was born at RMH in Harrisonburg. They were looking for a quiet place to raise a family with like minded people in the early 80s. I went to JMU to study history, taught Latin for a year at Spotswood, and then spent almost 20 years in operations management at UPS. Now I brew beer for a living and tutor high school students. My wife and I have five children. My background in operations management combined with history and classical education gives me a healthy respect for our town's history and hardworking familes that have lived here for so long.

2. Why are you running for this office?

August Napotnik: Like much of America, Elkton is at a crossroads. We are watching the town drift away from its roots as a historic mountain community and slowly transform into a managed suburb. I didn't set out to run for office this year, but when many residents across Elkton began reaching out, expressing their frustration with the lack of transparency, the micromanagement of employees, and the feeling their voices no longer mattered at Town Hall, I couldn't sit it out any longer.

3. What do you see as the most important issue facing Elkton over your term, and how would you address it?

August Napotnik: Apart from the pressing infrastructure needs that have been a work in progress for decades, the most important issue is the erosion of our local sovereignty and identity. Our town code is currently being treated like a flexible template and not the historic document that it is. The council has a duty to ensure that decisions regarding Elkton's future are made here, by the people who are deeply rooted here, and for the benefit of the families who have build this place, lived in this place, and died in this place for generations.

4. How should Elkton balance new growth and development with protecting its small-town character?

August Napotnik: A town that isn't growing is dying, but a town that sacrifices its soul for generic development is already dead. The challenge isn't stopping growth, it's to ensure that any change to Elkton is organic, meaning it honors Elkton's history, respects Elkton's geography, and fits the scale of our mountain community. We must reject the mindset that Elkton is a blank canvas for outside developers looking to turn her into a generic suburb. Development must respect scale and aesthetics. Developers cannot make infrascructure decisions for the council. The council serves the people and not outside influence.

5. What would you do to support local businesses and a healthy downtown?

August Napotnik: A healthy downtown is the heart of a community and its health depends on the freedom of neighbors to trade with one another, the character of the storefronts, and the stability of the local families. If we want a thriving downtown, the town council needs to move from a mindset of management to a mindset of stewardship. The council must never be an obstacle. The council must prioritize local ownership, so businesses filled by people who live here, attend church here, school here. Business owners ought to be viewed as partners.

6. What are your priorities for town services and infrastructure, such as roads, water and sewer, and public safety?

August Napotnik: The primary duty of a town council is not to be a tourism promoter, an event planner, or a social engineer. The council is to be a steward of the foundational services that allow our families and businesses to flourish. When a council spends more time on political optics than on the pipes or potholes, they have forgotten their first obligation. My priorities then must be for our infrastructure: reliability, longterm, fiscally responsible. I have a deep respect for those who serve in our police department, and public safety is about the PD knowing our families and understand the community.

7. How would you keep residents informed and involved in town decisions?

August Napotnik: Transparency is not a favor that town hall does for the citizens. It is a fundamental requirement of a free republic. The people of Elkton are the owners of this town, and our elected leaders are only the stewards. Right now, that relationship has been flipped on its head. To restore true representation, I would seek to implement accessibility for working families. There should never be an important meeting at 10:00am. Restore public comment for all meetings. I will push for radical transparency where simply summaries of all major proposals are available well ahead so residents have time to read and deliberate.

8. What is one thing you love about Elkton?

August Napotnik: When you stand here in the shadow of the Blue Ridge and look out over the Shenandoah River, you aren't just looking at scenery, you're looking at a living history. I love that you can drive down Elkton's roads and see the same ridges that the forefathers who built this place saw generations ago. I love that Elkton is still shaped by the families who cleared this land, prayed in these churches, and buried their dead here. And I love watching my own children grow up here. This is home.

How to Vote

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you're in line by 7 p.m., you can still vote.

• Early voting: Rockingham County Administration Center, 20 E. Gay St., Harrisonburg

• Early voting hours: Wed. through Fri., Oct. 28–30, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Last day to vote early: Saturday, Oct. 31

• Find your polling place: Virginia Department of Elections

• Questions: Rockingham County Voter Registrar, 540-564-3055

Bring: an acceptable ID. If you don't have one, you can sign an ID confirmation statement or vote a provisional ballot.

Source: Rockingham County Voter Registrar

Quick Updates from Town Council

Fluoride in the town water. Council plans to take a closer look at fluoridation of Elkton's water at its November meeting, including the pros and cons. Inside Elkton will report on what's discussed.

Old Spotswood Estates. According to the builder, the first 8 units of the new duplex community across from Quail Run should be under roof before the end of the year. Prices and completion dates haven't been announced yet. We're working on those details for the November issue.

This Saturday: Elkton Halloween HooDoo

Saturday, Oct. 31. Trick-or-treating runs 5:30 to 7 p.m. at participating businesses around town, followed by a costume contest at 7 p.m. at the Elkton Downtown Marketplace, 178 W. Spotswood Ave. The HooDoo is hosted by the Elkton Downtown Revitalization Corporation, the Elkton Area Community Center, Elkton Parks & Recreation and the Town of Elkton.

Come find the Hensley Realty Group booth and say hello. We'll have candy for the trick-or-treaters!

Haven't voted yet? Saturday is also the last day to vote early: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Rockingham County Administration Center in Harrisonburg.

Coming in November

Whoever you choose, thank you for taking the time to get to know the people who want to serve our town. Here's what's coming in the next Inside Elkton:

• Election results and who will be serving Elkton starting in January

• What's being built: the latest on Old Spotswood Estates, Floral Springs and Downey Knolls, including prices and timing as builders share them

• Fluoride in the town water: what Council hears at its November meeting
• New businesses: where Dairy Queen and other new spots stand

Don't miss the next issue. Coming in November: we're giving away a gift card to a local Elkton favorite. Inside Elkton is free and lands in your inbox once a month. Sign up here →

Lisa Hensley, Realtor
Hensley Realty Group
540-405-1606 | Lisa@lisahensleyhomes.com
hensleyhomesva.com

Inside Elkton is a free community newsletter from Lisa Hensley, Realtor®, Hensley Realty Group.