Giving citizens a voice is at the core of Mei’s platform – Henry County Enterprise

Julian Mei is a household name among many voters in the real estate industry. He has now decided to make his first foray into politics with the goal of open communication. He envisions a prosperous city where complaints receive the attention they deserve.

Mei, 43, works for Berry-Elliott Realtors. He also has experience in the entertainment and hospitality industry and a degree in graphic design. He worked as a fashion designer and lived in New York before eventually returning to Martinsville. He currently serves on the Arts and Culture Committee and pursues other interests.

Mei said he had considered running in the last election.

“I thought about it two years ago, but I wasn’t quite ready. The last election was so volatile,” he said, adding that he attributed it to a combination of personalities, setbacks and fear of a possible new administration.

Mei said he wanted to prepare well before his first run, but two years ago, “I felt like I didn’t know enough about a lot of things.”

He said he decided to run this year because he felt people needed a voice.

“I have been working for a long time to get Martinsville to speak to the accomplishments of its residents, but also to people from outside the community,” Mei said, adding that residents bring “not only their physical selves, but also their experiences.”

He feels that newcomers are unsure how to “fit in” to the community and that “Martinsville’s old identity is becoming mixed with its new identity.”

Mei said he gets feedback from others and “the majority is positive, I don’t get many complaints.” He believes the most important demands of voters are to keep the city safe and clean and to continue on the path to prosperity.

He is excited about the growth Uptown has experienced and believes that continued expansion “is key to realizing the full potential of this community.” He believes it is important to have a central hub that can attract new community members and that having businesses within walking distance of residential areas is very attractive to the younger generation.

“Martinsville is a destination for people who want to escape the traffic and hustle and bustle of dense city life,” Mei said.

He also vowed to support citizens on various issues.

“I will take all concerns very seriously,” Mei said, noting that he raised deficiencies in the city’s reporting system during a recent council meeting.

He praised the teams from the city’s water management office who dealt with the burst pipe, as well as the city’s electricity company employees who, he said, “quickly restored the supply.”

However, he believes that the city’s infrastructure still needs work.

“We need to make sure we generate revenue to compensate for the infrastructure problems, but not by overtaxing citizens,” Mei said, noting that MiNet, which provides premium internet to residents and others, is an excellent revenue-generating service.

Mei supports the city’s police officers and says he has heard only “rave reviews” about the officers in Martinsville Police Chief Rob Fincher’s department as well as the staff of Martinsville Sheriff Steve Draper.

“My only concern with police officers is the amount of domestic violence that will be taking place in the parking lots of bars and restaurants. I feel like there may be an increased presence in some of these places throughout the city,” Mei said.

Having attended city schools and graduated from Martinsville High School, “I stand behind our students and teachers 100 percent. Our best hope for the future is that the children are equipped with the skills and education to go out into the world, excel and, if they are so inclined, take home some of the fruits of their experiences as adults,” Mei said.

He wants to ensure the school division “gets the resources it needs without unduly burdening residents,” and he will work to ensure safety at businesses that stay open late at night.

Mei encouraged voters to “stay optimistic about the development of our city. We are doing really well. It is getting bigger, better and stronger.”

He added that even if he loses in November, he will continue to volunteer to help the city grow.