McCraw Hopes To See Town Projects Through
Tom McCraw has lived in Goshen for nearly two decades and has been involved in the town’s government for most of that time. A Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam, he was first elected to Town Council in 2012, then reelected in 2016. He served as vice mayor, then was appointed mayor before being elected to a full term in 2018. He was reelected in 2022 and this year is seeking a third term in office, running unopposed on the ballot.
“Like it or not, I’m part of the town,” McCraw told The News-Gazette. “I always will be, in some people’s view, an outsider, but that’s okay. I’m grateful that the good Lord has let me live long enough to help this town in what little way I may have, and I want to continue to do that as mayor.”
Part of how McCraw has worked to help the town during his tenure as mayor is in working to secure a total of $3.5 million in grant funding for various projects around town, including $1.25 million for a community center that is going to be built off of the town hall building on Maury River Road.
The town has also applied and is waiting for confirmation for a $795,000 grant to upgrade the water system in the Furnace Hill and Old Alleghany Circle area of town where a majority of its residents live.
Earlier this year, the town was approved for a grant to purchase a pair of emergency generators that will allow town hall and the firehouse to be used as emergency shelters, and the town has received several grants to help build a town park on land owned by the town behind the Dollar General.
“I’ve always felt like, if you’re going to live in an area, you should do whatever little bit it might be to help,” he said. “I’ve been involved in a lot of projects for this town and I can truly say that anything I’ll help to do or have helped to get done is always with the town’s best interest at heart.”
Beyond the grant funding, McCraw and town clerk Trudy Martin have started a pet food pantry that operates out of town hall every Thursday alongside the weekly Rockbridge Area Relief Association food pantry. He also notes that the town has worked to clean up some of the derelict properties, including one across from the former town hall on Main Street which has been deeded to the town.
“Lord willing, I’d like to live long enough to see some of these projects finished,” McCraw said. “I’ve spent an untold number of volunteer hours to help to things for this town, so I’m really proud and grateful that people in this town have honored me, have allowed me to get on Town Council and become vice mayor and voted for me again to be mayor. So I humbly ask folks to please consider voting for me.”
