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Candidate Q&A series | Wallace Commissioner
Glenn Price
As Wallace faces a period of rapid growth and critical infrastructure needs, longtime resident and Navy veteran Glenn Price is stepping forward to serve. Now retired after a decades-long career in military leadership and defense consulting, Price is running for town council with a focus on smart growth, transparency, and improved communication with residents. In this Q&A, he shares his motivations, priorities, and vision for the future of Wallace.
What motivates you to seek office?
Wallace is experiencing unprecedented growth, and how we manage it will shape the future of our community. We must be ready for new development, but simultaneously make sure assets and resources are available to maintain our existing infrastructure. My entire adult life has been devoted to service, 29 years in the Navy followed by 14 years as a consultant supporting the Navy. This lifelong commitment to service has equipped me with the leadership, problem-solving, and decision-making skills that are directly applicable to guiding Wallace through this critical time. Now retired, I not only have the opportunity but also the time to devote to researching issues, carefully considering options, and ensuring that every decision made by our town’s leadership serves the best interests of our citizens.
What are the most critical changes you believe Wallace needs right now? How do you plan to achieve those goals?
Appropriately, we are focused on growth along the I-40/Hwy 41 East corridor, but we also must not lose sight of the need to restore and maintain historic downtown and our established neighborhoods. The infrastructure, especially our streets and sidewalks show the effects of years of temporary fixes, leaving residents frustrated every time they pull out of their driveways or walk the sidewalks.
As a councilman, I will raise these concerns directly with town leadership and ensure priorities are set and tracked. I will actively pursue funding opportunities to support these efforts and track progress to completion. Additionally, council must improve communication with citizens keeping them informed about discussions, rationale for decisions, and how those choices affect daily life in Wallace.
What is your political background or what experience, or skills make you a strong candidate to serve Wallace?
This is my first time running for political office. I began my Naval career as an enlisted nuclear submariner serving on 2 fast attack submarines and teaching nuclear plant operations before commissioning through Officer Candidate School. As a Naval officer, I served as Department Head on USS PORTER (DDG 78) and as Executive Officer on USS BARRY (DDG 52). I later served as Chief Staff Officer for the IWO JIMA Expeditionary Strike Group and for Destroyer Squadron 22. In these roles, I managed complex projects, led teams of over 300 sailors, and oversaw the daily operations of ships and staffs. My responsibilities included developing and delivering training programs, ensuring professional qualifications, and safeguarding the well-being of those in these commands.
After retiring from the Navy, I continued to serve as a consultant, supporting the development of surface-to-air missile systems, including Ballistic Missile Defense. I advised senior civilian and military leaders providing technical guidance on missile programs, overseeing multi-million-dollar contracts, and helping draft and revise Department of the Navy and Department of Defense policies.
This broad experience spanning leadership, policy development, financial oversight, and training, has uniquely prepared me to serve effectively as a Councilman. I am committed to guiding Wallace’s growth with strong leadership, responsible oversight, and a focus on the town’s continued success.
If you were given $1 million to invest in the town, how would you allocate those funds and why? What priorities would guide your spending decisions?
- $700,000 to Public Services for repairing existing potholes and repaving streets.
- $50,000 to the Fire Department to supplement the current budget and cover recent, unplanned repair and maintenance costs.
- $150,000 for unfunded crime reduction and prevention equipment consolidating all devices into a central system for effective monitoring.
- $100,000 to the Parks and Recreation Department for repairing Dobbins Park field and preparing the Clement Street Park fields for soccer use. This would serve as a solution until the Farrior Park soccer fields are completed.
These priorities are based first on feedback from residents, second on maintaining the community safety and protection at the highest level of readiness, and third on providing more opportunities for greater community engagement and recreation.
How do you plan to engage with residents and ensure that all voices are heard and considered in town decisions?
Since announcing my candidacy, I have maintained open communication with supporters and the community through Facebook and face-to-face discussions. As a councilman, I will remain approachable and accessible to citizens by engaging in one-on-one conversations and small group gatherings, meetings with municipal departments, and attending various town and business sponsored events. I will always have a listening ear.
To keep the public informed I will continue to share summaries of council decisions, rationale, and community impact through social media, local newspapers, and will seek additional avenues to increase transparency. Strong, effective communication cost little but has a big impact.
If elected, what would be your first action or initiative once in office, and why is it your top priority?
Wallace thrives when we work together and keep our community well informed. I believe we have significant room for improvement when it comes to communicating with citizens. My first initiative as a councilman will be to strengthen how the council and town management shares information and responds to questions and concerns. When residents are unaware of decisions or the rationale behind them, confusion and frustration can arise. Strong effective communication includes listening and responding to citizen concerns, sharing updates, priorities and resolutions. At the heart of it all, we must never lose sight of who we serve: the citizens of Wallace, and this begins with transparency in council actions.
How long have you lived in Wallace? What do you love most about the town?
I am a Wallace native and grew up in the Northeast community, surrounded by family, friends and people who have always called this area home. I graduated from Wallace-Rose Hill High School before enlisting in the Navy. My wife moved to Wallace in the eighth grade when her father became pastor of Wallace Presbyterian Church. In 2019, when preparing for the next chapter of our life, we decided to come back to Wallace and purchased a home here. After my wife’s retirement as a middle school principal in the Virginia Beach School System, we returned permanently in 2021.
One of the best parts of living in Wallace is the community spirit. Belonging to a community means feeling connected to others, sharing experiences, and participating in local traditions and events. It means enjoying the warmth and friendliness of neighbors, savoring simple pleasures, like walking down Main Street for coffee or ice cream, supporting our local businesses, and attending community events such as the Strawberry Festival, the Back Street Music Festival and the Latino Festival; being surrounded by people who support and care for one another. Knowing the people we meet and feeling a true sense of belonging makes Wallace, quite simply, a great place to call home.
