The Town of Wise Council:
Ben Conway, Caynor Smith, Jr., Teresa Adkins - Mayor, Laura Taylor-Baugh - Vice Mayor, Jeffery Dotson
ABOUT COUNCIL (For Contact Information go to the Government Page)
Jeffery Dotson, Council Member, started working for the Town of Wise in 1979 as a police officer, soon thereafter he moved to Wise and has lived here ever since. Jeff retired from the Wise Police Department on February 29, 2012 & was elected to the Wise Town Council on May 1, 2012 and elected to serve as Mayor from 2018-2020. He is a member of the Wise Kiwanis Club, and a member of the Wise Baptist Church. Jeff has been married to his wonderful wife Kathy since 1980, and has two children.
Teresa Adkins, Mayor, is a native of Hinton, West Virginia who moved to Wise in 1980. She received a B.S., in 1972, an Elementary Education and M.A. in 1977, and Reading Supervision at West Virginia University; additional graduate work-ETSU and Radford University. She is married to Bob Adkins, who is a member of the Wise County Board of Supervisors. Teresa is currently the Vice-Mayor and has been a council member since 2006. She is employed at UVa-Wise as Director of Upward Bound since 1998. Her current community or civic involvement is Mountain Empire Board of Directors, Lonesome Pine Office on Youth, American Association of University Women, Black History Committee at UVa-Wise, Town and Country Garden Club, and the Wise Baptist Church.
Caynor Smith, Jr., Council Member, was born in Wise, Va. and graduated from J.J. Kelly High School and attended Clinch Valley College for 2 years and transfered to Samford University in Birmingham, Al. where he received a Pharm D. degree in Pharmacy. He returned to Wise and started working as a pharmacist. Married Mary Dora Schreiner in 1982 and they have two children which both live in SouthWest Va. Caynor first served his community by volunteering on the Town of Wise's Planning Commission for 3 years. In 1988, he decided to run for town council which he is still involved with today. Caynor has been Mayor and Vice Mayor throughout the years. He also represents the Town of Wise on the (CNW) Coeburn-Norton-Wise Regional Authority where he has been Chairman since 1990.
Laura Taylor-Baugh, Vice-Mayor, is a native of Wise and graduated from J.J. Kelly High School. She received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in 2000 and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from King University in 2010.
Laura is married to Josh Baugh and has one son, Taylor. Laura is a member of Wise Kiwanis Club and Town & Country Garden Club. She has served on the committees for Chillin’ and Grillin’ in the Glades and Wise Fall Fling. Laura completed the Forward Wise County program in 2016 and served as a Planning Commissioner from 2016 – 2018, when she was elected to Council.
Ben Conway, Council Member, newly elected to Town Council.
Jeffery Dotson, Council Member, started working for the Town of Wise in 1979 as a police officer, soon thereafter he moved to Wise and has lived here ever since. Jeff retired from the Wise Police Department on February 29, 2012 & was elected to the Wise Town Council on May 1, 2012 and elected to serve as Mayor from 2018-2020. He is a member of the Wise Kiwanis Club, and a member of the Wise Baptist Church. Jeff has been married to his wonderful wife Kathy since 1980, and has two children.
Teresa Adkins, Mayor, is a native of Hinton, West Virginia who moved to Wise in 1980. She received a B.S., in 1972, an Elementary Education and M.A. in 1977, and Reading Supervision at West Virginia University; additional graduate work-ETSU and Radford University. She is married to Bob Adkins, who is a member of the Wise County Board of Supervisors. Teresa is currently the Vice-Mayor and has been a council member since 2006. She is employed at UVa-Wise as Director of Upward Bound since 1998. Her current community or civic involvement is Mountain Empire Board of Directors, Lonesome Pine Office on Youth, American Association of University Women, Black History Committee at UVa-Wise, Town and Country Garden Club, and the Wise Baptist Church.
Caynor Smith, Jr., Council Member, was born in Wise, Va. and graduated from J.J. Kelly High School and attended Clinch Valley College for 2 years and transfered to Samford University in Birmingham, Al. where he received a Pharm D. degree in Pharmacy. He returned to Wise and started working as a pharmacist. Married Mary Dora Schreiner in 1982 and they have two children which both live in SouthWest Va. Caynor first served his community by volunteering on the Town of Wise's Planning Commission for 3 years. In 1988, he decided to run for town council which he is still involved with today. Caynor has been Mayor and Vice Mayor throughout the years. He also represents the Town of Wise on the (CNW) Coeburn-Norton-Wise Regional Authority where he has been Chairman since 1990.
Laura Taylor-Baugh, Vice-Mayor, is a native of Wise and graduated from J.J. Kelly High School. She received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in 2000 and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from King University in 2010.
Laura is married to Josh Baugh and has one son, Taylor. Laura is a member of Wise Kiwanis Club and Town & Country Garden Club. She has served on the committees for Chillin’ and Grillin’ in the Glades and Wise Fall Fling. Laura completed the Forward Wise County program in 2016 and served as a Planning Commissioner from 2016 – 2018, when she was elected to Council.
Ben Conway, Council Member, newly elected to Town Council.
