MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Former Martinsville City Manager Aretha Ferrell-Benavides is responding this weekend to her ouster by the city council last week.
In a statement to 10 News, she called the termination “unjustified and retaliatory in nature” after she filed a discrimination complaint against the city with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Virginia Office of Civil Rights.
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The council voted 4-1 on Thursday to fire Ferrell-Benavides after months of controversy. She was placed on administrative leave last month and an audit of the city’s finances is currently underway.
Ferrell-Benavides alleges the council did not follow city code by not providing 60 days’ notice and by not giving her specific reasons for her dismissal.
During Thursday’s meeting, the council cited reasons such as commission of an act involving malfeasance and dishonesty; violation of city charter, city code, city policy, city rule and regulation; and unsatisfactory performance.
Mayor L.C. Jones was the only no vote.
“I chose to object to it at this particular time because the investigation is still ongoing and we’re still waiting on an audit to come back,” Jones said.
Jones told 10 News he’d support the move after the investigation, if it was found that Ferrell-Benavides had violated laws or policies.
Ferrell-Benavides was first appointed as city manager in September 2023 after serving in the role in cities such as Duncanville, Texas and Petersburg.
She received a controversial $30,000 raise in March 2025. She was also a defendant in a civil rights suit filed by Councilmember Aaron Rawls after he was removed from a meeting in March.
An extended excerpt of her statement reads:
“I am compelled to address the circumstances surrounding my recent termination, which I firmly assert was both unjustified and retaliatory in nature.
Contrary to the narrative being circulated, I have maintained a consistent record of integrity, professionalism, and documented performance. The decision to terminate my employment appears to stem not from any legitimate misconduct but from my willingness to challenge outdated practices and take action to protect and improve the quality of services our city provides to our residents. Growth can be painful, and it is never achieved with perfection, but it is often necessary.
During my time as City Manager, I led a comprehensive transformation of Martinsville’s fiscal operations, organizational structure, and accountability systems. My leadership was grounded in transparency, modernization, and alignment with best practices in public administration.
Despite inheriting a financially unstable and structurally disorganized environment, my administration implemented reforms that restored operational stability, improved budget integrity, and prioritized staff development. Unfortunately, these necessary changes—and my presence as a strong, reform-minded Black female executive—were met with political hostility and mischaracterizations designed to discredit my leadership.
This is not merely a matter of disagreement or performance—it is a clear and deliberate act of retaliation following my formal complaints filed with both the Virginia Office of Civil Rights and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
On July 2, 2025, I filed a charge of discrimination with the EEOC and the Virginia Office of Civil Rights, stating that I had been defamed, harassed, and discriminated against on the basis of my gender, race, and color, experiencing harm in direct violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Virginia Human Rights Act.
Shortly thereafter, on July 23, 2025, I was subjected to further retaliation, including being placed on administrative leave without clear justification.
Finally, on August 8, 2025, my employment was terminated “for cause”—a decision that followed a City Council request for a forensic audit into financial and operational discrepancies, which has yet to be completed. Notably, the request for a forensic audit came the same week the City received a clean audit from its external, independent auditors. To date, the forensic audit remains incomplete.
I have always strived to protect the rights and well-being of our community members and staff—including women and people of color—who have, as of late, been subjected to a toxic culture that fails to honor and protect their dignity, safety, and legal rights.
At no time have I been provided with the alleged reasons for the removal, beyond the vague statements issued to the media. No specifics of what is alleged to have occurred to support these vague statements have been provided to me, or anyone else to my knowledge. In addition, my termination without the 60-day notice period violates the foregoing law.
I will continue to pursue every appropriate channel, including legal recourse, to address what has transpired.”
Jones told 10 News the search for a new city manager is underway. Meanwhile, Ferrell-Benavides is a finalist for the city manager position in Elgin, Texas, east of Austin. No decision has been made there.