We all know that the last Mayoral election was a disaster in that the desired result could not be obtained because intelligent men could not or would not cooperate to defeat incumbents. It makes no sense to risk splitting the vote yet all candidates spent money and labored to the obvious end, betting their charm would pave the way to glory. In the next mayoral election, if the goal still is to replace the Mayor, perhaps the use of brains will help.
All agree that three incumbent Councilmen cannot be replaced because their expertise has accomplished so much for the residents of their boroughs. At least that must be what their borough residents believe. Complaints are many from residents of certain areas of the city and they suggest they are being treated differently in regard to their streets and housing. Yet those who represent them have had years to upgrade living conditions and apparently have failed. So what might the answer be?
As for the School Board, perhaps some have had enough experience attempting to upgrade the minds of students. Perhaps fresh blood is the answer. But for Council, Mayor, and School Board the answer is the same. If there are no leaders among the citizens then nothing will change. We need younger, more eager to accomplish citizens to do something for the community by offering their services…Run
21 comments:
The Mayor is not up for reelection for 3 more years. Only Parr, Gardy, Brown, and Barlow's seats are up for grabs. If we oust Parr and Gardy we will effectivey "oust" the mayor since they all vote in lockstep and scheme "off the record" together. Concentrate on Parr and Gardy for now...get rid of Johnson later on and we will all be better off for it.
I pledge to work hard against all encumbents. I pledge to give my money, time and help to any good candidates that want to change our city and put all encumbents out on their ear. I pledge to do whatever I can to force people that seem to think that public office is a gold mine for them to use for their own benefit. I pledge not to forget the many failures of our present mayor and council and to demand more. I pledge not to be quiet any longer and just go along because it is the easy way out. I pledge to get up and speakout about what is wrong with how our fine city is being run into the ground. I pledge to be at the polls and to speak out about how all encumbents must be pushed out of the cummfy chairs they now seat their duffs into, at our expense. I pledge to mobilize others to get the job done and just throw the bums out!
Alot, yes. But I have had my fill of the bad and corupt unleaders we now have and will suffer no more. Join me and my fellows as we remake our city into the nice and people friendly place it was when I grew up here. The way it has been truned into a development cesspool, driven by greed and malice can not be tollerated any longer. Since Mayor Johnson has taken control of all, we have slipped into an intolerable situation of greed first, self first, and the people last. Seems all wrong to me and I hope more and more of my fellows in Suffolk honestly believe too!
I live in Holland and would like to know who is going to challenge Gardy? Is he going to run again?
I CANNOT AGREE THAT ANY OF THE PERSONS REPRESENTING US ARE BUMS.
BUT AS THERE IS SOME RENUMERATION FOR THOSE POSITIONS I CONCLUDE THAT SOME ARE THERE FOR THE MONEY AND SOME FOR THE EGO TRIP.
I can confirm that the're all there for the money or ego trip or both and that makes them bums. We need to support new fresh faces and we all know that!
Suffolk suffers under the load that we call a council. And then don't get me going about the mayor. Things have gone to hell in a hand-basket since she came to power four years ago and is the root of most of our wooooo. It was OK until she moved from the squeky conter-point to the woman in charge and on a mission. God help us all if we do not change this situation.
Nothing will change because once elected, a councilman is easily swayed by power. We've seen it time and again. They come in like Parr eyes wide open hoping to move Suffolk forward only to yeild to the status quo like play dough.
Linda loves to use her celphone to manipulate council's thinking. She pesters the councilmen at every important occasion doing her girl talk to the point that most now go along to get along. Then there is the money for re-election. Linda has a lot thanks to her Mayoral run. Money is the focus of power and buys elections. It also buys a lot of signs. To the uneducated voter, the candidate with the most
signs Wins.
Thene there is the myopic approach Suffolkians take to the plight of their community. It is a major concern that slips well below their radar. They are more aware about the fate of a historic building like Obici House or the Phoenix Bank, than the welfare of their city and the future of their children. There is a fundemental fear of speaking out and reprisals in the White and Black community against anyone that dares utter a word of opposition or has the audacity to run against an incumbent.
I'm hearing Copeland is considering running for council in Holy Neck. The question is which one? Between the Hollands and Copelands there is little room for anyone else.
12:13 ANON, I agree take two councilmen out and we have a new ball game. However I'd like to see someone other than a used car salesman that doesn't want to create hard feelings and lose sales nor God forbid another Lawyer. When we elect a new council representatives be sure to take away their cellphones so Linda won't harrange them like the others.
Suffolk does need help there is little doubt. The group that we now have in-charge, lead by the Cell-phone mayor is the pitts. I feel we need another law. While legislating at the local level, you can not use a cell-phone, jsut liek driving and texting. That will solve the linda johnson phone issue.
To more weighty matters thought: I would take an honest used car salesman any day over what we now have. Also Enoch Copeland would make a good addition and counterpoint to the council too. I just want a new dynamic to change the place we are at now, with shallow leadership and poor planning on almost everything they do. While the past has had its bumps, there is little doubt the present council seems more like the keystone cops than a legeslative body to look up to.
In a perfect world, Parr, Gardy, Barlow, and Brown would all be a speed-bump in history after the November election and we would have a set of new faces. Most likely the best we can hope for is to pick off Parr or Gardy, and with Barlow retiring too. A good match for Parr would be Debranski, Whalstrom, or Powell, but not all three in the race, please! Debranski has the connections from his school board experience! Whalstrom has by far the smarts and wit! And Powell has the personality and wide support of many in his home town! Any of the three would be a good candiate to get behind of, over Parr.
Gardy is history and he knows it. Expect to see Copeland take his place.
Barlow is retiring and it is anyone's guess what happens here.
Brown should be run into the ground, but who will run against him? There are some words on the street that two women are looking to run against him and they might win, given his past bizzare performances. There is even some word of some personal issues with Brown that may arise to spell doom for him also.
So it should be "interesting times" to say the least in Suffolk. I just hope we do not see a replay of past years, where the people stay home and seat upon their hands and nothing changes as it applies to our council situation!
Are Powell and Debranski even thinking about running?
Powell would be a good mayor with Debranski on council and Wahlstrom on the school board. That is a winning team of experience, intelligence, clarity, integrity, and every other good character trait I can think of.
We have had several issues that justify the removal of incumbents on council. The assessment mess that ultimately resulted in the Assessor being fired but no consequences for the Councilmen that attempted and suceeded to "fix" assessments for their favorite neighborhoods. We watched them sing and dance around Centerpoint, the location of the Health & Human Services Building, unabated borrowing, our downtown dying once again, bonuses to preferred city employees, a biased city manager that is anything but open and transparent and the disgraceful Sleepy Hole-Obici House land grab, just to name a few.
Normally in a civilized region with an educated electorate the incumbents would be ousted at the first opportunity and disgraced. Unfortunatly that is not likely to happen here. This November election turnout will be light and the get out the vote will favor the powerful and monied incumbent. Many will run unopposed and will sock away big donar campaign contributions for another day. The used car salesman may be a good candidate for Chuckatuck's seat however there is no way to know what will sway him in the tough times.
Sluggish tax revenues and state cuts will present significant challenges this budget cycle. The council can expect cuts from the state for millions of dollars. They are addicted to this state money like a "CRACK-Head" is to the "Rock" and it will cause a strong search of your pockets to make up the difference so spending can continue. In addition, the outlook on anticipated tax revenue continues to look grim. Although there appears to be little, if any, appetite among the councilors for increasing the city's real estate tax rate, expect the mayor to say the city needs to look for creative solutions for new or more revenues such as possibly increasing the: meals tax, hotel tax, parking fines, alram fees, ambulance collections, permit fees, garbage fees, storm water fees, street light fees, driveway access fees, assessor fees, septic system inspection fees, well inspection fees, landscaping fees, sales taxes, utility taxes (for: phones, water, sewer, electric), planning fees, cable TV fees, gun permit fees, court fees, fuel taxes, a ditch cleaning fee, a fee if you don't mow the grass enough, a fee for breathing, and on and on.
From her world/city view, you are not paying enough, because if you were they (the council) would have more of your money to spend as they see fit! There will be a push to raise all form and manner of taxes, fees and costs to enhance revenue income for more spending, or at least enought to keep the status-quo going.
It looks to be a duanting situation as they wrangle the facts into their order and purpose. The litteny of new fees and taxes or just increases of existing ones, insures that spending does not slow-down due to state cuts and it becomes much more expensive to live in Suffolk. Does the parable of the "Golden Goose" come to mind? If the "Golden Goose", or tax-payer is squeezed much more when he is making less and able to pay less, will there be a serious collision of issues of such at the polls in November that runs against the encumbents? Will that really be enough to oust the supported and entrenched souls like Parr and Brown? Time will tell.
Is anyone going to comment on the recent issues concerning the budget shortfalls with respect to the rescue squads, the jail, and the previous issue of curbside waste/debris pick-up.
Council and the City Manager look a little foolish for handing out bonuses to City employees when they can't seem to plan a budget.
I would even throw in there that this recycling program is ridiculous. Now I read that they are going to try and register folks at the local grocery stores and that the latest count was somewhere around 800+. I have read enough article to understand that a $12 fee for a bi-weekly service is robbery. I read an editorial in the SNH that stated that Chesapeake residents pay $3. I know of recycling programs up north that are free. Something isnt right.
And while I am on my soapbox, the entire Obici House issue with Ronnie Rountree is a spectacle. Roger Leonard's assessment was spot on. There was no plan presented and he has already stated that he wants to tear down the Carriage House (out building of the Obici House). Where was the same scrutiny that was given to the Firefighters and CPOH? I would bet bottom dollar that Procurement Laws were violated .
From now on, I will just submit unsolicited proposals to the City and see if they get accepted. Why even have an RFP process.
Off of soapbox
I said it before but it's worth repeating:
"What these people tend to forget (or perhaps never knew) is that they were elected to serve their constituents, not themselves. Public Service is just that...serving the public you represent. When we elected them (I voted for the opposition) we thought we were electing representatives who would carry out the will of the people...not force their will down our throats, like it or not. They seem to think that they know what is best for us and don't have to consider what the public thinks or wants so long as they do what they do within the letter of the law.
They like to pat themselves on the back for not raising our tax rates but our assessments have gone up and up year after year, even in a declining market. And notice that it is the 'land' portion of your tax bill that has had the most increases, not the dwelling. That's how they get around the question "how can my taxes be going up when real estate values are dropping?” In addition we are now told that we have to pay for services that used to be free such as bulk refuse pick up and recycling. Fees such as court costs (which are now mandatory) and fines have risen dramatically and local police have become more aggressive in ticketing motorists for the most obscure and trivial violations. All of this falls on the backs of the ordinary citizen while certain city employees reap exorbitant salaries and perks in exchange for their blind loyalty.
I find it amusing that the administration that ran on the need for open and transparent government has held more "closed door" sessions and unofficial, off site meetings then any in recent history. We need a major change on Market Street. The mayors seat is secure for now but we can begin to erode their voting block by first giving the boot to Parr and Gardy and Brown and Barlow (who sunk to a new low with his support of the demolition of Obici House) in the next election and then move on from there. One thing is for sure...whoever we elect will be an improvement over this bunch."
To this I would like to add...we need to press the issue of whether or not any procurement laws were broken during this long, convoluted debacle over the OH and the golf course lease and make sure that this does not get swept under the rug by our esteemed Commonwealths Attorney just like the "land transfers" issue did.
I also agree that Roger Leonard's comments are the most honest assessment of what has happened and will happen yet. He see's into the actions of council like no one else. Other than his honest comments that rub the power-brokers wrong, why don't we have him and his smart's working for our community in a staff position or atleast on a board or commission? I have only met him once, but was favorably impressed with his intelligence and driven spirit. To bad we did not get him as our mayor, but it seems most don't vote for the best candidate, just the ones they know or recognize and we get the drivile that we call a council. To bad for us no doubt.
We need smart and honest people working for the interests of the people in Suffolk. I will only vote for a person who recognizes and agrees that including a smart person like Roger is needed and can help our city. I only hope Roger has the time and inclination to help. Telling someone no all the time like he gets may turn off a good resource. Here's hopeing we rethink how we harness the efforts of our smart and helpful folks in our hometown.
I have lived here for nearly five years now and clearly see the "old town politics" that continue to plague a growing city. When my family moved here, we intended to make this city our permanent home. Over the past year we have noticed that it is difficult to keep on top of what the city government is doing (or planning to do). I've met my councilman only three times since moving here and he certainly did not impress me, especially when I mentioned that I'd like to run for city council, he told me it was his job. I noticed that he had no opponent in 2008 -- if my circumstances don't change and I get the necessary support, he WILL have an opponent in 2012.
I too have only been here a few years and find the way things are done here strange to say the least. Why is is so important for the mayor to hide all from us and then the council to just go along? Is there some kind of secret handshake or something?
This all detracts from what Suffolk could be and it shows!
What sane person wants to put with at least four years of cleaning up the mess of the others? It's a huge problem that will take years of commitment to address and in the meantime that individual will be fighting a rear guard action to hold off the others from another spending spree. The born and inbred stupidity problem will never go away as long as the population isn't wateredown with outsiders aka by locals as carpetbaggers. Further that person will be giving up their personal time from their family to spend on city business however mundane and inconsequential it may be.
There are many potential candidates that are head and shoulders above the council we elected. Plain and simple they will not jeopardize their good character and reputation being associated with this City Council.
You are correct to say that "Plain and simple they will not jeopardize their good character and reputation being associated with this City Council."
However, if we get qualified folks to run and get elected, they will form a new city council so they won't have to associate with the current one. We need good, honest, and ethical men and women to stand up and challenge those who are in office today. My city councilman's term expires in 2012 -that is when I plan to challenge him. Because it will not be easy to challenge incumbents, I'll start raising money after the 2010 election and work hard to beat him.
Patriot,
Be careful. Your councilman is a trial lawyer originally from Portsmouth with deep pockets and democratic connections even deeper.
A democratic activist, Barclay worked for James Carville on a U.S. senate race here in Virginia in 1982. He has been a campaign mangaer, and is a partner at a highly political firm in DT Portsmouth.
In 2008, he raised over 20k to run unopposed. Some of those funds were raised AFTER it was official that he would not have an opponent.
Why did he do this? Why would he move from Portsmouth to Suffolk only a couple years before a council seat came open? Because he wants to be in the State Senate or House of Delegates. This is only a stepping stone for him.
Check www.vpap.org to see where his money goes and check www.pilotonline.com to read a big article that they did on him shortly after he was elected.
His good friend, Portsmouth Cty Councilwoman Elizabeth Psimas acknowleged that he could move up the latter.
Fortunately, the Sleepy Hole Borough is majority GOP. If you label him as a liberal, you could win. You would however, have to raise at least 30K.
Whomever Bob Williams wants to sit in Sleepy Hole will be the Councilman. If Bob likes your way of thinking, you're in.
Barclay can be picked apart if he allows his opponent the opportunity. That's not likely. Johnson was beaten up at her one and only mayoral debate but still won because the electorate liked her signs, her mailings, her television commercial, her political machine and her girl talk.
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