THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 17, 1995 TAG: 9502170570
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALEX MARSHALL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Councilman Randy Wright showed up at the Democratic city committee meeting Thursday night with a pack of supporters for the start of what appears to be a well-organized bid to win the nomination for clerk of the Circuit Court.
Should Wright win the election, the council would lose Norfolk's most prominent populist politician, who has rallied neighborhoods from the northern and eastern parts of the city.
After Wright declared his candidacy and his commitment to be a full-time Democrat, a series of people stood at Suburban Park Elementary School and sang Wright's praises. A majority of the City Council attended, and the party chairman read a statement by a majority of the city's legislators in support of Wright.
The city's present clerk of the Circuit Court, William T. Ryan, was so taken aback by Wright's show of support that he declined to speak when given the chance.
``You ever know when you been had?'' Ryan said, rising from his folding metal chair in the school auditorium. ``I have nothing to say.''
Afterward, Ryan, who is 72, said he was rethinking his announced commitment to run for another eight-year term.
``I'm not a politician, he is,'' Ryan said. ``If you want a politician in the clerk's office, he's your man.''
The nomination will be decided in a primary in the spring. Wright's appearance Thursday was meant to show local Democrats Wright's strength and his intention to run.
After the meeting, Wright said he intended to change the nature of the clerk's job, which in recent decades has been a low-profile job with little involvement in city affairs or politics. Wright said he intended to bring the job closer to the days of William Lee Prieur Jr, who was clerk from 1925 until his death in 1967. Prieur was the dominant figure in city politics for much of that time as the local arm of the statewide Byrd political machine.
``History will tell you that previous clerks have been very active, like Billy Prieur,'' Wright said. ``I would expect to be involved in my community to the maximum I can be.''
Wright, who was elected to the council in 1992, is not a lawyer and has little experience working within the court system. As clerk, he would file and record court decisions and transcripts of cases and deeds, as well as issue marriage licenses and receive fines. Ryan worked within the clerk's office for more than 20 years before running for the top position.
Wright said he is a fast learner.
``I would challenge anyone to tell me it's much different to walk in and run the clerk's office'' than to walk in and be a fully functioning member of council, Wright said.
Wright's present job, apart from his part-time one as council member, is as owner and operator of his own printing firm. The job of clerk pays close to $90,000 a year.
Wright said as clerk he would open the office earlier than the present 9 a.m., and planned to speed the computerization of records.
Mayor Paul D. Fraim and council members Paul R. Riddick, Herbert Collins and Joseph N. Green Jr. attended the meeting. Each praised Wright. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Randy Wright, a populist Norfolk figure, says he'd make a more
active clerk of the Circuit Court.
by CNB