THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, April 5, 1995 TAG: 9504040141
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY TOM HOLDEN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 178 lines
FOR AS LONG as Mike Barrett can remember, he has longed for a career in public service.
The desire goes way back, perhaps as far as Plainfield, N.J., where as a boy he learned the basics of leadership as the oldest child in a thriving brood of seven.
Over the years, it has emerged as a consistent theme in his life, from his days as a sharp-eyed guard for Colgate University's varsity basketball team, to his service in the Navy and current rank of captain in the reserves, and now as CEO of Runnymede Corp., a commercial real estate, development and management company.
Each step of the way he has tried to shine, to stand out, to prove his mettle.
Yet for someone to whom titles seem to come naturally, why he would edge further toward the limelight when it would be easier to work behind the scenes as a successful businessman remains something of a mystery even to him.
``I really always aspired to a career in public service but I don't know why exactly,'' Barrett said. ``I just have the recollection from an early age I was impressed by public service, by what you can accomplish.''
Getting things done may be the most intoxicating quality of public life, especially in a city with few of the ulcerating obstacles - like entrenched unions or a dwindling tax base.
His reputation for success is one reason that tonight the Virginia Beach Jaycees will honor Barrett with the First Citizen of Virginia Beach award.
The award comes at an important juncture in Barrett's life. He's 48, his children are grown and nearly on their own, and he is perched neatly in a corporate job that could hold his interest until retirement.
But his string of jobs - as assistant city manager in Chesapeake (1974 to 1980) and in Virginia Beach (1980 to 1985) - and a list of civic affiliations that fills an entire page on his resume leave the impression that it's all leading to political office.
``I'm looking at the possibility of running for an office in Virginia Beach, but I have by no means a firm commitment,'' he said. ``I have to see if there is support for a candidacy. I'm going to have to talk to a lot of people.
``I also realize that I sometimes have a different agenda than the existing leaders in Virginia Beach,'' he added. ``I'm more regionally oriented. Our future is tied to the future of Hampton Roads, and I don't know if I'm in sync with what the political leadership in the Beach wants.''
Regionalism aside, nowhere was the ``different agenda'' in sharper focus than in the recent debate on the Oceanfront entertainment contract. After months of haggling, the city broke ranks with tradition and gave the contract to Cellar Door of Virginia Beach, setting aside the local favorite, Virginia Beach Events Unlimited.
The failure of VBEU to demonstrate its successes to the city, as Barrett put it, was the ``greatest source of dissatisfaction for me'' in recent months.
``It hurt me deeply when council took that program away from VBEU and awarded it to Cellar Door,'' Barrett said. ``I'm a big boy. We lost the contract. I accept that. But what that said to me was that volunteers didn't count anymore.''
Last fall, Cellar Door delivered the American Music Festival, the beach-based three-day music show that brought the Beach Boys, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Billy Ray Cyrus to party on the beach. It was hailed a success by promoters and most everyone who attended, but Barrett isn't so sure.
The issue, he said, is not music but money.
``The American Music Festival brought in 4,000 room nights.'' he said. ``The city spent $360,000. Was that an efficient way to draw visitors? A youth soccer tournament brings in 12,000 room nights to Hampton Roads and the city provides $7,000. Now which is more efficient? My point is that entertainment does not develop overnight visitors.''
When asked if Cellar Door wasn't capable of bringing in more high quality entertainers than the smaller, less ambitious VBEU, Barrett said, ``Perhaps a lick and a promise is worth more than doing the job. I think it remains to be seen that a program of entertainment actually draws visitors. The amazing thing about the American Music Festival is that it lost money. . . . That can't go on forever.''
What interests Barrett, and where he feels his vision is more intense than other city leaders, is soccer. In fact, the whole question of when - if ever - the city will build a soccer complex counts as the second biggest sore spot with him.
``The soccer complex will cost about $2 million and we have about $600,000 pledged, most of it from the soccer community. It's amazing that the soccer community had to tax itself to make improvements when council is spending $8 million on an amphitheater. We have to raise the money and they're providing it and yet we're not promising to bring in visitors, we're already doing it.''
It is talk like this - of making progress, of moving forward on new fronts, of regionalism - that gets people thinking about Barrett in the mayor's office one day.
He certainly has his supporters.
Ronald E. Proctor, assistant vice president of academic affairs at Norfolk State University and co-director of the Virginia Beach Higher Education Center, finds Barrett a ``down to earth kind'' of person seemingly without pretension.
``He can relate to most anyone,'' Proctor said. ``He is a very steadfast person and well organized. They don't make just anyone captain in the Navy. You have to demonstrate intelligence, leadership and discipline. Mike has all of that.''
Joe Buchanan, dean of the Virginia Beach Campus of Tidewater Community College, said, ``I don't think I've ever seen him angry. His great strength is to stay on an even keel, even when the walls are crashing in about him. He can maintain composure while being creative in his approach to a problem.''
Barrett's father was a building contractor and a developer in Plainfield and, later, Bridgewater-Raritan, N.J., where the family eventually moved and Barrett would graduate from high school in 1964.
When he was just a kid, he remembers working for his father as an apprentice framer and painter. ``Whatever it took to build a house. I hit enough nails to know I was not going to be a carpenter.''
From early in his life, Barrett's interests were in public administration.
``I was kind of oriented to be a city manager fairly early. I really don't know why. When I went to Colgate I studied political science and sociology to prepare myself.''
But this was the 1960s and the Vietnam War was raging. He would eventually serve aboard the USS Suffolk County, a tank landing ship, and then rise to become commander, Naval Forces Southern Command when it was based in Panama.
It was during this time he met and married Linda Hall Charnock of Virginia Beach. They had two children, Meredith Shea, now 22, and Michael Wade, 19.
Barrett's parents eventually moved to Virginia Beach and developed the Cardinal Court Club, a racquetball and handball center near Mount Trashmore.
When Barrett left the Canal Zone, he returned to Hampton Roads and eventually became director of substance abuse prevention for the City of Chesapeake. Later he was promoted to assistant city manager for human services.
It was his move in 1980 to assistant city manager in Virginia Beach, however, that afforded him the opportunities to make a lasting difference.
Barrett immersed himself in helping set up the municipal cable channel, the city's electronic mail network and devising a strategic plan for the city's Arts and Humanities Commission.
But his most lasting accomplishment was helping the Resort Area Advisory Commission come together on how best to improve the look of the once dowdy strip.
``RAAC at that time was kind of a disorganized group of businessmen who had a vision for the resort but lacked direction to make their vision a reality,'' he said. ``I helped them define the vision and then get it into the budget.
``I could not have done it without their energy, and they could not have done it without my knowledge of how the city gets projects finished.''
Despite the success of Atlantic Avenue and its stub streets, Barrett thinks enough has been done.
``As much as I supported resort revitalization at that time, I almost think that now is the time to rechannel some of our development efforts,'' he said. ``At the time we did all that, we had 2.5 million visitors coming each year and we still have 2.5 million visitors.
``We need to acknowledge that the resort has very limited impact on Virginia Beach. Our future is not continuing to focus on surf and sand. It's a part of our future but a limited part.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
[Color Photo]
THE SKY'S THE LIMIT
Michael Barrett
Capt. Mike Barrett, Naval reserves
MIKE BARRETT: ``I really always aspired to a career in public
service, but I don't know why exactly. I just have the recollection
from an early age I was impressed by public service, by what you can
accomplish.''
Staff photos, including color cover, by DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH
During his service as a commander in the Navy, Mike Barrett met and
married Linda Hall Charnock of Virginia Beach. They have two
children, Meredith Shea, now 22, and Michael Wade, 19.
AWARDS CEREMONY
Mike Barrett will receive the First Citizen of Virginia Beach award
tonight at the Cavalier on the Hill, 42nd Street and Atlantic
Avenue. Cocktails will be served at 6:30 p.m. with the presentation
at 7:15 p.m., followed by heavy hors d'oeuvres. Tickets, available
at the door, cost $25 for Jaycees members and $30 for non-members.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE BIOGRAPHY FIRST CITIZEN MICHAEL BARRETT by CNB