THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504280186
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
Chesapeake residents are sure to be disappointed in the replacement for Arthur L. Dwyer on the City Council.
In his first interview in The Virginian-Pilot, Dalton S. Edge calls for more industry because new jobs will draw more people to the city.
Then he moans, ``Our schools are overcrowded, our roads are clogged,'' an observation ranking with that of Calvin Coolidge's ``When unemployment is high a lot of people are out of work.''
Someone please try to make Mr. Edge understand that the reasons the schools are crowded and the roads clogged are those officials like himself who are calling for more industry and more jobs so more people will move to Chesapeake to crowd the schools and clog the roads.
Carl Cahill
Old Drive Good work
Now that the noise is a little lower and the press has something else to pick on, we should all say a big thank you for the way the Chesapeake City Council has handled the recent events.
It is always good to see a rainbow, but you can only see it from a distance.
From the viewpoint of just several days, we can now see that in less than two weeks from the time all the bad news hit about the former vice mayor that our council has made some very tough decisions.
They have moved to stop a questionable shopping center that was in the wrong place, turned down an oil change shop in a neighborhood, elected a new member of council who was the next top vote-getter, selected a black, professional educator with an earned doctoral degree for the School Board unanimously and elected a new vice mayor, heard the concerns of South Norfolk over an adult care home by turning it down, and showed courage and wisdom in dealing with the Jordan Bridge. That's not too bad in just a few days. Thanks for your real leadership, council.
Our council was elected to make decisions and that is what they are doing. Keep up the very good work.
Harold C. Thompson
Margaret Ann Court New ideas
I am happy to see that a new opportunity is being presented this November for the voters of Chesapeake. Riverboat gambler Ken Melvin will be challenged by Republican Dutch Andrews.
For the past 12 years, Melvin has done nothing to improve the city of Chesapeake. Andrews will present new ideas to improve education and help slow residential growth in Chesapeake.
I do hope the citizens of Chesapeake will take the time to learn about Republican Dutch Andrews and to elect him to the House of Delegates from the 80th House District.
Alex Robol
Amherst Court Independent choices
In regard to the School Board and City Council appointments, it is past time to do away with political ``finger pointing'' and determine one's ability to serve based on their total qualifications and dedication to doing what is best for the citizens of Chesapeake.
We desperately need people who are not making crucial decisions based upon political party lines and special interest groups.
Today, 27 percent of voters identify themselves as Republicans, 40 percent as Democrats and 33 percent as independents. With this in mind, Ed Weidner should have been appointed to the School Board and James Whitener should have been appointed to City Council. Both these gentlemen are independents whose integrity is beyond reproach.
As for the vice mayor, I wish Alan P. Krasnoff had been chosen. He has demonstrated the skill to work effectively with all council members.
Betsy Patterson
Benefit Road by CNB