THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 18, 1995 TAG: 9506160201
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: John Pruitt
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
My co-worker in Portsmouth, Ida Kay Jordan, had some stimulating comments the other day about how a strengthening alignment of Norfolk, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach could diminish Portsmouth's and Suffolk's regional clout.
Ms. Jordan says our cities' unique relationship, in large measure based on water supplies, argues for merger.
Hmmmm. Suffolk, a 430-square-mile center of virtually unlimited potential, should merge with Portsmouth, a city ever looking for more revenue sources?
What would the new city be called? How about Portsmouthuffolk? Port Suffolk? Suffolkouth?
I guess I'm being terribly parochial - something for which many of us chide our Hampton Roads cities - but I'm not enthusiastic about this notion of merger. Yes, Portsmouth - a built-out city with all the problems that accompany urbanization - would gain. But what about Suffolk?
Wouldn't Portsmouth indeed like to stake a claim on some of the vast waterfront in neighboring northern Suffolk?
Here's what Ida Kay wrote in Currents, the community news section for Portsmouth:
``Suffolk and Portsmouth really do need to look seriously at a merger that would benefit both cities, increasing by a giant leap the regional clout on this side of the Elizabeth River.
``If Chesapeake jumps into the Norfolk-Virginia Beach squabble and offers to buy Norfolk's surplus water to facilitate the deal with North Carolina over the Lake Gaston pipeline, the ties among those three cities will grow stronger. Any strengthening the relationship will push Portsmouth and Suffolk even further away from regional power.
``Any notion that any of them are going to be concerned about either Portsmouth or Suffolk will disappear completely if they all get together in a water deal.
``Suffolk and Portsmouth have their own peculiar relationship over water. Portsmouth owns the lakes in Suffolk. A merger definitely would be good for Suffolk as well as Portsmouth.
``Together, the two historic cities would have not only plenty of water but also lots of under-used waterfront land. They have much in common but each also has some unique assets that would be of mutual benefit.
``They'll need each other in the future. Why not make a serious effort to discuss it?''
So, what do you think? Would Suffolk gain from the alliance, or should it look westward, where there are other undeveloped areas, to form alliances to rival the metropolitan Hampton Roads union?
In terms of regional clout, Suffolk probably has more than most Hampton Roads cities realize. Portsmouth's water supply does come from Suffolk, but so does much of Norfolk's, and Norfolk sells water to Virginia Beach.
And the Lake Gaston agreement - if and when that ever comes to a water-providing conclusion - isn't the be-all, end-all route to unify Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake. Their division goes deeper than Lake Gaston.
Then there's the matter of garbage. Suffolk houses the regional landfill, which is targeted for expansion (providing all the environmental hurdles are overcome.)
No other city (1) wants the disposal operation, which saves Suffolk millions of dollars every year because, as host, it pays no dumping fees; and (2) has the vast land areas suitable for such operations.
Once upon a time, Suffolk may have been viewed as the remote country cousin. But time and an improving economic climate are changing all that - sort of the way winning a lottery loosens the charm of once-cool cousins.
Suffolk doesn't have to merge with Portsmouth for regional political clout. It's coming anyway. MEMO: Comment? Call 446-2965. by CNB