THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603090165
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: Cover Story: May 7 Election
LENGTH: Long : 155 lines
MAYOR
Meyera E. Oberndorf
Age: 55
Address: 5400 block of Challedon Drive (Carolanne Farms)
Occupation: Mayor
Previous elected post: 5 terms on the City Council, including two
as mayor
Why are you running? ``I'm running for another term because a lot
of good projects are in progress that were started and nurtured
during my terms as mayor, and I would like to be there to see them
come to completion. I'm excited about the future in the city of
Virginia Beach. I enjoy serving the citizens of Virginia Beach.''
What can you contribute? ``Hopefully, a quiet, but strong
leadership that takes everyone's opinions into account but tries to
build a consensus so we can move forward to our goals.''
BEACH BOROUGH
Linwood O. Branch III
Age: 40
Address: 700 block of Arctic Ave. (Oceanfront)
Occupation: runs family-owned Southshore Resort Inn
Previous elected post: served as Beach Borough council member
since 1992
Why are you running? ``I think the city is moving in a direction
that I feel a lot of the people are behind. We're devising a
comprehensive plan that I think is going to allow us to develop
within our resources. I think we've been able to be successful in
attracting new businesses and creating some exciting quality of life
projects, but I think there's still more to be done. . . Other than
the School Board situation, I think in general the city's moving in
the right direction. I just want to continue to be a part of that
and help move things along.''
What can you contribute? ``There are other things that I'd like
to see accomplished: realizing our potential for golf development is
important; I think the development of the Lake Ridge parcel; working
with the new School Board, hopefully to consolidate the functions to
correct those problems.. . .''
BLACKWATER BOROUGH
John A. Baum
Age: 69
Address: 6400 block of Crags Causeway (Blackwater)
Occupation: semi-retired farmer
Previous elected post: 24 years as the Blackwater Borough
representative on the council.
Why are you running? ``In a way, it's kind of peculiar, because
it's the last two years of the Blackwater seat (before it is
eliminated by redistricting). . . I'd love to see Lake Gaston
completed. Right now, in spite of an individual or so, the council
has worked together well, and has helped the mayor be the
spokesperson for the city. . . .''
What can you contribute? ``I've been proud to be part of the
total council, and I have an opportunity to do some insurance work
for the agricultural open spaces. . . . I would like to make sure
the Agricultural Reserve Program works, that the agriculture
committee gets stronger, that regulations get written so people are
not held up. . . . We need another way of ensuring that open space
and the agricultural industry is not regulated to death, but also,
it's to the advantage of the 90-some percentage of the people who
are suburban dwellers, to not have suburban development that
requires sewers and schools.''
AT-LARGE
Richard P. Anoia
Age: 38
Address: 1600 block of Will-O-Wisp Drive (Linkhorn Estates)
Occupation: helps run family-owned Windjammer Motel and
barbershops at Pembroke Mall and Haygood Shopping Center
Previous elected post: none
Why are you running? ``I believe it's very important that the
citizens of Virginia Beach have an opportunity of choice in any
election and as this council race has been shaping up the voters
have limited opportunities of choice. . . . I do feel that my years
of leadership on numerous councils and boards, and my strong
scouting background as an Eagle Scout afford me the knowledge, the
dedication and the leadership needed to propel our city into the
21st century.''
What can you contribute? ``Fairness, an open mind, the desire to
see full disclosure, the desire to allow the people of Virginia
Beach to be heard, to promote their interest. . . I'm young, I have
a young family, I have children in the public school system. I have
a great interest in seeing that we succeed and continue with the
quality of education. I pay my taxes as a businessman. I'm concerned
about how those taxes are spent and to be sure that those tax monies
are afforded to anybody in the city, not to any special interest
groups.''
Louis Miles Pace
Age: 61
Address: 1900 block of Hunts Neck Court (Hunt Club Forest)
Occupation: key equipment sales manager for Curtis Industries
Previous elected post: ran unsuccessfully for seven local and
statewide offices since 1986.
Why are you running? ``I'm running in an effort to try to control
the horrendous tax increases we've been having in this community. My
main goal is to eliminate personal property tax on automobiles.''
What can you contribute? ``A good mind, a commitment to serving
the public and to do good for the community.''
Harold Heischober
Age: 75
Address: 4000 block of N. Witchduck Road (Witchduck)
Occupation: chairman of Mega Mazda car dealership on Holland
Road
Previous elected post: served on council from 1980 to 1992, and
as mayor from 1986 to 1988; appointed to current at-large seat by
the City Council in 1995 to fill unexpired term of John Moss.
Why are you running? ``. . . I'm running to win, and to
accomplish, one: water, two: economic development . . . and three:
golf courses and public transportation improvements. . . Needless
to say, I think we need a whole new vision with respect to how we're
going to develop - that comes in the form of the comprehensive plan
(which is being developed now). I'd like to see the Agricultural
Reserve Program work successfully. I want to get the soccer stadium
and get into major league soccer.''
What can you contribute? ``I think with my experience, I can
contribute to the healing between the school system and the city
side, so that we get back on track and get the focus on turning out
well-educated young people with satisfactory SATs, which have
slipped badly in the last few years.''
Robert C. Spadaccini
Age: 38
Address: 600 block of Orangewood Drive (Green Run)
Occupation: collection manager for a law firm
Previous elected post: ran unsuccessfully for Kempsville seat in
1992
Why are you running? ``To see that there's a balance on City
Council, in addition to seeing that there's a balance to forge
ahead. Right now, I think you've got a lot of specialized interest
groups on council, but I don't think you have a general
representation of the blue collar worker, of the community, and I
don't think you have a whole lot of representation there when it
comes to minorities, or ethnic diversity.''
What can you contribute? ``To try and bring some cohesiveness to
council, see where there's a little bit more representation from the
community end of it, from the community service end of it. Right
now, if you look at municipal employees, their feelings are that
they really don't have anybody to support them on council. I would
like to have that opportunity.''
by CNB