THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9604250529
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 2 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: DECISION 96
ELECTION GUIDE
LENGTH: Long : 556 lines
Name: Mason Cooke Andrews
Born: 1919 in Norfolk.
Years living in the city/district: 67.
Education: Taylor, Blair, Maury High School; Princeton University (bachelor's degree), Johns Hopkins Medical School (doctorate), residency in obstetrics and gynecology.
Occupation: physician.
Official endorsements: The Education Association of Norfolk and the Central Labor Council.
Community or volunteer activities in the past 3 months
Norfolk Community Hospital, board of directors; Honors Committee for Norfolk State University; Chesapeake Bay Foundation Advisory Committee; Greater Norfolk Corporation, executive committee; Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, executive committee; Metropolitan Planning Organization; Hampton Roads Air Quality Committee; March of Dimes Organizing Committee.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems?
I will continue to seek and use the advice of citizens through their civic leagues, professional and trade organizations, civic clubs, and direct contact both citizen initiated and personally initiated. I will continue to support and attend biennial workshop of civic league leaders sponsored by the city.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed?
It's extremely unlikely that there would be such issues if they are thoroughly explained and the facts and rationale are well-known. Thorough consultation and explanations should reduce the chance of such issues. Further, the public has many different opinions, and it will not always be simple to determine what that opinion is.
On what things are you not willing to compromise?
Any issue that, in my considered judgment, after thorough examination, would not be in the best interest of the public. I would not compromise honesty in any way. Compromise of quality or excellence, as best I could judge it, would be hard to do, but if it involved obtaining an important public goal and this was the only way to do it, some give on these qualities might be required.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be?
1) Establish the best possible relationship with the other councilmen. 2) It's difficult to know what else anyone could or should accomplish during the first day in office. Lining up votes before public discussion with the rest of the council handicaps the public involvement and increases the risk of error.
What two promises will you make to the citizen you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises?
1) To make decisions based on the best information and advice available from a broad spectrum of sources including all points of view. 2) To pursue quality, efficiency and fairness in city services. I am afraid that the media and personal communication are the only realistic avenues open. The costs of personal mailings to half the city would not be a sound expenditure for me and/or the councilmen.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. Continue to develop and refine a system of informing and listening, seeking to obtain the highest achievable level of citizen contribution and sense of involvement. The city is already making good progress. It can and will make more. It and the citizens need and deserve help from the professional media to transmit information objectively, test the accuracy of allegations and balance opinions of critics with those of advocates.
Name: Fred G. Bashara.
Born: Dec. 17, 1937, in Norfolk.
Years living in city/district: Norfolk has been my home for life; have lived in Ocean View, Bayview, Lafayette/Winona, Ghent and Larchmont.
Education: Willard, Granby and Ocean View elementary schools; Granby and Norview high schools. Business management education at Old Dominion University.
Occupation: Air Force veteran; employed with Metropolitan Insurance Company for 30 years; financial adviser; licensed to sell property and casualty as well as life and health insurance.
Official endorsements: none.
Political experience/community service:
My community service has spanned 25 years; president, Willoughby/Ocean View Civic League; served twice as president of the Ocean View Kiwanis Club; co-founded Ocean View Festival; involved in formation of the Ocean View Coordinating Committee; two terms as a member of the Norfolk Community Services Board; past member of Ghent Civic League and Norfolk's Nautical Adventures.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed?
Have served for the last two years on the Nortran Committee of Larchmont Civic League, which has been very active and effective in its study and recommendations concerning traffic and transportation issues. Have also promoted the Larchmont/Edgewater Block Watch Security Program. Have assisted in the publication and distribution of the Larchmont Neighborhood Newsletter.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems?
Citizen involvement in Norfolk city affairs is more important today than it has ever been. To ensure citizen involvement at this pivotal point in Norfolk's history, I intend to meet or speak with each civic league president each month and encourage other council members to do the same. I will ask the other council members to have at least two evening meetings per month in schools in easily reached locations.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed?
As a council member, I would always vote at the public's direction. Public involvement is very important if a public consensus is to be recognized, especially in the case of a large capital expenditure.
On what things are you not willing to compromise?
I would resign before compromising on any issue that I thought would rend Norfolk society with political in-fighting or racial strife.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be?
On my first day in office, in response to the influence of the ward system, I would like to achieve legislation to have public elections of at-large school board members and of the mayor of Norfolk. I would also end all official use of ``Hampton Roads'' as the name for what should be referred to as the ``Greater Norfolk Metropolitan Area.''
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises?
If elected, I promise my constituents that I will work at maintaining Norfolk as the best city in which to own a home. In recent years, Norfolk has neglected the interests of its taxpaying citizens in favor of commercial interests. I promise to do all possible to end coal-dust pollution, and to end tractor-trailer truck as well as regional commuter traffic in our neighborhoods.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. The very best way for local government to build unity among its citizens is the same as that for any level of government, and that is to seek out the common interests of its citizens and address those issues, rather than those of well-connected but non-representative special interest groups.
Name: Charles D. Grant.
Born: July 14, 1920, in Norfolk.
Years living in city/district: Lifelong resident.
Education: Maury High School, National Executive Institute, FBI National Academy.
Occupation: Retired Norfolk police chief.
Official endorsements: Norfolk Local of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Norfolk Professional Firefighters, Norfolk Retired City Employees Association, Greater Tidewater Central Labor Council.
Political experience/community service: Past vice president of Northside Civic League, co-founder and current board member of Norfolk Crime Line, co-founder of South Hampton Roads Leadership Prayer Breakfast, co-founder and president of Citizens Coalition for Good Government.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed? Serving as president of the Citizens Coalition for Good Government, co-sponsor of a monthly luncheon for area police officers, firefighters and paramedics.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems?
I will form a Superward 6 steering committee, with representatives from civic leagues and other civic organizations that want to participate. I will meet with this group at least monthly to share with them upcoming City Council actions and to get their input on specific projects. I would also strongly support citizens' rights to a referendum on major projects and proposals.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed? I am assuming that this means that the majority of the citizens in Superward 6 disagreed with my personal belief on a specific issue. Based upon this assumption, I would vote based upon the position of the majority of the citizens in Superward 6.
On what things are you not willing to compromise? Honesty and integrity of elected and appointed government officials. I am also not willing to compromise on ensuring that our police officers, firefighters, paramedics, schoolteachers and other city employees are properly and safely equipped to perform their crucial services to the citizens.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be?
1) Begin to develop and maintain a respectful, open and honest working relationship between the citizens of Norfolk, City Council, city management and city employees. 2) Get a full and accurate accounting and report on Nauticus, the MacArthur Center project and the Granby Municipal Building project. Make sure that this information is given to the citizens of Norfolk.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises?
1) I promise to represent the citizens of Superward 6, not just the special interests of a powerful few. 2) I promise to direct City Council's attention toward the improvement of our middle-class neighborhoods, our public safety services and our educational system. I will keep citizens informed about progress on these promises through being available to any citizen .
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. Local government should be concerned with providing citizens with a good environment within which to prosper and thrive. I believe that City Council should be concerned with providing a city where citizens are safe from crime, protected by well-trained and quick-to-respond fire and paramedical services, and whose children are educated in schools that are truly having a positive impact on their ability to learn and succeed. In this way, I believe that citizens will begin to develop a sense of unity amongst themselves.
Name: E. Toles Summers.
Born: April 8, 1961, in DePaul Hospital, Norfolk.
Years living in city/district: 35.
Education: B.A., managerial economics, 1983, Hampden-Sydney College.
Occupation: surety agent/property & casualty insurance broker; advanced professional designation of Certified Insurance Counselor.
Official endorsements: none.
Political experience/community service:
For 30 years, I lived and/or worked for Bob Summers, a four-year member of the City Planning Commission and a 20-year member of City Council. As for past community service, I have been involved in Kiwanis, The United Way, YMCA, Norfolk Collegiate School and Hampden-Sydney College fund-raising campaigns.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed?
In the last three months and more I have been preparing and organizing to run for this position. My other time has been divided by my commitment as a divorced parent to devote undivided attention to my two children the 12 days a month that I have with them. I also have assumed the responsibilities of handling all affairs and aspects of now four living generations of my family.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems?
I would like to interview interested individuals to serve on a panel as representatives of their neighborhoods and business groups. I would seek genuine and constructive input as well as rely on this group as a sounding board. This would be a first step in opening up communication and awareness between city government and the citizens on a pro-active basis as opposed to a reactive afterthought.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed?
Of course, isn't our system reflective of ``by the people and for the people.'' I wouldn't have a problem putting aside my own opinion if overwhelming public opinion was in support of another.
On what things are you not willing to compromise? Tax increases! We are already the highest taxed citizens in the region. Why? Because we have an increasing debt burden, a shrinking population of taxpayers to share in it and possibly not the most efficient delivery system of public services.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be? Re-direct economic development efforts away from lower-paying retail jobs and toward better-paying high-tech and manufacturing jobs. Secondly, impanel a commission to investigate what is wrong with our schools and most importantly attempt to correct the problem at the root of the source.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises? My agenda includes equitable and efficient delivery of public services, public protection, public education and public works. Improving on these issues will improve our ability to compete for citizens to live in our city. We also have to deal with our need for an improved transportation system for both the public and for commerce.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. Local government can provide the forum for people with differing opinions to come together and work out their disagreements and come to understand other perspectives and points of view. A more unified citizenry is obviously a good thing and a focus that is lacking from current City Council. SUPERWARD 7
(6 candidates)
Name: Daun Sessoms Hester.
Born: Oct. 7, 1955 in Norfolk.
Years living in city/district: 40 years.
Education: George Washington University, master's, 1990; Virginia State University, B.S. (cum laude) in special education emotional disorders, 1978; Norview High School, 1974.
Occupation: assistant principal, Rosemont Middle School.
Official endorsements: Education Association of Norfolk, Southeastern Virginia Women's Political Caucus, New Journal and Guide.
Political experience/community service:
Olde Huntersville Development Corporation, board member, 1985-present; Norfolk Youth Citizens Advisory Board, 1990-present; Urban League of Hampton Roads, Strategy 2000, housing chairwoman, 1992-94; Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Hampton Roads, Human Concerns Day Coordinator, 1990-93; Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, education committee, 1990-92.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed?
Norfolk Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. - presented three full-year scholarships to students at Norfolk State University; speaker, African-American History Month, Northside Middle School; presentation given on ``volunteerism'' to Tidewater Gardens residents; presentation given on ``politics'' to third-graders at Suburban Park Elementary School; volunteer, Sentara Nursing Center.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems?
First, the citizens must be able to assist in defining the problems and solutions. The only way to get this information is to go into the community via town meetings and walking streets. Next, council must disclose information to the citizens. I will work to have council implement and support community ideas for solving problems because all neighborhoods have different needs.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed?
I believe that citizens have a right to know beforehand about major projects that will affect the city and the budget. I also believe it is possible for citizens to be involved in decisions leading up to making a final decision about major projects. I support the development of the MacArthur Center. As a councilwoman, if the constituents shared their concerns, I would vote against.
On what things are you not willing to compromise?
I am not willing to compromise my integrity. My decisions for citizens and the city will be based upon what is right or wrong and what will move this city forward.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be? 1) I would obtain an update on the ``general plan'' that was adopted by the previous council, which should include input from the ``Neighbors All'' workshop (June 1). 2) I would set appointments for meetings with the civic leagues and other organizations.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises? 1) I promise to be a responsible, consensus-building leader and to perform my duties with the utmost integrity. 2) I promise to represent all citizens. I promise to keep citizens informed on my progress by attending civic league meetings on a regular basis and sponsoring town meetings. I will maintain an open-door policy throughout my term thus, allowing constituents to communicate their concerns.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. Government, on all levels, has a mandate to take society into the future. We do not have the luxury of being myopic or shortsighted. If we follow our mandate, which is to study our past, apply that history to our present and prepare for the future, then we will naturally be a fundamental block in the process of building unity among our citizens.
Name: Algie T. Howell Jr.
Born: Jan. 8, 1938, in Holland, Va.
Years living in city/district: 35 years.
Education: B.S. in history, Norfolk State University, M.A. in special education, Hampton University.
Occupation: retired GM-13 civil service; business owner.
Official endorsements: none.
Political experience/community service: past president Ingleside PTA; Ingleside Civic League; Norfolk Chapter SCLC; coach, City League Softball; consultant at Bowling Park Elementary; candidate for City Council in 1992.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed? speaker for Boy Scouts at Jerusalem Baptist Church, Norfolk.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems? I plan to meet as often as necessary with civic, labor and religious groups in addition to holding town meeting from time to time.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed? At this point, I cannot think of an issue in which my personal beliefs might differ from public opinion.
On what things are you not willing to compromise? Honesty, integrity and commitment to the public good.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be? At the present time my agenda for change does not call for first-day action on any political item or issue.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises? I pledge to always work for the best interest of my constituents, in particular, and in general, the city of Norfolk. As mentioned, I plan to keep my constituents informed through town meetings, civic meetings, religious meetings and labor organizations.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. In my opinion, local government can help to build a sense of unity among citizens by implementing policies that treat all citizens equally and fairly. Local political leaders should also avoid inflammatory, divisive and emotional appealing rhetoric that tend to divide citizens along racial or religious lines.
Name: Daniel Edwin Montague.
Born: Nov. 10, 1939, in Portsmouth.
Years living in city/district: 10.
Education: high school.
Occupation: construction boilermaker.
Official endorsements: none
Political experience/community service: president of Sherwood Forest Civic League; delegate to Federation of Civic Leagues.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed? Trying to dissuade the City Council from moving the fire station and building the shopping center downtown.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems? Referendums and factual information.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed? No. the public is right, and that is what they want.
On what things are you not willing to compromise? Alternative education, MacArthur mall and regionalism.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be? Stopping the mall and putting referendums in place.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises? Stopping the mall and the start of alternative education. Speak at civic league meetings and talk to reporters.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. Information before the fact and referendums.
Name: H. Marks Richard.
Born: June 16, 1934, in Baton Rouge, La.
Years living in city/district: 24.
Education: B.S., Southern University; master's, Notre Dame; doctorate, Ohio State University.
Occupation: professor of mathematics, Norfolk State University.
Official endorsements: Norfolk City Democratic Committee, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Rev. I. Joseph Williamson.
Political experience/community service:
Precinct captain and member of the Norfolk City Democratic Committee; past president, Ingleside Civic League; past first vice president, Norfolk NAACP; former captain, U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret; member of Alpha Phi Alpha Social Fraternity; The Order of the Arrow; Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity; Sigma Xi Honor Society, Knights of St. Peter Claver, Knights of Columbus.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed? Elected to the State Central Committee 3rd Congressional District; delegate to State Democratic Convention, Hampton; president elect, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society; advocate, Knights of Columbus; Eucharistic minister, St. Mary's Basilica.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems? I will provide work sessions and an office for citizens to meet with me to work on our problems.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed? I will do my best to represent the wishes of the people. If we have a public referendum on an issue and the people in Superward 7 support that issue, I pledge to honor their wishes.
On what things are you not willing to compromise? Honesty and integrity.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be? 1) Reduce taxes on personal property. 2) Provide each of our citizens with a job, a love of Norfolk and pride in our city.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises? 1) Support for higher education and education in general. 2) work to improve the relations between all segments of Norfolk. I propose that the council meetings be carried on TV. This will keep all citizens informed of all of our progress.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. The members of City Council and local government should work to make life better for all of the citizens. We should give the citizens of Norfolk the right to help determine the common good and common goals through referendums. Unity comes through working together.
Name: William E. Swindell Jr.
Born: Dec. 13, 1948, in Norfolk.
Years living in city/district: 30 years/22 years.
Education: B.A., Hampton University; graduate work, Old Dominion University.
Occupation: Employed by STOP; former Navy officer.
Official endorsements:
Concerned Citizens for Political Education; Southside Voters League; Norfolk Police Union Local 412; Norfolk Federation of Teachers Local 4261; Firefighters Locals 68 and 2449; Longshoremen Locals 1248, 970, 1458, 1624, 1840, 1970; Letter Carriers Local 2819; Marine Engineers District 1; approximately 40 other other local labor unions.
Political experience/community service:
Norfolk City Democratic Committee member; Steering Committee member for Doug Wilder for U.S. Senate; campaign manager, Herbert Collins for City Council; former president of Lindenwood/Cottage Heights Civic League; former board member of the Inner City Federation of Civic Leagues; executive board member of the NAACP; committee co-chair of Mayor's Task Force on Public Housing.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed? In the last three months I have distributed employment opportunities for Nauticus throughout the city, assisted Harry's Barbecue resolve impasse with city, assisted Ballentine residents to resolve voting-place problem, and reviewed and amended final report of the Public Housing Task Force.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems?
I will host regularly scheduled town hall meetings to keep citizens involved, informed and updated. I will meet with civic leagues, neighborhood organizations and concerned citizens on a regular basis and as often as needed. I will continue to work for citizens' right to referendum, which would enable the public to make important decisions. My constituency will always have my ear.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed? I cannot imagine a situation when given all the facts and information that would cause me to vote against my personal beliefs. My personal beliefs and work ethic are what separates me from the others.
On what things are you not willing to compromise? I will stand on my principles. The art of governing is replete with compromise, but principles define who we are.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be? I sincerely believe that our city must be one, and all of our citizens must believe that they are needed for the good of the whole. If I could accomplish two things on my first day in office, they would be providing racial justice and harmony among all.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises? I promise the citizens that I will always be honest. I will always be accessible and responsive. It requires four votes on council to pass any legislation; therefore, anyone who suggests they can single-handedly make major changes is not being honest or is unaware of the process. I will keep our citizens informed.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. We need to be more honest with our citizens and always reach out for their input. We must be willing to share information with the public in a more timely fashion and encourage our staff members to go into the neighborhoods to inform the populace. Giving our citizens the right to referendum would be the most unifying of any action we might take. If the citizens had voted for the MacArthur Center there would be no controversy and the city and the public would be in accord.
Name: Horace Thomas ``Tommy'' White.
Born: July 24, 1950, in Norfolk General Hospital.
Years living in city/district: 20.
Education: Saint Leo College, B.S. in criminology; University of Louisville, scientific investigation of crime.
Occupation: Currently appointed as the executive aide to the Virginia Beach Sheriff/Commanding Officer of Professional Standards; 17 years in law enforcement and six years in corrections management.
Official endorsements: none.
Political experience/community service:
Life member, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 4809; member, Norfolk Sports Club; Elizabeth River Project Task Force; Downtown Kiwanis Club; Fraternal Order of Police; Virginia State Sheriff's Association; president, Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues, 1995, 1996; president, River Forrest Shores, Wayside Manor, Easton Place Civic League, 1994-1996; started Share Food Program in my community.
In the last three months, what community or volunteer activities have you performed?
President, Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues; vice president, River Forrest Shores, Wayside Manor, Easton Place Civic League; School Advisory Committee at Poplar Hall Elementary School; member, Children's Kiwanis Emergency Center Foundation 1996 fund-raiser committee; Norfolk Public School Use Committee; now working on fund-raisers for Boys and Girls Club of South Hampton Roads and American Cancer Society.
What will you do to ensure citizens are involved in solving community problems? I will continue to do what I have done in the past. That means giving everyone who wants to be heard an opportunity and forum to tell me what they think. City Council must do a better job of giving people a meaningful opportunity to be involved and have their voices heard.
Are there any issues on which you would vote against your personal beliefs if the public disagreed? I will always respond to public sentiment. If public sentiment is clearly at odds with my own personal opinion, I would have to do what the public wanted as their representative on council.
On what things are you not willing to compromise?
I will not compromise our school system. It is about time City Council comes to grips with the fact that our school system is in trouble and we had better act now to fix it. I have proposed forming a Blue Ribbon Commission on Norfolk schools. Its job would be to provide an honest and open assessment on what is wrong with our school system and make proposals to fix those problems.
If you could accomplish two things on the first day in office, what would they be? First, I would like to focus more police personnel into the community policing program. Second, I would immediately appoint the members of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Norfolk Schools in hopes that it could finish its study before the new school year commences.
What two promises will you make to the citizens you represent? How will you keep them informed about your progress on these promises? I have promised to bring a new approach to city government. The pledge is to return the focus onto the community and to tackle the problems neighborhood by neighborhood. Also, there will be an equal distribution of city resources and investment throughout the city, rather than dedicating massive resources to just one small part of the city.
Describe the role, if any, that your local government should have in building a sense of unity among citizens. I think the local government needs to continue to communicate with the citizens in a timely fashion regarding all issues facing our city. Only by keeping the people informed and involved will we regain the trust that has been lost over the past several years. ILLUSTRATION: [Photos of all candidates]
KEYWORDS: NORFOLK CITY COUNCIL RACE CANDIDATE PUBLIC JOURNALISM by CNB