THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 22, 1996 TAG: 9606220253
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 63 lines
When the City Council chooses its leadership on July 1, Mayor S. Chris Jones may have to fight to keep his job.
For weeks, city staffers and residents at the Municipal Center at 441 Market St. have been abuzz about a possible Council move to oust Jones and vote in Councilman Thomas G. Underwood.
Under the plan, Curtis R. Milteer, who has publicly announced that he wants to step down as vice mayor, would be replaced by Councilman Charles F. Brown.
Jones, late Friday, confirmed the rumors of a movement to unseat him.
``I've heard that's the case,'' Jones said from his home in Chuckatuck. ``I'm a little surprised. I felt things had gone well. I heard the deal had been done before the last election.. . . It's a quirky game we play.''
Jones would not say who told him about the move or which council members are supporting the ouster. But Milteer also confirmed on Friday that such an action is in the works.
``There is a contest between Jones and Underwood, but I'm not a part of that,'' said Milteer. ``Whoever the council selects, we will go along with that.''
Every other year, the City Council must undergo a reorganization, formally appointing a mayor and vice mayor from its ranks, said Councilwoman Marian ``Bea'' Rogers. On July 1, the Council will also induct its newest member - Leroy Bennett - who will represent the Nansemond borough.
Bennett defeated Councilman Richard R. Harris, who leaves office on June 30. After Bennett's induction, the Council will meet and vote on reorganization plans, Milteer said.
Rogers said she hadn't heard about the movement to push Jones from the mayor's seat and could not make any comment about the plan. She praised Jones' work over the past four years.
``It's not easy being mayor,'' Rogers said. ``You have to be a moderator. You have to be available to meet with people. . . You have to negotiate. He has done a very good job.''
Other Council members polled Friday night said they had heard ``rumors'' of a deal, but said they hadn't discussed voting Jones out during their reorganization meeting.
Said Councilman Brown: ``I think everyone's vote is their own. And my vote is my own.. . . Mayor Jones has done an outstanding job.''
Councilman Richard R. Harris said, ``When you're not re-elected, you're out of the loop.''
Underwood declined to comment Friday. Councilman J. Samuel ``Chief'' Carter and Councilman-elect Leroy Bennett could not be reached.
Mayor Jones has served on the Council for 10 years, spending his first four as vice mayor under former Mayor Johnnie E. Mizelle. The next two years, he represented the Chuckatuck borough as a councilman.
In 1992, he was unanimously voted in as mayor and two years later, Underwood and Carter made a motion to renew his tenure, Jones said.
Jones said Friday that if he is voted out, he hopes that whoever replaces him continues his efforts toward regionalism and cooperation with the various Suffolk neighborhoods.
Jones serves on the executive committee for the Hampton Roads Partnership - a public-private group that includes businesspeople and mayors from other cities - as well as on the board for Forward Hampton Roads, an economic development organization.
The mayor said if he is forced to step down, he'll push on.
``I've got two more years on council,'' Jones said. ``I'm a big boy. Whatever happens, happens. You go on.'' by CNB