DATE: Saturday, March 1, 1997               TAG: 9703010361

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY NANCY LEWIS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   62 lines

BERKLEY RESIDENTS CAN QUESTION CITY OFFICIALS AT TOWN MEETING

Organizers hope that Tuesday's old-fashioned town meeting in Berkley will bring lots of folks out for a frank talk with city officials.

The get-together is set for 6:30 p.m. at St. Helena Elementary School.

Representatives from the city departments of development, schools, police, recreation, redevelopment and housing, and codes are invited to field questions from the public.

Elected officials who represent Berkley have also been invited to attend, said Kenneth Alexander, president of Berkley's Beacon Light Civic League and a prime mover in planning the meeting.

Alexander said he and other community leaders hope officials will put specifics on the table Tuesday - about their vision for the future of Berkley, and timetables for implementation.

``We think we can share the same prosperity and be successful with the rest of the city in growth, redevelopment,'' Alexander said. ``We want to know what they're going to do.''

Berkley lies across the Elizabeth River from downtown Norfolk. It was once a thriving, self-contained community - in fact, it used to be a municipality in its own right. But beginning in the early part of this century, Berkley slowly declined, and people and businesses began to leave. That process accelerated during the early 1970s - partly because the city's redevelopment efforts razed lower-income housing and resulted in residents, white and black, moving to the suburbs.

Today, residents must travel to Chesapeake or downtown Norfolk for most shopping, Alexander said.

``Overall, citizens feel that this community has been underserved,'' he said. ``Redevelopment and renovation took the life out. There should have been more conservation and preservation.''

On the neighborhood's wish list is a shopping center to include a supermarket and pharmacy.

On Tuesday night's agenda are:

Economic development opportunities, including the waterfront.

Educational opportunities and programs.

Public safety programs and trends, to be addressed by Police Chief Melvin High.

Updates on recreation initiatives.

Updates on conservation and redevelopment projects, including the shopping center.

Planning activities and update on occupancy permit initiative.

Residents are invited to submit questions to Alexander ahead of time. He will be the moderator.

Alexander said he had developed his town meeting approach to Berkley's problems by observing communities faced with similar economic, social and domestic troubles.

``Some have been able to correct them, but some have felt the problems were out of hand,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: TOWN MEETING

What: Town meeting.

Why: Talk with city officials about the community's future.

When: Tuesday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: St. Helena Elementary School, 903 South Main St., Berkley.

More information: Call Kenneth Alexander at 543-1859 or 543-1100.

Questions can be faxed to 545-9148.

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