SNH Questions and Answers...

What would you do about – and what is the Mayor’s and City Council’s responsibility regarding—the revolving-door change lately in Suffolk’s administrative leaders? Are there any further substantive changes you believe should take place at amongst those leadership positions?

-Council must set a firm policy course for the City Manager to implement. By solving the leadership vacuum we suffer at the council level, we can solve many of our problems in local government. Who would want to work at job, where politics trumps what serves the citizens?
-We must assess and determine how to streamline the senior staff. It is painfully obvious that we have too many assistants and too much department overlap. The Chief of Staff position should be eliminated and an independent position for a "City Auditor", established instead to critically assess all City operations.


What would you have done differently regarding the city’s assessments? What changes would you make in the future regarding assessments?

-The City Council made a huge error by not allowing the Board of Equalization to conduct their hearings prior to firing the Assessor. The BOE should have reviewed all complaints, determined if the methodology used was correct, then a decision on the Assessor’s performance could be made with facts. It is obvious that without such a pragmatic approach, the Council failed us.
-In the future, we must revalidate all real estate information for all assessed properties. This will insure that the basis of all real estate taxes, reflect actual values and that all are paying their appropriate property tax.


How can the mayor serve to unify the two sides of Suffolk (North and South), helping each to see the qualities and needs of the other?

-The Mayor and Council must facilitate a discussion with all stakeholders, that highlights our common interests and needs. To continue with the present standard that divides our community, is a fatally flawed policy which some have used to meet their own objectives. This mannerism must change so that we can focus on how we can achieve common objectives, by taking advantage of our diversity. Each of the "Urban Centers" in the city provide unique opportunities that can complement each other, by offering a plethora of options they can’t offer alone. This is a strength that we all must embrace.


What should be the city’s policy regarding solid waste disposal post-SPSA in 2018? What should Suffolk do now to ensure that this plan will come to fruition?

-SPSA was a good idea that was implemented badly. We need to review all options for: regional cooperation, contractor/private waste management, and a local operation run as a landfill "enterprise operation". With significant land area available, I favor a "local enterprise option", where we run a regional landfill and possibly sell waste disposal services to our neighboring jurisdictions.
-We must demand that all SPSA debt-service be fulfilled by 2018 and that closure of SPSA is effected properly. It is vital that Post-Closure environmental requirements be fully met, to insure we are not left with a costly environmental mess.


What course of action would YOU take to solve Hampton Roads’ traffic problems and pay for the necessary improvements?

-Under the present Regional Transportation Plans, not all users are paying for the benefits they receive. The PORTS, Businesses, and commercial developers must share the costs of such transportation improvements, rather than shift their burdens. I would specifically demand that a portion of the "economic benefits" of the PORTS be reinvested in our Local Transportation Infrastructure. I would also support a five to ten cent special assessment on all Commercial Properties, to invest in transportation. This insures that all stakeholders that use the roads and benefit also pays their share. I would not have voted for the HRTA.


What would you do about revitalizing downtown Suffolk? What steps would be taken to ensure that downtown continues to prosper in the future?

-We must encourage realistic redevelopment of Downtown, by reducing unnecessary and unproductive demands from the city, which inhibits projects. We need to revise the UDO, Historical Standards, and other issues, which impede projects and make downtown development overly expensive. We must encourage higher density in the Core Downtown district that encourages "vertical development uses".
-We must rework the strategy for downtown, by encouraging an "anchor development strategy". Policy might focus on encouraging a College/Training campus in the Core City, similar to that found in Franklin. It also, may be possible to attract a medical research campus on the Obici Property.


Do you think our current city government is operating openly and transparently? If not what would you change or do differently?

-Our present City Administration is the most secretive and closed operation in the region. Suffolk holds the distinction of having more closed meetings than any group. Chesapeake noted this same problem and established policies that minimized closed meetings. The HHS project is a prime example of this failure, where after more than five closed meetings we got chaos.
-We must impose a real test on Staff, to show us why we should conduct so much behind closed doors. We must put all votes, resolutions, minutes, presentations and public information on our City Web-Site. We should also web-cast all meetings.


What role do you see the mayor playing in economic development? How would YOU work to continue to capitalize on Suffolk’s growth?

-The Mayor should be Council’s liaison to the EDA and encourage a strategy that establishes an agenda to attract and encourage real economic development and jobs. The Economic Development Department must craft a clear strategy to attract and encourage commercial projects and job growth.
-Our people are the main capital resource Suffolk must encourage, not just huge land tracts. We must focus on new strategies that encourage how to get the most from our valuable Transportation Corridors, via "Corridor Studies". This resource inventory can help Suffolk capitalize on our unique resources of rail, roads, land, and a strong workforce.


What can the city do to help ensure Suffolk has quality education? What role would you play in ensuring education is exceptional in our city?

-With 52% of our budget going to education, money is not the problem. We need to encourage teachers who want to teach our kids and we must reduce School Administration costs.
-As Mayor, I would strongly advocate for a strong education program and a process that prepares our kids to succeed. I would ask more of our business community, by bring forward job opportunities that highlights why students must prepare for their working lives. A paradigm shift that focuses on "student mentoring projects and programs" that give real-life perspectives to students would be one of many ways to succeed.


What would you do as mayor to keep Suffolk a safe city? What could be done to improve public safety in Suffolk and how would you approach it?

-My highest priority is to encourage a rededication to community policing practices and policies. A full review of the mission of our Police, Courts, and Community resources must be a core objective. With crime rising daily, we must comprehensively address this compelling problem.
-Public Safety can be improved, but only if we include all of our community stakeholders. One of the biggest crime problems we have in Suffolk is directly tied to the lack of recreational facilities and youth resources. A dollar invested in directing youth energies productively, equals many dollars not spent on Police Enforcement and incarceration.