The situation is still fluid about which candidates will be competing in their parties' upcoming primaries for the open Council Seat.
Justin Wilson, Boyd Walker and Mark Feldheim (former president of the Old Town Civic Association) are the Democrats who have thrown their hats in the ring and are busy holding fundraisers. Matthew Natale, whose name had been mentioned as a possible Democratic candidate, just announced on Monday that he will not be running.
On the Republican side, the Growler hears that former City Council member Bill Cleveland, who was defeated by William D. Euille in the 2003 Mayoral race, will attempt to regain his Council seat. But it's not clear yet if perennial GOP candidates Pat Troy and Townsend Van Fleet will also run or will be persuaded to stand down and support Cleveland.
At any rate, here is the critical primary or canvass or caucus information for voters in Parker-Gray:
Republican Primary
Web site: http://www.alexgop.org
Special Republican canvass election for City Council
Tuesday, May 29 (7 to 9 pm)
Location: Minnie Howard School cafeteria
3801 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria (½ mi. west of King/Quaker/Braddock - see map)
For more info: chair@AlexGOP.org or 703-823-1801
Democratic Primary
Web site: http://www.alexdems.org
Democratic Primary
Saturday, June 9 (noon to 10 PM)
Location: Minnie Howard School cafeteria
3801 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria (½ mi. west of King/Quaker/Braddock - see map)
For more info: office@alexdems.org or 703-549-DEMS
10 comments:
"At any rate, here is the critical primary or canvass or caucus information for voters in Parker-Gray:"
Critical is a strong word when the votes will only be 5-1 instead of 6-0
Bill Cleveland is definitely running. Yesterday, I received a letter in the mail soliciting funds and support.
Does anyone remember how Cleveland was when he was on council before?
I dont know ho wCleveland was, but I do know how Walker would be. If you want no development and no change in the public housing nightmare gripping the Inner City, vote for him.
This nugget in the Times has something to make all of you want to vote out out and VOTE DEMOCRAT:
Housing authority taps Miller
By CARLA BRANCH
May 24, 2007
Alexandria Times Photo/Regan Kireilis
A. Melvin Miller has become acting director for the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority has a new acting director. A. Melvin Miller, ARHA’s current Board Chairman and a former U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development executive, will give up one position to assume another. He assumed the role of Executive Director on May 21.
“The Board just couldn’t identify anyone who could assume this responsibility immediately,” Miller said after last week’s Board decision. “I have agreed to take on this responsibility in the short-term until one of our candidates can take it on. I am hopeful that my tenure will be short – six weeks or so – until we can get someone in here on a longer term basis. We plan to do a national search to find a permanent replacement for Bill Dearman and that’s going to take a lot longer.”
Dearman submitted his resignation in April, after 10 years as executive director. He is relocating to Atlanta to spend more time with his grandchildren.
The housing authority board has difficult decisions ahead, not the least of which is Glebe Park. The Virginia Housing Development Authority recently rejected ARHA’s application for tax-credit financing to redevelop Glebe Park, James Bland and James Bland Addition. Now, Mayor Bill Euille’s working group, consisting of Miller, ARHA vice Chair, Conney Ring; Euille and Councilman Rob Krupicka and city and ARHA staff is meeting to consider options.
“We met last week and our new Planning Director came up with an idea that the Mayor and I would like to explore further,” Krupicka said.
Farroll Hamer, who became Alexandria’s Planning Director in April, suggested that the city take several steps back and develop a master plan for all of ARHA’s properties. “This would mean we would take a look at how the properties can be self-sustaining, not just for the next couple of years, but for ten and even twenty years down the road,” Krupicka said.
That “step back” will require a financial commitment on the city’s part because ARHA has a $6 million mortgage remaining on Glebe Park, which is a very difficult site to redevelop and which has faced opposition from neighborhood residents who do not want the 152-unit project to contain only subsidized housing units.
Commitment needed
Miller says the options are limited and all require city commitment. “The funding commitment that we got from the City wasn’t very strong and we lost points in the VHDA tax-credit application process because of that,” he said. “As I see it, we can wait a year and reapply for the nine-percent tax credits; we can apply for the noncompetitive four-percent tax credits; we can ask the City to pay the $60,000 per month mortgage on Glebe Park while we all talk about it or the City can just buy the property outright. If they want to spend the $6 million and own Glebe Park, we would be happy to sell it to them. We really are pretty much out of options,” he said.
According to Krupicka, the city has asked the planning director, the director of housing, and the assistant city manger for finance to look at alternatives.
“One alternative certainly is for the city to loan ARHA the $6 million to pay off the mortgage on Glebe Park while we complete our analysis,” Krupicka said. “Another option might be for the city to simply pay the monthly mortgage for the next couple of years. We understand that we need to satisfy the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requirements but we really don’t want to do something in haste without considering best practices in public housing and look at the way other municipalities and private housing development corporations are managing subsidized housing.”
The mayor’s working group will meet on May 31 to consider staff’s analysis. Krupicka anticipates that City Council and the ARHA Board will hold a work session sometime in June and that Council will make a decision before the July summer recess.
1. Miller = more of the same stale thinking
2. Farroll Hamer, who became Alexandria’s Planning Director in April, suggested that the city take several steps back and develop a master plan for all of ARHA’s properties. “This would mean we would take a look at how the properties can be self-sustaining, not just for the next couple of years, but for ten and even twenty years down the road,” Krupicka said. = SELF SUSTAINING = THOSE PROPERTIES ARE HERE TO STAY NOW AND FOREVER. It doesnt look like Mrs. Hamer is inclined to move them.
3. According to Krupicka, the city has asked the planning director, the director of housing, and the assistant city manger for finance to look at alternatives.
“One alternative certainly is for the city to loan ARHA the $6 million to pay off the mortgage on Glebe Park while we complete our analysis,” Krupicka said. “Another option might be for the city to simply pay the monthly mortgage for the next couple of years.
HAHAHAHA... I thought Krupicka was the latest Democratic champion on the council for Alexandria's so called "nationally renowned" public housing model.
So go ahead Parker Gray and vote Democrat if you want more of the same.
Grrrr!
Growler you overlooked a Council candidate, although we assume not intentionally. Jim Lay previously ran for State Delegate and was defeated by David Englin. His is an interesting background so take a closer look.
Thursday, May 24, 5:30-9:00pm. Jim Lay for Council Volunteer Night. Help Jim win the lightning-fast campaign to represent Democrats in the upcoming special Council election! 803 Prince Street. For more information or to RSVP
(no need to RSVP): www.jimlay.org,
jim@jimlay.org or 703-549-6785.
As for the other Dems, Feldheim has previously run for City Council. Boyd Walker is not always among the most trusted and it was Old Town's vote that deposed his mother, Councilwoman Lois. Justin Wilson is a young Euille protege. I think him the troublesome for the inner city. Cleveland, a Republican, was previously a Vice Mayor. Eberwein, another Republican, appears too busy skewering the School Superintendent to run. Phew! Finally, Matthew Natale is an also ran, a Republican turned Dem.
All will know soon enough who is actually running for the Council seat.
Tuesday, May 29, 5:00 pm. Deadline for Filing for the City Council Vacancy.
Jim Lay has a good relationship with the police department and is a former Commonwealth Attorney. Right now crime is my number one reason on voting and he has mine.
"Jim Lay has a good relationship with the police department and is a former Commonwealth Attorney."
Gotta admit he looks interesting. Does he not also call for a metro station at Potomac Yard?
"Gotta admit he looks interesting. Does he not also call for a metro station at Potomac Yard?"
Yeah - I looked at his website. He does advocate a metro station. But I'm worried about his density ideas. I admire Boyd Walker for getting involved pre-campaign in the Braddock Road plan and wonder where Jim Lay was. However, Boyd is reportedly pro ARHA/public housing. I am so tired of hearing random gunshots and reading about murders blocks from my home. Jim Lay strikes me as tougher on crime and public housing that Walker. God - I'd love a Giuliani-type candidate who would actually enforce the laws!! I'd be willing to sacrifice some density for dispersal of public housing and somewone who is tough on crime. I'm going to attend the forum and see what they all have to say about this. I'm not going to assume anything.
One thing I'll tell you is that I'm NOT voting for Wilson. Someone asked him how he'd vote on the smoking ban issue. He refused to answer on the grounds that it was a hypothetical. Those kinds of responses irritate the crap out of me. What a freakin coward.
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