The Virginian-Pilot
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PORTSMOUTH
Mayor James Holley, who has been the city's mayor now for 12 years, narrowly defeated a civic activist who raised only about $2,765 and argued that the city needed a change.
Holley received 5,862 votes to Martha Ann Creecy's 5,580 votes, according to preliminary results from the registrar's office.
"Needless to say, I'm sure he realizes that this was not a shoo-in," Creecy said.
She is the first competitor Holley has faced since 1996, when he was re-elected back to the mayor's seat.
Holley, who raised about $15,742, said he was pleased that residents agree with council's vision for Portsmouth. He also said aboard a ship docked at High Street Landing where he celebrated Tuesday night that he was not surprised by the narrow margin.
"If we win by one, we'd be happy," Holley, 81, said.
Creecy said she thought a larger turnout could have changed the outcome. Twenty percent of Portsmouth's 57,401 registered voters cast ballots in the election, according to the registrar's office.
The 63-year-old lighting designer has been an advocate for stronger code enforcement and higher pay for public safety employees. She has also pushed for city leaders to spend more money improving Portsmouth's neighborhoods.
The close vote was "certainly a wake-up call that people are paying attention and looking for stronger leadership in the mayor," said Councilwoman Elizabeth Psimas, who was also re-elected Tuesday.
"Martha Ann ran a good campaign," said Bryan Meals, chairman of the city's Republican Party.
Many, including current council members, have felt that they could not run against Holley.
"He's mayor as long as he wants to be," Psimas told The Virginian-Pilot last month in a story about Holley.
Holley is a retired dentist who fought for equal rights for local blacks.
He filed one of two lawsuits that eventually opened the city's golf courses to blacks in 1956. A few years later, he helped lead a legal fight to desegregate the city's libraries.
He is the city's biggest cheerleader, spending countless hours each week attending ribbon-cuttings and other events. On Monday, Holley donned a T-shirt supporting raises for police and joined more than 200 people, many of them police and deputies, who marched to the traffic circle by City Hall to call for better police pay.
Esquire Magazine featured him in a photo spread last year about U.S. mayors.
Holley has also endured his share of controversy.
Last month, the Portsmouth City Council voted to prevent council members from using city cars on a regular basis. Holley has been in three accidents in city cars during the past 2-1/2 years. The vote was prompted by his crashes.
In 1984, Holley became the region's first black mayor. He was recalled after he was accused of writing racist letters to black community leaders who were opposed to I.C. Norcom High School being shut down. Holley denied any part in the hate-mail, but his fingerprints were found on the envelopes. No one was ever charged.
Residents were so angry that they fought for his removal. Holley, who was 61 at the time, became the first mayor in Virginia to be recalled.
He was re-elected eight years later, beating Gloria Webb to regain the mayor's seat.
Staff writer Matthew Roy contributed to this report.
Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com
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All is not lost
I read where another overpaid and useless assistant city manager is retiring. Now if we can just get that illiterate city clerk to leave.
part 1
Out of the myriad of problems that Portsmouth has; I think the worst is apathy.
Apathy is what happened last night when a fraction of our population 12,000 out of + or – 57,000 voters hit the polls. As a result of this apathy; we now have the same cast of characters making the shady closed door deals that have been running this city into the ground for the last decade. I’m amazed that ALL cops, firefighters and teachers weren’t out there voting them out.. Wake up folks; you have all been living below the poverty line since these folks have been in office. Its funny how all these “hot button” issues like cop’s wages come up during reelection… Where were these people the rest of the time when you were trying to feed your family all along??? A mere forty percent of our children graduate from our school system, but WOW our Mayor has some pretty nifty suits. For the record; they build prisons based on the droput percentages not to mention the amount of people who go on welfare because they are functionally illiterate
part 2
Our property values are sinking and our taxes are rising to fund shady deals that will line the pockets of politicians and friends of politicians ie Holiday Inn and the “Louise Lucrative” convocation center. Last night is just one of the reasons there is a “for sale” sign in front of my house and I no longer buy anything in Portsmouth; I won’t give any more money to this City.
same ol' same lo'
I don't want to hear any uproar when we keep getting what we've been getting. We had a chance to effect change for the better and y'all blew it. We'll just get the same ol' same ol' because that's what was voted back in. I said y'all because I know whom I voted for, and it sure wasn't the same Liberals that were going to take us to the Hampton Roads Trans Authority cleaners. Pathetic, just plain pathetic.
Whitehurst back
Well Portsmouth voters, we have no one to blame but ourselves as we watch this dysfunctional unit stumble over itself for the next few years. At the same time, we have fouled the air by placing the most disingenuous, self-serving, pompous person ever to hold office, back on council. The Great Blamestormer, Charles Whitehurst is back, ready to tell you what you want to hear, all the while continuin along his track record of voting for every fee and tax increase that has crossed his desk since he was first elected in 1998. Yes, he did vote for public financing of the Sports Hall of Fame, yes he did vote for millions for the wonderful plot of grass better known as a traffic circle. Just remember, though he voted for it, it's never his fault. Beware Portsmouth, of the wolf in sheep's clothing.
Portsmouth Election Results
I cannot believe that P-towners think so little of our freedoms that we would pass up one; especially to make a difference in our everyday lives. If anyone read the questions and answers with any of the candidates, there was little choice but to vote. The candidates won election yesterday stood on their soapboxes and spoke for raise sales tax for transportation costs, raising public safety employees' pay, light rail through the Midtown Tunnel, and stepping up neighborhood code enforcement. I, as a homeowner and working citizen of Portsmouth, am tired of being taxed to death by a city who continually sends me personal property tax bills in June on cars I've owned for 20 years and code violations of which an inspector must physical walk my property to spot such as peeling paint on brick or eaves, in order to fund their special projects such as the circle on Crawford Parkway. Mr. Ellis, an auditor, would have been an excellent choice for council at this time when fiscal responsibility is needed; along with Mr. Carroll, a man who has worked with numbers at Newport News Shipbuilding. Mr. Morrison would have also been a good choice since the building codes have changed.
What a disappointment
Another four years of the same song and dance. You people who are too lazy to vote are pathetic!!
Cherry
Portsmouth citizens blew an incredible opportunity to elect a young visionary who could easily work with all parties to significantly improve the city. His background and experience, his work on the Planning Commission, and his willingness to communicate with the entire city and be held accountable clearly places him above many of the other candidates.
Shame on you Portsmouth !!!
One can only hope that Paige Cherry isn't discouraged and that he will run next time.
Congrats Mayor Holley
I want to wish you all the best for the next four years. I love the way that you revitalize Portsmouth. I would like if you could eliminate the projects and build new housing for the residents that they can afford. Because this in the new millenium and we still have projects? And congrats goes to all who kept their seats and the new ones who just arrived. PROUD TO BE A RESIDENT OF PORTSMOUTH VIRGINIA.
Unbelievable
I have a hard time believing that the voters of this city actually think that Holley is the best person for the job. There has to be another reason people vote for him. If we were to have informed voters, I think it would have turned out much different. You have to go to classes and take tests to get your driver's license, so why not make voters listen to five minutes of Holley speaking before marking that ballot. He should be in assisted living and not City Hall. He has proven that he is incompetent time and time again. Let's use his statement as evidence that he should not be loose or unsupervised. "The city's first priority should be addressing the second priority." Does anyone know what that means. I call on Mayor Holley to explain himself and when he does, that will give me more to write about.