Beach elections filings guarantee that most council and board seats will be up for grabs

VIRGINIA BEACH

Lee Shuler has been busy for the past few weeks. Her daughter got married. Her Labrador delivered a litter of 12 puppies. And she had to decide whether to run for the Virginia Beach City Council.

On Tuesday, with just an hour left before the filing deadline for the November elections, Shuler walked into the Voter Registrar's Office carrying a stack of petitions with 175 signatures.

She was the last of this year's 15 City Council candidates to file for election.

"I was going back and forth," said Shuler, a boat captain.

What finally convinced her?

Shuler, who has been vocal about the potential use of the Lynnhaven Boat Ramp as a dredge site, said she felt the City Council hasn't been responsive and it was time for a change.

Some contenders announced their election intentions and started raising money more than a year ago for the race, which puts City Council and School Board candidates on the ballot in November for the first time. The elections previously had been in May.

On Tuesday a handful of late deciders debated with family, friends, employees and their own conscience whether to run.

"I'm sitting here at the office thinking," said the Rev. Joe Flores at 2:15 p.m. "My supporters are waiting outside with my petitions."

Three hours later, he had filed to run in the Kempsville District race and will face two opponents.

And then there is Brandon Stokes, also know as "Shaggy," the co-host of a radio morning show on Z104. Stokes clocked in more than 3 miles on a treadmill outside of the Haynes Furniture store as he pleaded with listeners to stop by and sign his petitions for the at-large race.

Stokes said he collected more than enough signatures, some of them before Tuesday, and that he wasn't pulling a publicity stunt. But after the show, his employers questioned whether his candidacy would be good for the station's business, Stokes said.

Station officials had received phone calls questioning whether they would have to offer all other candidates equal air-time, Stokes said.

"It sucks," said Stokes, who decided to sit this one out. "I was serious."

All but one Virginia Beach City Council race will be contested.

Four candidates are running for mayor: Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, former Councilman John Moss, former Vice Mayor Will Sessoms, and political newcomer Scott Taylor.

Five candidates are running for the at-large seat: Rosemary Wilson, a real estate agent and City Council incumbent; Georgia Allen, the branch president of the NAACP; Leona "Lee" Shuler, a boat captain; Keith Strausbaugh, an Old Dominion University graduate student; and Lawrence Teator, a computer sales retiree.

Two candidates are running for the Rose Hall district: Reba McClanan, a council incumbent and Glenn Davis, the owner of a telecommunications management company.

Three candidates are running for the Kempsville district: Harry Diezel, a council incumbent and retired Virginia Beach fire chief; Joe Flores, a pastor; and Andrew Jackson, a retired Navy radioman.

In the Centerville district, Councilman Bob Dyer is running unopposed.

There will be four contested and two uncontested races for the School Board.

Six people are competing for two at-large seats: Board Vice Chair Rita Sweet Bellitto, Gregg Benshoff, Patrick Salyer, Mavel Velasco, Erika Walker-Cash and Gertrude "Bunny" Waugh. The top two vote-getters win.

Dan Edwards, the board chairman, is running to retain his Centerville seat and will face French Mackes. In the Rose Hall district, Brent Mckenzie is running against incumbent Michael W. Stewart.

Sandra Smith-Jones will not face competition for her Kempsville seat, nor will Bill Brunke in the Princess Anne district. Brunke was appointed last week to complete the term of Lyndon Remias, who resigned to become city auditor.

 Staff writer Lauren Roth contributed to this report.

Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com