Randy Wright seeking re-election to Norfolk council

City Councilman W. Randy Wright, who pioneered light rail, led efforts to cut real estate taxes and has led redevelopment in Ocean View for nearly two decades, announced Tuesday night that he’s running for re-election in Ward 5.

Wright made the announcement at the Roosevelt Area Civic League, a group he headed 31 years ago. About 75 spectators, including Mayor Paul Fraim and Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot, gave him a standing ovation after his announcement.

Wright played a central role in helping engineer the recent resignation of Michael Townes as head of Hampton Roads Transit because of light-rail cost overruns.

Wright  was elected to the council in 1992.

His only announced opponent, Granby High School assistant principal Tommy Smigiel, said Wright has not addressed flooding problems in Ocean View and failed to listen to residents. In a campaign announcement last year, Smigiel took a hard swipe at Wright.

“I believe it is time that Ocean View was represented by someone … that spends his time improving their neighborhoods and lives while protecting their pocketbooks, not selling them out to absentee slumlords and letting gangs and prostitutes run their communities.”

 “I was offended” by Smigiel’s statement, Wright said Tuesday night. “Together, we’ve done a lot for this community,” he said listing  improvements, including the development of East Beach, dredging  Pretty Lake and closing  pawn shops.

He noted that Smigiel did not mention several neighborhoods along Little Creek Road, including Roosevelt Gardens, in his campaign announcement.

 Holding up a copy of his 2009 calendar, Wright said he held 319 meetings regarding city business between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. As an assistant principal, Smigiel would not be available during those hours, Wright said.

“I’m very concerned about my constituency getting the representation they’ve had for so long.”

Smigiel said that  standard also would  disqualify  Burfoot, who works in the treasurer’s office; Councilwoman Theresa Whibley, a full-time physician; and Fraim, an attorney.

“Everyone has a right to run for City Council if they want to give back to their community,” Smigiel  said.

Smigiel has been campaigning for nearly four months. Wright has not. He applied to head the state’s rail agency and learned last week that the job had instead gone to former Congresswoman Thelma Drake. Wright said he decided to run over the weekend.

Wright said with Councilman Don Williams retiring, he was concerned about Ocean View losing influence on the council. “With the city facing its most challenging budget in my lifetime, this is a critical time,” he said.  

Both Wright and Smigiel are Norview High School graduates. Smigiel, a graduate of Old Dominion University, was the 2008 Virginia Teacher of the Year, and a finalist for National Teacher of the Year.

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com