The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
The City Council unanimously appointed former School Board member Alveta Green on Thursday to serve on the council until a special election in November.
Green will fill the Ward 7 seat vacated by Daun S. Hester, who was forced to step down after unsuccessfully challenging Paul Fraim in the May mayoral election.
Green, New Journal and Guide Publisher Brenda Andrews, and former Norfolk State University administrator Jimmie D. Wilson were interviewed for the position during a public meeting. The council met for less than 10 minutes behind closed doors before emerging to announce its choice.
Fraim said all three were qualified, but that Green had strengths the others did not.
Wilson indicated during his interview that he plans to run for the Ward 7 seat in November. Fraim said that was a concern, since the council "does not want to be seen as anointing a candidate." Fraim has asked prospective appointees not to run in November.
Andrews was questioned by council members on potential conflicts of interest between her job as a newspaper publisher and a council position. Andrews said what she heard in closed-door sessions would not be shared with anyone at the New Journal and Guide, which focuses on African American issues.
Fraim said Andrews "is eminently qualified, and had a great interview." But he said the council was concerned about the "appearance" of a conflict of interest.
Fraim said Green "became the natural and excellent choice."
Green is a Booker T. Washington High School and Virginia State University graduate who spent 34 years as a Norfolk public school teacher. She was a member of the School Board from 1997 through 2004. Green told the council she will not run in November.
"With my experience on the School Board," she said, "I feel I could hit the ground running."
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
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Oh Dear......
I mean....are we seeing a Revolution....Right Here? In Norfolk? Portsmouth? The Mayor Race? Boy oh Boy....We all need to take one big step Back before we all destroy what we have. He said, she said, black on white; white on Black; we all need to be careful; The Radical folks are just waiting, wating for the right moment; when we all are yelling at each other; "STOP fighting, NOW before we destroy our Great City & Country for that matter" We are the greatest Country and everyone is destroying it!!!! City by City!!! STOP, STOP, STOP!
Think about it; Really, think about it! Africa still has slavery, right? South America...do you see how they live!?!? Cuba? Castro; see how those folks live? HAITI; need I say more! The middle East; Women can not even show an inch of their skin; no schooling; No Air conditioners for pete sakes! The Political rederick is insane now. Man, I thought we were on a path to hope...to change!!! Nope, we are back in the 1950/1960's....GOD, HELP US ALL. If M.L. King, Jr was here...MAN & would grab his arm & walk tall as an AMERICAN, INDIVIDUAL & FREE person!!
Seat Holder/ Forced to step down
It sounds like Mayor Fraim wanted someone to keep the seat warm until the election. Asking nominees not to run in November should not be part of the qualification. This appointment seems more like an insult than an honor.
As for "forced to step down", Hester was aware of that requirement before the election. It seems the Pilot is the one that wants to keep bringing it up like it was a punishment.
EQUALITY
Reverse racism at its best. When will the black community figure out as long as black people continue to receive preferential treatment we will ’NEVER have racial equality in this country. Its people like the city council, media and government in general that think white people are that stupid. It’s just like the Black Panther party issue in Philly, let’s change the skin color to white and the outcry would be tremendous. The government would have every one of those people behind bars for hate crimes but because they are black it is okay. By the way, who was the one’s rioting in San Francisco yesterday…enough said?
seems like a good choice
Seems like a good choice--VB did the same thing when they appointed Belito fm vice chair of school board to city council. No learning curve.
Let's hope
...she's not only qualified, but a person who will serve the real interest of the people of Norfolk.
If voting could really change things it would be illegal
Less than 10 minutes? Now there's some deep soul searching. Since when has council been ". . . concerned about the appearance a conflict of interest?" If you want to think outside the box, you'd better know what's inside of it.
copy/proofreader?
“She is imminently qualified, and had a great interview,” Fraim said.
This would indicate that she is very close to being qualified, vice, oh, say, eminently qualified. Yes? C'mon, DTFK, you must do better than this.
Good catch
The error has been fixed.
did the Council feel this appointment was reserved for a black?
Why did the Council feel this appointment was "reserved for a black"? Politically motivated? For sure! The public sees nothing other than race as a "qualification" . No whites, Asians, Indians, Muslims, or other ethnicities were interviewed or considered. Nothing other than appearing as politically correct. Facts are facts!
The Superward
The superward she will represent is a majority black ward. Duh. The whole reason that the wards are what they are is due to a ruling of the dept of justice so if they were to appoint someone who is not well represented they would be facing a lawsuit which is the last thing Norfolk can afford.