The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
The City Council appointed business owner Prescott Sherrod on Tuesday to fill a council vacancy, making him the sole minority on the 11-person board and only the third African American to serve in the city's history.
Sherrod is president and CEO of tech firm PEMCCO Inc. He is also a member of the city's Development Authority, which appealed to the business-friendly council. He was selected in a 9-1 vote of the City Council. Councilman Bill DeSteph, the only dissenter, said at least three candidates were more qualified.
Sherrod is a "team player," Vice Mayor Louis Jones said. "He's qualified."
The appointment, which runs through the end of the year, drew sharp criticism from the NAACP, which had supported Beach attorney Tanya Bullock. She ran for the Princess Anne District council seat last fall against incumbent Barbara Henley and received 46 percent of the vote.
Venus Marshall, who helped organize a prayer circle of about a dozen NAACP members at City Hall on Bullock's behalf before the meeting, said the vote was "disheartening." Bullock met with NAACP members and understood their concerns and needs, Marshall said.
The mayor and council ignored the NAACP's suggestion on who was best able to represent the black community, Marshall said.
"You sat with us, ate with us, and slapped us in the face," said Marshall, close to tears.
Bullock congratulated and hugged Sherrod after the announcement. But Carl Wright, vice president of the NAACP's Virginia Beach branch, said the City Council selected an "Uncle Tom," a derogatory term to describe black people as deferential to whites.
Sherrod responded that he is an independent thinker and as an engineer will depend on data and facts to make his decisions.
"I understand they supported Tanya," Sherrod said of the Beach NAACP. "When I get the opportunity to sit with them, I think I can win them over."
The council was under pressure to select a minority candidate to fill the seat vacated by Rita Sweet Bellitto, who resigned when her husband accepted a job out of town. One-third of the city's resident are minorities - 20 percent black, 7 percent Hispanic and 6 percent Asian, according to census figures - but all of the council members are white.
"It was a tough choice," Mayor Will Sessoms said. "I'm very, very happy with Prescott."
A special election for the council seat, a four-year term, will be held in November.
John Perry, elected in 1986, was the city's first black council member. He served for one term. Louisa Strayhorn was the most recent black council member, serving from 1994 to 1998.
Sherrod said he is aware of the city's racial history, but he will be focused on trying to help bring jobs to Virginia Beach.
"The city has a lot of other issues," Sherrod said. "I just happen to be an African American."
Sherrod was one of six finalists the City Council interviewed before making its decision. Council members said the debate, which occurred in closed session, eventually came down to Bullock and Sherrod.
Bullock's spirited run against Henley may have dampened support for her, some council members said. Concern about how Henley would feel having her opponent on City Council was mentioned, they said.
"I'm not going to sit here and say it didn't cross my mind," said Sessoms, an ally of Henley.
But the mayor said the council picked the best candidate.
"The City Council had its say tonight," Councilman Bob Dyer said. "The public will have their say in November."
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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"Safe" - for the majority of City Council.
When I stated that I felt Mr. Sherrod was a "safe" pick, I meant that a majoity of the current City Council will consider him "safe" - because he is already on board with much of THEIR agenda.
I did not mean he was "safe" for Virginia Beach taxpayers.
VB Challenge
Poverty does not come in COLOR. Wealth comes with hard work, motivation, education, involvement, sleeplessness nights, giving back to community at all levels, wisdom, knowledge & understanding. Accountability for decision & action represents character-not handouts & short cuts. If every individual who are spending time including me on this subject-take a moment & calculate their hourly rate X times hours spent= total amount. Then donate amt to orgs-homeless, hungry child, vets, churches,then that would be productive time spent. VB Challenge, post hours spent on this subject--plus hourly rate,including every minute spent on phone discussion,..Personally, I do not understand why org and people are misrepresenting Our Heavenly Father.
Playing the race card
and getting away with it.
Why so silent?
After the vice president made such rude display and hurtfull statements - Why:
1)Why hasn't the President of the naacp made a public statement or apology for this behavior? Was he/she there or was he/she in the crowd screaming as well? and
2)Since this is a group of Bullock supporters, as leader, she should say something, as quick as she did about the VB republican chair last election - unless she was praying and standing with the group as well is this the type of leadership she supports, also?
hmmmm
Carl Wright, vice president of the NAACP's Virginia Beach branch, said the City Council selected an "Uncle Tom," a derogatory term to describe black people as deferential to whites.
= any African American that makes a success of themselves and doesn't take their marching orders from the NAACP. It is a crying shame that Advancment has come to mean staying on the plantation, staying poor, staying uneducated, pulling a stint in lock up, and becoming a predator in your own community. Sad.
This should be a joyous moment for Mr. Sherrod, instead...
This should be a joyous moment for Mr. Sherrod, instead the negative vocal minority which suckles on the teet of the even more negative va pilot, this writer in particular, prevails in this forum. Every bit of facts that are fed to the pilot's writers are spun and twisted until all positivity has been helplessly drained from any semblance of a community boosting story.
He's a member of the Beach's Developement Authority
WOW! That's a surprise!!! The Vice mayor says he a team player. Of course he is. VB has the best city government a developer can buy. This appointment just proves it once again. Hooray for hotels light rail, developer tax subsidies and Dome Sites. The rest of us can get stuffed. Right?
A matter of definition
Well, I guess if you mean by stuffed we get to pay the lowest tax rates in the region, we get the best schools, parks, recreation centers, museums, and programs and services, and we get the best credit rating offered by the three rating agencies and therefore get to pay the lowest interest rates possible, then yes, we have been stuffed. And the guys you supported got 15% of the vote, yet for some odd reason seem to have ignored the election results, just shouting louder than ever. Losers don't get to set the agenda.
Prescott Sherrod should sever all ties with the NAACP.
Prescott Sherrod should sever all ties with the NAACP. He should sever all ties with developers.
The majority of politicians in VB historically finance their campaigns by supporting developers. Then favors are paid back. Runnymede and its officers are well aware of how the game is played. Sessoms and others are thankful.
Overdevelopment leads to excessive curb cuts and a lack of sustainable infrastructure. Your definition of stuffed is flawed and self-serving.
November will be a good month for change. The message will be clear.
VB has a lower tax rate
VB has a lower tax rate because we have almost twice the population of the other cities. If our tax rates were low because of developers, then we would be awash in cash. There would have been no reason to have increases in storm water or trash fees. Rubbish Mike. Your spin just doesn't fly. Hang it up sir.