2 community leaders enter Chesapeake council race

CHESAPEAKE

Two vocal South Norfolk community leaders - Kevin Amick and the Rev. Lin Hill - announced their bids for City Council in a back meeting room at Bethany Baptist Church before the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. service Monday night.

About 20 family members, friends and church leaders gathered in the room as Amick and Hill said they strive to "look out for all of Chesapeake and make things equal."

Over the past year, the two have been among community members who have gone to nearly every City Council meeting that had an item regarding South Norfolk on the agenda, however small the issue. They have worked to bring attention to the borough and launched a voter registration campaign at the July 4 parade in the historic district.

Last month, when Councilman C.E. "Cliff" Hayes Jr. announced he will not seek a third term, Hill, Amick and other South Norfolk leaders organized to take the next steps.

Hill said running for council "moved from a necessity to an absolute necessity."

"We've been pretty active recently," said Hill, associate minister at Bethany Baptist Church. "We don't feel like a lot of promises have been kept. We want to see promises with accountability."

The two are from South Norfolk but are running to bring equality and a voice to all parts of Chesapeake, they said.

Both are independents.

Amick, a Navy veteran who works for the Department of Veterans Affairs, said voters this year will be able to choose candidates who will vote on the issues, not the party line.

"We are independent thinkers without directed ideology," Hill said.

Hayes, who was present at the announcement, said there is not a "D" or "R" next to their names, but a "C" for Chesapeake.

"These two want to see what's best for Chesapeake," Hayes said.

Two council members - Rick West and Debbie Ritter - are up for re-election, as is Mayor Alan Krasnoff. There is one vacant seat when Hayes completes his term.

The candidate filing deadline is the first week of March for the May elections.

Amick's campaign website is KevinAmick.com. Hill intends to launch his campaign website this week.

Marjon Rostami, (757) 222-5207, marjon.rostami@pilotonline.com