Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, in his bid for a third term in office, says the numbers speak for themselves.
About 61% of Norfolk residents think the city is headed in the right direction, according to a recent survey commissioned by the city. Alexander said the survey is just one measure of improvements to the city that happened under his tenure.
Despite the positive rating, 39% of residents say the city is headed in the wrong direction. And two candidates challenging Alexander — Norfolk financial planner Tommy Leeman and home preacher Giovanni Dolmo — hope to make the election a referendum on his eight years in office.
Alexander’s response to the challenge? Bring it on. He rattled off a list of successful projects under his administration, like a reduction in crime during the first half of 2024, securing a casino development plan , and bringing both Ikea and Norfolk Premium Outlets to the city, among other successes.
“If you look at the past eight years where we’ve had economic development, it’s been all over the city,” said Alexander, who is also president of Metropolitan Funeral Service.
Leeman, 51, said he sees Alexander’s tenure differently. He noted that just 18 of 41 Norfolk schools were accredited this year. Restrictive conditional use permits — that allow Norfolk businesses to operate — have pushed out nightclubs and drained the city’s downtown nightlife culture, Leeman said, referencing a city crackdown of clubs along Granby Street after several downtown shootings in 2022.
“We need to actually work with the business owners and make it a more streamlined access to the city,” Leeman said.
Leeman is a former board chair of the Downtown Norfolk Council, the business and individual member organization that helps guide the direction of downtown.
Leeman said Alexander controlled the council agenda, adding that he would instead bring a collaborative spirit to City Hall. He also said Alexander was more interested in advancing his political career than serving the city.
Alexander said both criticisms were false. He said the council’s agenda items are set by a committee that includes City Council members, the city clerk, city manager and another city staff member. He said other council members can propose new agenda items with the city manager, but they must also be vetted by the agenda committee.
“I’m a collaborative person,” Alexander said. “You ask any member of my council, my style is a collaborative style.”
He said the assertion about his career ambitions didn’t square with the reality: he returned to Norfolk after serving in the Virginia House of Delegates for 10 years and the Virginia Senate for another four rather than seek higher office. Alexander, 57, touted his experience in government and his education as benefits, saying he brought credibility, intelligence and understanding of complex city functions to the office. Alexander, Norfolk’s first Black mayor , was elected after Paul Fraim announced his retirement.
He also defended his responsibility to taxpayers, saying his dedication to fiscal responsibility had led to both AAA bond ratings for both Norfolk’s water system and general bonds.
He also defended how that mentality played into development projects. Alexander said Norfolk City Council members shot down several redevelopment proposals for the former Military Circle Mall property because each developer asked for significant public investment. For example, he said developers asked for city-funded parking garages, or wanted diverted tax revenue to finance development through a process called tax increment financing.
“Well, the council said, ‘Wait a minute,'” Alexander said. “They’re all asking for a subsidy.”
Alexander defended City Council’s actions by saying the proposals were first chosen by the Economic Development Authority, since that body owns the property. Since purchasing most of the property in 2020, no development has occurred on the property after city officials tabled three proposals and commissioned a study investigating whether a sports complex will succeed on the site.
Alexander said nightclubs weren’t the right fit for the increasingly residential Granby Street corridor and West Freemason neighborhood. However, he offered up a solution: construct an entertainment district near the long-planned Norfolk casino.
“You’re buffered by the interstate,” he said. “You’re buffered by the water. And so you will see a very strategic plan put forth that will create this entertainment, this nightlife.”
If elected mayor, Leeman said he would expand collaborative efforts beyond city staff to include other area organizations like the Hampton Roads Alliance and Black Brand, the Black chamber of commerce. He also hoped to establish both a human rights commission and a minority business council like in Virginia Beach and other cities.
757 Votes: The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press 2024 election guide
Dolmo, who served in the U.S. Navy, also ran unsuccessfully for both the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates in previous years. He said he was inspired to run after successfully lobbying the city and Dominion Energy to install brighter LED street lights in the Broad Creek neighborhood along major roadways, which he said helps reduce crime.
Dolmo, 41, said he wants the city to continue to focus on public safety and attracting and retaining businesses.
“I’m seeing people dying here, literally dying,” Dolmo said.
Leeman led in fundraising during the last reporting period, raising $28,489 from July 1 to Aug. 31 — $16,287 of which came from himself. At the end of the reporting period, Leeman had $30,820 in hand, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
However, Alexander leads overall with $338,679 in campaign funds at the end of the reporting period. He raised just $650 during the same reporting period. Dolmo raised no money during the latest period and has just $665 in campaign funds.
Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com
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