Thursday, December 31, 2009
Mason won't seek another council term
Gwen Mason said she will leave the Roanoke City Council to focus on her family and a new career.
Related
The latest from our Blue Ridge Caucus politics blog
- Gilbert expresses regret for abortion remarks
- Senate rebuffs McDonnell, rejects teacher contract change
From The Roanoke Times
Roanoke City Councilwoman Gwen Mason said Wednesday that she will not seek re-election when her first term ends next year, breaking next spring's municipal elections wide open and, for all intents and purposes, bringing the "For the City" era of city government to a close.
In an e-mailed statement, Mason, a Democrat, wrote, "Professional opportunities and personal responsibilities are demanding more and more of my time. I will not seek re-election to City Council in May, but look forward to completing my term with enthusiasm."
Three seats -- those held by Mason, Rupert Cutler and David Trinkle -- will be up for grabs in May.
Trinkle, one of Mason's 2006 "For the City" ticket mates, is the only one of those three who's running for re-election. The third "For the City" ticket mate was Alfred Dowe, who resigned from the council in 2008 after the discovery that he billed taxpayers twice for the same expenses.
Mason said she's stepping down when her term expires to focus on her family and a new career.
"I've got a couple of projects I don't want to spill the beans on until we're on a little firmer footing," Mason said.
Mason's announcement comes weeks after a grueling race for the Virginia House of Delegates in which she was defeated by Republican Bill Cleaveland. Mason said that didn't factor into her decision, but "I didn't relish having another campaign right on the heels of that."
The deadline to register to run in the March 2 Democratic primary for the city council is Monday. Former Councilman Bill Bestpitch and Countryside Golf Course advocate and news blogger Valerie Garner have been circulating petitions to get on the ballot. Bestpitch said he'll make his official announcement Jan. 9.
Roanoke lawyer Ray Ferris also has been collecting signatures but said this week he hadn't made a final decision whether to run for the council.
Republicans will hold a mass meeting Feb. 17 to nominate candidates, and independents have until March 2 to enter the race.
Roanoke City Republican Committee Chairman Adam Boitnott said that Mason's decision not to run changes the election's dynamics.
"With two open seats on council, I think this will bring more people into the race than what was originally expected," Boitnott said. "I know we've got at least two people who are interested in running and four that are exploring the idea, but we'll see."
Mason, Trinkle and Dowe were elected to office in 2006 as part of the independent "For the City" ticket that swept council elections that year. The group of so-called "independent Democrats" was sponsored by then-Mayor Nelson Harris in an attempt to build a stable council majority.
Their election sweep helped end a long-running debate over whether to renovate or raze Victory Stadium when the lame-duck council voted to tear it down just days before Mason and her colleagues took office. Their win also exacerbated tensions between factions of city Democrats that lasted even after all three "For the City" candidates officially rejoined the party in late 2007.
Harris' majority suffered a setback, however, when Dowe resigned. Later that year, former Mayor David Bowers soundly defeated Harris to win election as mayor, ushering in a new council with no consistent majority but constantly shifting alliances that vary with each issue.
Still, a glance at the "For the City" ticket's 2006 campaign brochure reveals that the group either achieved or made progress on many of its stated goals, particularly the cleanup of the Roanoke River, completion of renovations at both city high schools and a closer working relationship with the school board.
When asked to rate her performance on the council, Mason responded, "I'll only speak for me and Trinkle. I'd say we were a solid B-plus in terms of being engaged and making difficult decisions."
Trinkle said that although the "For the City" ticket may be tangibly finished, it's still flourishing from a philosophical standpoint.
"There were three people who ran together on the premise of trying not to let government get bogged down in back-and-forth feelings on issues, in trying to come to conclusions on issues and move forward," Trinkle said. "That hasn't changed with me."
Individually, Mason spearheaded the city's "Clean and Green" campaign to become more environmentally friendly. She also chaired the council personnel committee that last week hired Chris Morrill of Savannah, Ga., to replace Darlene Burcham as city manager in March.
"There's a lot to be proud of," Mason said of the council's work over the past four years. "The city's cleaner and greener. We have two new high schools. We have all but one school accredited. ... Growth of downtown would be a huge one. The library strategic plan and growth of the library system would be up there."
Mason said she intends to remain politically engaged even after she finishes her council term.
"I've had a lifelong interest in American and particularly Virginian politics," she said. "I'll at least be a passionate observer."
