Political pace picks up during election year
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Shewmake

This November, Chesterfield voters will select their candidates for the Board of Supervisors, School Board, House of Delegates, State Senate and constitutional officers, but Chesterfield's dominant party is still trying to get comfortable under its big tent philosophy.

As reported last month in this newspaper, Democrat Dan Gecker was elected chairman of the planning commission when Republicans Russ Gulley and Wayne Bass crossed the aisle against fellow Republicans Jack Wilson and Sherman Litton.

Gecker was edged out last November in the race for Midlothian supervisor by Republican Don Sowder. Some Chesterfield Republicans believe Gecker might fare better this November because Republican turnout could be lower without statewide races on the ballot.

Now as chairman for the year, Gecker gets more visibility. Many Chesterfield Republican Committee members believe Gecker is all but an announced candidate again.

After he won the election, Sowder asked Gecker to resign as planning commissioner, but Gecker declined, saying he was appointed for a four-year term.

At last month's Chesterfield Republican Committee meeting, Will Shewmake, new to the committee and the Republican Party, criticized Gulley in closed session for his vote in determining Gecker's chairmanship.

Loupassi

Asked about his vote, Gulley indicated Gecker's qualifications were well-known since both Wilson and Litton had nominated Gecker to be to be chairman previously. "I stand by my vote," he said. "I think Dan's stands on the issues are similar to mine and Wayne's. To me, it's not political. It's philosophical."

"My comments were in private session and not supposed to get out," replied Shewmake. "Whatever deal was cut, this [chairmanship] will exacerbate the tension between Sowder and Gecker and hurt the Midlothian District. It undermines the confidence that the board has in the commission and makes circumstances worse, straining relationships, when we should be working together."

Shewmake served four years on the commission before Gecker took over seven years ago. Shewmake served as chairman one year.

Three years ago, members of the Chesterfield Republican Committee were upset when Republicans Kelly Miller and Dickie King joined with Democrat Ed Barber to become the supervisor majority, though fellow board members Art Warren and Renny Humphrey are also Republicans. Barber served as board chairman in 2005.

68th District

In what was seen as "political positioning" even by county Republicans, Del. Sam Nixon (R-27th District) of Chesterfield pulled a bill he introduced in the General Assembly late last month that would have given Chesterfield more representation on the Richmond Metropolitan Authority's (RMA) board. The Downtown Expressway to Chippenham Parkway opened with six members from Richmond and two each from Chesterfield and Henrico counties and one from the state. Nixon's bill would have changed that to three each for Chesterfield, Henrico and Richmond while Hanover County and the Commonwealth Transportation Board would have one vote each.

Nixon collaborated with Manoli Loupassi, former vice mayor of the Richmond City Council, on the bill. Loupassi and Shewmake are battling for the Republican nomination to run for delegate in the 68th District (west Richmond, Bon Air and the Robious Road corridor), and Nixon has endorsed Loupassi. But Loupassi lives in the city where just 42 percent of the district's voters live while Shewmake resides in Chesterfield, which comprises the remaining 58 percent.

"I find it fascinating Loupassi has reversed himself on this issue…and now advocates a stronger position for Chesterfield County," said Shewmake. "Where was he on this issue when he served on city council?"

According to a source, before he pulled the bill, Nixon asked County Administrator Lane Ramsey to endorse the RMA change, but he wasn't willing. Chesterfield has long believed the RMA needs reforming, but whenever a Chesterfield official recommends a change, the county is publicly accused of not supporting regional cooperation.

As of last June, the 40-year-old RMA still owed about $157 million on the Downtown Expressway, which is scheduled to be paid off in 2022. There have been a number of improvements since the toll road was first built. When the debt is retired, ownership of the toll road reverts to city control since it paid heavily for the original construction.

By comparison, the original debt of $78 million was assumed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) in 1986 for the current Powhite extension from Chippenham Parkway westward to its end. As of June 30, the principal had been paid down to $27.1 million with a scheduled payoff of June 30, 2011.

The 68th District is currently represented by Independent Katherine Waddell, a Richmond resident, who eked out a narrow victory in 2005 over former incumbent Republican Brad Marrs.

Shewmake recently criticized Waddell who voted last month for HB 1979, which would have extended the temporary restriction on city annexation authority, the granting of city charters, and immunity proceedings for counties in Virginia for another 10 years.

"Luckily this bill did not pass; however, it clearly shows Delegate Waddell does not understand the 68th district and what the citizens, both in the city and the county, want," argued Shewmake. "We have gone down that disastrous path once, and it was not good for anyone. Bon Air Elementary and Robious Middle [schools] need to stay in Chesterfield, and the City of Richmond should not be able to come in and take back Cloverleaf [Mall] after the county has spent millions of dollars to redevelop the area."