City Council Candidate Profiles

The Carillon Civic Association posed the following question to all three of the District 5 City Council candidates: What is your vision for Richmond ten years from now and how will we get there? Their responses follow.

P

arker C. Agelasto

Address: 1901 Floyd Avenue, Richmond 23220

Phone: 804-355-3648

Email : pagelast@gmail.com

Web Address : http://www.parkerforcitycouncil.com/

Background: I am a native Virginian who has lived in Richmond for the past six years. As a graduate of Bates College, with a Masters in Art History and in Business Administration from the University of Virginia, I am a freelance museum curator as well as adjunct faculty with UVA teaching entrepreneur ship in communities with high unemployment and poverty.

What is your vision for Richmond ten years from now and how will we get there? I am running for 5^th District City Council because Richmond can be a great city where people choose to live, raise a family, work and educate their children. As your representative, I will meet with residents and community leaders to exchange ideas and to resolve problems. We can improve city services, create the best public education system, ensure safe and secure neighborhoods, and create well-paying jobs.

As your next City Council representative, I promise to respond to all calls and emails and to do it in a timely manner. I will work to ensure that city services are delivered efficiently, professionally, and timely. We can have services that keep our streets paved, our sidewalks repaired, and our streetlights lit. I promise to work closely with our school board, principals, and teachers to create the best possible public schools, ensuring we create opportunities for every student from kindergarten through high school. Within ten years, we can improve our school facilities, improve technology and classroom resources and work toward making sure we hire and keep the very best teachers.

I will work to support our police force and ensure they have the resources they need for safe and secure neighborhoods. I will promote neighborhood policing programs and work to identify vacant properties for additional monitoring so that our homes do not become vandalized and fall into disrepair.

We need to increase job opportunities by working to grow entrepreneurs and establish sustainable economic development. Enterprise zones such as Carytown, Uptown, Hull Street are essential to the economy of the city and we should encourage and educate about opportunities in these areas. Meanwhile, I believe Richmond has many comparative advantages that make it attractive to multinational corporations and I will work to bring more of such companies to Richmond.

We can do better than we have been doing. Rhetoric without results is not what the district needs or wants. With your help we can attain our goals and ensure outstanding schools, safe streets and economic development. I ask for your vote so that, together, we can move Richmond forward.

E. Martin “Marty” Jewell

Address: None provided

Office: (804)646-5724

Email: Marty.Jewell@Richmondgov.com

Web Address : http://emmartyjewell.com

Background: None provided.

What is your vision for Richmond ten years from now and how will we get there? I envision in the next 10 years a Richmond that is truly seen, by people in and outside of Virginia, as the Capitol of

Virginia. That we shed this view as the Capitol of the Confederacy, with all the attendant controversy and where we establish a tourism brand that makes people want to come here to find a vibrant, sophisticated citizenry at ease with itself and proud of its many historical, architectural and entertainment treasures that we can boast of its place as the seat of state government and not its step-child.

I envision developing a major industrial park along Commerce Road, along the south-bank of the river that becomes a major economic driver for jobs, energy efficiency and tech innovations akin to the biotech campus, but instead, real technology discoveries.

I envision a first class effort, with full community support, for our school system that is based on our prior notion that “Your Children Are My Children and My Children Are Your Children.” This will be facilitated by my “Rebuild The Village” campaign that organizes Block Clubs and brings neighbors back into relations again, but around the best interest of our children. Employment services and training abound that steer our youth into the aforementioned careers – that fights the current spirit-crushing poverty that grips one out of four people in this city. This is needless suffering; resulting from poor leadership (virtually no employment services in Richmond).

We envision stable, safe and well maintained neighborhoods with well kept streets, sidewalks and medians; where playgrounds are vibrant and full, and whose citizens feel real good about what they have achieved.

Lee Shewmake

Address: 3300 Semmes Ave, Richmond 23225

Business or Campaign Phone: 804-212-6847

Email : ShewmakeLee@gmail.com

Web Address : www.ElectLee.com

Background: I was born in Richmond, Virginia. Raised in an extended family that was very involved in community, political and charitable works, I began volunteering alongside my parents as a young child and began working on projects independently as a teen. I attended Florida Southern College and later Virginia Commonwealth University, completing degrees in Psychology and Rehabilitation Services. I’ve lived in the city of Richmond for the past 17 years, 15 of them in Woodland Heights where I presently live with my husband and daughter. My professional career encompasses both for- and non-profit business posts in Management and Finance. I recently retired to devote more time to various projects in which I am involved, including Friends of Forest Hill Park and the Woodland Heights Civic Association. I am the only candidate that offers the constituents of the 5th a full time representative, free of professional time constraints and conflicts of interest. Public service has been a constant in my life and is the reason I decided to pursue the job of Council Representative. I believe my experience in both Business and Social Services would be of great benefit to the people of the district and the city as a whole. My leadership in several community and city groups has created a positive working relationship between fellow citizens, businesses and city government departments which will provide a strong base for improving the 5th district and by extension, our city.

What is your vision for Richmond ten years from now and how will we get there? I am running for the 5th District seat on Richmond City Council. In ten years, I envision the City of Richmond as a safe, walkable city with a diverse and well educated citizen base that enjoys comfortable living standards, access to exceptional health care, high quality education and employment opportunities. To accomplish that transition, if elected I plan to use my position on City Council to work towards making our City a magnet for fast growth medical and technology companies that are drawn to our City by its many assets, including our excellent schools and Universities, the natural beauty of the James River park system, affordable housing and our historic communities. I see the City continuing to expand its support of the arts and build on the many festivals and sporting events that fill our calendars. I want guests to our City to experience the richness of our area’s cultural heritage including our museums, theaters and concert venues.

I want to use sensible incentives to bring in companies that invest in training and developing our