Norfolk’s Mayor Says He Will Complete Term

By Leonard E. Colvin
Chief Reporter Emeritus
New Journal and Guide

Norfolk’s first African-American  Mayor, Kenny C. Alexander, said he will not seek reelection in 2028, and will serve out the remainder of his term.

Alexander said he has been appointed as vice chancellor for strategic partnerships for the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). VCCS Chancellor David Doré announced the appointment on June 17.

The  mayor said that  his announcement last week that he would not seek reelection should not  be a surprise.

He told the GUIDE in a recent interview, that he announced his intentions not to seek another tenure  last November when he won reelection to a third term.

Also, he said that there is no conflict of interest  as he serves    out the remainder of his current term and work at his new job with VCCS.

Alexander said Norfolk council members and the  mayor work part time.  He said  the city’s mayor was once elected from among their colleagues. He said the city opted to elect the mayor at-large starting in 2014 and  there were no  additional duties or power granted to the mayor by the city or the state.

He said that he consulted the city attorney and the state Attorney General to verify that there were not legal issues.

Previously, Alexander was employed as chancellor of 20 private community colleges, including Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Centura College and Tidewater Tech.

He said historically,  other elected officials have retained their  private employment while serving in an elected office. For instance, he said  the  late state Senator  Yvonne Miller was a member of the Norfolk State University faculty as Chair of the school’s Early Childhood Development Department.    Also, he said the  late  William Ward was Chesapeake’s mayor and was an NSU History Professor.

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“His visionary leadership and deep commitment to innovation and opportunity will help drive strategic initiatives that change lives and elevate Virginia’s workforce,” Doré said in the announcement.

Alexander said in interview with local media, he would serve out the remainder of his third term through 2028. Last year, he defeated Tommy Leeman and Giovanni Dolmo. Alexander was first elected to the position in 2016.

Born and raised in the Berkley section of Norfolk, Alexander owns a chain of funeral homes in the Hampton Roads.

Before he ran for office, Alexander said he served on the  city’s Housing Services Commission, Economic Development Commission and the Planning Commission.

Alexander also  served in the House of Delegates from 2002 until 2012 and the state Senate from 2012 to 2016.

When asked why he was not running again, Alexander noted his long history of public service, including his time in the Virginia House and Senate and almost 10 years as mayor without missing a City Council meeting.

In the new role, VCCS said Alexander will advance the school system through public and private resource development, legislative engagement and system-wide communications.

“I am looking forward to joining the Virginia Community College System and working to further Chancellor Doré’s vision because I strongly believe that access to education empowers communities,” Alexander said in the announcement.

“Higher education is a pathway for economic growth and social mobility, and I am enthusiastic about using my experience to enhance partnerships that will benefit our students and industries across the Commonwealth.”

He said he is proud of being the mayor of a city which provides  varied forms of upward economic opportunity, and is multi-mobil with air, bus, car, rail,  and  human driven forms of transportation such as bicycles.

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He said that during his tenure he is proud of the plans for the St. Paul’s Redevelopment project; the city’s AAA Bond rating;  peaceful and meaningful protest during aftermath of the George  Floyd murder; keeping the city  operating during the COVID epidemic; and   a new  funding formula for the city’s public schools, without yearly requests from the school board.

He said the city’s forthcoming casino project will  be the largest one accomplished without any tax-payer dollars expended.

He said he was the catalyst for Norfolk’s Elizabeth River  trail and the city’s Norfolk Innovative Corridor where business could come and create jobs, and revenue.

“When I first ran for office, I did not want to dwell on being the first Black one, but I did not one want to be the last,”  he said. “I want to carry myself as a viable leader who served all the people.”