City Council responds to Harris
Waynesboro City Council stopped short of disciplining City Councilman Mike Harris in the aftermath of a controversy that erupted over a letter to the media from Harris that alleged secret dealings by Mayor Frank Lucente on the eve of the 2012 city elections.
But a specially called Friday morning meeting of the City Council did end with the other four members of the body agreeing to a tersely worded rebuke of Harris.
In the letter, which was read aloud at the special City Council meeting by City Manager Mike Hamp, Lucente, Tim Williams, Bruce Allen and Jeff Freeman asserted that while Harris, like other members of City Council, has the right to express his political views, “some of the content of Mr. Harris’ letter could undermine the confidence that the public has in the City Council as a body, and that the statements could mislead the public as to how the City Council as a municipal organization conducts business.” Read more
Chris Graham: Not the wisest political move, Mr. Mayor
If I were advising Waynesboro Mayor Frank Lucente, either his City Council wouldn’t be meeting Friday morning to discuss discipline for one of its members who dared to criticize his leadership style before the recent Council elections, or I’d be his former political adviser.
The move, to say the least, is not wise, in that it basically confirms the substance of what City Councilman Mike Harris had had to say about Lucente and his approach to city government in his now-infamous (in these parts, anyway) letter to local newspapers. Read more
Incumbents sweep in Waynesboro
Mayor Frank Lucente, Vice Mayor Bruce Allen and City Councilman Tim Williams swept to victory in contested races for seats on Waynesboro City Council Tuesday.
Lucente’s win over former City Council member Lorie Smith in the At-Large race was something of a surprise. Smith, also a former School Board chair, had the backing of several former Lucente allies and the endorsements of the two local newspapers, The News Virginian and The News Leader, but she fell short in her bid to unseat Lucente by 131 votes. Read more
Chris Graham: Medicine
We have, unfortunately, experience with losing elections – we being progressives in Waynesboro, loosely defined.
And I say loosely defined because the word progressive means something very different in Waynesboro than it does just about everywhere else in the country.
In California, for example, progressive means, well, what it means in California. The progressive coalition backing the three challengers in Tuesday’s City Council elections includes people who would get laughed out of progressive meetings in California, not that they’d try to go. Read more
Chris Graham: Can’t cut your way to prosperity
The quickest way to lose 50 pounds is to cut off a limb. Thwack. Right there, you’ve cut 25 percent off the top without having to do more than get anethesized.
Now, long term, you’re not going to be nearly as productive as you were before. That limb clearly did you a lot of good before you had it lopped off. Made it easier to walk, or if it was an arm that you decided to do without for the sake of weight loss, carry stuff.
This about sums up my thoughts on the upcoming City Council elections in Waynesboro. You really can’t cut your way to prosperity. Read more
Gloves come off at candidates forum
Is the 2012 city election going to be about a long-dormant downtown-development issue, or about the current City Council’s decision to roll the dice on a $3.5 million parcel of land that Mayor Frank Lucente hopes will appreciate in value for resale in 20 years?
That is the question heading into the home stretch toward the May 1 elections, and it was front and center at a candidates forum hosted by the Waynesboro Senior Center on Wednesday. Read more
Lorie Smith: Let’s stand together now
Posted by afp on May 2, 2012 · 2 Comments
I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to all who have supported my candidacy. I also would like to thank the News-Virginian, Staunton News-Leader and Virginia Police Benevolent Association for having confidence in me through the endorsement process. Read more
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