On July 1 Sherman Lea Sr. will succeed retiring Mayor David Bowers on Roanoke City Council after a municipal election in early May in which only about 13 percent of eligible voters in the city cast their ballots. Anita Price, who ran as a Democrat with Lea, is back for a third term and will be Vice Mayor after receiving the most votes in the May 3 election.
Also elected were independent candidates Michelle Dykstra and John Garland. Garland won in a squeaker over Democrat Trish White-Boyd. Dykstra is the former manager of the City Market building; Garland is the retired president of Spectrum Design and currently redevelops downtown properties – including 16 West Marketplace.
No one ran on the Republican ticket although Garland and Dykstra were both endorsed by the Chamber and pro-business groups that tend to be more conservative. Current City Council member Court Rosen chose not to run again, and Lea gave up his longtime Council seat to run for mayor, easily besting write in candidate Martin Jeffrey.
“I want to thank the citizens of Roanoke for trusting me for another four years,” said Mayor-elect Lea on Election Night. He also vowed to “continue the resurgence in our city.” Lea said he was “excited” by some of the new blood on City Council – making that remark, however, when incomplete results showed the White-Boyd might grab that second open seat.
Bowers (63), who will continue his law practice and teach at Virginia Western Community College, did not exactly rule out a future run for City Council or another office. Stay tuned.
Lea said he had not thought much about being Roanoke’s second African American mayor since Noel C. Taylor held office, but upon reflection he labeled it “an historic moment.” He hopes to provide inspiration to young black men in the city, that they “can do it too.”
By Gene Marrano