CANDIDATE FORUM
Burke Urges Openness, Bennett Pushes Development

Cape Charles voters will choose between Dan Burke and Steve Bennett November 6 to replace Councilman-elect Don Clarke, who passed away in May. (Wave photo)

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

October 30, 2012

About 70 residents turned out last Thursday for a Candidate Forum at the Palace Theatre, where Steve Bennett and Dan Burke answered written questions submitted from the audience.

Northampton County Supervisor Willie Randall moderated the event.

In introductory statements, Steve Bennett cited his four years’ experience on Town Council.  Bennett was defeated for re-election, but is getting a second chance to run due to the death of councilman-elect Don Clarke in May.

Bennett is a project manager with the architecture and engineering firm Clark Nexsen in Norfolk. Previously he was employed by Baymark Construction Corp., the developer of Bay Creek, where Bennett and his wife, Nan, live.

Bennett served on Town Council from 2008 until June 2012. During the forum he lamented both the previous lack of residents’ interest in town government as well as the current degree of contentiousness over the pending sale and use of the old school at Central Park. Bennett admitted that the sale of the old school “could have been handled better.”

Candidate Dan Burke emphasized his professional career at Schlumberger, the world’s largest oil exploration company, where he was manager of engineering, director of security, and an environmental affairs officer.  Burke said he believed his career experience would serve him well when called on to make decisions as a councilman.

Now retired, Burke has lived in Cape Charles 14 months, although he and his wife, Linda, have vacationed here for years. Burke said they chose to live in Cape Charles after falling in love with its small town charm. They reside on Madison Avenue in the Historic District.

Burke is running on a platform of accountability, accessibility, and openness in government. He criticized Town Council for holding numerous closed session meetings resulting in decisions of major importance without input from town residents.

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Burke said that if elected, he would visit other towns on the shore to see how they operate with smaller budgets. He is opposed to raising taxes or water fees to pay for things that the town has purchased without a plan. He questioned how the town would repay the $200,000 it has taken from a bond issue to drill and connect wells that was instead spent to buy the former Bank of America building.

Questions to the candidates were required to be submitted in writing along with the name and address of the questioner. Questions were “screened for appropriateness” by Assistant Town Manager Bob Panek.

Questions found to be appropriate included the old school, water bills, sidewalks, and tax increases for unexpected expenses.

Candidate Bennett said that development is key to decreasing per-person costs of services to taxpayers. He did not encourage commercial development on Stone Road, but was in favor of more development on Route 13. An increase in population is needed to make water more affordable, he said.

Bennett said the old school in Central Park would be “a terrible place for a community center.” Much better choices exist, he said, including the former Rosenwald School, the former Meatland market, or the old grocery store on Mason Avenue. He suggested a committee be formed to determine an appropriate location for a community center.

Bennett had particular praise for the former Rosenwald school, describing it as “a jewel.”

The Rosenwald school was later converted into a fish processing plant, and is located next to the new sewer treatment facility on the road to Bay Creek. It is for sale for $600,000.

In contrast to the Rosenwald school, Bennett said, the old school in Central Park is a liability to the town that “would never have a use” unless it is sold to a developer.

While a member of town council, Bennett voted to sell the old school and accompanying parkland to a private developer for $10, for conversion into a 17-unit apartment building.

Candidate Burke emphasized that he also did not favor converting the old school into a community center, because the town is too small to support it.

Burke said he favors more youth programs, including a junior swimming program so that children in Cape Charles will not grow up with a fear of the water.

Burke said he wants to cut fat from the budget –- in particular, consulting fees.

Areas that he would not agree to cut, Burke said, include the police and fire departments, which are crucial for protecting the community. “Everything else should be considered,” he said.

Burke also expressed concern for residents on fixed incomes who are struggling to pay their water bills. In such cases, “the town should put aside penalties” for late payment, he said.

Bennett listed his top three priorities as: 1) increased development to increase the population of Cape Charles, 2) creating an advocacy group for a recreation center for the town, and 3) streetscape improvements.

Burke’s priorities are: 1) ending the use of closed meetings that do not include input from the community, 2) creating action committees for larger budget issues, and 3) a youth swimming program.

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2 Responses to “CANDIDATE FORUM
Burke Urges Openness, Bennett Pushes Development”

  1. Deborah Bender on October 31st, 2012 7:01 am

    Anyone who is thinking about voting for Steve Bennett had better think again ! He is all for developing business on the highway and as usual there goes small town Cape Charles. Bennett sees nothing wrong with closed session “sneaky meetings”. Bennett’s idea for a community center in the Rosenwald school is nothing short of a slap in the face to everyone concerned. Yes Mr. Bennett let’s spend $600,000.00 to buy a building NEXT TO THE POOP FACTORY when we already own the school IN THE PARK. Yes Mr. Bennett you are really looking out for the residents of the town. SPEND…SPEND…SPEND. You and our town managers are certainly on the same page. You won’t be getting my vote or anyone else’s vote that has a brain in their head.

  2. Don Bender on October 31st, 2012 7:41 am

    Considering the fact that Steve Bennett is in favor of closed meetings….even when they are illegal says it all to me. Why isn’t the old school, which IS a part of central park, a good place for a community center Mr. Bennett ? Every person in this town knows that YOU Mr. Bennett were party to the closed, illegal I might add, meetings that kept every person in this town in the dark about the sale, and I use the term “sale” loosley, of our Historic 100 year old school. You Mr. Bennett have no place on the town council. The citizens of Cape Charles want OPEN GOVERNMENT ! You stand for secret meetings and developer giveaways and we all know it. NO VOTE FOR YOU !!!!