The city staff, including Jennifer Moore, Keith Cannady, and Erin Dears have done a great job organizing these series of community engagement sessions. They have demonstrated that they are there to listen to the community.
The evening saw a good deal of communication regarding ideas the community has for Suffolk; what people would like to see in Suffolk, what type of growth they are looking for, and areas of concern. Agricultural concerns, traffic concerns, amenities for citizens, like parks and venues, as well as issues with the schools and roads were all discussed.
Some of the comments made included:
- More restaurants and mom & pop shops
- More activities and opportunities for the youth
- Beautify and make downtown and tangential areas safer
- Develop areas like Holland and Whaleyville to have more activities and venues that can be a focal point
- Do not let Suffolk be a port-centric city
- “We don’t need to get bigger, we need to get better.”
- Agricultural venue with restaurants, garden shop, venue, mostly outdoors
- Protect our drinking water by not allowing more development on the reservoirs
- Don’t put high density housing on country roads
- Farms should not be converted to warehouses and solar farms when there are better areas that could currently be used to accommodate that
- There are 7,500 houses in the pipeline (houses that have been approved, but not yet built) and Suffolk is isn’t expected to see that kind of growth for 20 years, so we shouldn’t be building houses on our farm land
- We don’t have the money for the schools and students we have now, we shouldn’t build until we have this fixed
These are samples of some the friendly, productive talks throughout the majority of the meeting. However, at the very end of the meeting, Council Member Roger Fawcett, of the Sleepy Hole Borough, got up to make some closing statements. He started out by saying that they are trying to do what is best for the city as a whole. He went on to say that if citizens say something, but it isn’t reflected in the comprehensive plan, don’t get upset. He further stated that the city has no control if a farmer wants to sell his land and make money, at which point, one of the community members stated, “the City doesn’t have to rezone it from agricultural to residential.”
Fawcett responded that he doesn’t want to talk about rezoning and he went on to reiterate his previous point about a person being able to sell their land. Several community members spoke out in response and stated in various ways that the farmer can sell and it can be developed as agricultural land like it is zoned for and not rezoned. Fawcett then made the statement, “If you get the attitude that you are going to stop something, get a life!” This set off a firestorm of responses from the crowd as a whole. His statement was not viewed favorably by the vast majority of attendees.
To summarize, Roger Fawcett, a City Council Member, who is also head of the steering committee for the comprehensive plan, the very group that determines future development in Suffolk, has told the citizens of Suffolk that they can’t stop things and they need to get a life. This tone deaf response is insulting.
If you are content to let a man like this choose the future of Suffolk, then you need do nothing. However, if you believe in the power of community, if you have pride in your hometown, or if you refuse to be told to sit down and shut up about what matters most to you, your family, your home, and your neighbors, then you need to pick one of the remaining community engagement sessions and you need to bring you neighbors, family and friends, and we need to show Council Member Fawcett that we are empowered and we can change those things that are no longer working for us as citizens.
Please come to as many of these sessions that you can:
Oakland Elementary School
February 9th, 6pm – 8pm; 5505 Godwin Blvd, Suffolk, VA 23434
John Yeates Middle School
February 14th, 6pm – 8pm; 4901 Bennetts Pasture Rd, Suffolk, VA 23435
Nansemond River High School
February 16th, 6pm – 8pm; 3301 Nansemond Pkwy, Suffolk, VA 23434
Col. Fred Cherry Middle School
February 23rd, 6pm -8pm; 7401 Burbage Dr, Suffolk, VA 23435
Curtis R. Milteer, Sr. Recreation Center
February 28th, 6pm – 8pm; 132 Robertson St, Suffolk, VA 23438
If you have any questions, concerns, or comments to share with city council, please use this email: council@suffolkva.us.
Pure arrogance!
This is why folks don’t come out because they feel they are not being heard.
His statements were definitely inappropriate and He needs to step down from the 2045 Steering committee. It is clear that he only has the Developers best interest at heart!
That is exactly why everyone needs to start coming out and speaking up. The people who the voters gave stewardship of their community concerns to no longer think they need to listen.
Show up, make them listen
Tonight’s actions of Fawcett needs to be addressed .He needs to be removed from the steering committee. His attitude will dampen the rest of the 2045 plan. I will do whatever nessary to see this through for the good of our city. Cell 757 353 2883
I wholeheartedly agree with the previous comments. That’s pure arrogance on the part of Councilman Fawcett. I am one of his constituents, and I sincerely hope someone runs against him in the next election.
It is his God given role to listen to the people and if the people don’t want this, then he needs to represent that; not act tyrannical. Those remarks are uncalled for.
I agree that Fawcett should be removed from Steering Committee. Citizens should be able to voice their opinions and our elected o should listen!
The Word of God speaks of this kind of happenings; boastful arrogance etc. It says think it not strange that this is occurring. It also says in John 5:14, go and sin no more unless a worst thing come upon you! Carolynowhite@charter.net (Pughsville)
I appreciate and truly hate that I was not a part of this particular meeting for the holland and whaleyville area my major concern is the back roads not getting proper maintenance no shoulders to move over to if farm equipment or large vehicle is coming towards you VDOT did it correctly add some rocks to each side of these country roads why build nice houses and have deterioration to the roads also Whaleyville needs a grocery store and I don’t even stay in Whaleyville and Holland needs a more than a new playground I’m grateful for that but they promised baseball fields and playgrounds several yrs.ago at the old Pioneer recently built Southwestern? And Speaking about Southwestern Area they need a Community Center because the old Southwestern School was that Community fall out shelter what’s the city plans on replacing that ? Mr.Tim Johnson this is your area we definitely need some competition for that Dollar store it’s convenient but it’s not fair ….Thank You
How dies the community go about recalling the council member!