By Shawn Nowlin
Anytime a city council candidate has an opportunity to make their case to voters, they should take full advantage. On May 11, at the outdoor amphitheater in Grandin Village, seven candidates vying for a council seat engaged in an honest dialogue, answering questions ranging from lowering everyday living costs to city infrastructure.
Respectful from start to finish, the debate was moderated by Om Patel, Ken McLeod and Kathleen Wooley. Each of the participants – Amanda Marko, Danny Clawson, Harvey Brookins, Kathy Cohen, Peter Volosin, Raekwon Moore and Vivian Sanchez-Jones – were given equal time to speak. All had supporters in attendance rooting them on.
Opening Statements:
Marko: Chairwoman of the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission, Republican-
“I work with Junior Achievement, Habitat for Humanity and other non-profits like that. I am involved in the community, both at the strategic level from the top and down at the bottom.”
Clawson: Director of the Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition, Democrat-
“In 2021, my team was partly responsible for flipping Georgia blue when I worked for Georgia Equality. A few years ago, I followed my wife here to Roanoke for medical school. I have been part of social and political organizations in this area ever since.”
Brookins: Executive at National Bank, Democrat-
“My position is I’m the business candidate. I have been in banking for over 30 years – 20 of which have been here in Roanoke. I love this town. I’ve made a career out of working with people to get things done.”
Cohen: Temple Emanuel Rabbi Emerita Kathy Cohen, Independent-
“I have worked day and night to bring different factions of our community together to see each other as one large family. I’m running because I love all that the city has to offer. We have challenges that need to be forcefully addressed. First and foremost, it starts with our schools.”
Volosin, Realtor with Volosin Realty, Democrat-
“I am running for re-election. My vision for Roanoke is simple – safer, stronger and smarter. Safer means we are supporting community policing. Stronger means having neighborhoods where people can afford to live. Smarter is about supporting our schools and workforce development.”
Moore: Mental Health Worker, Democrat-
“I grew up here in Roanoke. I began working in retail and then spent nearly eight years in banking. Now, I work on the systems side at Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare. I am dedicated to our community. I am running to support public schools, public parks and public transportation.”
–Sanchez-Jones: RCPS Student Support Specialist, Democrat-
“I care deeply about our community and its future. I believe Roanoke should be safe, affordable and full of opportunities for everyone. Throughout my time on council, I have focused on responsible budgeting, supporting public safety and making sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.”
The Williamson Road Pilot Project
Marko: “When I think of Williamson Road, I think about the spine of our community. We must make the area as good as it can be. Not just a place of transportation, but a shining example of what our community can be.”
Clawson: “Nearly sixty percent of the people I serve at the Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition are unhoused. I know three people, personally, who have been killed in pedestrian accidents in recent years. I am in favor of improving the area.”
Brookins: “I’m for the redesign of Williamson Road. I think there needs to be improved signage and crosswalks. It’s important that everyone is heard.”
Volosin: “While on council, I have connected our Department of Public Works with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. We can start making Williamson a Smart Road. Not only can we change the roads for traffic, but we can also have censors for pedestrians.”
Moore: “Initially, I was very much against this. As someone who lives off Williamson Road, I was concerned about the congestion of traffic and how long it would take people to get to work. I have to say, it is a much safer road now.”
Sanchez-Jones: “We have received a lot of complaints from people that this project would be bad for businesses. But I spoke to a friend who has a business on Williamson, and she said it has been the exact opposite. I think we need to do a better job of educating people about what is truly going on.”
Public Transit
Financial Balance
Marko: “Lower fare rates would certainly help, but it’s not the only thing. People lose their jobs when they are late for work because they’ve missed the bus. What we need is reliability. We must think about these things together, and in a regional way.”
Clawson: “We should have free buses. It is a human right. In terms of getting there, we need to find a way to expand routes. In terms of paying for it, one thing I’m interested in is a land tax policy where you tax land that doesn’t have structures on it, like parking lots.”
Brookins: “I’m going to take a different angle at this. A couple of years ago, Valley Metro had a qualified audit. That means they didn’t pass their audit exam, which put grant dollars at risk. The first thing we need to do is get our financial books in order.”
Volosin: “When it comes to bus riding, I believe that fare-free is the best way to run a system. Now the problem is how do you get there financially? One of the issues we have with Valley Metro is that it’s basically paid for by Roanoke City, Salem and Vinton. There isn’t any participation from Roanoke County and other localities, which hamstrings us when it comes to funding.”
Moore: “One of the reasons why supporting public transportation is so important to me is because I’ve depended on it. As someone who was recently laid off from their job and had to apply for new jobs, every single application I submitted had the same question – do you have reliable transportation? I want our public transportation to be reliable for everyone.”
Sanchez-Jones: “I know how important it is to have a bus service that works. That’s one of the reasons why we have gone from $1.75 to $2.00. That way, we can improve our bus system and keep the employees that we have. We are in communication with Roanoke County because we need their money.”
Despite their sharp contrasts, all candidates say they want what is best for the residents of Roanoke City. Expanding healthcare access and lowering everyday living costs shouldn’t be partisan issues.
While party candidates had until April 2 to file the required paperwork to run, independent candidates have until June 16 to enter the race. The General Election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
