Hopewell council urged to resolve tensions

Hopewell residents and former city elected officials say they hope the divided City Council will let go of personal attacks and focus on the city's business in the new year.

The city faces tight budgets, as do most area localities. The coming year, however, also provides an opportunity for growth with the projected influx of families at Fort Lee.

Residents worry that the animosity among elected officials will affect the city's ability to be efficient and handle growth and financial issues.

Ever since the new council convened and elected new leadership in July, the members have not been able to get along in public.

"I don't think anyone is happy with the personal attacks that seem to be going on. I was on council for 12 years, and I don't ever recall any personal attacks," said former Mayor Anthony J. Zevgolis. "I don't know that sometimes they take the interests of the whole city."

In July, it became clear there would be a 4-3 split on the council, with appointed Mayor Brenda S. Pelham in the majority.

Since then, council members have engaged in aggressive and emotional deliberations during public meetings, a name-calling incident at City Hall's parking lot and a councilman initiating a petition to oust Pelham and her three council allies: N. Gregory Cuffey, Christina J. Luman-Bailey and Gerald S. Stokes.

Councilman Curtis W. Harris pushed for the petition in October, saying the four members have formed a voting bloc and have used their power to attack people who disagree with them.

Disagreements over appointments to commissions and committees have turned ugly. Tension has been particularly intense between Pelham and Councilman Kenneth B. Emerson since Pelham and her colleagues voted in October to remove him from the Crater Planning District Commission and appointed Pelham to replace him.

After that decision, the two engaged in a loud and ugly dispute outside the Municipal Building.

"We as citizens do not need this," resident Thomas Blanding told the council recently.

Bailey, who often agrees with Pelham, said she also wonders why a city as small as Hopewell -- 23,000 people and 11 square miles -- engages in such big-city politics.

"Too much 'waste of time' politics goes on . . . ," she said. "I wish people would be open-minded."

Those familiar with Hopewell politics say the council is beginning to settle down and is learning how to deal with differences of opinion.

"It is always an interesting time when there is a change in leadership. It really changes the dynamics. Those who were in the majority are adjusting to being in the minority," said former Mayor Steven R. Taylor, who retired from public office this year. His retirement left an open seat that Stokes won.

"Five months have passed since the new council took office. . . . Eventually the leaders in council will look at the calendar and realize that they have little time to work. Before they know it, the new election will be upon us," he said.

The animosity is probably not going to end, said Taylor. But he said someone is going to have to deal with tough issues such as the economy, the ongoing development projects in the city and how the city will deal with Fort Lee's growth.

Ray Edmonds, Pelham's father and a Hopewell contractor, who served on the City Council during the 1980s, said the "high blood" is now behind and the council should look forward.

"I think a lot of bitterness was left from the last council and has dragged into this council," said Edmonds. "You know, you change the committees, you change the commissions, and so now lets get on with the business of the city."

Contact Luz Lazo at (804) 649-6058 or .