VIRGINIA BEACH — City Councilmember Linwood Branch, who was appointed last year to represent the Lynnhaven District and formerly represented the Beach District, faces three candidates in this year’s race to represent the newly created District 6.
They are Richard “R.K.” Kowalewitch, a businessperson who has sought office before, and political newcomers Cat Porterfield, a real estate agent and podcaster, and Worth Remick, a businessperson with a background in commercial real estate negotiation.
The new District 6, part of a 10-district system ordered by a federal judge in December, includes part of the Oceanfront area and is located in the northeast corner of the city. The race has drawn the most candidates of any in the city this year, aside from the five people running for City Council District 2.
During an interview, Branch said he has spent the nine months since his appointment working on a number of initiatives and volunteering to serve on committees, including work with open space, resort and bayfront advisory groups.
“In addition to other things, coming out of Covid, we put a great budget together,” said Branch, a hotelier who previously represented the old Virginia Beach Borough and the Beach District for a decade until 2002.
Branch said he is an advocate for the new district and all Virginia Beach citizens. He said the council has funded schools, is addressing public safety issues such as pay and hiring more police, and tackled workforce concerns during the recent budget process.
“We are dealing with our weaknesses and expanding on our strengths,” Branch said, “and we are striving to make Virginia Beach the best we can be. That’s what I’m working on and will continue working on.”
Kowalewitch previously has sought local office, including running for mayor. During an interview, he said he had not intended to run this year but decided to do so near the filing deadline in June due to Branch’s candidacy and, as he put it, to “stand up to the nonsense.”
“They don’t look at the city of Virginia Beach as our city,” said Kowalewitch, who has run as an anti-establishment candidate. “They look at it as their city.”
Kowalewitch said major issues include public safety – calling support for understaffed city police a “number one” issue – and ensuring the city is fiscally responsible and controlling taxes. Kowalewitch said he did not support the stormwater bond referendum this past year, which voters backed.
“How much has been used the last 20 years on stormwater maintenance?” Kowalewitch said, adding that the city has been “burdening” citizens with taxation.
“We have the money to fix it,” he said. “How come they haven’t fixed it? Don’t put the burden on the taxpayers anymore. They care more about their pet projects than they do for the people.”
Kowalewitch said the city needs to reduce spending and direct funds to the right places while understanding that working people face rising costs and inflation.
“We’ve got to get the budget under control,” Kowalewitch said.
Porterfield co-hosts the podcast Project Toxic, which has tackled topics in Virginia Beach as diverse as the razing of old-growth trees in the Windsor Woods area and the sheriff’s “dubious” decision not to renew employment of a deputy married to a state lawmaker from another party.
Porterfield is a former journalist who worked in newspapers, including for military and nonprofit news organizations. Her work included covering education for weekly papers and a daily newspaper and ultimately serving as a publisher before leaving the industry in 2012.
Porterfield’s husband, Matt, grew up in Kempsville, and they moved to Virginia Beach in 2012. They had wanted to move here for years. Porterfield earned her real estate license and began managing properties. And she became interested in local government issues.
“I started paying attention,” she said, adding that the podcast started with her husband led her to greater understanding of local government and people who control it. She saw citizens trying to communicate with elected leaders about struggles and, in some cases, facing criticism for doing so.
“We just want somebody normal to run for council,” she said. “I think that’s me.”
She said her main issue in the campaign is engaging with the public, which includes listening to and getting information from citizens. “I think a lot of our solutions are right there in the public,” she said. “I also really feel like citizens are customers, and these jobs are ultimately customer service positions.”
She said the city should consider how its identity impacts revenue, noting the loss of the Something in the Water Festival in Virginia Beach. Porterfield said addressing flooding is an important issues, and she said she will urge the city to stop developing wetlands, prevent development that diverts water to neighboring properties and avoid sacrificing old growth trees.
Remick is a Hampton Roads native who has lived in the city since 1985. He started his business career here after earning a degree from Hampden-Sydney College and enjoyed what many enjoy about the city, including access to the water and recreation.
“I just love this city dearly because it’s been a big part of me,” he said, “and I’ve put myself into it through work and community.”
Remick, who lives in Linkhorn Park, has been involved in coaching and volunteering. He has held a number of positions with service and professional organizations, including with the Green Run Collegiate Board, the Virginia African American Cultural Center and Virginia Beach Vision. He is secretary-treasurer of the Virginia Beach Community Development Corporation and serves on the Mayor’s Commission on Offshore Wind and Clean Energy. He also completed the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.
Remick, a senior vice president with Colliers International, works in commercial real estate marketing advising businesses with industrial real estate needs. “I feel like I’ve got a really good business background in terms of what businesses want and need,” he said in an interview, noting that he has insight into issues such as taxes, workforce and land use. “This is my forte for 36 years.”
Remick said his work has allowed him to travel and market properties in this area. “I know how Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads fit into the world economy,” he said. “I think Virginia Beach does a good job, but we can improve. We can always do better.”
Remick said the new system is an opportunity for elected leader to serve communities, civic leagues and citizens “on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis.”
He said main issues for him are working to improve city services and strengthen public safety. Priorities include supporting open space and completing the projects funded by the stormwater mitigation bond referendum.
“That was a big decision by the citizens last year,” Remick said. “It’s approved, and now we need to execute that.”
Remick said he will also support the schools and ensure the city can compete on salary and benefits for its workforce.
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