Our Councilman has never stopped working for us.

Tommy has tirelessly represented Ward 5 with integrity and pride. Whether it is responding to questions on social media, attending dozens of civic league meetings and events each year, helping hundreds of constituents annually with concerns, holding town hall meetings, or voting in the best interest of Ward 5 - Tommy cares about you and Ward 5! Tommy has an impeccable attendance record attending city council meetings making sure Ward 5 always has a seat at the table. Please read below what our councilman has done for Ward 5 and the City of Norfolk, as well as what he is currently doing for ward 5.

Current Project Highlights Tommy is Working on for Ward 5

  • Ocean View Beach Park Extension - Design Completed, Construction Late 2024

  • Ocean View Beach Park Security Camera Installation - Completed Summer 2024

  • Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Real Estate Tax Rate Reduction (2 cents reduction from $1.25 to $1.23) - Completed

  • Additional $500,000 for Norfolk’s Capital Access Project (CAP) for Small Businesses

  • East Little Creek Road Corridor Study - Contract Awarded, Study 2024-2025

  • Chesapeake Blvd (Between Little Creek Rd. & Fishermans Rd.) - Design Completed, VDOT Matching Funds, Norfolk Budgeted FY2025

  • East Ocean View Stormwater and Infrastructure Improvement Project - 1st Bay - 4th Bay St. Completed, Phase 2 5th Bay St. Under Construction

  • Short Term Rental (STR) Study Group Recommendations Submitted

  • Northside Park Renovations - $5 million allocated, design completed, construction 2025

Ward 5 Connect Newsletter Links:

What Tommy has done:

Our Neighborhoods

  • Advocated and secured $5 million in American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) funds to upgrade and improve Northside Park.

  • Secured ARPA funding for the extension of Ocean View Beach Park to include additional amenities to add to the park and beach experience.

  • Secured funding for a comprehensive transportation study for Ocean View in order to develop a plan for safe pedestrian crossings and better traffic control.

  • Supported the city working with MetroNet to bring another high speed internet provider to the City of Norfolk so that our citizens have another option.

  • Pushed for additional staffing with code enforcement in the budget.

  • Helped to establish the "gold standard" requirements for Short Term Rental applicants. (Gold Standard includes: noise decibel readers, surveillance cameras, 20 minute emergency response from property owner, and posted emergency phone numbers.)

  • Secured over $3 million to make Bay Oaks Park a reality.

  • Worked with the city to improve Community Beach including a resurfaced parking lot, improved lighting, an upgraded bathroom structure, a new playground, beach access, and basketball court.

  • Secured funding for a new beach access at 9th Bay St. and an upgraded ADA beach assess at Bay Point Dr. An additional $800,000 is in the 2024 and 2025 budget for updated beach access points.

  • Pushed for funding for the completion of the Lake Whitehurst Boat and Kayak launch.

Economic Development

  • Helped in the efforts to reestablish an Ocean View Business Association to help support over 700+ small businesses in Ward 5.

  • Provide leadership, guidance, and support for new businesses in Ward 5 including Harris Teeter, Surf Rider, COVA Brewing Company, Bold Mariner, and Aldi.

  • Pushed for a Tourism Development Grant Zone in Ocean View to help attract new restaurants and a hotel.

  • During the pandemic, pushed for flexibility in rules for outdoor dining, and grants to help our small businesses stay open during the pandemic. Also worked with the city manager to extend any tax payments for six months without late penalties.

    Our Schools

  • Proposed the Lifelong Learning Commission which established innovative ideas to offer supports for learning for all ages in Norfolk.

  • Championed a revenue sharing formula agreement which has added millions of more dollars in funding for our school system to provide pay increases for teachers and resources for students.

  • Led the conversations for council to vote on investing over $750 million in new school construction and renovations.

  • Maintained open lines of communication with elected school board members on concerns and questions with the operations of our public schools.


    Public Safety

  • Advocated for $12,000 retention bonuses to retain existing police officers after Virginia Beach worked to recruit our officers. Over 350+ officers signed up for these bonuses.

  • Pushed for and secured a Master Police pay scale in which 288 officers received 10.5%-12.5% pay increases, as well as a Senior Deputy pay scale which gave 54 deputies a 13.7% average salary increase.

  • Secured $5 million in the 2023 budget to replace all street lights with LED lights for brighter and safer streets.

  • Worked with the police to shut down Dragon Vapes and Lucky Vapes on E. Little Creek Rd. which were operating and possessing illegal gambling devices.

  • Secured funding to buy the Beach Pub and demolish it after multiple gun violence incidents and homicides associated with the location.

  • Worked with the Pinewell Civic League to add video surveillance at Community Beach, and a new gate to be installed this summer to shut of parking after sundown.

  • Supported hiring the Newark Street Team to consult neighborhoods, law enforcement, and city staff to reduce and end violence in "hot spot" crime areas of the city.

  • Supported Project Safe Neighborhood targeting gang violence with focused enforcement combined with city services to change the culture of violence.

  • Voted to increase staffing with code enforcement including enhancing the Business Compliance Unit to hold night clubs, illegal short-term rentals, and other businesses not following laws and procedures accountable.

    Infrastructure

  • Pushed for and secured over $9 million in sand replenishment funds in Ocean View and an additional $6 million in needed updates.

  • Successfully secured funding of over $2 million to resurface Shore Dr., Little Creek Rd., Azalea Garden Rd. and the Pinewell Section of Ocean View Avenue.

  • Secured over $500,000 to add sidewalks on the north side of Little Creek Rd. from Shore Dr. to Pythian Ave.

  • Supported millions of dollars in ADA ramp investment throughout Ward 5.

  • Secured $1.5 million in the 2023 budget to rehabilitate and extend the life of the Pretty Lake Bridge on Shore Dr.

  • Successfully secured $13.8 million+ over the next five years to upgrade the storm water system and streetscape in East Ocean View. https://www.norfolk.gov/DocumentCenter/View/64249/East-Ocean-View-Bay-Street-Drainage-Upgrades

  • Continued to push for a city comprehensive flooding study including the Norfolk Coastal Storm Risk Management Study, which helped with Norfolk to be placed on the Army Corp of Engineers and to receive millions of dollars to start the first phase of the city's flood plan.

  • Supported a review of the Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 2020 in order for Norfolk citizens paying flood insurance to get a reduced rate. https://www.norfolk.gov/DocumentCenter/View/65154/CRS-Program-for-Public-Info-and-Coverage-Improvement-Plan---Final-for-public

  • Supported the City of Norfolk working with Waze and other GIS/GPS technology to track flooded road conditions:

Fair Taxes

  • Voted against every tax increase ever proposed in the budget process since he has been on council.

  • Successfully got the boat tax eliminated so that boats would come back to Norfolk and fill our Marinas. Filling our Marinas provided more economic development and tax revenue on services than what was being collected.

  • During the pandemic, supported extensions of paying taxes, and eliminating any late fees for 6 months when paying taxes.