Wes Bellamy
| Wes Bellamy | ||
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 Democratic Party City's official photo, 2018 |
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| District | At-large (City-wide) | |
| Party | Nonpartisan | |
| Election | November 3, 2015 | |
| For term to start | January 1, 2016 | |
| Term End | December 31, 2019 | |
| Incumbent | Satyendra Huja (D) | |
| Succeeded by | Sena A. Magill (D) | |
Vice-mayor, elected by
Charlottesville City Council (2016-2017) |
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| Term Start | January 1, 2016 | |
| Term End | December 31, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Dede Smith (D) | |
| Succeeded by | Heather Hill (D) | |
Biographical Information
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| Date of birth | November 4, 1986 Wesley Jamont Bellamy Age 38 |
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| Place of birth | Atlanta, GA | |
| Spouse | Ashlee Thompson | |
| Children | 3 | |
| Residence | Third Ward: Tonsler Precinct (301) | |
| Alma mater | South Carolina State University | |
| Profession | Teacher | |
| Campaign $ | VPAP | |
| Contributions $ | VPAP | |
Wes Bellamy (Wesley Jamont Bellamy; born 1986) is the chair of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. [1] He is also a former vice-mayor of Charlottesville who served a four-year term on the City Council (2016-2019). [2]
Bellamy was elected to the Charlottesville City Council (2016-2017) on November 3, 2015. At the first meeting of the city council after the 2015 election, the members elected Mike Signer as mayor and Bellamy as vice-mayor, each serving two year terms. [3] At age 29, Bellamy was the youngest councilor elected under the current form of city government (2 months, 22 day younger than James Barr).
Soon after the 2015 election, Governor Terry McAuliffe appointed Bellamy to the Virginia Board of Education which develops statewide education policies and graduation requirements. A controversy over several recent tweets Bellamy wrote from 2009 to 2014 led him to resign from his seat. [4]
Early life and education
Originally from Atlanta, GA
Career
Bellamy moved to the Charlottesville area in 2009 to work for the National Ground Intelligence Center. He left that position shortly afterwards. In 2011 Bellamy was hired as a substitute teacher for Albemarle County Schools. He was made full time in August 2012, according to the system.[5] Nearly 30 percent of school-age children in Charlottesville and Albemarle County are African American, but less than 10 percent of their teachers are.
Bellamy was honored by the Daily Progress in 2013 as part of their Distinguished Dozen series. [6]
He established the Helping Young People Evolve in 2011 and soon afterwards entered city politics.
Dr. Bellamy received a Doctorate of Education from Virginia State University. He is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at Virginia State University. Virginia State University is a public historically Black land-grant university in Ettrick, Virginia. Founded on March 6, 1882, Virginia State developed as the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for Black Americans.
Political career
Bellamy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for one of two open seats on the Council in the November 2013 election.
Bellamy was elected to the Charlottesville City Council on November 3, 2015. He served on the Charlottesville City Council (2016-2017) and the Charlottesville City Council (2018-2019).
- Bellamy did not seek election to a second term in the 2019 election. [7]
Social networks postings
Tweets made by Bellamy came under fire in late 2016 and prompted many for him to resign from Council. In late December, he resigned from a teaching post at Albemarle High School. [5]
Controversial tweets
Tweets made from Bellamy's account between 2009 and 2014 were first published by activist Jason Kessler in late November and then published in other media outlets. [8]
2013 election
Bellamy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for one of two open seats on the Council in the November 2013 election. He placed 3rd in the June 11, 2013 Democratic Primary for City Council. [9] [10]
Bellamy announced his candidacy on March 13, 2013 at Tonsler Park. Just a month before, he had declared he would not run this year, but changed his mind. [11] He is originally from Atlanta, and moved to the area to take a job at the National Ground Intelligence Center.
Bellamy also participated in a questionnaire on public housing conducted by the Public Housing Association of Residents. [12]
Bellamy raised $3,828 between January 1 and May 29, 2013. His largest campaign contribution was $500 from Mark Brown. [13]
2013 Democratic Primary for City Council
Bellamy tied with Bob Fenwick with 1,088 votes each in the June 11, 2013 Democratic primary. A count of provisional ballots was due to be completed by Friday, June 14, 2013.[14] Fenwick edged Bellamy by five votes when the provisional ballots were counted.[15]
Campaign finance reports
2013 Top campaign donors
- $1,000 Mark Brown
- $250 Hodari Hamilton
- $250 Stacie Randall
- $200 Randy Cogill
- $200 Jeff Fogel
- $200 Toan Nguyen
2015 election
Bellamy tried again for a seat on the city council in 2015, when three seats for the Democratic nomination were up.[16] He received the largest number of votes in the 2015 election.
Bellamy made his campaign announcement on February 15, 2015 at C'Ville Coffee. [16]
| Candidates | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Wes Bellamy (D) | 4,688 | 29.67 |
| Kathleen M. Galvin (D) incumbent | 4,590 | 29.05 |
| Mike Signer (D) | 4,309 | 27.28 |
| Anson Parker (R) | 1,208 | 7.65 |
| Scott Bandy (I) | 691 | 4.37 |
| Write-In | 312 | 3.0 |
| Source: State Board of Elections[17] | ||
Each voter could vote for up to three candidates.
Bellamy received 4,688 votes in the 2015 election. Election records show that 15,798 votes were cast in the election. In that election, three City Council seats were open, allowing each voter to cast as many as three votes.
Audio of Bellamy's campaign announcement:
<play audio>http://s3.amazonaws.com/cville/cm%2Fmutlimedia%2F20150215-Bellamy-Announcement.mp3 </play audio>
| Candidate Profile Resources | |
|---|---|
| Candidate | Wes Bellamy (D) |
| Office | Charlottesville City Council |
| Election year | 2015 election |
 Candidate interviews by Charlottesville Tomorrow
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| Candidate interview transcript | |
| Candidate interview audio <mp3player>http://www.cvillepedia.org/mediawiki/images/20150901-Bellamy-interview.mp3</mp3player>
| |
Committee assignments
After being elected, Bellamy was assigned to: [18]
- Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority
- Citizen's Advisory Panel (CAP)
- Cville Development Corp.
- Darden Towe Park Board
- Retirement Commission
Campaign finance reports
2015 Top campaign donors
- $4,146 Charlottesville Democratic Party
- $3,500 Roberta Bell Williamson
- $2,000 Richard M. Hewitt
- $1,600 Charlottesville Parking Center
- $1,500 Kay Holdings
- $1,250 New Airport Taxi LLC
Quotes
- In response to Tweets made from his account between 2009 and 2014: "I sincerely apologize for the inappropriate things I posted to social media many years ago," Bellamy wrote. "Elected officials should be held to a higher standard, and while I was not in office at the time, in this instance I came up short of the man I aspire to be." ~ November 2016 [19]
Power and election of mayor
- On March 30, 2018, Councilor Bellamy told the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society that he would call upon Council to switch to a system where the mayor is directly elected by the voters, rather than current system in which the mayor is internally appointed by the City Council every two years. Bellamy said this transition would require a change to the City’s charter - but did not specify whether he believes the amendment would grant the mayor additional powers and responsibilities.[20]
Publications
Monumental: It Was Never About A Statue; BlackGold Publishing (December 17, 2018) Best Sellers Rank: #2,435,394 in Books; #2,410 in Social Activist Biographies.
When White Supremecy Knocks, Fight Back: How White People Can Use Their Privilege and How Black People Can Use Their Power; Stokley's Scribes Publishing (August 2020)
- Wes Bellamy
Wes Bellamy at June 19, 2017 City Council meeting
References
- ↑ Web. Commissioners & Management Team, Charlottesville and Redevelopment Authority, retrieved November 8, 2024.
- ↑ Web. Charlottesville City Council meeting minutes, .pdf, Council Chambers, City of Charlottesville, January 4, 2016.
- ↑ Web. 2015 November General - Unofficial Results, Virginia State Board of Elections, November 3, 2015, retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ↑ https://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/bellamy-resigns-from-state-education-board-under-pressure-over-tweets/article_40d7a9d2-b744-11e6-9797-b363460e0964.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Web. Bellamy resigns AHS teaching position, Staff Reports, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, December 26, 2016, retrieved November 8, 2024.
- ↑ Web. Dozen: Bellamy helping city's poorest children reach potential, Aaron Richardson, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, December 27, 2013, retrieved January 7, 2016.
- ↑ Web. Councilors Bellamy, Signer will not seek re-election, Nolan Stout, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, March 29, 2019, retrieved March 29, 2019.
- ↑ Web. Homophobic, sexist, anti-white language abundant in Charlottesville vice mayor's tweets, Anna Higgins and Tim Dodson, News Article, Cavalier Daily, November 28, 2016, retrieved November 8, 2024.
- ↑ Web. Bellamy announces Council candidacy, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, March 13, 2013, retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ↑ Web. It's official: Fenwick to be on ballot for City Council, K. Burnell Evans and Aaron Richardson, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, June 14, 2013, retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ Web. Szakos makes bid for second Council term official, Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 14, 2013, retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ↑ Web. [ Questionnaire for City Council Candidatesurl=http://www.pharcville.org/2013/06/04/phar-questionnaire-for-city-council-candidates/], June 4, 2013, retrieved June 10, 2013.
- ↑ Web. Palmer, McKeel lead local candidates in fundraising, Daily Progress Staff Reports, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, June 7, 2013, retrieved June 10, 2013.
- ↑ Web. Bellamy, Fenwick in dead heat; Szakos wins easily, Aaron Richardson, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, June 12, 2013, retrieved June 12, 2013.
- ↑ Web. It's official: Fenwick to be on ballot for City Council, K. Burnell Evans and Aaron Richardson, Daily Progress, Lee Enterprises, June 14, 2013, retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Web. Bellamy enters race for Charlottesville City Council, Lacey Naff, Charlottesville Tomorrow, February 15, 2015, retrieved February 17, 2015.
- ↑ Web. 2015 November General, State Board of Elections, November 4, 2011, retrieved July 28, 2016.
- ↑ E-mail. Paige Rice, City of Charlottesville. "RE: list of appointments." Message to Sean Tubbs, Charlottesville Tomorrow. January 7, 2016.
- ↑ Web. McAuliffe 'horrified' by Board of Ed appointee's racist, sexist, obscene tweets, TRAVIS FAIN, DAILYPRESS.COM, Richmond, November 29, 2016, retrieved November 29, 2019.
- ↑ Web. City Councilor Wes Bellamy talks Aug. 11 and 12, local politics with Jefferson Society, Geremia Di Maro, News Article, Cavalier Daily, April 3, 2018, retrieved October 16, 2019.