Governor ousts Manassas leader from board

Gov. Mark R. Warner removed Manassas Republican City Council member Ulysses “Xerk” White from the Commonwealth Transportation Board, the state body with the last say on state road dollar allocations.

White served as an at-large urban member on the 17-member CTB. White’s term did not expire until 2005, but like other members ousted Friday, he served at the pleasure of the governor.

“Xerk was a strong advocate for Prince William County. He will definitely be missed,” said Delegate John A. “Jack” Rollison, R-52nd District, chairman of the House Transportation Committee.

The only two non-Warner appointees to survive are at-large urban member Leonard S. “Hobie” Mitchel of South Riding and Kenneth Klinge, the Northern Virginia district member. His term lasts until June 30, 2004.

Mitchel is president of Lansdowne Community Development, LLC.

Two persons who had already been put on the board to finish short unexpired terms this year were renamed. Arlington Democrat Julia “Judy” A. Connally was appointed as an urban at-large member. She is a former Virginia House delegate, former transportation analyst for the Office of Technology Assessment for Congress, and former vice chair of the Arlington Planning Commission. She donated $650 to Democrats last year, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

Helen E. Dragas of Virginia Beach, chief executive officer of The Dragas Companies, will fill the third urban at-large seat, which Chesapeake resident S. Grey Folkes had held.

Warner reappointed two of his own picks to the CTB: Ambrose W. Bailey of Fredericksburg, former member of the City Council of Fredericksburg and manager of Bailey Funeral Service, to fill the Fredericksburg district seat; and John J. “Butch” Davies of Culpeper, former member of the House of Delegates, to fill the Culpeper district seat.

Other new appointees:

James L. Keen of Vansant, president of Keen HR Services Inc., to fill a rural at-large seat;

Hunter R. Watson of Farmville, first vice president, branch manager of Davenport & Co. LLC, to fill a second rural at-large seat;

Frank Goodpasture III of Bristol, president/general manager of Goodpasture Motor Co., to fill the Bristol district seat;

Harry T. Lester of Virginia Beach, who owns Harry T. Lester Commercial Real Estate and is chairman of the Chrysler Museum Foundation, to fill the Hampton Roads district seat;

Gerald P. McCarthy of Richmond, executive director of the Virginia Environmental Endowment, to fill the Richmond district seat;

Dr. Phillip C. Stone of Bridgewater, president of Bridgewater College and former president of the Virginia Bar Association, to fill the Staunton district seat;

Kenneth Spencer White of Lynchburg, counsel to the law firm of Edmunds & Williams, P.C., and former chairman of the state Board of Education, to fill the Lynchburg district seat;

Onzlee Ware of Roanoke, owner of the law office of Onzlee Ware and Associates, to fill the Salem district seat.

The CTB also includes Secretary of Transportation Whittington W. Clement, who serves as board chairman; Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner Philip Shucet, who serves as vice chairman; and Leo J. Bevon, director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

Just as important as the CTB appointments were Warner’s appointments to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, which would control significant spending in the region if the sales tax referendum passes in November.

In addition to joining the CTB, Klinge, a Republican donor and Alexandria resident, was also appointed by Warner on Friday to the NVTA. Also named was Margaret G. Vanderhye of McLean. Vanderhye was a member of the National Planning Commission from 1995 to 2001, and from 1990 to 1993 she chaired the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Northern Virginia 2010 Transportation Plan. Klinge is president of J.K.K. Associates and is chairman of the Dulles Corridor Task Force.

“Kenny is known as a strong transportation advocate and has made significant contributions to transportation in Northern Virginia,” Rollison said. “I think that [the appointment] sends a very clear bipartisan message that transportation is a high priority to the governor.”