Patti Willis

From this month’s “The Shopper” magazine:

Patti Willis is a City Councilwoman serving to make government work
By Trenna Nees

Patricia “Patti” Willis has been serving the City of Chesapeake for nearly two terms as an effective, dedicated and motivated councilwoman. From the first moment of greeting, you, it is obvious why and how she continues to impress her constituents. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and sheer passion for local politics is what draws her supporters, and what keeps her in the council seat.

“I have a lot of energy,” Patti professes. “I like meeting and greeting people, resolving issues both large and small, and I certainly don’t mind rolling up my sleeves and getting the hard stuff done. Chesapeake belongs to the people and I am one of nine, including the mayor, whose job it is to represent the voters and their city’s needs.”

Patti hails from Hopewell and graduated from The College of William and Mary where she first earned her teaching degree and then her degree in law. She has worked as a federal prosecutor, as a researcher and writer for the United States Attorney’s Office, and as a teacher here in Chesapeake at G.A. Treakle Elementary School. Patti has served as a member of the Chesapeake School Board and has also used her educational background to simultaneously serve as a member of the Southeastern Cooperative Educational Program Board (SECEP) for special needs children.

“I love teaching and I love children,” Patti shares with an easy smile. “Although I serve the people as their elected city council representative, I still enjoy working with children and staff at G.A. Treakle Elementary part-time. What a great group of kids and educators there!”

But it is not just Patti’s commitment to community and education that makes her such a versatile city council member. Patti has tirelessly championed some major accomplishments for the residents of Chesapeake, while voting to lower the tax rate. A couple of years ago, the Council adopted a new comprehensive plan to provide guidance for development, redevelopment, conservation and open space.

“The City of Chesapeake has been part of a huge growth explosion,” Patti says. “We at City Council have worked so hard to finally give its residents a solid, equitable and proactive plan for this great city! It is so exciting to be a part of such a well-rounded, needs-sensitive and managed growth-oriented plan!”

And one area specifically is going to see a whole new rebirth. “It is South Norfolk’s time,” Patti acknowledges. “South Norfolk is Chesapeake’s oldest area and it is filled with a great sense of nostalgia. You can see and feel that when you watch the 4th of July parade through the area’s neighborhoods. But it desperately needs an overhaul of its internal systems. The streets, sewer and water systems, retail, business; everything needs to be updated.”

Through a detailed and specific tax increment plan, private investors and the area’s own residents are going to put into motion a positive energy and breathe life into this historical district. “There will be new condos, new housing developments, new businesses and new attractions. The redevelopment plan will include a boat taxi along the Elizabeth River, a new marina and even river spots for responsible industry,” Patti says with obvious pride and enthusiasm.

But Patti’s pride and accomplishments don’t stop there. As a vital liaison and an avid proponent of the Parks and Recreation Committee, the open space subdivision ordinance remains one of Patti’s greatest victories. Before Patti served on City Council, new subdivision developers were previously only required to pay $100 per home to Chesapeake’s Parks and Recreation Division. Because of her diligence, now developers are required to pay $1,000 per new home to the division.

“It’s amazing what that increase has allowed the city to do,” Patti boasts. “Recently, we started developing Centerville Park with a portion of the funds. We have been able to build new pavilions and install new playground equipment throughout many parks. And we are working with the Deep Creek Park Association to build a new regional park that will have baseball fields, multi-purpose fields, a dog park and skate park. Most recently, the city was able to purchase an additional 140 acres for the new Heritage Park located off old Route168. The developer fees really have been of benefit to the city and its residents.”

Patti gladly shares that she has also campaigned for the Neighborhood Services division. She has worked diligently to maintain and preserve the beauty and cleanliness of the city by improving the city’s guidelines for removing median and right-of-way business or personal advertisements.

“It is actually against city ordinance to post a sign in any of these areas,” Patti states. “The only exception is for campaigning purposes and even that has been limited to a 30-day window for signs in the right-of-ways. This has been what I consider a good faith effort for city-wide beautification.”

Continuing with her sincere efforts to maintain the city’s natural landscape, Patti has also spearheaded an ordinance to replace trees lost due to the ever changing and growing transportation needs.

“Our city’s growth has been challenging for transportation needs, but we have been actively improving our roadways. We have plans for the steel bridge replacement and know we must widen I-64 and the high-rise bridge. Unfortunately, one of the downfalls we have experienced with the burgeoning growth is our loss of trees and shrubbery. I feel that to ensure the city’s beauty and the natural benefit of trees, this ordinance is very important,” she states.

Patti and her husband, Judge Larry D. Willis, Sr., have three children: David, who’s on a Fulbright Scholarship in Argentina; Patrick, a freshman at The College of William & Mary, and Rosemary, a junior at Indian River High School.

“There are so many improvements that have been made to and for this great city,” Patti says. “It is has been such an incredible journey for me to serve our residents. I undertake my position as a public servant as an honor and continue to instill in my children the importance of local government participation. The voice of the people and their vote count and I take that responsibility seriously and with great pride.

“I hope that the people of Chesapeake will allow me the honor to serve a third term. There are still so many improvements and great strides I would like to make as one of their elected city council members.”