Honoring Mayor Ned Randolph
Yesterday night, the City of Alexandria held a series of events, culminating in a banquet at the Riverfront Center featuring Governor Kathleen Blanco, honoring Mayor Ned Randolph. And this reminded me:
When I was a kid, every Sunday morning at church, we used to sit right behind the mayor. My brother, sister, and I thought it was pretty cool because after the service ended we got to shake the mayor’s hand. As a child, I considered him to be a shy and humble person, someone genuine. I didn’t really know what a mayor did, but I knew he was important.
And he is.
During the past four months, we’ve been discussing the problems facing Alexandria and how to solve those problems. I hope that this discussion does not obscure the truth: Alexandria suffers from growing pains.
When considering the accomplishments of Mayor Randolph, it is impossible to recognize Alexandria without him: A successful plan for England Air Park, a state-of-the-art airport, I-49, a 4-year LSUA, the Port of Alexandria, hospital expansions, the Alexandria Aces, numerous subdivision developments, and Union Tank Car.
Alexandria, it has been said, is poised for tremendous growth, and we owe much of this to the leadership of Mayor Randolph.
In less than a week, Mayor Randolph will serve his last day as Mayor of Alexandria. Many things have changed in twenty years. And thankfully, we are all better off because of these changes.
Certainly, there is a lot left to accomplish, but our future accomplishments will be built on the successes of a shy, humble, yet important man who dedicated most of his professional career toward public service.
Thank you Ned Randolph.
CenLamar 
Thank you Lamar. This is what Delores Brewer could have run on. Imagine if she said we were just experiencing growing pains instead of implying that Ned approved of illegal contracts. She could have properly analyzed the situation without making baseless accusations.
Ned was a good mayor.
Lamar, you disappoint. You’re ode is far more sentimental than accurate. And, of course, you know that.
Of course I know that. It’s a sentimental piece.
Sorry, it caused any disappointment.
Ned was a good mayor. Lamar, your sentimental piece was well written and thoughtful.
No disappointment here.
I enjoyed the sentimental piece as well. This is certainly a time for reflection.
Mayor randolph brought dignity to the office. As a young elementary school student, I heard firsthand some of the Karst and Snyder stories, brought to me direct from Shine Todd, the Mayors secretary, and my back yard neighbor
but Snyder hit rock bottom his last term. Apropriated Chief of Police Glen Beard’s Crown Vic, and ran around town, lights and siren–barking orders over the police radio as M-1….. I miss my scanner radio
and I was one of the ones that saw him digging through the dumpster behind the police station, when he was looking for evidence “of wrongdoing in the police dept.” One of the perks of being employed at the Library downtown.
Mayor Randolph was a class act, and I wish I were there for the new wave of excitement that Mayor Elect Jacques Roy brings to office
Mark Hoffman’s comment saya it all. Those of you whose awareness of the mayor’s office only extends back a few years have a limited point of view concerning this man’s worth to the city of Alexandria. He was as much or more of a breath of fresh air when he first took office as Jacques Roy is today. The problems that Randolph may have left for Roy to smooth over are pale in comparison to the problems that Randolph himself had to deal with. Whatever mistakes he made, whatever mismanagement or problems he left behind him are minor in comparison to the man’s total legacy in Alexandria’s history. I am not a personal friend of his, so this letter is not defensive. I too remember the Karst and Snyder eras, and I am grateful we had a class act like Ned Randolph to be our mayor for the last 20 years.
Mayors Snyder and Karst were both suffering from severe mental illness. You seem more than willing to forgive Mayor Randolph for his unfortunate disableing health problems but you make fun of Snyder and Karst. It hardly seems fair and enlightened. I understand that Mayor Randolph leaves office with 1.5 million dollars in his retirement account. Snyder and Karst died in shame and rejection and poverty.
Perhaps this time of year will lead us to be both objective and charitable – Peace on Earth, and all that???
My best wishes and hopes for the future go out to Mayor and Mrs. Randolph. May history and this community treat them kindly.
What a shame that Ms. Todd didn’t see fit to regale you with charming stories of Mayor Bowden, with whom she was particularly familiar.
To “I remember” from Anon. 5:50
Well, you’ve given me something to think about. I always assumed Snyder was mentally ill, but he was also loudly destructive. I do not recall Mayor Karst being mentally ill, just terribly incompetent. As for Randolph’s illness, a lot of talk has bandied about but nothing official. I do see he is different in his public appearances, less sure of himself, searching for words, and his wife steps in and helps him say what needs to be said. But nothing has been said officially about what has happened to his health. I actually don’t know what kind of mayor he has been in the past 5-6 years, as I moved away during part of that time, but I do know he was a welcome breeze of good govt in the early years. Thanks for encouraging me to think further on this matter.
To “I remember also”
Mayor Randolph does not have $1.5 million in his retirement account. In fact, he has no city retirement at all. He never bought into the system because he never dreamed he’d be there so long. He has a small private retirement account that he contributed to. The Randolph’s will be working to support themselves. No one is giving them anything. How in the world do these rumors get started?
By the way, the Town Talk published a very nice tribute to Mayor Randolph today, his last day as mayor of Alexandria. I’m not the only one in a sentimental mood.
After twenty years, the least he deserves is our respect and appreciation.