CHESAPEAKE — City Council on Tuesday announced the nominees they will choose from to fill a council vacancy resulting from the death of Vice Mayor John de Triquet.
de Triquet, a pediatrician who had been on the council since 1994, died Aug. 22. His term is slated to end in December 2026, which means a sitting council member will be appointed to fulfill the remainder of his vice mayor term.
Council members must also select someone to fill the vacancy on the nine-person council. At Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Rick West announced the two candidates nominated for the appointment: E. R. “Jeff” Jefferies, a Chesapeake police captain; and Dwight Parker, a former City Council member.
West said Chesapeake City Council member Jeff Bunn nominated Jefferies, who unsuccessfully ran for an open council seat in the 2024 election. He said council member Les Smith nominated Parker, who has served on the council several times before. His longest continuous stretch on the council was from 1995 to 2010, when he lost reelection. He was appointed back on council in 2017, won reelection in 2018 and served until he lost reelection in 2020. Parker was then appointed in 2021 after then-council member Matt Hamel was elected Chesapeake Commonwealth’s Attorney, serving through the end of 2022.
City Council members said Tuesday they will interview the two candidates next week. West also said more information about Jefferies and Parker will be available online Wednesday, with an opportunity for the public to weigh in. It wasn’t immediately clear Tuesday how the public can share input.
Council members also met in a closed session Tuesday to discuss the vice mayor appointment. Two Chesapeake residents used the public comment period to urge the appointment of longtime council member Ella Ward to that role.
Chesapeake’s city charter gives the council 30 days to fill the council vacancy with a Chesapeake resident. West previously said that gives the council time to interview candidates and appoint the new council member ideally by the Sept. 16 meeting.
Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com
