I was expecting him to look a little, I don’t know – older.

At age 63, with a long résumé spanning both public and private sectors, I assumed it would have added a few years to his appearance – especially after hearing his hoarse, gravely voice during the handful of phone conversations we had had prior to our meeting.

Yet when Earl Fraley Jr. greets me at the door of the fraternal organization Omegas of Norfolk’s clubhouse, an organization which he is president of, I am surprised to see few wrinkles on his face, and just hints of salt in his black hair and mustache.

This man could very well be the next Norfolk City Councilman representing the majority-black Superward 7, which encompasses more than half of the city. Fraley was the first candidate to announce back in July.

With the filing deadline now past, Fraley faces competition from three other candidates, including former Norfolk State University administrator, Jimmie D. Williams; Ingleside Civic League president Phillip Hawkins, and local realtor Angelia Williams.

Candidate.

Fraley appears to have started his campaign with an edge by being the only candidate to have been publicly endorsed by a current council member– in this case Councilman Paul Riddick.

“He’s the right candidate for several reasons,” said Riddick, a long-time friend of Fraley’s, who says his experience on the Planning Commission and in the public sector could be a major asset to the council. “First of all, out of all the candidates he’s probably the most well-informed and articulate candidate running for the seat.”

When I sit down with Fraley to discuss his candidacy, I find him personable. He’s not afraid to speak off the cuff, yet navigates his responses to my questions with the diplomatic flair that only comes from years of public service work.

“I think I’m as qualified as any candidate in this race,” he says.

And of course – he’s right. In addition to his work the past few years on the city’s Planning Commission, Fraley has served on a number of local boards and worked seven years as the Norfolk Department of Utilities’ Operations Manager.

He left the job in 2002. He currently works a real estate appraiser in Virginia Beach.

Fraley says he got his first taste of public service in the late 80’s, when he was appointed to a board to enhance race relations in Virginia Beach in the wake of what is now known as the “Labor Day” or “Greek” riots at the Oceanfront.

The incident occurred on Labor Day weekend of 1989, when roughly 10,000 black college students gathered at the beach for an event known as “Greekfest.” The board was chaired by the Norfolk State University president at the time, Harrison Wilson.

While a cause of the riots remains unclear, the city police department, which increased its presence at the Oceanfront that weekend for crowd control, would later be accused of harassment and racism. Whatever the cause, the riots resulted in nearly every beachfront store being broken into and suffering property damage.

“As a result of that effort, the names of several African Americans who lived in the city were given to city leadership for possible consideration to be put on boards and commissions,” Fraley says now. “It exposed the broader community to the presence of African Americans, with hope that it help stymie, what appeared to be at that time, some tensions in the city.”

When I ask what issues are important to those in his community, he responds promptly: economic opportunity education, and public safety.

During our conversation, he touches on the recent decision to close the nearby Joint Forces Command center, and the economic ripple effect that such a move is sure to have– 6,000 immediate layoffs and who knows how many in the closure’s aftermath.

According to a recent study by Old Dominion University economics professor Vinod Agarwal, the closure could cause a ripple effect, eliminating as many as 10,000 jobs in the Hampton Roads area.

In order for Norfolk to provide for more opportunity economically he believes that it must diversify its economic base.

“I think we need to find more different and creative ways to enhance economic opportunities in our city,” he says. “Let there be no misunderstanding, I am in full and complete support of the military presence in Hampton Roads and would do nothing to diminish that in any way, shape or form. But I think also when you see what’s taking place now – we need to diversify that base a little bit. We need to see if can come up with some other areas of industry that could be attractive to Norfolk.”

Fraley says he wants to help identify what those areas might be. He says he has plans on how to move the city forward, yet understands that the City Council is a group effort.

“The fact of the matter is, it is a political arena,” he concedes. “Politics is the art of compromise…I’m open to all new and vibrant ideas that could enhance the quality of life for out citizens and our city.”

Fraley says that he is ready to coalesce and work with the council. After Nov. 2, he may get his chance.