Andrea's aides speak up on the record

Dusty Smith and Erika Jacobson Moore have the story.

But it was the cat that prompted action. During a meeting among the supervisors’ aides, McGimsey’s current aide Alex Delgado mentioned he was going to feed her cat and clean out the kitty the litter.

“That upset so many of us that one of the aides went to [County Administrator Tim] Hemstreet about it,” said an aide from another office. At least four aides present at the meeting confirmed the account, including Jessica Echard, who made the complaint.

“I went to the county administrator,” said Echard, who worked for Supervisor Lori Waters (R-Broad Run) before leaving town for an internship. “The meeting was actually over,” Echard explained, saying Delgado raised the cat care half-jokingly. “’Oh yeah, she just told me to put it on my time sheet.’ We all just stopped and said, ‘Whoa, that’s not OK.’”

Delgado said the entire situation was a misunderstanding with the other aides and that the situation got blown beyond what it actually was.

“No county money was spent to take care of her cat,” he said. “She and I have a friendship beyond [supervisor-aide]. That’s all that was.”

I think it's important to remember that staff aides are at-will employees, entirely dependent on their employer's good will to keep their jobs. If you were in that position, and your employer asked you to do them a favor, whether or not it was on the clock, would you feel like you could say "no"?

And, as a reminder, here is an example of how she treats COUNTY staff, on camera:
[first posted on Without Supervision]

I did tell you so.

What I said

John Stevens sent out an email today asking for campaign donations.

My response?

John, if you were running for BOS, I'd be giving you money. But you're not. And I'm still pissed at you about that.

Because we all know that he could beat Suzanne Volpe. And yes, Susan Buckley could, too. As could Andrea (probably).

Cliff Keirce in the news!

Terrific article on Cliff in the Ashburn Patch. My favorite part?

Keirce sees Metro’s extension into Loudoun as a pivotal hook to bring new businesses to the area, and he fully supports the project.

“I’m 100 percent certain it will be completed,” he said. “It’s important not only to the region but to the federal government.”

In a recent meeting with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Keirce learned that while Phase 2 does not have any federal funding currently, Sec. LaHood promised that the federal government would assist in some way with Phase 2 – likely through low-interest federal loans.

Go read it all.

No, she's not.

Andrea is NOT the Broad Run incumbent, that honor belongs to Lori Waters, who is not running for re-election.

The district that Andrea is running for is a mish-mash of precincts from three of the existing districts. Most come from both the current Broad Run (Lori Waters, Incumbent) and the current Dulles (Stevens Miller, Incumbent). Andrea's current district of Potomac is contributing only part of one little precinct.

For Andrea to tout herself as being the incumbent of Broad Run is, at best, misleading.

Here's how Kelly listed her name on the same program:

You notice something there that Andrea didn't include?

Here's Andrea's again:

Andrea's leaving out her party affiliation may lead to the impression that she is an Independent. Her website goes further to foster that impression, as she never mentions her party affilation, but has as a tag line that she is "Experienced. Independent. Trusted."). There IS an Independent in her race, but she is not him. That honor belongs to Cliff Keirce*, who I support fully.

Andrea is misrepresenting herself. She is NOT the Broad Run incumbent. She is NOT the Independent.

Experienced? At what?
Independent? From who?
Trusted? Not anymore.



*Due to an oversight, no Independents were invited to this forum, though candidates from both the Republicans and Democrats were. Stevens informed Cliff of the event on the morning it was taking place, and Cliff ended up being able to attend.

Back to School Night Report: Eagle Ridge Middle School

Great turnout! I was happy to see so many familiar faces there. I kept hearing over and over, "Yes! Cliff was at my door!" or "He's my neighbor" or "I talked to him at X, Y, or Z event!" or "We saw his wife and daughter here at the 6th Grade BTSN!"

Do I need to tell you how much I love to hear that? LOVE.

Cliff had two volunteers at ERMS and, between Jon and I, we handed out over a thousand pieces of literature.

Shawn Williams and the LCRC were out in force. I met and talked with Mike Chapman, who is a lot taller than I expected.

The only school board candidate represented was Eric Hornberger. His volunteer, Mark, did a great job.

The big surprise of the evening was that Larry Roeder and Anjan Chimaladinne sent volunteers from their campaigns. I spoke with Wayde Byard of the LCPS this morning, and he told me that Eagle Ridge does not have any students from the new Dulles District.

I know that the school boundaries and new electoral boundaries are confusing, but better to miss a BTSN you should have been at than to waste your volunteers' time at a school where the parents can't vote for you.

I'm sorry to say that I'm not shocked that the LCDC didn't send anyone for Andrea and Valdis. But it's not surprising considering that their website, while showing a District Chair for Algonkian:

1. Doesn't have the Ashburn District listed at all.
2. Says the Chair for Broad Run is my friend Dave Nemetz, who a) moved to Fairfax in July, and b) lived in Lansdowne in the Ashburn District.
3. Says the Chair for Dulles is Doug Miller, whose home is now in the Blue Ridge District.
4. Still lists the Potomac District, but doesn't have a chair for that district or for Catoctin.

Which means that unless you're a candidate in Blue Ridge, Leesburg, Algonkian, or Sterling, you haven't got a district chair to help you out. Good luck with that, folks!

LCDC District Chairs

I know Valdis had folks at Belmont Ridge Middle School BTSN last night, and has focused on doors in the ERMS catchment, but where were the LCDC volunteers to hand out his and Andrea's lit?

BOS Broad Run: Candidates Answers on Metro

I have answers from all three candidates for the Board of Supervisors Sterling seat so I'm posting them here for your convenience:

Cliff Keirce (I)

Thanks for the question.

I have not put anything about this on the website as I was of the understanding that the issue would be resolved prior to the next Board of Supervisors being seated. However, I'm happy to share with you my opinion on the issue. I have attended several meetings about the Dulles Rail project over the years, as an interested citizen, Planning Commissioner, and as a Board of Supervisor candidate.

I think the Dulles rail into Loudoun is critical for the future of the county's economic health. Many large projects (Moorefield Station, Loudoun Station) were approved years ago, but will not reach their full development plans without the rail. I have also seen several projects as Planning Commissioner that will depend heavily on the Metro extension (Dulles World, Kincora, Dulles Town Center) and there are others in the planning stages (Loudoun Center/Loudoun Metro). Without the commercial tax dollars these projects will bring to the county, our dependence on residential property taxes to pay the bills will only worsen.

All that being said, the project needs to be completed at a reasonable cost. I was one of the few who sounded the alarm when the extension of the Metro Rail to Loudoun County was handed over to MWAA to complete. This also gave them control over the Rte 267 Toll Road. One would have thought with the Greenway problems the state would have learned it's lesson in letting an unelected body have control over large scale road/transportation projects.

There are significant proposed cost overruns to complete this project. One of the biggest issues was whether the airport station should be above or below ground. I am glad to see MWAA has agreed to help bring costs back to the original estimate, by building the the station above ground. I know that MWAA had always planned for an underground station, but it never should have been considered  if it was going to be a billion dollars over budget. They have also neglected to look at all the benefits to an above ground station.

Other cost saving measures that can be accomplished are privatizing the parking garages instead of having to pay to build them and hand them over to the Metro Authority to collect the revenues, and phasing the rail yard construction.

Additional contributions from the federal government and the state should also be pursued.

Those have been my positions for a while now. I am glad to see there were some recent changes agreed to a few weeks ago. MWAA has agreed to an above ground station. I believe Virginia has agreed to add an additional $150 million to the cost of the project. There is some movement looking at privatizing the parking garages.

Feel free to contact me if you'd like to discuss this further or if I haven't answered your question to your satisfaction.

Cliff Keirce

Andrea McGimsey (D)

"Andrea is leading the effort to complete road improvements and create more transportation options that will reduce traffic. She is fighting to ensure the Metro is extended into Loudoun and to increase the number of bus routes."

Shawn Williams (R)

I believe bringing metrorail to Loudoun is essential to take our county to the 'next level.' We need to attract businesses to defer our high residential tax base and metrorail will be a key component to this process. However, the project must be completed in a fiscally responsible manner. I was very pleased the the underground station at Dulles airport was scrapped in favor of the less expensive above ground station. Chairman York, who I look forward to continuing to work with on this issue, deserves credit for delivering real cost savings to Loudoun taxpayers. The project must continue with specific budgetary performance goals because if the costs spiral out of control the project is in danger of getting canceled.

Push Poll in the Broad Run District

A robo-dialed poll from Iowa went to a co-worker.

He described the questions to me as being framed as Democrat vs. Republican, with no mention of an Independent candidate. The questions included:

• "Will you vote for the Republican or the Democratic candidate?" 
• "Do you consider yourself a "Republican" or a "Democrat?"
• Will you vote for Andrea McGimsey or Shawn Williams?"

The poll was very clearly pro-Andrea (mentioned MIT -- my co-worker knew she'd attended that school -- and environmental issues).

My co-worker said he answered the above questions with:

• "I'll be voting for the Independent"
• "I am an Independent"
• "I'll be voting for Cliff Keirce"

He said he liked Cliff's demeanor when Cliff was at his door, and thought he was very knowledgeable.

If you receive a call like this and happen to record it, please send it on!

I hate to say I told you so...

But I did tell you so. Read more about it at Too Conservative.

If I ran the circus

A friend asked me, if I could rearrange the Loudoun County BOS races to suit myself, what would my dream ticket be? Caveats: that I cannot change the Republican line up, and that I can't put my husband into any race*.

Now, it so happens that I've thought about exactly this question quite a bit and here is how I would change things, if I could.

1. Burton (I) runs for Chair. Bellanca (D) runs for Blue Ridge. I think this makes both races much more likely to be won by these guys.
2. McGimsey (D) runs for Algonkian, leaving Keirce (I) to sweep Broad Run. Let's face it, Pierce (D) is not going to win against Volpe (R), but McGimsey might have a chance.
3. Dulles. I've got two names in mind. Neither of them is running. That pisses me off. 'Nuff said.
4. I am perfectly satisfied with the candidates in Ashburn and Sterling. You guys make me happy. Keep it up.
5. Leesburg and Catoctin are farther off my beat. I'm sure that the current candidates will do fine.

*I love having him home for dinner most nights. Heck, I love being home for dinner most nights. I'm pretty sure he'll run for something again someday, but it won't be this year or next year.

York endorses Delgaudio, Plowman, others

When he goes over to the dark side, he really goes over to the dark side. How can the same guy who endorsed Stevens endorse Delgaudio?

Needless to say, this year I'm certainly not on team York.

Because I'm on team Nevarez, team Wexton, team Ronis, and team Keirce.

I'm on team "best person for the job", and anyone who thinks that Delgaudio or Plowman or Buona or Williams is the best person? Well that guy can't be such a great person himself.

Sorry, Scott. You lost me.

Looking at Cliff Keirce's campaign finance report

Not bad for a first-timer! The really noteworthy thing is that all but one of his donations come from within Loudoun.

I'm gonna get on his back about needing to raise more (especially since I want a bumper sticker - so much so that I may buy those myself).

But frankly, I'm glad he's canvassing and getting the word out. He's a terrific planning commissioner and he'll make a great Supervisor.

Andrea DOES have a website

You can find it here. Apparently, it was worth $5000 in an in-kind donation (fully a third of what she raised this past quarter).

But, as I said in a comment below, it doesn't show up on the first three pages of a google search. No matter how specific.

 Does it count as having a web-presence if people who are actively looking for your page can't find you?

What does it say

...about Andrea McGimsey's desire for re-election that Denise Moore Pierce, who has been running for all of a weekend, has a website, and Andrea - who announced back in January - does not?

Information from my Inbox

At the LCDC meeting last night, according to my sources:

 

• Josh Actor withdrew from the Commissioner of the Revenue race
• Andrea McGimsey's campaign manager introduced himself and said her website is live. I still can't find it. If anyone has a link to it, pass it on.
• Bahri Aliriza is still in the Sterling race. My money is still (literally) on Al Nevarez to win the nomination and, eventually, the general.

Oh! What Kelly Burk just did!

She just moved that the BOS add a grievance procedure for aides.

Debate happening now.

Update: It failed. It seems McGimsey voted against for it. [shrug]

Have you heard?

That's the title of a page on Cliff's website that has quotes from people in and around the community praising Cliff. On that list, second from last, is a big chunk of my recent post. But that's not the most interesting quote on that page.

The most interesting quote on that page is the last one:

“My family and I have seen so many changes in Loudoun in the nearly 20 years we’ve lived here – some good, some bad. Now, more than ever, we need people on the Board of Supervisors who are willing to do the hard, time-consuming work of truly understanding the processes of governing and managing our county, and who will make decisions, not for reasons of politics or personal gain, but based on what is best for all who live here and will bolster commercial growth. I feel happy to have gotten to know Cliff recently and am so glad he is running for Supervisor. He’s not a smooth politician, just a really smart, hard worker who actually gets excited talking the issues in Loudoun. And yes, some of those issues are boring, but not to him! He has opinions, but I like the fact he wants to listen to as many people as will talk to him to learn as much as possible before making any decisions. We need more people like Cliff Keirce on the BOS.”

~ Debbie Hawk

Don't know who Debbie Hawk is? She is a community leader in the new Algonkian district, a political activist, and one of Andrea's former staff aides.

So, why not Andrea?

Yesterday, I wrote about why I'm voting for and working for and donating to Cliff. But people have asked me why I'm NOT supporting Andrea.

I have a hard time writing negatively about Andrea as a Supervisor, because I like her as a person. So, I feel bad telling you all why I'm not supporting her.

• It's because I've watched her repeatedly treat county staff badly.
• It's because she treats her staff aides like garbage (she's now on her 11th in 3 years). I've heard this directly from several of her staff aides, and they all tell the same stories.
• It's because she is often unprepared for meetings.
• It's because she blames her other job for the fact that she is unprepared.
• It's because she voted against Ches. Bay. (Cliff probably would have too, but it's a real departure for Andrea), and she left CBPO supporters in the cold.
• It's because she really doesn't have the time or the temperament for the job, she knows it, she declares it from the dais, and yet she's running for it again.

For all these reasons and a few more, I am here to tell you that even if Cliff weren't running, I wouldn't be working hard for Andrea. I would be concentrating all my canvassing for the other candidates I support and I wouldn't have money in the Broad Run race.

In my opinion, Cliff is the only candidate in the Broad Run race who is both qualified for and capable of doing the job.