I got curious UPDATED

How much money has MC Dean (owners of OpenBand) and William H. Dean (owner of MC Dean) put into Loudoun races so far this cycle*?

 MC Dean: $12,500 (counting the $2,500 reported on Delgaudio's latest filing. Not yet on VPAP)
William H. Dean: $20,500.

Total: $33,000.

Of those numbers, $7,500 of MC Dean's contributions are going to BOS races. $18,000 of Bill Dean's contributions are going to BOS races. That's $25,500.

The BOS recipients are:

Buona ($5,000 + $500)
Clarke ($5,000 + $500)
Delgaudio ($2,500 this year)
Letourneau ($2,500 + $3,000)
Volpe ($5,500)


$25,500 $24,500 to five Supervisor candidates, including one scheduled to vote on OpenBand in less than 2 weeks. The rest, if they win, will almost certainly vote on OpenBand during their tenure.

MC Dean and Bill Dean together make the largest contributor to the Loudoun Board of Supervisors races.


What are they hoping to get for their money?

*Not counting money to Opportunity Virginia PAC and Va Rep - Senate Caucus.

 [UPDATE #1: James Brabham, an executive at MC Dean, donated $500 each to Buona, Clarke, Letourneau, and Volpe. (Norman) Douglas Cumins, another executive at MC Dean gave $250 each to Buona, Clarke, and Volpe.
So, their totals from MC Dean etal this year are:
Buona ($5,000 + $500 + $500 + $250) = $6250
Clarke ($5,000 + $500 + $500 + $250) = $6250
Delgaudio ($2,500 this year)
Letourneau ($2,500 + $3,000 + $500) = $6000
Volpe ($5,500 + $500 + $250) = $6250

Which brings the total for BOS candidates alone to $27,250. VPAP doesn't have searches by employer, so all I've got to go on is donations from people I know are employed by MC Dean. If you know of others, please let me know and I'll add them.]

BOS Dulles: Candidates Answers on Metro (UPDATED)

[Updated because Matt Letourneau asked me to fix a typo]


Matt Letourneau (R)

Liz,
At long last my blog entry is up on my site:

http://matt2011.com/home/index.php?option=com_lyftenbloggie&view=entry&year=2011&month=09&day=14&id=7%3Awhere-i-stand-on-metro&Itemid=214

Its rather long, so you may not want to post the whole thing on your site.  However, if you wish to, you have my permission to do so.

Larry Roeder (D)

I definitely am in favor of the METRO project, which is certain to bring jobs to Loudoun, help our commerce bottom line and enhance e-w commuters. What horrifies me is that this project has taken so long and that some Supervisors like Mr. Delgaudio are fighting it. Like everyone, I want the price tag to be realistic; but not on the backs of working men and women from the Unions. The Republican Party in Loudoun, Richmond and Washington is trying to break the Unions, making a war on the Middle Class. We can’t allow them to win. As a full-time Supervisor, I will draw on my over 35 years experience in economic-development (my opponent has none) to advance the Metro project with all stakeholders every day, and also engage progressive investors. Please support all Democratic Candidates for Supervisor and make a $100 contribution today using ACTBLUE.

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?

Cliff Keirce, Andrea McGimsey, the Hatch Act, and you

Cliff Keirce, who has been a friend of the family since we moved into the Broadlands, has announced a run as an Independent candidate for Supervisor for the new Broad Run district.

Cliff is a widely known, very popular, well-liked, hugely qualified candidate for this office. He's been Stevens's Planning Commissioner for the last couple of years. Before that, he was on the Facilities Standards Manual Public Review Committee, all while serving on the Broadlands HOA (including as President) and the Loudoun Library Foundation Board. His wife and his children are wonderful people, and he and his family are seriously committed to serving the community.

The Hatch Act makes it impossible for him to run for a party nomination, but an Independent label suits Cliff better than either party label anyway.

Cliff is, by all measures, a terrific candidate and deserves to have the unqualified support of all who know him.

Meanwhile, Andrea McGimsey, current Potomac Supervisor, is also in the new Broad Run district and has announced that she is going to run for reelection. I agree with Andrea on most issues, she's been a phenomenal advocate for making Loudoun an environmentally responsible locality and her work on that topic has helped Loudoun win awards for energy efficient policies. She's kept her campaign promises to be a proponent of slow-growth and sustainable policies.

Andrea has earned the trust and admiration of many in Loudoun for her strong and outspoken advocacy of many issues. She's a popular and welcomed figure in Democratic and environmental circles and she has done outstanding work in many areas. She has been a good friend to the Community Services Board* and Loudoun Abused Women's Shelter**, as well as many other organizations of which I am fond. Just like Cliff, she deserves to have the unqualified support of all who know her.

And there's the problem. They are both running for the same seat on the Board of Supervisors, and as much I want them both on the board, we can only pick one.

(Before I start discussing the choice ahead, I would like to point out that in the HOA 4 plan, Andrea and Cliff were not drawn into the same district. Actually, they weren't drawn in together under any of the plans Stevens backed. So the very fact that voters are in a position of having to make this particular choice is pissing me off.)

Now, for the race itself:
First is the fact that this is going to be a 3-way race. Members of either party committee who think that Cliff would be a terrific candidate are in a bind, since it looks like both parties are going to have an official nominee. Members of the LCDC have pledged to help get Democratic candidates elected and pledged not to work against a Democratic candidate in a race where there is one. If there isn't one, LCDC members are  free to back whichever other candidate they choose. I'm assuming the situation is the same for those in the LCRC.

This means that I, like others on the LCDC who live in the new Broad Run, have three choices in this election:

1. Back Andrea
2. Leave the LCDC to back Cliff or
3. Sit down and shut up.

Now, if it weren't for the Hatch Act, Dems could say to Cliff, make a stand: Join the Dems. But that position is closed off to him by law and it's unfair to ask him.

Second, is the political reality of the new district. I can't speak to the politics of the other areas in the new Broad Run, but I CAN speak to the politics of the Broadlands. The people in Broadlands like to vote for the moderate. They don't like mean-spirited politicians: they didn't like Dick Black or Steve Snow and were ready to vote for reasonable Democrats to get rid of them. But, given a seemingly reasonable moderate Republican or, for preference, an Independent, they'll vote for that person over a Democratic candidate (see the Poisson/Greason election). Cliff Keirce has been elected, and re-elected, and re-re-elected to the HOA board in the Broadlands. The residents know him, like him, and expect him to be reasonable and a good advocate. People who have opposed him on various issues respect him and consider him fair-minded, even when they disagree with him vehemently. All of which is to say that I think that Cliff can win the Broadlands, no matter whether he runs in a 3-way race or a 2-way race.

If Cliff were not in the race, I think the Broadlands would vote for Shawn Williams, unless Andrea can make a big enough stink about him being a Dick Black fan. The residents of the Broadlands don't want to be preached to by either side of the political spectrum. They're proud to live in a community with lots of environmentally-friendly features, but that doesn't mean they want to see any clothes-lines or compost piles. They may or may not care a great deal about social issues, regardless, they don't want the people representing them to be rabid about such issues either.

(Please note I am speaking in generalities here, each resident of the Broadlands is an individual and this generalization will not apply to all those individuals).

It is my opinion that if a candidate wins the Broadlands, they will win the new Broad Run.

Third, what can the opposition use? For the last several months Andrea has said many times from the dais, that her full-time job as the Executive Director for Oatlands makes it difficult for her to attend daytime BOS meetings, or to be prepared for the ones she attends. It makes her sound like she can't maintain the effort needed to stay on top of her committments. I think an opponent could use those statements to ask why she's running for a second term if she's finding it hard to keep up.

Against Cliff is the fact that he was a vocal proponent of the hospital in the Broadlands (which actually will be viewed positively in many quarters), and is a high-order nerd (collecting comic books and signed first editions - much like me, actually). He has large presence online and in the local papers, and that's always dangerous for a candidate who doesn't want his words used against him. His clothing sense is questionable (while I might see it as plus, I'm not sure if voters are going to welcome a guy knocking on their door in a Thor's Mighty Hammer t-shirt).

I wish I didn't have to choose between two terrific candidates. I wish that it were a 2-way race between one of these two great candidates and the LCRC's candidate. And it's my guess that there are many people who consider themselves Democrats who are feeling the same way today.

It's not my way to sit down and shut up, so I only have two choices. Stay with the LCDC and back Andrea, or leave the LCDC and back Cliff. I've never worked against a Democratic candidate before, nor have I ever worked against the person I thought was the better candidate. I've always felt that the Democratic candidate, if there was one in the race, was the better candidate, which is why I'm a member of the LCDC in the first place. But what if a committed Dem thinks that Cliff is the better candidate? For that matter, what if a Republican does?

What are your thoughts?

*I'm a member of the Board of the CSB.
**I did an internship with LAWS.

Dear Anonymous

The answer to your question is, "No."

No, I will not primary Andrea McGimsey. I truly understand the anger and frustration behind the question, but I believe that she has been a very good supervisor, this one decision notwithstanding. Disagreement on one issue isn't a good enough reason to primary an incumbent, when she's done a good job on so many other issues.

I do wish she would change her mind on this one topic (and I wish she took a stronger position on Choice, but that's just me), but I will not run for her seat (or any other) this year.

There is still time for her to change her mind on the districts, see Stevens's blog for more info about that.

Expanding on my comments

Paradox13 put up a post about the redistricting over at Loudoun Progress. And I made a couple of comments there, which I'm going to expand on here.

Stevens disagrees with me on a lot of what I'm about to say, but this is my blog, my opinion, and here it goes.

I don't care one iota if there is one Western district or two. I think having an HOA or a town kept entirely in one district is a fine desire, but not something that ends up mattering a whole lot on election day. I do think that it matters if a district is contiguous. I do think it matters if you have to leave the district to reach another part of it, but ultimately, I think that there are many ways to split up Loudoun relatively equitably and Miller 5 (unamended) and HOA 4 were two of them.

I've said before that I am partisan only inasmuch as the Democratic party is the party that has, as part of its platform, a pledge (among other things) to protect the rights of women, minorities, LGBT, and people with disabilities.

In this county, we have an elected official whose day job it is to fight against the right of people who are gay.

There was one and only one partisan piece of redistricting that was included in both Miller 5 (unamended) and HOA 4. That piece was including MY precinct, Oak Grove, with Delgaudio's district.

And Sally Kurtz amended it into Andrea McGimsey's district.

Which is so phenomenally stupid that I am flabbergasted that Mike Turner is crowing about it.


Oak Grove has a net 100 reliable Democrats. Delgaudio won last time by 200 votes. Oak Grove was the keystone in the plan to get Delgaudio booted out this November. And the beauty of it was, it wasn't gerrymandering, because Oak Grove BELONGS in Sterling. It is otherwise isolated from the rest of the county. There was no way for Delgaudio to complain about it. It was natural to join it in. OF COURSE it should be joined in.


Now, instead of making the demise of Delgaudio's Board tenure a sure thing, Oak Grove is merely there to increase McGimsey's win margin, in an obvious bit of gerrymandering to pull us into her district.

I really like Andrea. I think she's been a good Supervisor. But if this bit of redistricting sends Delgaudio back to the Board next year (especially if he wins by less than 100 votes), I will never forget that it was she, and Mike Turner, and Sally Kurtz, and Kelly Burk, and Susan Buckley, and Jim Burton who made this happen.

And I will make sure that everyone, everywhere, who has ever heard of Delgaudio knows EXACTLY whose fault it is if he wins.

It's getting easier to be green

Up until last November, neither of our cars were terribly efficient. I had a 2002 Kia Sedona, he had a 1997 Jeep Wrangler. Both were bought used. The Kia was bought when our son still had a lot of equipment to haul around.

We were thinking about getting more efficient vehicles, but you know what the greenest car is? One that you already have that's in working condition. So we waited...and we dreamed of better than 20 miles to the gallon.

Then I was in a collision, and the Kia was replaced with a 1998 Toyota Camry. People, I regularly get over 30 miles to the gallon in that puppy, just tootling back and forth from work!

And then we had to replace the Jeep. This past weekend, we got a 2002 Honda Civic. It's even more efficient than the Toyota! Plus I work just a few miles from home! This is so exciting!!! Just as Big Oil is taking advantage of unrest in the Middle East to gouge consumers, we're thumbing our noses at them and benefiting local businesses at the same time!!

The Toyota was purchased at Lindsay Volkswagen. We went back to them last week, but they didn't have anything in our price range this time (though they had a sweet red Mini Cooper), so we got the Honda from Honda of Dulles. We had a great experience at each of their stores, and I've recommended them to friends. If you're in the market for a car, you really could not do better than to shop at either of their stores --- and they're even in our district!

Farmers Market Round Up

It was a fun time, but short. The Ashburn Farmers market is open from 8 to noon Saturdays. Produce, eggs, meat, DELICIOUS cupcakes (also available at a kiosk in Dulles Town Center), beautiful breads and pies.

I saw a woman who was toting a Chico bag, and complimented her on it.

Had several great conversations - with vendors, with shoppers, and with Catherine.

There wasn't much of a crowd there, so from a leafleting POV, Leesburg's market is a better bet, but the people were great.

On my way to hand out lit with Catherine Barnett

At the Ashburn Farmers Market!! It's on the corner of Farmwell and Ashburn Village, behind the Fuddrucker's.

Come by and say hi!

Walking through Wegmans

One of the things I love about Loudoun County is that you can't go shopping at Wegmans without seeing at least one person you know.

This last time, it was two members of teh Spouse's campaign for delegate, who now work for Jeff Barnett; and a recently retired member of the CSB.

Everytime we go, we see colleagues and neighbors and folks we know from our son's school or daycare. Most of the people we see, we'd know even if we weren't quite so involved in community affairs, but it's one of those things that makes me feel that this is a community worth being involved in.

Because you just can't go to Wegmans without seeing people you know.

Interview with Stevens up on The Leader

(via The Blue Ridge Leader)

Information on the RPA and the RPA Screening Area (from my post at Loudoun Progress)

It's clear from last night's Monday's Public Hearing on the RPA, and from the mail traffic I've been getting, that there's been a lack of clarity on the RPA and especially on the RPA Screening Area.

FACT: If you are in the RPA Screening Area and the PROJECT (deck, swingset, patio, vegetable garden) you want to complete is LESS THAN 2500 square feet in area, then you are cool.
You don't have to ask permission beyond what the county (or your HOA) already requires or do water testing or anything.

FACT: This means that the only folks who have to worry about whether they are in the RPA Screening Area, are landowners with Huge Tracts of Land that are looking to subdivide or build homes or large shopping areas. In which case, the $3400 fee for doing the testing is a small percentage of the price and is a cost of doing business.

QUESTION: So, who has a vested interest in sending out panicky emails to homeowners in Broadlands, Brambleton, Sterling, and other well-built-out areas of the county where the average size of a project is 240 square feet? Couldn't be builders and realtors? Could it?

FACT: The bulk of Eugene Delgaudio's campaign money comes from realtors and builders

FACT: Donny Ferguson, who wrote that Western Traditions blog post, is a former Eugene Delgaudio aide.


Here is a picture of a map overlaid with the RPA:



And here is a picture of the same map overlaid with the RPA Screening Area:



How do you find out if you are either area?

1. GO HERE: http://gisinter1.loudoun.gov/weblogis/agree.htm.


2. Click on Yes, and then click on the tab marked "Search".


3. Enter your address (it works best if you enter as little as possible - house number and first part of your street name).


4. Click Submit. Then click Map It on the linked list the site gives you.


5. Now click on the Map Layers tab in the new window.


6. Click on the drop-down box under "Layer Groups" and select "Environmental".


7. Now select the select "Draft RPA Screening Tool" and scroll down to click apply. If there is no beige on your site, you're not in that area.


8. Now, unselect that option and select "Draft Chesapeake Bay Area" and scroll down to click "apply" to see if you are in the RPA.
   If your site doesn't have any green in it? You're good.

If there is any brown on your site and you are doing a project that disturbs less than 2500 sq ft, this document says that you are okay.

If you are within the green area, then you'll need permission to do your project.