July 26, 2002
On behalf of the entire community, I would like to welcome you to the Town of Herndon. Herndon is a town where life-long and new residents alike feel "at home." Citizens enjoy a sense of belonging, history, and place. We are a town where people have fun together, where visitors and travelers love to stay, and where citizens are proud to call their hometown. I encourage you to get to know your hometown, take the opportunity to enjoy all the special events and activities, and get involved in your town.
Herndon offers a unique quality of life due to our volunteerism. I am proud of our many civic organizations and recreational amenities. I strongly support the activities and spirit of volunteerism that strengthens Herndon sense of place and belonging. The benefits of being a town include the ability to control our own values and vision.
I am very excited about future developments in the downtown. For more than two decades, efforts have been ongoing to create a quality urban core in our downtown to attract people into the downtown setting, for retail, recreation, and restaurants. The recently approved Fortnightly assemblage in the downtown helps us reach that goal. Another vision, the proposed Cultural Arts Center, will foster an exciting opportunity for a wide variety of cultural activities and togetherness.
During the next two years, I plan to work with council to develop a new strategic land use plan for 2025 to preserve our historic heritage, the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and to ensure quality redevelopment and infill. I will ensure that our town continues to put the needs of citizens first, to optimize resources, improve performance, and to deliver services above and beyond efforts anywhere in Northern Virginia. In these economic times, we need to ensure fiscal accountability and spend out dollars wisely.
I am committed to protecting the health and welfare of our neighborhoods to include retaining property values, as well as peace and safety. Current neighborhood strategies reinforced by new ordinances and infrastructure improvements, such as the reconstruction upgrade of Alabama Drive, can make a big difference. support an inclusive outreach program with more grassroots involvement of the mayor and council to work with residents of individual neighborhoods.
I enjoy meeting citizens. Feel free to contact me anytime.
Sincerely,
Richard C. Thoesen, Mayor
rick.thoesen@town.herndon.va.us
703-435-6804