Reston Association announced its Elections Committee certified five candidates to run for the five open seats on its Board of Directors this year. The five seats are uncontested. RA states members are urged to vote, as a quorum of 10 percent of eligible voters needs to be reached to make the election results official. Association members will receive ballots before the voting period begins. Voting runs from March 4 -April 1.
The following candidates are running:
At-Large, 3-year term: Tom Mulkerin
Apartment Owners, 1-year term: Catherine Baum
Hunters Woods/Dogwood, 1-year term: Caren Anton
North Point, 3-year term: John Mooney
Lake Anne/Tall Oaks, 3-year term: Aaron Webb
One-year terms are due to prior mid-term resignations and the appointment of interim replacements in 2018.
According to RA, each candidate completed the Reston Association 2019 Board of Directors Election Statement of Candidacy. The Statements will be sent to all eligible RA voters along with an official ballot.These are the questions Reston Association presented to the candidates:
A. Qualifications: What skills, experiences and attributes would make you a good RA Board member? In your response, please address your experiences with: (a) Reston Association; (b) other corporate or nonprofit boards; and/or other volunteer activities (Maximum 150 words)
B. Goals: What would be your goals as Reston Association Director? (Maximum 150 words)
Responses are printed as provided.
Caren Anton, RA Board of Directors candidate for Hunters Woods/Dogwood District (1-year term), 11714 Dry River Court, Reston, (703) 282-0896, Caren.anton@gmail.com
Qualifications:
I have lived in the Hunters Woods/Dogwood District for 30 years. I am semi-retired from my own Reston-based accounting business and now am happy to turn my focus to serving my community on a larger scale.
RA Experience:
Current Hunters Woods/Dogwood District Director (appointed in May 2018); Board liaison to the 55+ Advisory Committee; member of the Board Governance Committee; served 4 1/2 years on the Elections Committee, including one year as chair, gaining an extensive understanding of RA's elections process.
I have a first-hand knowledge of the working of RA, the Board and its relationship to staff, members and County Officials.
I am an active user of RA's recreational facilities, including playing tennis on most courts and walking almost all of our trails and pathways.
I am active in community affairs and for years have volunteered at community events, such as emceeing at the Reston Multicultural Festival.
Goals:
As Hunters Woods/Dogwood District Director, I will continue to:
· Raise the profile of the District to ensure the Association is aware of its Members’ needs and expectation and find better ways to engage with more of the most economically and culturally diverse population in RA.
· Advocate for fiscal responsibility and transparency.
· Maintain our aging facilities and infrastructure at a level that serves our Members.
· Develop more opportunities for Restonians to age in place.
· Investigate non-assessment revenue opportunities to help stabilize assessment rates.
· Encourage civil discourse with County officials regarding Members' concerns about overdevelopment and fears of losing what is unique about Reston.
· Work with Hunters Woods Village Center owner and property manager to ensure Reston standards are met.
· Participate in the existing partnership with local law enforcement to work towards crime prevention.
· Advocate for the Sunrise Valley Wetland to remain open space and be adequately maintained.
Aaron Webb, RA Board of Directors candidate for Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District (3-year term) 11401 Hook Road, Reston (703) 829-0752, aaron4reston@gmail.com
Qualifications:
Serving on the Lakeside Cluster board as its president allowed me to become skilled at hearing all viewpoints and helping the board find the appropriate balance for the community. Raising our four children in Reston for the last twelve years has given my wife and I many opportunities to work together with our fellow Restonians. I have developed an understanding of the goals, dreams, and aspirations of the members of our community, being entrusted with the financial operations of my local church congregation. I have a deep sense of respect and desire to protect entrusted funds and ensure that there is no waste or abuse. Working as the director of engineering at a Reston-based corporation managing design, testing, and manufacture of complex medical equipment, I gained experience at collecting requirements, weighing alternatives, and selecting the advantageous solutions to a challenge.
Goals:
My overarching goal is to contribute to the wonderful place that is Reston. I will serve thoughtfully. I will strive to ensure that the perspectives of all members of our community are considered in the business that the board conducts from mundane to far-reaching decisions. I will serve with a smile. I want to make sure that our board continues to be friendly and approachable. I will help lead our community in comradery and unity. I will keep Reston, Reston.
Tom Mulkerin, RA Board of Directors candidate for At-Large (3-year term), 2030 Lakewinds Drive, Reston (703) 463-1713, TomMulkerin@gmail.com
Qualifications:
I love Reston and I care about its future. Reston Association (RA) is vital to Reston. In 1990, my fiancé and I bought our first home at Harbor Point Condominiums, becoming RA members. While serving on the board of Lakewinds II Cluster Association over the past ten years, I have learned firsthand how RA supports our cluster and maintains our community. As a Residential Real Estate agent, I have learned how RA affects my clients, whether they are buying, renting or selling, in Reston. I will bring my personal and professional experiences to RA, and do my part to ensure its effective functioning for, and positive impact on Reston. As a lakefront property owner, A Realtor who works at home, and a community volunteer, I am joyfully participating in the Vision of RA: Live, Work, Play and Get Involved in Reston.
Goals:
Living and working in Reston is a privilege. I want all RA members to enjoy a high quality of life! While obtaining signatures for my Election petition, I heard a sampling of concerns on the minds of RA members. Listening, and then bringing those voices to my fellow Board members, is a priority. Fellow members' concerns must be kept at the forefront as RA addresses population density, infrastructure, maintenance, and protecting the quality of our natural resources, to name just a few of our shared challenges. I pledge to serve my fellow members with honesty and transparency. I will have a positive impact on RA because I will follow through my belief in service. I will bring my genuine desire to help and my uniquely sensitive approach to reaching positive outcomes to the process of the ultimate goal for all: advancing RA's mission of preserving and enhancing our community.
John Mooney, RA Board of Directors candidate for North Point District (3-year term), 1400 Church Hill Place, Reston, (703) 477- 8460, jrmooney7@gmail.com
Qualifications:
· Two years on the Reston Association Board of Directors (2017-present), serving as RA Secretary this past year. My focus has been on budget, governance, and defending RA against excessive development pressure from Fairfax County and some developers.
· Seven years as assistant county manager in Arlington County, with seven more as department director, plus ten years of local-government management experience in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
· Strong skills in negotiations, consensus-building, analyzing complex issues, strategic planning, and operating and capital budgets.
· Have worked on and for boards of directors in both government and not-for-profit organizations.
· Eleven years of volunteer human-development work locally and in Nicaragua.
· A grateful guy who enjoys working with others for a larger purpose.
Goals:
· Continue resisting the County's proposed PRC zoning ordinance amendment that would permit excessive development without the infrastructure to support it.
· Resist all expansionist developments in the residential areas of Reston, like the massive redevelopment of St. Johns Wood, that conflict with the Reston vision and the Resto Master Plan.
· Model and encourage transparency, civility, and accountability in all Reston deliberation, communications, and actions.
· Collaborate with RA staff, Design Review Board, homeowners' associations, and concerned individual members to make the RA covenants system work better for all.
· Help bring to completion of the draft conflict of interest statement and code of ethics for the Board of Directors.
· Better involve RA members and homeowners' associations in critical RA decision making.
· Work for an annual RA budget that achieves the highest possible value for RA members-excellent priority services at the lowest possible cost, affordable for RA and its members.
Catherine Baum, RA Board of Directors candidate for Apartment Owners Director (1-year term) 11318 South Shore Rd., Reston (703) 787-6743 (h); (202) 957-3725 (c), baumca@comcast.net
Qualifications:
· Retired real estate executive with more than 30 years experience (Div. Pres Drees Co, EVP Stanley Martin Cos)
· Graduate of Leadership Fairfax
· Served on Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and George Mason University Libraries Advisory Board
· Past President Reston Board of Commerce
· Served as District representative to Fairfax Co. Commission Women and Human Relations Advisory Board
· Past President Reston Board of Commerce
· Served as District representative to Fairfax Co. Commission on Women and Human Relations Advisory Committee of Fairfax County School Board
Goals:
· Assist on-boarding of new CEO particularly toward raising non-assessment revenue to contain assessments
· Continue service on lease committee to re-negotiate lease to more favorable terms or assist in finding new headquarters for 2020
· Improve communication to tenants re: pool/tennis/recreational venues and access
· Assist Board members in evaluating the reserve study due mid- 2019