2019 Reston Association Board Election: Meet Tom Mulkerin

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This is the last candidate profile.

Featured here is Tom Mulkerin, who is running unopposed for a three-year-term At-Large seat.  

With the exception of minor formatting edits, the Q&A candidate profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. 

How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?

I have lived in Reston for almost 29 years. My wife, Ruth, and I purchased our first home — a condo at Harbor Court. One day while driving in Reston on a sales call, I saw people boating on Lake Thoreau. It was love at first sight. Thankfully, I chose well. We fell in love with Lake Thoreau. After six years at Harbor Court, we moved a half mile around the lake to a townhouse in the Lakewinds II cluster, and we’ve been there ever since.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

I was inspired to run for the board by my sincere desire to be more involved in my community. I’ve spent over half my life in Reston, and I don’t anticipate ever leaving. I truly love Reston and want to have a say in the protection of its greatness.

Every day, multiple times a day, I am out and about with my dog, Franz. We are blessed to have it all in Reston — woods, trails, open space, lakes and a grocery store that meets everyone’s needs, to say the least. I witness and appreciate the impact RA has on our town. I want to better understand the challenges we, as a community, face, and to be part of the positive solutions residents should expect from RA. Reston is a special place, and I want to contribute to keeping it that way.

What is an example of an issue or subject that you believe the board has handled well?

RA’s support of Rescue Reston was obviously critical. The idea of a park in place of the golf course sounds great if you’re one of the homes facing the park; however, if you’re one of the homes facing new a development, that’s not so great.

I can’t imagine losing my view of Lake Thoreau to commercial development. I’ve also been impressed with the RA’s attention to stabilizing our annual assessment. I’ve actually experienced a rate decrease during my 29 years in Reston. I realize that won’t always be the case, but this is something that personally affects every Reston household and must be carefully managed with transparency.

What are the three biggest concerns facing Reston that you want to tackle?

My biggest concerns are:

• updating roads and infrastructure to better serve Reston’s growing population
• responsibly managing Reston’s natural resources (lakes, trails and streams)
• maintaining and improving existing RA recreational facilities (pools and tennis courts)

How would you address those issues using your prior personal or professional experience?

As one of the new members on the board, it will initially be my job to listen, learn and work as part of a team. As a real estate agent, I must work with multiple parties to bring a transaction to a successful closing. I will use these same skills on the much broader challenges facing RA.

Working with the public requires a sensitive approach, and I have a good reputation when it comes to listening to all sides and working towards balanced solutions that benefit everyone. As I previously said, I live on Lake Thoreau, so I have been personally affected by RA decisions related to water quality, boat restrictions and design review.

I have also volunteered for more than 10 years on the Lakewinds II cluster Board, so I’m experienced with the issues facing our local clusters and their relationship to RA. I’ve worked with my neighbors to peacefully end disputes, and I know the challenge of fiscal responsibility while managing an association’s budget. This is a volunteer position, and I’m willing to put in the work on behalf of my fellow citizens.

You can read Mulkerin’s election statement of candidacy here. 

Photo via Reston Association