After several months of fighting the county on a controversial zoning proposal, outgoing Board of Directors President Andy Sigle said he expects the Reston Association will keep tackling development and density issues in the future.

“A hot topic for Reston over the last several years and one that will continue into our future is development,” Sigle said, adding that the RA board and staff worked with community organizations to “protect the ‘planned’ part of our Planned Residential Community (PRC) designation.”

In March, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to “indefinitely defer” the consideration of the proposed zoning amendment that would have increased the maximum allowed population per acre in the PRC district — Reston’s primary zoning district.

“The board and RA staff will continue to monitor this as density issues resurface in the future,” Sigle said.

Looking back at accomplishments over the past year, Sigle highlighted the following:

• renovation of the Central Services Facility
• hiring a new chief executive officer
• capital improvement projects, including interior renovations to the Glade Room, tennis court refurbishments, Lake Thoreau dredging, ADA-improvements to Nature House
• a “realistic” budget with a small assessment increase

Last night’s meeting was the 50th anniversary of Reston Association’s first Annual Members’ Meeting. The meeting serves to update RA members on the state of the association, unveil the election results for the Board of Directors and receive member comments.

Election Committee Chair Ed Abbott announced the election results for the Board of Directors. “This year we saw a 14 percent turnout for Reston generally and even higher turnout in some districts,” Abbott said.

Here are the results:

• At-Large, 3-year term: Tom Mulkerin won with 5,040 votes
• Apartment Owners, 1-year term: Catherine Baum won with 1,563 votes
• Hunters Woods/Dogwood, 1-year term: Caren Anton won with 1,101 votes
• North Point, 3-year term: John Mooney won with 1,486 votes
• Lake Anne/Tall Oaks, 3-year term: Aaron Webb won with 1,156 votes

The new RA board will hold its first monthly meeting tonight (April 10) at RA headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive).

Photos via YouTube

Needle felting — From 7-9 p.m. participants can learn how to make creations through needle felting, which involves poking gathered wool with a special barbed needle. Andrew Black, a Reston resident and artist, will lead the workshop. [ArtSpace Herndon]

RA election results — The Annual Members’ Meeting from 7-9 p.m. at the Reston Association’s headquarters will include the election results for the Board of Directors and update members on new initiatives, programs and opportunities. The meeting will be live-streamed on YouTube. [YouTube]

Development size ranking — The Washington Business Journal has compiled square footage numbers for developments in the D.C. area. Based on metro-area square footage under construction, Orr Partners of Reston nabbed fifth place at 2.75 million square feet, and The Ardent Company of Reston ranked 11th at 1.93 million. [Washington Business Journal]

With the Reston Association’s voting deadline less than one week away, Reston Now has the latest update on the Board of Directors’ election.

The five uncontested seats each need to reach a quorum of 10 percent of eligible voters to make the election results official.

Here are the percentages of the returned votes for the third week of voting:

• At Large: 9.80 percent
• Hunters Woods/Dogwood: 8.23 percent
• Lake Anne/Tall Oaks: 8.47 percent
• North Point: 11.68 percent

The received ballots include 1,282 ones submitted electronically and 888 paper ones.

The deadline was extended from April 1 to April 3 after the association found out that a technical issue caused approximately 2,800 paper ballots to be returned as undeliverable.

Results of the election will be announced at the Annual Members’ Meeting on April 9.

The Reston Association is giving Restonians a few extra days to vote in the Board of Directors’ election after a technical issue caused approximately 2,800 paper ballots to be returned to RA as undeliverable.

The RA Elections Committee became aware of the issue last Friday (March 15), RA said in a press release yesterday (March 20).

The association then told Intelliscan, an independent vendor that provides election and survey services, to resend the ballots to the correct addresses and extend the voting period to 5 p.m. on April 3.

“The original deadline of April 1 was changed in order to accommodate some voters who did not receive their ballots when expected earlier this month,” the press release says.

The five uncontested seats each need to reach a quorum of 10 percent of eligible voters to make the election results official.

Three candidates are incumbents:

• Catherine Baum for a one-year term as the Apartment Owners Representative
• Caren Anton for a one-year term as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood Representative
• John Mooney for a three-year term as the North Point Representative

Tom Mulkerin, a residential real estate agent who has served on the board of the Lakewinds II Cluster Association, is running for a three-year-term At-Large seat.

Aaron Webb, who has served on the board of the Lakeside Cluster, is running for a three-year term for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks Representative, which is currently filled by Sherri Herbert.

Results of the election will be announced at the Annual Members’ Meeting on April 9.

(Updated at 9:50 a.m.) The Reston Association recently released the results of the first two weeks of the Board of Directors elections, which are currently in progress until April 1.

Here are the percentages of the returned votes for the first two weeks:

• At Large: 6.38 percent
• Hunters Woods/Dogwood: 5.23 percent
• Lake Anne/Tall Oaks: 5.32 percent
• North Point: 7.64 percent

“Although this year’s five seats are uncontested, a quorum of 10 percent of eligible voters needs to be reached to make the election results official, so it’s important that all members vote,” Mike Leone, RA’s director of communications and community engagement, told Reston Now.

The received ballots include 984 ones submitted electronically and 425 paper ones.

Leone said that he was not surprised by the results so far. “Week one and two results represent mostly those members who cast their vote electronically. Over the next few weeks we will also see paper ballots returned along with more electronic votes,” he said.

Three candidates are incumbents:

• Catherine Baum for a one-year term as the Apartment Owners Representative
• Caren Anton for a one-year term as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood Representative
• John Mooney for a three-year term as the North Point Representative

Tom Mulkerin, a residential real estate agent who has served on the board of the Lakewinds II Cluster Association, is running for a three-year-term At-Large seat.

Aaron Webb, who has served on the board of the Lakeside Cluster, is running for a three-year term for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks Representative, which is currently filled by Sherri Herbert.

The results will get announced at the Annual Members’ Meeting in April.

Voting for Reston Association’s elections begins today for five uncontested seats on the Board of Directors.

Three candidates are incumbents:

• Catherine Baum for a one-year term as the Apartment Owners Representative
• Caren Anton for a one-year term as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood Representative
• John Mooney for a three-year term as the North Point Representative

Tom Mulkerin, a residential real estate agent who has served on the board of the Lakewinds II Cluster Association, is running for a three-year-term At-Large seat.

Aaron Webb, who has served on the board of the Lakeside Cluster, is running for a three-year term for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks Representative, which is currently filled by Sherri Herbert.

Mooney, Mulkerin, Webb and Anton participated in a candidates’ forum last week where they responded to questions about resource management, Reston’s density cap, the board’s authority and community outreach.

At least 10 percent of eligible voters are needed to make the results official.

The month-long voting period ends on April 1. The results will get announced at the Annual Members’ Meeting in April.

Photos courtesy Reston Association

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

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This week, we will continue posting profiles on each of the candidates.

Featured here is Caren Anton, who is running unopposed for re-election to a one-year term as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood Representative. 

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 moved to Reston in 1989. My then husband and I had been living in Burke since 1983, and we wanted to relocate. We were familiar with Reston through involvement in theater programs at the Reston Community Center and were attracted to its beauty, diversity and strong sense of community. We also found that we had a wide variety of affordable housing options to choose from here. I am still living in the townhouse we bought.

What inspired you to run for the board?  

When the Hunters Woods/Dogwood seat became available last April, I decided to apply for the board appointment to fill the vacancy until the next election cycle. I was just completing my term on the Elections Committee, where I served as chair the last year. I felt that serving on the board was a good next step for me.

Also, it’s no secret that the board and RA were in a state of flux, and I was interested in being involved in helping to “steady the ship.”  Now with one year remaining on the three-year term, I want to continue the work I have begun to better serve the members. I am also very much looking forward to working with our new chief executive officer.

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

I am proud to have been a part of the process that resulted in our hiring of Hank Lynch as RA’s new CEO. Under the leadership of President Andy Sigle and the board’s search committee, a series of interviews was professionally conducted and yielded an outstanding, successful candidate.

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

A big issue on the minds of many members is the fear of overdevelopment. The addition of Metro Reston has changed Reston and will continue to do so. It will no longer be the place it was 50 years ago, which I view as not all bad. Growth is inevitable and exciting. We just need to make sure we retain what is unique about us.

RA and various citizen groups continue to voice these concerns to Fairfax County and, fortunately, are being heard. Among many other serious concerns that need attention are inefficient covenants and Design Review Board operations and procedures that create dissatisfaction and frustration in our members. We also need to address our aging infrastructure and facilities.

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

Each director brings his or her unique strengths and experiences to the table. My “right brain/left brain” approach stems from my background as both an accounting and performing arts professional. In both of my careers, I have learned to interact closely with a wide variety of personalities in often stressful situations. I consider myself a keen observer of people, and I thrive on grassroots level engagement to gather information to assess the needs and expectations of the members.

I’m a you-can-catch more-flies with-honey-than-with-vinegar type of person, and I believe making any gains towards problem-solving will require healthy, civil interaction with my fellow board members, the Reston Association’s executives, the staff and the county.

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

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This week, we will continue posting profiles on each of the candidates.

Featured here is John Mooney, who is running unopposed for re-election to a three-year term as the North Point Representative. 

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?

Susan and I bought our Hampton Pointe condo in March 2016. As we two newlyweds looked for a new home, urban and typical suburban settings couldn’t satisfy her soul. We looked all over northern Virginia. She kept saying, “I think I need to live in Reston.”

We love Reston’s trees and trails and bike paths, the proximity of the wooded residential neighborhoods to Reston Town Center and it’s easy to access to the D.C. region. We fell in love with Bob Simon’s vision for Reston — an open and diverse community that strives for harmony at so many levels. We love how dedicated Restonians have preserved so much of that vision.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

Running for the board was the furthest thing from my mind when we bought our condo. It was the awareness that Simon’s vision was challenged today — and that my 27 years in local-government management could help RA face that challenge — that changed my mind.

The wake-up call was the proposed monster redevelopment of St. Johns Wood Apartments right in our neighborhood. In June 2016 we joined a small leadership team that had formed around the online petition opposing the project, which made me aware of other challenges facing Reston. Running for the Board made sense.

The reason I’m running again is to help Reston transition on some important issues, such as offering support and guidance to our wonderful new Chief Executive Officer Hank Lynch, who I believe will help us see with fresh eyes how Reston must improve. I support an evidence-based examination of how RA can best serve its members in its programs and in its covenants responsibilities — something Hank wants to pursue vigorously.

I also will ensure that development issues, whether a Planned Residential Community (PRC) ordinance amendment or individual development and re-development projects, support rather than undermine the Reston vision. I also want to see the revision of key governance documents, like the Conflict of Interest policy and Board Code of Ethics, completed.

Finally, I will help develop wise financial plans for RA so that we can provide excellent priority services at the lowest possible cost, sustainably affordable for RA and its members. This year, the focus will be on the first year of our biennial 2020-2021 budget and on our critical 2019 Reserve Study, which is meant to ensure the proper planning and financing of all of RA’s physical assets in a way consistent with the program needs of our members.

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

I’d highlight two things. First, the way RA partnered with the Coalition for a Planned Reston (Reston Citizens Association, Reston 20/20, and Reclaim Reston) to resist the unwarranted and harmful increase in the density cap of Reston’s Planned Residential Community district.

Second, the board’s choice for our new CEO. He listens and observes very well. He’s very experienced in managing non-profits. He’s intent on helping the board improve the RA experience of our members. I believe he has the smarts, wisdom, and courage to help lead sound change.

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

I listed five above, all of which I intend to collaborate on. I think I can be especially helpful with development, governance and covenant issues.

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

My first two years of service on the RA board and this past year as RA’s secretary have already taught me a lot about all of the concerns I listed above. I was able to play key roles in the PRC debate and in revising a key governance document.

I worked 27 years in local government management, which included 17 years in Arlington County and seven as Arlington’s senior assistant county manager. We used wise capital-improvements planning and budgeting. Perhaps above all, we were doggedly faithful to Arlington’s comprehensive plan despite strong pressures for over-development. For about 10 years, the development departments reported to me and, in the process, taught me a lot. I also learned a lot about governance issues there.

I also bring my background in ethics generally and local government ethics specifically. I have a Ph.D. in philosophy with a specialization in ethics and have taught local-government ethics courses to employees of Arlington County, D.C. and Montgomery County, which has given me a broad perspective on dealing with internal governance and ethics concerns.

Finally, I bring decades of personal effort — working for the common good and building up the community at many levels — civic, religious and political. Helping communities grow and succeed has always been my greatest joy.

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

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2019 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 4 through April 1. This week, we will continue posting profiles on each of the candidates.

Featured here is Aaron Webb, who is running unopposed for a three-year term for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks Representative, which is currently filled by Sherri Herbert. 

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?

My family and I came to Reston from California for a one-year assignment when I was working for the Navy. A year among the trees in the Barton Hill area was enough to convince us to sell our house and make a career change so we could stay and raise our kids here. That was over 12 years ago, now.

What inspired you to run for the board? 

I enjoyed being part of the Hook Road Park Working Group and want to continue to contribute. This year I decided to pursue a district seat rather than an at-large seat like last year.

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

I think the current board has done a wonderful job at continuing to press the county on the density subject. Their diligence in communicating their concerns and getting the residents of Reston involved were key to the recent favorable recommendation.

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

My three largest concerns are infrastructure, stagnation and Reston being exploited by outside entities. I want to ensure that Reston’s growth into the future is well thought-out and designed with the long-term health of the community in mind. Infrastructure and amenities must accompany growth, not be an after-thought. Reston must continue to lead in innovative concepts and excellent management. We must also protect Reston from any entity that would trade away long-term benefits for short-term windfalls.

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

As a scientist, I always try to make decisions based on measurable quantities. I will ensure we have all the relevant facts to make the best decisions possible.

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

Photo via Reston Association

The Reston Association announced yesterday (Jan. 29) the five candidates certified by the Elections Committee to run for the open seats on RA’s Board of Directors.

The five seats up for election this year are uncontested. At least 10 percent of eligible voters are needed to make the results official.

Three candidates are incumbents. They are:

• Catherine Baum for a one-year term as the Apartment Owners Representative
• Caren Anton for a one-year term as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood Representative
• John Mooney for a three-year term as the North Point Representative

Tom Mulkerin, a residential real estate agent, is running for a three-year-term At-Large seat. Mulkerin has served on the board of the Lakewinds II Cluster Association, according to his election statement of candidacy.

Aaron Webb, who has served on the board of the Lakeside Cluster, is running for a three-year term for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks Representative, which is currently filled by Sherri Herbert.

Herbert said at the Board of Directors meeting last Thursday (Jan. 24 ) that she will not seek re-election.

Association members will receive ballots before the voting period begins. Voting starts March 4 and ends April 1.

The election results will be announced at the Annual Members’ Meeting in April.

Images via Reston Association/YouTube

Reston Association has issued a call for candidates for the 2019 Board of Directors’ election. Five seats are open.

The following seats will be open next year: an at-large seat for a three-year term, apartment owners representative for a one-year term, Hunters Woods/Dogwood district representative for a one-year term, North Point district representative for a three-year term and Lake Anne/Tall Oaks district representative for a three-year term.

Interested candidates must complete a candidacy statement form. RA’s elections committee will validate candidates in late January and the election will begin on March 4.

The nine-member board is responsible for setting the mission and goals of RA, policies and procedures, monitoring finances, approving budgets and setting the assessment rate.

Photo via Reston Association/YouTube

After several failed attempts to appoint a new board member, Reston Association’s Board of Directors appointed Caren Anton, chairwoman of RA’s elections committee, to serve as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood District Director through April 2019

The board was tasked with appointing a new director from a pool of four candidates after the previous director resigned earlier this year. At a Thursday meeting, five board members voted for Anton to fill the position after several motions to appoint other candidates failed to garner enough votes.

But the board failed to make a decision on the next board president after David Bobzien, the former president and apartment owners’ representative, resigned due to a leukemia diagnosis earlier this month.

Despite two rounds of voting, the board remained deadlocked due to a tie between two directors: newly elected Andy Sigle and incumbent Sridhar Ganesan. The board deferred a decision to its next June 28 meeting when an apartment owners’ representative is expected to be seated. Sigle previously served on the board from 2011 to 2014.

Sigle’s first attempt to appoint Anton failed to gather enough votes. But after Director Sherri Hebert’s motion to appoint John Bowman and Julie Bitzer’s nomination to appoint Travis Johnson fell through, the board reconsidered Anton’s appointment. Both Bowman and Johnson ran for a board seat earlier this year.

Board members lauded Anton’s experience as a Reston resident for 30 years, her knowledge of the community and what Sigle called her “goals of independence and collegiality.” Newly-elected Director Ven Iyer applauded Anton’s “independent thinking,” a point that Hebert found “offensive.”

“I have to say Ven that I find it offensive that you think the rest of the board members do not think independently and do not make the votes on their own merit,” Hebert said.

Iyer also urged board members to recuse themselves from voting if any financial intermingling took place between them and other candidates in order to shield the board from accusations of “cronyism or impropriety.” Bowman and Johnson ran for seats on the board earlier this year.

Hebert abstained from voting for Anton and instead unsuccessfuly pushed for Bowman, who previously served on the board. She said he would “hit the ground running” as RA navigates complex issues in the coming months, including the absence of a permanent CEO and other staffing changes.

Rick Landers, who also ran for the position, was not nominated.

Bitzer said she looks forward to having another woman serve on the board. “I feel that we as a board in a sense owe Caren a chance to show how much more she can do and give to us,” she said.

Positioning herself as “an open, honest, ethical and transparent” candidate, Anton said she hopes to engage with apartment renters, who often have little knowledge of the function and role of RA. She also wants to explore ways to make the Hunters Woods Village Center a more enjoyable place to dine, play and gather.

“I come to you with no hidden agendas or allegiances,” she said.

Photo via Reston Association

The big boom — Big change is taking place in formerly quiet places. Reston is on the list of places where dramatic transformations — and price hikes — are coming. [Washingtonian]

A full plate — Reston Association’s Design Review Board will consider several major projects during today’s 7 p.m. meeting including an art spillway project by local students and upgrades to South Lakes Village Center. [RA]

Post-election analysis — RA’s elections committee is also set to meet this evening to discuss improvements to the elections process. [RA]

Balducci’s is coming soon — The food lover’s market is expected to open sometime in May in Reston Town Center. [Balducci’s]

Photo by Lauren Pinkston

Victoria White stepped down from Reston Association’s Board of Directors Wednesday (April 11).

The vacancy comes just one day after four new board members were elected to serve on the nine-member board.

She stood alongside her colleagues on the newly formulated board at the conclusion of RA’s annual member meeting on Tuesday (April 10) when results were announced.

White who served as the Hunters Woods/Dogwood District representative resigned because she no longer lives in the district she represents, according to a statement by RA. She also served on RA’s covenants committee and the board governance committee.

RA will issue a call for candidates to fill the open seat, which expires in April 2020. The board will consider possible candidates at its May 24 meeting.

Information on when and how RA was made aware of the need for the change was not immediately available.

At a meeting on Wednesday, David Bobzien, formerly the board’s vice president, was elected board president. Sridhar Ganesan, formerly the board’s treasurer, was elected vice president.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Photo via Reston Association