Vanuch, running for Stafford County supervisor, puts road safety at forefront of campaign

Crystal Vanuch, a lifelong Stafford resident and CEO of a Stafford company, is running for election as Stafford County Supervisor for the Rock Hill District. Road repairs and maintenance are crucial to her campaign goals.

Name: Crystal Vanuch

Party: Republican

Town: Stafford

Running for: Stafford County Supervisor, Rock Hill District

Website: votevanuch.com, Facebook, Twitter

Work: CEO of Stafford-based Public Affairs Company

Education: Stafford Elementary, Stafford Middle, Brooke Point High School
Graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Wesleyan University with a business degree

Community Involvement: Growing up here in Stafford I was always involved in the community, since my father was a police officer. I attended Saint Peters Lutheran Church and most recently I have been serving on the Stafford County Planning Commission for the last four years. I have been unanimously nominated to be the chair the last two years. This has given me the opportunity to meet so many of our wonderful businesses and residents in the Rock Hill district, helping many businesses expand or open up in Rock Hill and assisting in solving challenges or issues for our local neighborhoods.

I also take great pride in mentoring young teenage women and helping them plan a future to be successful leaders in the community.

Questions and Answers

PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent? 

Vanuch: 1. Managing Growth
2. Safer Roads
3. Improving schools

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

Vanuch: When it comes to managing growth we need to ensure that developers are paying for the impacts that their residential rezonings are creating. Far too often it falls on the backs of the taxpayers to offset these costs. I have a record on the planning commission of denying thousands of new homes because they didn’t offset the impacts to our community.

When it comes to safer roads we need to make sure that we are planning with VDOT road safety projects to garner smart scale matching funds for improvements, to improve roads like Stefaniga, and add wedge widening to many Rock Hill roads so when fire trucks pass drivers they don’t end up in ditches. We need to work with VDOT to ensure that our roads are getting the maintenance our residents deserve. I cannot tell you how many complaints I have worked on with neighbors for cutting trees back and filling pot holes. I will also carry on to ensure all the work will be completed and the Vista Woods subdivision will be paved by the summer of next year.

Improving schools is extremely important, making sure we are planning appropriately for capacity issues, keeping class sizes manageable to they don’t lead to additional retention issues with educators, which is another reason growth management is such a priority. We need to focus on teacher retention and recruitment by ensuring our teachers can afford to live, work, and raise a family in the community that they serve.

PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

Vanuch: The Supervisor is the County legislator for your district, but I see this role as the leader in charge of ensuring that they are representing the taxpayers concerns and priorities and their votes should represent the desires of the majority within that district. It will be my job to represent Rock Hill among the 6 other peers of Supervisors, representing their districts, to work together in the best interests of our community.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

Vanuch: Serving the last four years on the planning commission has given me so much insight into the real issues that our residents care about. I have been able to solve so many problems for different neighborhoods by working together with our community to help them achieve their desired results. I have been able to stop major housing developments that would have depreciated house values in Berkshire, Amyclae and Augustine. I have assisted Apple Grove in saving thousands in HOA fees by enabling them to relocate recreational amenities. I will carry on Wendy Maurer’s work on finishing the Dam improvements in Lake Arrowhead and ensuring that Vista Woods finally gets the road fixes required.

I grew up here and I have a family of public servants, so taking care of our community is in my blood. I will use my tenure and experience on the planning commission and my business and executive leadership to fight harder for Rock Hill than anyone.

PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government?

Vanuch: We have some really awesome people in Rock Hill. A lot of my residents are very engaged. However, many don’t understand the different policies and procedures for the planning commission or the board of supervisors. Whenever we have a big issue in Rock Hill I extend the public hearings and increase the notices required by law to help increase the transparency and awareness that something is going on close to your home. I then follow up with many emails and phone calls to ensure that every resident interested has the opportunity to engage in the public process.

I have even hosted community forums to explain the process throughout the planning commission and board and garner input from the community to help better understand the needs of our residents. I fully intend to keep doing this as the Supervisor.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?

Vanuch: I am not a perfect individual, and I am sure I have made mistakes in the public. Often times I look back and think I wish I would have said this, or done that but I try not to dwell on the past, because that doesn’t help move forward. I am always learning and trying to be the best I can to help our residents with the issues important to them.

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?

Vanuch: I have proven over the last four years that I will always fight for Rock Hill. I am sure that we all won’t always agree on everything, but I will always be transparent, honest, and work as hard as I possibly can to make sure that I represent the Rock Hill district the way it deserves to be represented. Come January 1 there won’t need to be a learning curve for me, because I am already intimately involved in the issues before our community with my work on the planning commission.

I have been campaigning since January, I have knocked on thousands of doors, I am out everyday working with our community, I have shown our community that I won’t be outworked and that I have the leadership, the experience, and the passion to earn your vote on November 5th.