“Days before the Prince William Board of County Supervisors takes up its next controversial data center vote —on the Prince William Digital Gateway —two board members are talking about the reasons behind the board’s recent approval of the equally controversial Devlin Technology Park and what role a failed, decade-old housing development may have played in that decision,” Prince William Times reports.

Prince William County Supervisors will again take up the long-debated Devlin Tech Park during its next meeting on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

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The Prince William Chamber of Commerce will hold a debate between Jeanine Lawson, the Republican, and Deshundra Jefferson, the Democrat. Both seek the Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman At-large seat.

The chamber is requiring attendees to register for the event before they may attend. Registration for the event is closed, according to the chamber’s website.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

Prince William Times: “Deshundra Jefferson, the Democratic nominee for chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, envisions a county with more affordable housing, that attracts more businesses to reduce residential tax bills and offers programs to keep youth on the right track.”

“Jeanine Lawson, the Republican nominee, envisions a county that restores former protections to the “rural crescent,” repeals the 4% meals tax and provides more funding to hire police officers to crack down on rising crime.”

Prince William Times: “Prince William County Supervisor Jeanine Lawson on Tuesday held a press conference calling for Pete Candland, her former board colleague, to be investigated for public corruption.”

“Lawson, a Republican who is running for chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in the upcoming Nov. 7 election, shared emails Candland exchanged with a local data center developer to offer his services as a former elected official to help companies “navigate their projects” through Prince William County’s land-use approval process.”

“It is important that elected representatives be accountable, consistent, transparent, and fair in decision-making. We must call them out when they are not. This requires monitoring the actions and statements of our representatives and ensuring they prioritize the best interests of all the people they seek to serve – not just one group.”

These words encapsulate exactly why the board chamber was FULL of residents for the July 11 vote on Resolution 23-365. Over 1,000 residents – from across the county – wrote to the board in support of that resolution – 908 petitioned via click-to-send email, and more than 100 others sent personal email messages. More than 100 also spoke at the meeting in favor of the resolution.

Mary Ann Ghadban, instigator of the Digital Gateway data center corridor application and Pageland Lane homeowner, wrote and published those statements in multiple local newspapers on the day of the board’s vote. Her group is exactly one that should NOT be given preferential treatment by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors with their votes.

These words explain why Ann Wheeler already knows after the primary election results that she won’t be on the dais come January.

These words encapsulate the choices voters made this past February and June, when Bob Weir was made Supervisor of the Gainesville district, and Deshundra Jefferson and Jeanine Lawson won their respective primaries for the Board Chair seat.

These words foretell how county voters will choose their board of supervisor representatives in the November election.

These words also explain exactly why Resolution 23-365, for a vote moratorium on controversial land-use cases during the lame-duck period after the November election until new board members take their seats, is the right thing for all county residents.

By defeating this resolution, already-lame-duck Chair Wheeler, and current Supervisors Boddye, Bailey, Franklin, and Angry showed us that they want to push more damaging and controversial land use decisions before they are stopped by the will of the people county-wide. They intend to continue to choose for the benefit of one group wanting to industrialize and urbanize the entire county.

With their vote on July 11, they have proven they support one select group.

Across the county, we will make our own choices to seal the fate of this board; and to protect our fates and the futures of our children.

Karen Sheehan
Gainesville District

Potomac Local News aims to share opinions on issues of local importance from a diverse range of residents across all our communities. If you’ve recently spoken at a Board of County Supervisors meeting, send us a typed copy of your remarks for publication to [email protected].

Press release: “On Tuesday, [June 27, 2023] Brentsville Supervisor Jeanine Lawson introduced a resolution at the Board meeting. This will commit the Board to abstain from scheduling certain land use public hearings during the period from Election Day, November 7, 2023, through the conclusion of the current Board’s term on December 31, 2023.”

“In the recent primary, voters expressed their strong opposition to reckless data center development pushed by Chair Wheeler and her Democrat colleagues, Supervisor Angry, Bailey, Boddye, and Franklin. The message conveyed by voters was clear that expediting development approvals without transparency and disregarding citizen input will bear consequences at the voting booth. In response, Supervisor Lawson’s resolution seeks to address public anxiety about the conduct of a lame duck Board.”

“‘I strongly believe this resolution acknowledges that citizens are demanding transparent and accountable decision-making,’ said Supervisor Lawson. ‘By refraining from scheduling high-profile land use public hearings during this short designated period, I believe this reprieve could help rebuild trust with citizens to ensure a fair and inclusive decision-making process. If candidates feel so strongly about these cases, then they should run on them.”

“The resolution is scheduled for an afternoon vote at the July 11, 2023, Board of County Supervisors meeting. Residents are encouraged to attend and share their thoughts on the resolution.”

Rules already on the books in neighboring Stafford County prevent its Board of Supervisors from hearing land-use cases during lame-duck sessions.

Lawson won the Republican nomination to run for the Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large seat. She’ll face Democrat Deshundra Jefferson, who won her party’s Primary Election on June 20, beating incumbent At-large Chair Ann Wheeler.

Republican Tom Gordy and Democrat Jim Gehlsen is running to replace Lawson in the Brentsville seat.

Voters will decide the next At-large Chair on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.

Updated 8 a.m. June 21, 2023

Virginia Department of Elections: Republican Jeanine Lawson won her race against challenger Ken Knarr by 62 points.

Lawson’s statement: “We’re very grateful for the huge win. The support has been incredible over the last few months, and tonight’s win proves it once again. I’ve always campaigned to be the voice of Prince William residents, and for that reason, they resoundingly chose the candidate in this race that focuses on what’s important to them. We’re looking forward to keeping this momentum going for a strong campaign through November and making sure the Prince William Board of County Supervisors works for the people of Prince William again.”

Lawson is running to be Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large. Since 2014, she’s served as the Brentsville District Supervisor.

The proliferation of data centers in Prince William County was at the heart of the primary campaign against Knarr. Lawson says she opposes building more data centers. At the same time, Knarr has agreed to sell his property to data center developers, saying the server farms will provide more cash for county tax coffers.

In the night’s upset, Democrat Deshundra Jefferson beat the incumbent Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large Ann Wheeler by 1,142 votes. Jefferson will face Lawson in the November General Election.

A report from WUSA-TV about how fliers promoting QTS data centers ended up in school lunch bags has been pulled from the TV station's website. We asked why the story had been removed and are awaiting a response. Deleted WUSA-TV story: “Prince William County residents were surprised to find pro data center flyers among donated food for students and their families." "For months, data center projects within Prince William County have been at the center of several meetings with hours-long debates and much controversy. From sound levels and health issues to the impact on the environment and national landmarks, residents have been pushing back against data centers in the county." "Prince William County Schools Spokesperson Diana Gulotta told WUSA9 that the QTS Data Center flyers were placed in food donations for students and families. The flyers also included the logo of the school district's educational foundation, SPARK." Prince William County Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson's Facebook page: "I was disgusted to learn that QTS Data manipulated PWCS Title 1 elementary schools to peddle propaganda for their proposed data center project along Pageland Ln….I believe that the QTS moral compass is blind and prioritizes financial gain over the well-being of our future generation. This is yet another example of their underhanded tactics, which place QTS profit over Prince William County families." It's no secret QTS is looking to expand in Prince William County. Last month, PLN told you QTS offered to pay to widen Pageland Lane, a three-mile, sleepy, rural road, to four lanes with 10-foot pedestrian paths on both sides. Planners envision a series of roundabouts at key intersections.

The upgraded Pageland Lane would carry 22,000 trips per day — a standard set by the Institute of Transportation Professionals, an industry trade group, a policy that QTS says it chose to adhere to.

However, data centers employ few people, which has led many residents who live nearby to be fearful the wider road would be a key component to a Bi-County Parkway, linking Interstate 95 and Dulles Airport via Route 234 in Prince William County and Northstar Boulevard in Loudoun County.

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