Manassas City Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis provided insights into the ongoing search for a new city manager and discussed the results of a recent city employment satisfaction survey.
According to Coates Ellis, the city’s current state has significantly improved, with Police Chief Douglass Keen serving as the interim city manager. “They’re a lot better now with Chief Keen on board as the interim. That was the best thing we could have, mean to get through a very, in my opinion, unstable time.”
Keen took over as interim city manager in November following the resignation of longtime manager Patrick Pate, who left for Winston-Salem, N.C. His departure came after the council gave him a pay raise earlier in the year, bringing his annual salary to $248,207.
According to council members, Pate returned to his native state to be closer to family.
Highlighting the significance of a recent employment satisfaction survey, Coates Ellis noted a high response rate, with over 50% of the city government employees participating.
She pointed out a notable satisfaction rate of 90-94%, particularly regarding leadership, and emphasized the absence of significant issues in previous years’ surveys. Coates Ellis attributed the improved morale in December to Chief Keane’s tenure, indicating a sense of relief among staff.
Regarding the city council’s role, Coates Ellis clarified their responsibility to hire the city manager, who, in turn, manages the staff. She emphasized the importance of adhering to hierarchical structures and refraining from direct staff management to maintain stability.
When asked about potential undue pressure from the council on resigning employees, Coates Ellis stated she was not privy to such details, reiterating her adherence to her role and expressing surprise at any disruptions caused.
Regarding specific areas identified for improvement in the survey, Coates Ellis cited communication, career advancement opportunities, recognition for performance, and technology updates as key priorities.
Coates Ellis was the top vote-getter in her most recent re-election in 2022 and is the only Republican on the council.
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The Prince William County Department of Transportation and the Prince William County Planning Office are gathering public input for a multimodal corridor study on Route 28 in the Yorkshire area.
This study, funded by an $80,000 grant from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Transportation Planning Board, explores cost-effective alternatives to enhance multimodal travel options over a two-mile stretch of Route 28.
A survey is available on the Yorkshire Multimodal Corridor Study page to facilitate public participation. According to the county government, the survey is crucial for the study’s development and will remain open until February 29, 2024. An open house is scheduled for February 15, 2024, at Yorkshire Elementary School, 7610 Old Centreville Road, Manassas, at 6:30 p.m.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors County 2040 Comprehensive Plan, adopted by the Board of County, designated Yorkshire as an activity center when it approved its most recent comprehensive land-use plan in 2022.
Meanwhile, the county government is also considering constructing a four-mile Route 28 bypass, an extension of Godwin Drive, from UVA Prince William Medical Center in Manassas to Route 28 in Fairfax County.
Last fall, the Board of County Supervisors sunk an additional $1 million for the bypass project’s redesign. Transportation Director Rick Canizales raised uncertainties about Fairfax County’s commitment to the $300 million project.
Potential challenges include demolishing six homes in Fairfax County and 70 homes in Prince William County. Canizales told Prince William’s Supervisors in October 2023 that concerns have been raised about political hesitation for the project during an election year in Fairfax County. The bypass, discussed for over a decade, remains scrutinized for its future viability.
In 2020, the Board of County Supervisors unanimously decided to widen a nearly four-mile stretch of Route 28 in Yorkshire, between Liberia Avenue in Manassas and the Fairfax County line instead of building the bypass. The project had been estimated to cost about $400 million.
However, one month later, the Board overturned its decision in a 5-3 decision along party lines, with Democrats voting in favor, prompting a return to the Godwin Drive extension (Route 28 bypass). Former Chair At-large Ann Wheeler pushed for reconsideration and expressed support for the Godwin Drive extension and a future bi-county parkway connecting Interstate 95 in Dumfries to Dulles Airport in Loudoun County.
However, an $89 million funding allocation for the Godwin Drive extension faced potential withdrawal by Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Chair Phyllis Randall, who also serves as Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair At-large.
“I’m not going to allow this [funding] to be unappropriated for months and months,” Randall scolded during September 8, 2020, Board of County Superviosrs meeting, in which she and a delegation from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority lined up to speak the board members, most of whom were just nine months on the job. “I will put forth a motion to disappropriate the project altogether.”
The threat also prompted a shift in support from the Manassas City Council, ensuring endorsement of the Godwin Drive extension two months after it initially voted to pull support for the bypass.Â
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As the Manassas City Council is fresh off its retreat to Airlie Hotel and Conference Center in Warrenton and set to begin budget talks, Manassas City Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis emphasized distinguishing between wants and needs when making decisions that impact the community. She stressed that council members serve as stewards of taxpayer money and must prioritize choices for the betterment of the community.
“When it comes to the budget, we have to look at wants and needs,” Coates Ellis stated. “We’re going to go through the budget highlights from last year to see where we are and where we’re going. There will be some wants and needs brought up from the departments.”
While the city’s tax rate dropped in 2023, Coates Ellis highlighted that the assessments were “just ridiculous,” resulting in an average residential tax increase of $181 and a 3.7% uptick. Businesses experienced a similar trend, with non-residential taxes increasing by 4.6%.
Coates Ellis expressed concern about the impact on residents, noting that what matters most to them is “what comes out of people’s pockets.” She addressed the familiar argument about having a low tax rate, emphasizing that the amount people pay genuinely matters.
“We always have to remind ourselves this is about other people’s money. We have to be financially responsible,” she explained. Starting with essential services like utilities, Coates Ellis expressed her commitment to ensuring access to clean water, electricity, and power, particularly in light of recent challenges and changes in leadership.
Electricity issues
Power outages plagued city residents in 2023, particularly those from the electrical substation at Battery Heights on Liberia Avenue going offline. Coates Ellis updated the situation, stating, “We ended up buying [a transformer] from Pennsylvania…I’m on the utilities commission…we are back to pre-battery height outages,” said Coates Ellis.
Coates Ellis expressed confidence when asked about the state of utilities, especially electricity, highlighting the city’s focus on addressing the issue. “I do feel good now because I think it has been brought out in the forefront that we have to be on top of it,” she affirmed.
Coates Ellis clarified that while the city does not generate its power. However, it has generators that reduce the overall load during peak demand days, with electricity purchased from Dominion Virginia Power. She emphasized her confidence in the system, particularly with the impending data centers that are soon to come online and will use their own power systems.
Coates Ellis stressed the importance of a balanced approach by expressing concern about the national push towards electric everything, including electric vehicles and eliminating fossil fuels. “You can’t just focus totally on electric,” she stated. “Electric needs fossil fuels to power.”
The city’s sustainability plan involves a gradual phase-in of electric vehicles and solar energy. Coates Ellis mentioned a survey on the city’s Facebook page seeking residents’ opinions on the plan, emphasizing the importance of bringing awareness without making it mandatory. She also touched on the potential challenges of EV charging stations, predicting they may cost more than traditional fueling due to infrastructure requirements.
City manager search and morale amidst leadership changes
City Manager Patrick Pate, who served the city for 10 years, resigned in 2023, despite receiving a 3% pay raise earlier in the year, bringing his ending annual salary to $248,207. Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger praised Pate’s contributions to the city at the time of his departure, acknowledging the growth and positive changes during his tenure.
Pate’s was the latest in a series of departures from the city government last year, including Utilities Director Tony Dawood, who left amid ongoing electricity issues. Coates Ellis acknowledged the challenges faced by the city and expressed her commitment to understanding the background of these resignations.
The City Council appointed Police Chief Douglass Keen as interim city manager until it finds a permanent replacement. Coates Ellis acknowledged the challenges, stating, “They’re a lot better now with Chief Keen on board as the interim. That was the best thing that we could have, in my opinion, to get through a very unstable time,” said Coates Ellis.
Coates Ellis said that over 50% of employees participated in the survey, which is a high response rate. The results indicated a 90% to 94% satisfaction rate, with no apparent decrease compared to the surveys conducted in 2018 and 2020.
According to the councilwoman, the survey identified key areas for improvement, including communication, creating clear paths for career advancement, ensuring recognition for high-performing employees, and keeping technology up to date.
Coates Ellis linked the positive shift in employee satisfaction to Keen’s presence as interim city manager. “He was already like an assistant city manager…that brought more confidence to the staff when he was brought on board. I think he’s doing a great job,” she stated.
The City Council initiated a nationwide search for a new city manager.
Editor’s Note: Theresa Coates Ellis is the only one of the seven sitting Manassas City Council members who agreed to an interview for this story.
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During a city council meeting on January 8, 2o24, after the city's utility agency presented its annual report, Coates Ellis revealed that 120 purple street lights need replacement. She said this phenomenon is not unique to Manassas, as similar occurrences have been reported nationally, in Canada, and even in Ireland.
Coates Ellis said multiple residents have complained about the discolored lights, as they fail to illuminate dark areas properly.
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Davis assured elected leaders the utilities division was working to improve the grid, which saw a 20% spike in outages in 2023, for a total of 133, up from 111.
The outages left in the dark for about an hour and a half, on average.
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Manassas residents saw 133 power outages in 2023, up from 111 in 2022, a 20% increase—the outages left in the dark for about an hour and a half, on average.
According to a city report, most outages occurred at the Battery Heights substation behind Mayfield Intermediate School.
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Manassas City Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis held an end-of-year wrap-up discussion focused on rebuilding Jennie Dean Elementary School and the potential loss of open park fields.
About 25 residents attended the discussion at The City Tavern Restaurant in Manassas on December 7, 2023.
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Manassas City Councilwoman Theresa Coates Ellis: “After the new Dean School construction plan was presented by the Manassas City School Board to the Manassas City Council last Thursday, I planned a Year End Wrap-Up for this upcoming [Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, 5:30 p.m., City Tavern, 9550 Center Street, Manassas], and have invited the public to hear more details and welcome questions.”
“The original plan “A” would be to build the new Dean behind the existing Dean and leave all athletic fields and track in place and available for the Dean Sports Complex. Plan “E” was recommended by the School Board. This plan would eliminate the track, a rectangle field, and a diamond and possibly a second diamond.”
“Sara Brescia and Robyn Williams, School Board Members, have been talking with me about options to keep the fields. Plans for public outreach include a presentation from the new Dean architect with public comment time on Dec. 12th at the School Board meeting at Dean at 5:30 pm.”
“I have contacted soccer, football, and baseball leadership to attend my wrap-up meeting and will share more details. Robyn Williams will attend as well.”
“My wrap-up will update the public on more city happenings in all departments, including events.”
Insidenova.com: “With the recent departure of Manassas City Manager W. Patrick Pate, the mayor and City Council are hunting for the city’s next chief executive.”
“To assist in that process, the city issued a request for proposals from firms interested in providing executive search services. Following interviews, the council in November selected Tysons-based CPA firm Baker Tilly US, LLP. Baker Tilly’s proposal came in just shy of $27,000.”
