As we get closer to the start of early voting for the Fall 2024 election, Potomac Local News is dedicated to informing the community about candidates vying for one of three open seats on the Manassas City Council and the mayor’s seat.

To help voters make an informed decision, we are continuing a new feature series, “One-Question Manassas City Council Candidate Survey.” This series will run throughout the campaign season, offering insights into each candidate’s stand on key issues affecting our city. Our first one, which ran last week, focused on affordable housing.

The candidates are given 10 days to respond to a Google Form, and their answers will be compiled into a single post on PotomacLocalNews.com. This format lets voters quickly compare the candidates’ views on critical issues, helping them make an informed choice come election day.

Today’s Topic: Budget and taxes. The candidates were asked:

With the recent discussions around budget priorities and potential tax increases, what are your budget priorities, and how would you work to balance fiscal responsibility with the needs of the community?

Mayoral candidates

Xiao-Yin “Tang” Byrom (R)

As a business owner of 25 years, budgeting comes very natural to me. I must stay within budget and provide excellent service to my customers. The city should as well, and not raise taxes that put an additional burden on the citizens. Of all the things the mayor does, none are more important than being fiscally responsible and upholding the trust you put in me to be a good steward of your tax dollars.

I feel budget priorities fall into two categories.
“NEEDS” and “WANTS”

The “NEEDS,” like water, sewer, electricity, police, fire, rescue, education, transportation and rainy-day funds, top the list. In these vital areas, it is important that we have the best equipment, the best managers and the best trained staff possible. We should not be second best to anybody anywhere. These are investments in our community I would not waiver on as your mayor.

The “WANTS” are the areas where our citizens really get a chance to weigh in. Do you want to allocate your resources to more sidewalks, parks, arts, tourism, recreation, etc.? My preferences are not important next to the wants of the citizens I represent, like you. Come budget season, elected leaders should do more listening than talking. I promise I will make your voice heard.

Byrom, the owner of Tang’s Bridal and Alterations in the Canterbury Village shopping center at 8675 Sudley Road, opened her Manassas store as an alteration shop in 1999. She eventually expanded her business to include bridal and formal wear. Her business employs 17 people.

Michelle Davis Younger (D-Incumbent)

NO RESPONSE

Davis-Younger is seeking a second term as mayor, after being elected in 2020. She owns and operates a Human Resources Consulting firm located in Historic Downtown Manassas called The1ForHR, LLC, which focuses on career coaching and resume writing.

City Council candidates

Lynn Forkell Greene (R)

Our city continues to face multiple challenges: improving schools, enhancing public safety and investing in infrastructure. As your City Council member, I will work collaboratively to find the right balance, ensuring our tax dollars are used effectively and transparently.

Community input is crucial; decisions should echo the collective voice of our residents, guiding our choices rather than merely following procedure. Every voice matters. I am committed to advocating for policies that benefit all residents of Manassas City.

In 2022, I stood with many residents and proudly voted for a 15% tax reduction/refund on personal property taxes, which was ultimately unanimously approved by our City Council demonstrating my leadership and dedication to providing much-needed relief and fairness to our community.

I will strive to harmonize the cadence and number of simultaneous long-term projects, reduce unnecessary spending, and address organizational strategy for long-term success and sustainable growth.

Let’s continue our efforts to build a more prosperous Manassas City, where our tax dollars foster the well-being and equitable growth of our entire community.

Lynn Forkell Greene is seeking to regain a seat on City Council, where she served for 14 months, from fall 2021 to December 2022. Forkell Green served the remainder of Davis-Younger’s term, a seat vacated when Davis-Younger was elected mayor.

She is an administrative director for a nonprofit. Forkell Greene and her husband share four adult children and three grandchildren. Before announcing her re-election bid, Forkell Green was a freelance reporter covering city issues for Potomac Local News.

Ashley Hutson (D)

The city’s budget must consider the needs of the community today while investing in the vision of the community 25+ years from now. Investments in the future are not only in infrastructure but people. I would prioritize investment in our schools and social/safety services. As we continue the search for a city manager and housing coordinator, I want to ensure the city has the best people working to address the needs of our residents. We must invest in our schools to retain great teachers and strive for graduating seniors to be prepared to join the workforce or continue education.

Upcoming budget cycles will be especially exciting as the City of Manassas will receive its first revenue from data centers. I hope the city is able to maintain or reduce the tax rate while investing in community vitality.

Through my service on the Community Advisory Committee to the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, I’ve been involved in initiatives examining the region’s travel habits and traffic struggles, balanced with assessing achievable solutions. The Greater Prince William region is predominately car-dependent, but because Manassas is geographically small and dense, investments in multi-use development, multi-modal transportation and regional connectivity will serve our residents long into the future. As such, I am proud to see Manassas earn the distinction of “Bicycle Friendly Community” and I’m eager to see the impacts of the growth of Manassas Airport.

Since the beginning of my campaign, I have been asking residents and business owners what they like about Manassas and what they would change. Once elected to Council, I intend to listen to residents and contemplate their needs while seeking achievable solutions.

Hutson is seeking her first term on City Council. She is the director of Member Engagement of the Heavy Construction Contractors Association in Manassas. Hutson has served on the Manassas Board of Building Code Appeals, Washington Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board and Community Advisory Committee. She graduated from Osbourn Park High School and Christopher Newport University.

Stephen Kent (R)

The 2022 Community Satisfaction Survey is a good indicator of how Manassas residents are feeling. Your priorities are my priorities. Residents are least satisfied with the quality of public education (41%) and the flow of traffic within the city (38%).

I want to see the Godwin Extension from Sudley to Compton Avenue built, reducing traffic on 28 and improving walkability in downtown. I will work with our friends at the Board of County Supervisors to make sure this happens and Manassas is less stuck in endless traffic.

School quality can be radically improved by investing $25.50 per student for a partnership with Yondr, a phone-storage technology company that is helping school districts create cell-phone free educational environments. It’s having a hugely positive effect on performance in core academic subjects and behavioral reports. Manassas can do this for grades 6-12 about $100,000, less than what we spend in a year on weapon detection devices inside Osbourn High School. I will make sure th School Board has the funding they need to include phone pouches and tools for implementing device storage safely during the day. This will improve school quality and honor our citizen’s tax dollar investment in education.

On taxes, the current City Council voted in June not to lower property taxes. Homeowners can expect to pay about $266 more this year on average for their tax bill. I think that is unacceptable while the people of Manassas are being crushed by inflation in every other part of their budget. The arrival of data centers in Manassas in not popular, but if they are going to go up and it is happening, they should benefit the people of Manassas by reducing the tax burden. Renters would benefit too. When landlords costs go up, so does the rent.

Manassas is doing well financially, thanks to market forces and national trends pushing investment and workers out of the D.C. area and into our area. This is good news and a better time than ever for a tax cut.

Kent is seeking his first term on City Council. He is an author and public relations professional. He and his wife, Melony “Mel” Kent, share a child. Mel Kent ran for the city school board in 2022.

Mark Wolfe (D-Incumbent)

My priority has always been to build and maintain the quality of life in Manassas while keeping taxes as low as practicable.

In all my years of service, every member of Council has taken this responsibility of budgeting the public money very seriously. It is important to remember that no one person determines the budget, it takes a compromise of at least four Council members. That is four members with varying perspectives and priorities about Manassas.

But the most important thing to remember in our budgeting is that there is no free lunch. To do more, costs more.

If you say that want more police officers, more street paving or higher teacher pay, then that money has to come from increased revenue (higher taxes) or cutting an existing service.

If someone is promising to lower your taxes, ask them which specific cuts in services they would propose to the rest of the Council.

Over the years, the political move of a few Council members has been to agree with the proposed changes to the budget from the service side (more firemen, adding a recreation program, etc). Then, after months of work, state that they want a flat tax bill and that we should cut millions from the draft budget. And worse, not offering any proposals as to what to cut, expecting the rest of the Council to do their work. They close by voting against the tax rate (your bill) while they take credit for the increased services delivered to the residents of Manassas.

It might be good politics in some circles but it is certainly bad governance. Our citizens deserve better.

Wolfe is seeking a fourth term on City Council. He has lived in the City of Manassas since 1990. Wolfe has executive leadership experience in the corporate and nonprofit sectors and is currently the chief operating officer of MovieComm. Amy, his wife of 36 years, is the artistic director and CEO of Manassas Ballet Theatre. They have two children, both of whom graduated from Osbourn High School.

Tom Osina (D-Incumbent)

My budget priorities are continued economic prosperity by decreasing the tax rate yet providing necessary funding to retain city, fire, police and EMT employees, supporting extra money for teacher salaries, developing an ongoing repair/rebuilding program of school buildings and making sure that recent property purchases are strategically planned to give sound growth opportunities in the future.

Over the next four years additional budget items that are on the horizon include a parking garage at City Hall, Fire/Rescue Station 1 at the old Marsteller site, renovation of Public Works & Utilities facility, substation maintenance improvements, new Air Traffic Control Tower at the airport and sewer capacity expansion to keep up with growth.

My frequent visits to various neighborhoods to hear resident concerns, attending various functions to learn of business concerns, listening to different community conversations events along with semi-annual Town Halls are the major ways I stay aware of the pulse of our city. Of course, I have publicized my email address [email protected] and cell number 571-621-4069 as ways to reach me as well.

Osina is seeking his second term on City Council. He and his husband have lived in the Georgetown South community for more than 20 years. He is the father of two grown children.

Robyn Williams (R)

As a member of the Manassas City School Board, I am familiar with the challenges inherent in creating a balanced budget that meets current obligations while planning for the future. On Manassas City Council, the priorities I consider critical to the quality of life of our citizens are, a rigorous and vital primary and secondary education system, public safety and crime reduction, and retention of our valuable civil servants.

In my recent conversations with constituents, education and crime are often cited as serious problems which impacts their quality of life. Our Manassas City budget must ensure that the salary and benefit package we offer to police, first responders, and teachers is commensurate with that offered by our neighbors. High-level positions in the city remain vacant, which suggests that our current budget priorities may require reassessment. It is essential to review and identify areas where budget reductions can be made to optimize our financial resources effectively.

Finally, budgets must respect the taxpayer. Manassas City is taking in plenty of revenue to meet its obligations to our citizens without increasing taxes on them, especially at a time in which inflation is taking a huge bite out of their household budgets.

Williams is seeking her first term on City Council. She has served two terms on the Manassas City School Board. Williams holds a bachelor’s of science in economics from George Mason University. He found her background in finance and economics valuable on the MCPS School Board, in addition to her more than 10 years as a broker/owner of Redstone Realty, specializing in residential real estate.

Williams’ public service in Manassas began with the Beautification Committee, where she served as a member and eventually chairperson. She also volunteered as a teacher assistant at Haydon Elementary for several years and taught modules in schools through the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation Department.

Stay tuned as we continue this series with topics such as power outages, parking issues, city management and staff retention, budget and taxes, public school performance, and data centers. We aim to provide a comprehensive look at each candidate’s platform, ensuring voters have all the information they need to make a thoughtful decision.

We hope this series will engage the community and foster a more informed electorate. Check back for new insights and updates from your Manassas City Council candidates. Early voting starts  Sept. 21, and Election Day is Nov. 5.

Be sure to subscribe to our FREE news email. Each week, we will pose a single question to all candidates running for the Manassas City Council.

Manassas City Council received an update on Monday, July 15, about staff vacancies and training requirement challenges in the Fire & Rescue Department.

Chief Edward Mills, who leads the city's fire department, gave a presentation to City Council on Monday following growing community concerns over staffing of engine 501, a 750-gallon fire engine that's been in service since May 2014.

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Happy Friday, Manassas!

Welcome to another City Council preview, this time for the July 15 work session. Missed the July 8 meeting? Here’s my preview of the important issues, and one of the decisions that will be sure to impact you.

This week’s meeting will be held at the Public Safety Facility at 9608 Grant Ave. in the second-floor policy room at 5:30 p.m.

Sign up for our FREE news email and never hesitate to email me at [email protected] with comments, questions and/or news tips.

Important links

• Meeting agenda
• Meeting agenda packet
• Where to watch

Key agenda items

Capital project updates on transportation

Matt Arcieri, an assistant city manager and director of Planning & Community Development, will be presenting a capital improvement program update on the various ongoing and scheduled transportation projects in Manassas.

Arcieri is expected to discuss the Grant Avenue, Sudley Road third lane, Sudley/Centerville roundabout, Mathis Avenue and Liberia Avenue projects. These projects are all in various stages of the construction process: some are currently under construction, while others are still in the design process, but are close to completion.

There will also be bike and pedestrian project updates, which are all in various stages of the process. Imminent projects are the Wellington Road shared-use path gap, a sidewalk along Dumfries Road and a sidewalk on Longstreet Drive.

Fire & Rescue department update

Fire & Rescue Chief Edward Mills will be giving a presentation on staffing the Engine 501 — a 750-gallon fire engine that’s been in service since May 2014.

According to the presentation to be given at the meeting, the engine went unstaffed nearly 60% of the time in June 2023. The engine has been better staffed since reaching its unstaffed peak last June, but inched back up to nearly 30% in April 2024.

The presentation stated Engine 501 goes unstaffed when no one from the Manassas Volunteer Fire Department is working and no one from the city’s Fire & Rescue staff is available for overtime.

“The issue has been continuous for quite some time. It has always been, and will always be, best practice to take the safety of our citizens very seriously. We are at a point where we cannot continue down the same path; we need to look at [the] best options,” the presentation said.

Happy Friday, Manassas!

As the Regional Editor for Manassas, I’ll be starting a series where I preview each Manassas City Council meeting so you know what’s going on, what to listen for, and how to talk about it later.

Important links

• Meeting agenda
• Meeting agenda packet
• Where to watch

Key agenda items

Outdoor licensing agreement for Voodoo Brothers Cajun Creole

City Council will consider the use of a portion of the public sidewalk in the historic downtown for outdoor dining for Voodo Brothers on 9112 Center St.

Proposed settlement of opioid-related claims against Kroger and related corporate entities

City Council will consider participating in the sharing of proceeds from a national settlement involving Kroger’s pharmacy. The city’s share of the settlements is unknown at this point, but the estimated total is $1.2 billion to be paid by Kroger over a period of 11 years.

The city has participated in similar settlements; in 2021, City Council approved participation in a nationwide settlement against the three largest distributors of pharmaceutical opioids and a manufacturer. In 2023, City Council approved participation in a settlement against two pharmaceutical manufacturers and three pharmacies.

Ordinance to allow the city manager/designee to reduce speed limits in construction zones

City Council will consider allowing the city manager to reduce speed limits in construction zones without an engineering and traffic investigation, as stated in the current city code.

“It is to be expected that the city manager or designated ‘expert’ employee would have the knowledge to accurately assess the need and safety benefit of an immediate and temporary speed reduction, without the need for a formal engineering and traffic investigation,” the agenda statement reads.

Proposed by the Manassas Public Works Department, these reductions wouldn’t last more than 60 days. The department’s justification for this explicit language change is to reduce the overall construction timeline for projects.

Sign up for our FREE news email and never hesitate to email me at [email protected] with comments, questions, or news tips.

As we get closer to the start of early voting for the Fall 2024 election, Potomac Local News is dedicated to informing the community about candidates vying for one of three open seats on the Manassas City Council and the mayor’s seat.

To help voters make an informed decision, we are launching a new feature series, “One-Question Manassas City Council Candidate Survey.” This series will run throughout the campaign season, offering insights into each candidate’s stand on key issues affecting our city.

Be sure to subscribe to our FREE news email. Each week, we will pose a single question to all candidates running for the Manassas City Council.

The candidates are given 10 days to respond to a Google Form, and their answers will be compiled into a single post on PotomacLocalNews.com. This format lets voters quickly compare the candidates’ views on critical issues, helping them make an informed choice come election day.

In our first installment, we focus on the pressing issue of affordable housing. We asked each candidate to share their perspective and proposed solutions for addressing the housing challenges in Manassas. Their responses and profile pictures are featured below to help you better understand their positions.

Stay tuned as we continue this series with topics such as power outages, parking issues, city management and staff retention, budget and taxes, public school performance, and data centers. We aim to provide a comprehensive look at each candidate’s platform, ensuring voters have all the information they need to make a thoughtful decision.

We hope this series will engage the community and foster a more informed electorate. Check back for new insights and updates from your Manassas City Council candidates. Early voting starts Saturday, September 21, and Election Day is November 5

Today’s Topic: Affordable Housing

Mayoral Candidates

Xiao-Yin “Tang” Byrom (R)

Byrom, the owner of Tang’s Bridal and Alterations in the Canterbury Village shopping center at 8675 Sudley Road, opened her Manassas store as an alteration shop in 1999. She eventually expanded her business to include bridal and formal wear. Her business employs 17 people.

As an immigrant to America, I fell in love with the opportunity to be able to work as much as I wanted to achieve goals like buying a home. I want to bring this dream to all Manassas citizens, whether 1st generation or 10th-generation. We all know housing costs are controlled by old-fashioned supply and demand, but as your Mayor, I will help bring this dream alive. As your next Mayor I will fight, I promise to help you with the following.

1. Make sure zoning allows for the development of small apartments and condos in designated areas. Affordable units can start at 400 square feet, making them affordable for starter homes.

2. Streamline permit processes to not hinder growth with red tape. Right now, a large part of home development costs are not bricks, mortar, wood and nails but overburdensome regulations. We need to make sure the government keeps our residents safe without adding unnecessary expenses to the project which leads to higher cost burden for our citizens.

3. Keep Real estate taxes as low as possible for homeowners. When home values go up, we need to cut tax rates to keep the tax burden to you in line. Home value increase should be a benefit to you, the taxpayer, and not the taxpayer.

Michelle Davis Younger (D) (Incumbent)

Davis-Younger is seeking a second term as mayor, after being elected in 2020. She owns and operates a Human Resources Consulting firm located in Historic Downtown Manassas called The1ForHR, LLC, which focses on career coaching and resume writing. After attending several White House functions, she claims she was instrumental in convincing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to choose the Hylton Performing Arts Center, on George Mason University Science and Technology Campus, to be the site of the administration’s re-election kickoff in January 2024.

NO RESPONSE

Council Candidates

Lynn Forkell Greene (R)

Lynn Forkell Greene is seeking to regain a seat on the council, where she served for 14 months, from Fall 2021 to December 2022. Forkell Green served the remainder of Davis-Younger’s city council term, a seat vacated when Davis-Younger was elected mayor.

She is an Administrative Director for a nonprofit organization. Forkell Greene and her husband share four adult children and three grandchildren. Before announcing her re-election bid, Forkell Green was a freelance reporter covering city issues for Potomac Local News.

As a candidate for Manassas City Council, my priority is ensuring affordability for our community. I’ll tackle rising property values and market-driven costs by eliminating policies that lead to higher taxes and excessive spending. Additionally, I’ll champion public-private partnerships, inclusionary zoning policies, and the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Ashley Hutson (D)

Hutson is seeking her first term on the city council. She is the Director of Member Engagement of the Heavy Construction Contractors Association in Manassas. Hutson has served on the Manassas Board of Building Code Appeals, Washington Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board, and Community Advisory Committee. She graduated from Osbourn Park High School and Christopher Newport University.

Because Manassas is only 9.9 square miles and most of it is already developed, Council must make forward thinking land use decisions that will serve the community long into the future. The Comprehensive Plan calls for a variety of options for housing in order to reduce the impact of rising costs, felt by all people, but especially renters, young adults, and the elderly.

I believe Council should make every effort to allot and retain attainable/affordable units with priority for teachers, city staff, and our Veterans. Several housing units, which will hopefully house Veterans, were allotted at the American legion Post 114 on Prince William Street. Our current Council voted to retain affordable housing units at the corner of Stonewall Road & Center Street, which I would have supported as well.

Historic Downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods illuminate the character of the City of Manassas. The re-development of the Mathis Ave shopping center is an opportunity to add mid-rise, multi-family units and commercial space. The proximity of Mathis Ave to Historic Downtown and the VRE will make this a desirable space for businesses and residents. Striving to be a modern, walkable, transit accessible city while complimenting the character of Historic Downtown will be important as development decisions are made.

Mark Wolfe (D) Incumbent

Wolfe is seeking a fourth term on the city council. He has lived in the City of Manassas since 1990. Wolfe has executive leadership experience in the corporate and non-profit sectors and is currently the Chief Operating Officer of MovieComm. Amy, his wife of 36 years, is the Artistic Director and CEO of Manassas Ballet Theatre. They have two children, both of whom graduated from Osbourn High School.

I am gratified to see that the need to address the availability of affordable housing is now receiving bi-partisan recognition.

First, it is important to recognize that there can not be a true solution that does not recognize the need for additional supply of housing; the law of supply and demand has not been repealed. In recent years I have supported five projects which would have increased the supply of housing in Manassas. Four of these have been approved by the Council: the Grant Avenue development, the Jefferson Street homes, the renovation to Legion Post 114 on Prince William Street, and the townhomes on Hastings.

This gets me to my second point: the government should partner with and help the private sector in this effort but should not engage in 1960’s 1960s-style housing projects. The Grant Avenue development is a great example of this. The streetscape improvements on Grant Avenue were a condition of the developer moving forward with their project. This was an easy condition to satisfy as the City had already planned on making these long-needed improvements. By working in concert with the developer, the City was able to leverage public dollars for a larger gain for our community. For the Prince William Street project, the City was instrumental in teaming the Legion Post with a non-profit housing developer and in working with both parties to create a win/win/win solution that helps the Post with their long-term facility, adds housing targeted to our veterans and will help to improve the neighborhood, increasing property values.

Third, these things take time. It was 15 years from when I walked the land that is now the Grant Avenue project with the Van Metre development team to the beginning of construction. None of these projects happen overnight. However, the City staff has been excellent in working with the builders to ensure timely review and feedback of plans and permitting. This has long been a service priority of Manassas.

And fourth, none of these projects exist in a vacuum. This must fit into and become a part of the pre-existing community. Preserving the character of neighborhoods is enshrined in our Comprehensive Plan as one of the guiding principles of re-development in Manassas. Again, using Grant Avenue as an example, one proposal would have placed several 10 to 15-story apartment buildings on the site. That was rejected out of hand. Whatever we do must work for Manassas. While the housing affordability issue is a regional one, Manassas needs to recognize that what is an answer in Arlington is not necessarily right for Manassas.

Stephen Kent (R)

Kent is seeking his first term on the city council. He is an author and public relations professional. He and his wife, Melony “Mel” Kent, share a child. Mel Kent ran for the city school board in 2022.

The primary goal of housing development needs to be getting demand for housing back in line with supply. “Affordable housing” has long been a buzzword that brings out some very tribal elements in every community dealing with the issue of housing affordability. When cities build “market rate” housing, what housing experts and urban planners tend to see is a healthy churn of residents currently living in cheaper housing that doesn’t meet their needs. In Manassas, you have a lot of higher-income residents living in single-family starter homes and townhouses who would actually prefer to expand their square footage and upgrade, but there are not many options for them. When you build market-rate housing, those people move up and out, creating that space for residents with lower budgets. Everyone gets the housing they can afford. There are always valid concerns over preserving the historic character of different communities and keeping Manassas’ signature charm, but nothing harms a community more than homelessness and rising costs of living due to a lack of housing development. Everyone in Manassas is better off when the free market is allowed to work, and when builders are building both homes and apartments that meet the diverse needs of a growing city.

Tom Osina (D) Incumbent

Osina is seeking his second term on the council. He and his husband have lived in the Georgetown South community for more than 20 years. He is the father of 2 grown children.

I am supportive of attainable (affordable housing) initiatives in Manassas as long as they are in appropriate locations. That’s why I voted to purchase the Mathis Avenue Shopping Center which passed unanimously with bipartisan support. Years earlier, under Republican majority City Councils, the area was identified as excellent location for attainable housing.

The hiring of a Housing Coordinator in the new fiscal year along with additional funding to Housing Trust Fund will give us more tools to develop these efforts.

The City of Manassas has utilized effectively community conversations events which help to bring in resident ideas and learn of concerns they have about impact. Holding such meetings is part of the agreement with the Economic Development Commission for which I voted on June 24, 2024.

I am hopeful that as redevelopment moves forward that such attainable housing will include the possibilities for below median income housing, workforce housing and aging in place housing.

Robyn Williams (R)

Williams is seeking her first term on the city council. She has served two terms on the Manassas City School Board. Williams holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from George Mason University. He found her background in finance and economics valuable on the MCPS School Board, in addition to her more than 10 years as a broker/owner of Redstone Realty, specializing in residential real estate.

Williams’ public service in Manassas began with the Beautification Committee, where she served as a member and eventually Chairperson. She also volunteered as a teacher assistant at Haydon Elementary for several years and taught modules in schools through the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation Department.

I attended a Spring Housing Forum on April 11, 2024 hosted by VCU Kornblau Industry Talks. Among the panelist were Alana Gonzalez with the Better Housing Coalition and Monique Johnson with Virginia Housing. Balancing the need for affordable housing while addressing concerns about the community impact and development is a real challenge.

The City of Manassas has focused on housing for over a decade. The city’s initiatives are well laid out in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan passed by the City Council in 2020. The Housing affordability and quality section centers around the City’s Community Development Block Grant program, providing funds to assist low income households, which I agree with. Identifying partners who are willing to acquire tax credit properties about to expire is one meaningful strategy outlined in HOU 4.4.3. Recently, an opportunity to add 12 affordable units was presented to the council utilizing HOU 4.4.3, but it was rejected.

The Housing Balance section of the plan also encourages exploration of innovative solutions such as Accessory Dwelling Units. While ADUs are clearly not a large-scale solution for affordable housing, I recognize the considerable side-benefit of allowing families to stay together while reducing their housing costs and possibly obviating or at least lessening the need for expensive nursing home care for elderly or disabled residents.

I do like the character area design principles used in the plan and feel as though adherence to them will allow Manassas City to grow robustly while providing a good balance of available housing for our residents at all the various stages of their lives.

Manassas City Hall has reopened after significant renovations.

The building, which had remained unchanged since 1987, now features upgraded windows, an HVAC system, plumbing, an elevator, and reconfigured office space. The renovation project, initiated in 2014, cost $15.9 million and included a new roof and generator installed in 2021.

The final cost is more than 60% higher than the city anticipated when work began.

The renovations aim to improve service navigation for residents, create better public meeting and conference spaces, reorganize department office spaces, provide more space for public art displays, enhance energy efficiency, and update the exterior façade.

The city wrote in its regular resident newsletter that the updates address long-term challenges with state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical, and data systems.

The reopening of City Hall marks the closure of the Customer Service Center on Godwin Drive as city officials evaluate future needs. The new layout will facilitate easier business transactions for residents and provide a much-needed community conference room.

In 2022, city leaders were caught flatfooted by rising renovation costs at Manassas City Hall and decided to vacate the building before finalizing the renovation budget. Due to rising construction and labor costs, the cost had increased to $12.2 million from the initially estimated $8.5 million.

At the time, the city’s public works director, Scott Horan, explained to the council that delays in architectural plans and changes to designs contributed to the project’s extended timeline and cost increase. The city had moved staff out of City Hall into other offices in January of that year but waited until July to solicit contractor bids.

On Friday, June 14, Manassas leaders hosted a delegation of Chinese officials and business leaders from the City of Quianjiang in Hubei province. The Manassas Department of Economic Development organized the visit to encourage cultural and economic exchange. This was the first such visit since officials from the City of Shaoxing visited in 2015.

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On Monday, May 13, 2024, the Manassas City Council voted to increase keep real estate tax rates flat. Councilmember Sonia Vasquez Luna motioned for approval, and Vice Mayor Pamela Sebesky seconded it. The vote passed, with Councilmember Theresa Coates Ellis being the sole dissenting vote.

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Manassas Town Council press release: Theresa Coates Ellis, Patron Manassas City Council Member of Manassas Bee Festival (June 22); Patricia Kouttab, Owner of Kerbobble Toys; Sherry Day, building owner of 9216 Center St.; Mark Olsen, Chair and Kristen Kiefer, Executive Director, Historic Manassas Inc., proudly announce the launch to create a new wall mural at an entrance to Historic Manassas on the wall of  Kerbobble Toys celebrating the Bee City USA designation for the City of Manassas. On May 2021, the Manassas City Council voted unanimously to become a Bee City USA, initiated by Council Member Coates Ellis, a trained master gardener and beekeeper. With that designation, the City must hold public awareness activities to plant native and to save our pollinators, including bees. The 4^th annual Manassas Bee Festival fulfills this requirement with a free family fun and educational event held on Saturday, June 22^nd from 10am to 2pm.

Coates Ellis said, “We started a nonprofit organization, Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival, so  we could give back to the community. Our goal was to contribute more public art and education to the city of Manassas with the important native plant and pollinator theme. Since 2019, we have visited many schools and groups and hosted workshops and demonstrations at the apiary at Liberia House and Grounds. This year, we are thrilled that a public art plan came together and the Friends of the Manassas Bee Festival will be donating funds for the wall mural project on Kerbobble Toys, to welcome visitors to our Historic Manassas, a Bee City USA.”

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