Democracy only works if you exercise it. Talk is cheap, but votes are powerful.
In the past 20 months, county residents have been encouraged to push back against a government that rode roughshod over its express wishes. That encouragement paid off on June 20 with the upset defeat of Board of County Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler in the Democratic primary.
The ousting of Chair Wheeler is a thunderclap that will reverberate far beyond Prince William County and whose effects will become clearer in the weeks ahead. At a minimum, it sends a powerful message that communities will fight back against reckless development that threatens their quality of life and that public servants who do not serve will be held accountable.
The cliches are irresistible. Truth is powerful. Justice prevailed. Right made might.
What does this stunning rebuke mean for the future of Prince William County Government? For starters, it ought to shine a bright light on the public’s disdain for the “pay for play” politics that has been ruling this county for too long. Ditto for divisive leadership, obstructing transparency, neglect of due diligence, and suppression of public input.
Congratulations to Deshundra Jefferson, who had the courage to stand up to a Democratic organization that had doubled down on a flawed status quo. It’s time to start making over that organization in the image of the principles it is supposed to stand for. It is the people, not the money, that sustains it.
Democracy in. Wheeler out.
Bill Wright
Gainesville
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Editor’s note: Meeting reporter Natalie Villalobos documented this meeting. Her notes were used to produce this story. Click here and learn more about becoming a meeting reporter and covering our local news.
The Prince William County Government is working to reduce the total number of pollutants and sediment that winds up in the Chesapeake Bay.
The Board of County Supervisors was briefed on the county's watershed plan during its meeting on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. The plan calls for restoring area streams and improving stormwater retention.
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Manassas Deputy City Manager Bryan Foster is leaving the city.
"My role has changed, and I am working on completing some specific projects for [City Manager Patrick Pate]. I will be leaving the city, but the end date has not actually been determined as we don't know how long some of these projects may take to bring to conclusion. It will be before the end of calendar 2023," Foster told PLN in a email.
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The Manassas City Airport Commission unanimously approved a proposal to bring passenger commercial airline service to the city's regional airport.
Avports Manassas, LLC, owned by Goldman Sachs, proposes spending $75 to $125 million to triple the size of the current airport terminal at 10600 Harry J. Parrish Boulevard. During the first year, the expansion would clear the way for as many as three passenger flights a day from Manassas, serving nearby cities.
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Editor's note: Meeting reporter Lynn Forkell Greene documented this meeting. I've used the notes to create this story. Click here and learn more about becoming a meeting reporter.
Manassas residents got the chance to give feedback to city officials about what they would like to see replace the Old Towne Inn, a roadside motel at the corner of Main and Center streets downtown.
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The leader of Virginia's second-largest local government won't take the debate stage with her primary opponent.
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler At-large said she declined an invitation from the homeowners association of Heritage Hunt, a gated community near her home, to participate in a voter forum with Dehundra Jefferson, a fellow Democrat who is seeking to unseat the one-term supervisor.
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Manassas Park will spend about a fraction of what it had planned to spend on the installation of 750 new "no parking" signs.
The city expects to pay about $84,000 for the new signs. In December, it had budgeted for $1.2 million.
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Prince William County will use cameras to cite drivers speeding through school and construction zones and those who fail to stop at red lights.
Drivers caught on camera violating the law will be mailed tickets starting in August 2023. The Board of County Supervisors approved a pilot program that will place cameras near nine public schools and eight interactions in hopes of curbing speeding and improving overall driver behavior, supervisors said.
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Prince William County Transportation Director Rick Canizales said this team is reconsidering a plan to build a flyover at the county's "Frogger" intersection at Route 123 and Old Bridge Road near Occoquan.
"We're taking a step back and looking at other concepts," said Rick Canizales, transportation director. "We're taking a moment to make sure we're doing the right thing for the citizens, the businesses, and the travelers of this area."
