Opinion

Published

A Reset

PO Box 207 Leesburg, VA 20178 703-770-9723

NORMAN K. STYER Publisher and Editor nstyer@loudounnow.com

EDITORIAL

RENSS GREENE Deputy Editor rgreene@loudounnow.com

ALEXIS GUSTIN Reporter agustin@loudounnow.com

HANNA PAMPALONI Reporter hpampaloni@loudounnow.com

ADVERTISING

SUSAN STYER Advertising Manager sstyer@loudounnow.com

TONYA HARDING Account Executive tharding@loudounnow.com

VICKY MASHAW Account Executive vmashaw@loudounnow.com

The appointment of a new superintendent brings the opportunity for a reset in the divisive rhetoric that has dominated the School Board meeting room for the past three years.

We recognize it’s an opportunity that those with the loudest voices are unlikely to embrace, however it offers a platform for a productive community dialogue during the summer break—as well as an informative foundation for voters who will head to the polls in November.

It won’t be for this lame-duck School Board to strike out new policy initiatives in the few months remaining in its term; it must simply keep the ship afloat until turning over the helm to the next group of elected leaders.

In effect, the hiring of a new superintendent should be the start of a community conversation about the future of the division and actions needed to achieve the goals. That same conversation should help voters establish the qualifications they will seek from candidates.

What they’re likely to find is that the actual community priorities are not the same ones the elected leaders and their critics have been battling over. Making that discovery would be a great place to start the rebuild. n

LETTERS to the Editor

Divisive

Editor:

While Board of Supervisor Chair Phyllis Randall wishes to present Loudoun County as some sort of a Lake Wobegon paradise in her State of the County address, the reality is quite different.

Loudoun is as safe as it is because of its educated and law-abiding citizens and its just and vigilant Republican sheriff.

Still, there is plenty wrong here. With Randall at the helm, Loudoun County is not at peace. Though she calls for unity, she is the most divisive Loudoun County politician in decades.

Her administration has sexualized children while attacking parents who dare to protect their children’s innocence. Under a twisted redefinition of “equity,” Randall and her Democratic Party colleagues divide the county based on race, making what once was a civil society uncivil. They turn a deaf ear to those who disagree with them, projecting their own politics of “hate” onto their opponents.

Randall forces her racist views on government operations that should be representative of the entire county. Her race-baiting tactics divert attention from fundamental problems such as the persistent traffic congestion on Rt. 15 North. For her, it is 1862 every day. She holds a grudge against America even though most citizens want a color-blind society.

Randall brought in labor unions that make the government more expensive and less accountable, increasing our debt, and using racist ideology to deny qualified people access to public life and government services. Her Democratic administration has helped give Northern Virginia the third-highest cost of living in the nation.

Unchecked, one-party rule has made Loudoun County infamous. In the school system, instead of English and math, Democrats promote gender confusion and pornography. In place of merit, achievement, and excellence, they foster mediocrity in the name of “equity.” Make no mistake, when Randall says she supports education, she seeks autocratic education giving parents little say in how the system operates. The Democrat-dominated school board does whatever it wants.

We need GOP participation across Loudoun institutions to instill a sense of fairness and balance in the administration. This fall, county residents will have an opportunity to consider an alternative to the leftist agenda and to vote for accountability, common sense, and a clean government. n

— Scott Pio, Chairman Loudoun County Republican Committee

READERS’ poll CHIPshots

LAST WEEK'S QUESTION:

What’s in the future for this year’s high school graduates?

Purcellville emails

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Hemstreet the County Administrator,” he wrote in the May 6 update. “I will let you all know if we are successful in conducting any more. Please feel free to reach out yourself to mend fences as well. Because at this point I am told nobody will meet with me if there is an elected official with me. I was further informed that the county is officially changing policies that they will no longer support [towns] within [town] boundaries and will place future facilities in the county areas.”

“I find it unfortunate that the County Executive found it necessary to limit his engagement with the elected officials of the Town of Purcellville,” Purcellville Mayor Stanley J. Milan wrote in response. “To me that is poor governance and leadership on their part.”

The mayor said tensions between the town council and staff predated the current council term.

“The council and Staff relationship has been an issue from as far back as I can remember, 8 years or more, and it will not be corrected until people decide enough is enough!” Milan wrote.

“Try not to believe all that you read and hear. Anzivino left because he wanted to! There is more to that story than what is said,” he added.

Adam’s second report, on May 13, gives a detailed report of the work of the town staff and current projects updates.

Adam’s final update, sent May 21, lays

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:

What should be the top priority for Loudoun’s next schools superintendent?

County, as they will no longer execute projects that require a Town’s support,” he wrote.

Adams wrote that two council members were in charge, three were researching and making informed decisions, and two were blindly following the two members in charge.

Until that balance changes, Adams warned the problems would continue.

“I can only trust that the two council members that are not actively involved with things to make the change. Because without their efforts to change, nothing will change,” Adams wrote.

And, he told council members, “you have lost trust.” out a series of management frustrations.

“The Town Council is not attempting to follow their own published priorities and nor is Council trying to accomplish what we agreed, not to mention what we should be doing as a Leadership Team,” Adams wrote.

“The way this Council has conducted business the last 4.5 months is, in my opinion, embarrassing,” Adams wrote. “And if you aren’t as embarrassed as your citizens are, then something is really wrong! Talk to them – they are! I define the Council’s behavior as toxic and deliberately setting the conditions for a negative outcome.”

Adams further wrote that some council members were deliberately portraying the town staff as incompetent.

“At this point, the County’s elected leaders are so tainted on our governance that we are affecting all the towns in this

“You only need to talk to citizens and they know,” he wrote. “Talk to the volunteers on your Boards, Committees, and Commissions. Talk to businesses. Talk to your staff !”

Milan wrote in a response to Adams’ May 21 email two days later saying he had, “grossly misinterpreted the members of Town Council.”

“There are no enemies on council toward the staff. It is unfortunate I don’t feel that way in my direction,” Milan wrote. “I am not concerned if people like me or respect ME, however, I believe they must respect the office I hold. … You have been here for almost a month and your weekly reports have been way out of the norm I was expecting from a [town manager], but not a surprise since it is perceived that certain members of council are out of control, which is the farthest thing from the truth I know of.” n