Strong leadership is needed in order to meet the town’s needs.
In order to prepare Warrenton for its future, real transparency is needed. Residents deserve to know what the town is up against, and the best ways to solve these issues, together!
Amazon
The elephant in the room for the past several years has been the Amazon data center. Let’s be clear on my position: should the issue of this data center ever come back before the council, I am voting against it. More and more information continues to come out about the strain data centers pose on their surrounding resources, and their impact on the surrounding environment. Further, I support the town’s attempt to prevent any further data centers from being erected in town. So where does that leave us with the one that is still in contest?
As many know, the Amazon data center issue is being litigated. Its viability may end up being decided by the courts without further involvement from council. We will see what happens with the decisions this summer. Unfortunately, defeating the data center does not necessarily rid that area of Amazon altogether. Amazon still owns the land. It is uncertain as to what Amazon would decide to do with the land if the data center is disallowed. They could decide to sell the land, possibly to the federal government, who could build their own data center. All we can do is speculate at this point until the court decisions are handed down.
While it was the 2023 council that approved the special use permit, the current council has made its own further concerning decisions. Thousands of dollars have been spent by this council in their attempts to fight the data center. While understandable, the town is in no position to waste money. Ventures such as the Commission on Open and Transparent Government, which was disbanded last year, have racked up bills at the taxpayers’ expense will not producing any desired results. The fate is in the hands of the courts at this point. Once the court makes its decision, my hope is that we can move on from this issue, once and for all, and revert our focus to more pressing issues of affordability, and the budget shortfall, that the current council is placing on the backburner.
Affordability
A running theme for current and past Fauquier governments is that all growth is bad. Flowing from this logic, if you allow any growth whatsoever, Warrenton is doomed to become the next Fairfax, Manassas, Gainesville, Culpeper, etc. This hyperbole leaves Warrenton vulnerable to missing out on opportunities to win over new residents, to keep current residents, and to promote its economy.
Do we need to model ourselves after Culpeper and the like? No. Has Culpeper and neighboring counties/towns developed to the point where Warrenton’s resources are being used by their residents in their commutes? Yes! This is where Warrenton is missing the mark. The expansion west is coming (and, in fact, has already come) whether we like it or not. We can either decide to take advantage of some of that, or be bypassed altogether.
Opportunities for growth should be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Not every business is going to be a good fit for Warrenton and its small town feel. At a minimum, the town has to be open to some possibility. It has to incentivize businesses to want to set up shop in Warrenton. If not, neighboring counties are more than willing to oblige. The residents will follow the economy, where it makes sense to work and shop closer to home. If we want to keep our current residents, and set up future generations for success, we have to make ourselves open to at least some new opportunities. This does not even require new developments. If you look around, there are empty storefronts in all of the Broadview shopping centers and Old Town, alike. We can prioritize incentivizing the filling of existing storefronts without taking up precious, open space with new development.
The town is unaffordable, especially for young families. As our approach to new business needs to be case-by-case, so does our view on new housing opportunities. In protecting our small town feel, we do not want to pepper every open landscape with new neighborhoods. Zillow estimates the typical home value in town at nearly $600,000. In order to remain competitive in the housing market, affordable housing options need to be available.
The town government, itself, has its own affordability issues. We are in a shortfall. Despite that, the proposed budget for this year is $6 million more than last year! The town cannot afford its own spending. The town has taken out a line of credit in order to meet its needs. This council has floated ideas such as trimming the amount of town jobs and cutting funding for the volunteer fire department. Instead, the council should put an immediate check on the reckless spending with the Commission on Open and Transparent Government, and the hiring and firing of new town attorneys and managers. This alone would save the town thousands that it can use to reinvest in itself.
Transparency
It is somewhat ironic that the platform of some members of council is openness and transparency. What are the true reasons behind the termination of Town Manager Frank Cassidy, and the threat of termination to Town Attorney Chap Petersen? Why are there secretive text message chains of counsel members to this effect? Why were excluded council members blindsided by some of these decisions? What is it that they do not want you to know?
These are unanswered questions that fly in the face of openness and transparency. As your council member, it will be my mission to keep residents informed as to the details behind my votes and my decisions. This is the town’s business, meaning it is the people’s business. Town residents have every right to know what it is their elected officials are deciding, and why.
A Warrenton for Everybody
We live in divisive times. It is important now more than ever to come together as a town on issues that affect all of us. The diversity of our town is a strength. This is a campaign for all residents, as we all face and have to contend with the uphill issues of the town. It will be my mission to right the ship so that we can all enjoy a more prosperous future in town. I hope to have your support on November 3, 2026, and look forward to the privilege of serving you!