Dellinger Decides Not to Fight
HV has not heard of any voting improprieties this year but suppose even just one or two "older" folks were swayed, that would make a difference in this year's election.
Incumbent Opts Against Recount in Razor-Close Vienna Race
by Brian Trompeter
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Vienna Town Council candidates Mike Gadell, George Lovelace, Howard Springsteen, Laurie DiRocco and Dan Dellinger pose with their signs outside the Vienna Community Center during the May 5 town election. (Photo by Brian Trompeter)The Vienna Town Council will have two new members this July, thanks to the upcoming retirement of one member and a challenger’s two-vote victory on May 5 that ousted an incumbent.
Five candidates - two incumbents and three challengers - faced off for three available seats in the election. Council member Maud Robinson did not seek re-election this year.
In proving the old adage that every vote indeed does count, challenger Howard Springsteen narrowly beat Council incumbent Dan Dellinger by a score of 794 to 792 votes.
The margin had been just one vote until Fairfax County election officials awarded Springsteen a provisional ballot that had been in question.
The provisional voter had requested and received an absentee ballot, but threw it away and went to the polls in person, said Fairfax County General Registrar Rokey Suleman.
A recount would have occurred automatically if there had been a tie. Dellinger, who was entitled to ask for a recount because of the razor-thin margin, said on Monday he did not plan to do so.
The winning Town Council members will begin their terms on July 1.
Springsteen, a Fairfax County employee who also serves as president of the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, said the election results underscore the importance of voter participation.
“I grew up in northern New Jersey, where I saw elections decided by one vote on numerous occasions,” Springsteen said. “It really shows you that your vote does count.”
Candidates conducted a civil, issues-oriented campaign, he said.
“Everybody got along,” Springsteen said. “We all felt really strongly about Vienna.”
Dellinger, a construction project manager who first was elected to the council in 2006, took some flak during the race after saying in a debate that connecting Fairfax County trails through the town would “bring the other undesirables into our neighborhoods.”
Dellinger said that comment probably had less of an impact on the polling results than the damp, cool weather on election day. But he took final responsibility for the outcome.
“I should have worked harder to achieve victory,” he said. “That’s a lesson for people who wish to run for public office.”
There were 1,519 votes cast out of an eligible 11,131 voters in the election, a turnout rate of 13.6 percent. Only 53 of the votes were cast by absentee ballot.
While all eyes remained on the Springsteen-Dellinger race after the election, two other Town Council seats were up for grabs in the election, and these were won by decisive margins.
Laurie DiRocco, chairman of the Vienna Planning Commission, ran away with the contest as she amassed 969 votes. DiRocco said she did much door-to-door campaigning and received positive responses.
“I talked about a plan for Maple Avenue, preserving green space and making Vienna walkable and bike-able,” she said. “I don’t think it was one thing in particular” that made the difference in the election.
Longtime Council member George Lovelace won re-election with 881 votes. He thanked constituents for their continuing support.
“People said, ‘We can’t see Vienna without you. We want you there and we’ll put you in there,’” Lovelace said. “It makes me want to work harder.”
Lovelace said DiRocco will make a fine addition to the council.
“She came across as a pretty level-headed individual, one who thinks things through before saying something or reacting,” Lovelace said. “Her experience on the Planning Commission will serve her well.”
Challenger Mike Gadell, an account executive with Marriott International, received 511 votes. Gadell said he enjoyed his experience as a first-time candidate.
“There were five great candidates, four gentlemen and a lady,” Gadell said. “We had the town’s best interests at heart and the town is better for it. The process works.”
The Vienna Town Council consists of six members and the mayor. All council seats are at-large positions with two-year terms. Vienna voters choose three Town Council members every year and elect the mayor on even-numbered years.
Comments
I'm ok with Dan's decision. I agree, the bike path connection comment didn't help, but the weather also was a huge factor in keeping people from the polls.
May I propose a new topic? Perhaps the webmaster could move it to a different area, as it isn't appropriate to keep it under this headline.
I would like to see a discussion on a subject that often pops up here, and that is "class warfare."
Of course, it is foolish to pretend that it doesn't exist. The original "Town of Vienna," despite it's earlier history, really grew as a post war suburban town in the 1950s. Yeonas and others built myiad "tract homes," which were affordable to veterans, first time home builders and government workers.
We have substantially changed in the past 50 years, and now there is a disconnect between those living in the older smaller homes and those able to afford homes that now sell for a million plus.
Naturally, as people who have been here for decades see the home of their beloved neighbor torn down before their eyes, they feel disconnected and sad.
Even angry. That's understandable.
But my contention is that these folks are valued and important citizens in our Town. Ousting them or worse, "waiting for them to die," is counter-intuitive to having a diverse and vibrant community.
Elder-folk have much to offer, and in my opinion, should be honored and respected, not shuffled and sometimes pushed to the side for the "young bucks" to rule the roost (Sorry for the mixed animal metaphor...)
Let's hear some talk about this - It's probably one of the more major questions that we face, and most of us are uncomfortable addressing it in public -
But some thoughtful opinions here could help futher the future of our Town - How do we solve this for the cohesiveness and betterment of Vienna?
Posted by: Still in the Town of Vienna ; - ) | May 13, 2009 09:25 PM
Homes built by Yeonas were in many cases a step up from what existed in Vienna. The natives were effected in a similar way by the disruption of their lifestyle. The newcomers changed a lot of their tradition in Vienna, such as religious influences, voting registration, drinking laws, et cetera. The Vienna natives were decent people whom I always found a pleasure to know. The economic picture changed and the inflation took its toll. We are suffering a similar fate today. However, upon seeing the walled yards of some Mcmansions I wonder if the gentrification is not the result of the real estate agents rather than the buyers of some homes. In one case a neighbor spent considerable money to erect an attractive four foot fence. His neighbors were inclined to continue with the same fence style. However, the real estate agent of the adjoining McJunk told the builder he needed to put up a fence. Consiquently a solid six foot fence was erected six inches inside the line, creating a double fence. Good luck cleaning the debris collected in the six inches between the fences. Think about this, the builder had to get a fence permit from the Town of Vienna to erect this fence six inches from the line, adjacent to an existing fence.
Posted by: 'Wyltn | May 14, 2009 09:32 AM