Alexandria’s first Democratic city council primary in 20 years is less than a month away, and many of the 14 candidates vying for six seats are singing a similar tune: The council, they say, needs to start listening more to residents.
Some council candidates say their campaigns were inspired by a public outcry over two controversial development plans for the city’s iconic waterfront and the Beauregard neighborhood. Others say they want to give a voice to neighborhoods that simply aren’t represented in city government.
The city’s waterfront redevelopment plan drew criticism from residents because it allows high-rise hotels along the Potomac River. The Beauregard development plan, residents said, doesn’t include enough affordable housing.
| Democratic candidates for Alexandria Council |
| John Taylor Chapman, school administrator in Fairfax County |
| Melissa Diane Feld, former Hill staffer |
| Timothy B. Lovain, former City Council member |
| Redella S. “Del” Pepper, incumbent |
| Arthur E. Peabody Jr., Alexandria School Board member |
| Paul C. Smedberg, incumbent |
| Donna L. Fossum, City Planning Commission member |
| Justin M. Wilson, former City Council member |
| Michael A. Hepburn, City Economic Opportunities Commission member |
| Sean T. Holihan, NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia |
| Boyd W. Walker, former co-chair of Citizens for an Alternate Alexandria Waterfront Plan |
| Allison Silberberg, City Economic Opportunities Commission chair |
| Victoria A. Menjivar, Alexandria Public Schools administrative assistant |
| Sammie E. Moshenberg, founding member of Tenants and Workers United |
City officials said such criticism is par for the course in Alexandria. Mayor William Euille told The Washington Examiner this week that the city does listen to residents, holding months of public hearings and gathers citizen input long before voting.
“It’s not so much not listening as those who want a different outcome are not satisfied,” he said.
Still, a number of candidates said the council needs to be more responsive.
“With the waterfront and other small area plans, it’s something a number of people are saying — that the city hasn’t really fully engaged residents to the fullest extent,” said John Chapman, a Fairfax school administrator who’s running for one of the open council seats. “We need council members to look at a number of ways to reach out.”
Two other candidates in the June 12 primary, Donna Fossum and Michael Hepburn from the city’s West End, said they’re running because they feel residents from their neighborhood don’t get the attention they deserve from the council.
This year’s Democratic ticket also includes Boyd Walker, one of the most vocal critics of the council’s waterfront plan. He and mayoral candidate Andrew Macdonald led Citizens for an Alternate Alexandria Waterfront Plan until stepping down to campaign.
Typically, Alexandria’s Democrats pick their council candidates in party caucuses. Euille said he was surprised by the number of candidates running; Walker said he believes this year has seen an unusually large number of candidates because voters “want to see the city go in a different direction.”
“There are a lot of people who would like to see fresh faces,” he said.
