Citing pressing obligations from two medical practices, family, charities and board work, two-term Vienna Town Council member Nisha Patel announced June 5 that she would not be seeking re-election in November.
“I feel that now is a good time to pass along the baton to some new Council members, who will take a fresh look at our government and continue to listen to the people and work well with the other Council members,” said Patel, who first was elected in 2019.
Patel said during her Council tenure she had endorsed tax cuts every year, worked diligently on the town’s Code Create zoning update, created opportunities for outdoor-living space, viewed sidewalk projects from a logical approach and worked for a new Harmony Park in the town’s center.
She added she also had taken a fiscally conservative approach with the new police station, pushed for street signs and streetlights, favored trail improvements near the town’s red caboose and defended residents’ rights, whether in regard to pickleball, sidewalks, conditional-use permits, personal-property rights and the town’s noise ordinance.
“I’ve attempted in this past time on Council, to be a voice of compromise, protecting and trusting our citizens, advocating for them and increasing the transparency of government,” Patel said.
Patel said she had enjoyed working with the mayor, fellow Council members and town staff and that she hoped they would continue to listen to residents and respect their opinions.
“Your dedication is unwavering and impressive and my hat’s off to you,” she said.
Council member Charles Anderson praised Patel’s service, which was a sacrifice considering all her other commitments.
“I’ve always been impressed by her quickness, her curiosity and her willingness to try things and to listen to people,” he said. “We’re going to miss that voice.”
Council member Ray Brill Jr., who joined the body in 2020, at the same meeting announced he would be filing paperwork the next day to seek a new term in November. Council member Ed Somers said he would announce at the next meeting whether he would be running again.
Contenders in the Nov. 7 Vienna Town Council election will have until June 20 to file their paperwork with the Fairfax County Office of Elections, but the field of challengers already is growing.
Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert is the only candidate so far to have filed for the mayoral post. Town Council incumbents Howard Springsteen and Anderson have turned in their paperwork again. Council member Steve Potter announced recently he would not be seeking a third term, citing health concerns.
So far, three other candidates have thrown their hats into the ring: Roy Baldwin, Jessica Ramakis and Sandra Allen.
This year’s Town Council election will be held for the first time in November, after a bill passed by the General Assembly moved all municipal elections from May to November. The legislation’s patrons said it was intended to encourage greater voter participation, but the Council opposed the measure, saying it would commingle the town’s nonpartisan election with partisan races in the November general election.
Whereas May elections usually drew only voters who were knowledgeable about the candidates, moving the election to November might tempt people unfamiliar with Vienna’s office seekers to fill out their ballots anyway, critics also contended.
The November election also will mark a departure from Vienna’s previous tradition of staggered elections, with three Council seats up for grabs each year and the mayoral election held in even-numbered years,
When adapting to the new electoral reality, the Council decided to have all six Council seats and the mayor’s post up for election simultaneously in odd-numbered years. The Council’s rationale was that continuing with staggered elections might disadvantage candidates running in even-numbered years, when Congressional and (every four years) presidential elections occur.
