Dumfries council hopeful stresses giving back

DUMFRIES — Charles “Cliff” Brewer says he is running for the Dumfries Town Council because he wants to make some changes.

“First of all, we need to have all the council people get involved with all of the communities, not just the ones where they live,” Brewer said. “I don’t think the council is representing all the communities’ interests.”

This is the first time that Brewer, 44, has sought a town office. He is, however, involved with the town’s Landfill Advisory Committee.

Tripoli Heights neighborhood residents have been airing complaints in recent years about the nearby Potomac Landfill. The committee was formed to help address those concerns.

“I want to unify the Town Council so that everyone is on the same page,” Brewer said.

Brewer said he feels that there are some current members of the Dumfries Town Council who are not looking out for the good of all the communities. “They don’t have any other concerns except for their own agenda,” he said.

“Another problem in the town are the kids,” Brewer said. While the town does provide many activities such as the Boys and Girls Club for the town’s youth, many young people do not take advantage of them.

“They don’t use the existing facilities,” Brewer said. “We need to get them more involved.”

Brewer, a service manager for a fire sprinkler company, said he is a Democrat and is not happy about the way a Democratic slate of candidates was chosen for the town election.

For the first time in the town’s history, the May 7 town election will be partisan after a Democratic caucus was held the day before the filing deadline earlier this month.

Although the caucus was advertised twice in the newspaper, only four people showed up for the meeting, the same four who were chosen for the slate.

“The Democratic slate that was proposed is unfair to the other Democrats,” Brewer said.

Aside from Brewer, there are five other people vying for the three open seats on the Town Council. Dumfries staggers the four-year terms on the six-member council.

Staff writer Aileen Streng can be reached at (703) 878-8010.