M. Park hears from residents

PDF Complete answers to candidate questions

A total of nine Manassas Park residents spoke Tuesday for about 15 minutes about who they thought should fill the two empty seats on the Manassas Park City Council.

The names mentioned most were those of the three most familiar faces vying for the two spots: former vice mayor Kevin P. Brendel, former council candidate Douglas E. Judd and former Manassas Park mayor, William J. Treuting.

Brendel and Judd both ran in the May election. Brendel lost his seat and Judd was not elected.

Treuting served as Mayor of the city until 2004.

Manassas Park resident Joe Dazzo has lived in the city for 37 years and said Tuesday that he had often disagreed with Brendel and Treuting, but that they were committed.

“They’ve been on the committee. They’ve been to the line. And I believe they have served the citizens of Manassas Park well,” he said.

Judd was supported by his wife and two other residents at the hearing.

“If you want someone who will genuinely listen and weigh decisions based on facts, Douglas Judd is your choice,” said his wife, Elizabeth Judd.

While Brendel, Judd and Treuting received the most support Tuesday, some residents spoke in favor of people unknown in the Manassas Park political scene.

City resident Michael Wine said that Michael L. James and David T. Murphy should be the ones to take over the two vacant seats on the council. He said he is a fellow band parent with James.

“I’m impressed by Mr. James because on many, many occasions he comes to us and he asks, ‘What can I do?’ ” Wine said.

Wine said that Murphy also asks how he can help and is always willing to speak his mind.

City resident Scott Clay urged the council against giving special consideration to someone just because they ran in the most recent election.

“I believe the voters spoke in May and decided it was time for a change,” he said.

The council conducted interviews with the candidates last week and also had them answer five questions in writing.

The questions and answers can be found at the city’s Web site, cityofmanassaspark.us, under the section labeled, “City News.”

The council will pick its two new council members at next week’s city council meeting.

The decision will be the first item of business on next week’s agenda. Afterward, the new members will be sworn in and will take their seats for the remainder of the meeting.

The two openings on the council came about because of the departures of two members, Vonna L. Privett and Adam C. Larson, which occurred one week apart in late August and early September.

Privett left after a family friend who was living in her home was sentenced on child pornography charges.

Larson left to move to a new house in Prince William County.

Since the two council members’ departures, the council has been reduced to five members.

The special election to fill the vacancies will not occur until the next local election in 2008. Until that time two people must be appointed to serve the rest of Privett’s four-year term, and most of the first two years of Larson’s four-year term.