Candidates for Town Council
The Town of Purcellville election is Nov. 5 and early voting starts Sept. 20 at the Loudoun County Elections and Voter Registration office. The Purcellville candidates’ interviews are in the order in which their names appear on the ballot. There is also a special election for the term of two years to fill the rest of Boo Bennett’s term.
Caleb Stought
Caleb Stought works from home as a software engineer, and in his spare time he enjoys studying history and doing CrossFit. He previously served in the military for 10 years as a linguist, speaking Spanish, French, Arabic, and Persian. Stought lives in the Mayfair community with his wife, who grew up in Loudoun County, and their three daughters.
Blue Ridge Leader: Name three reasons why you want to be elected to serve the citizens of Purcellville.
Caleb Stought: First, service to others is a big part of my life and my family’s life. I served as a military linguist for 10 years, and my family and I enjoy serving in our church and our local community. My family and I are grateful for the community we are a part of in Purcellville, and it is a privilege to give back by serving on town council.
Second, I’m running to preserve Purcellville’s small-town feel. Our historic 21st Street and beautiful Main St are representative of small-town America. We must preserve our town’s character by allowing our local businesses to thrive and provide economic opportunity, and supporting local events and festivals that contribute to our sense of community.
Third, I want our town to practice fiscal responsibility. For years our town has suffered from mismanagement that cost us millions in lawsuits and put us on the verge of depleting our cash reserves. This year your town council enacted the best budget the town has had in years, resulting in an upgrade of the town’s credit rating to the highest possible rating of AAA. This is the financial management residents of our town deserve from their elected leaders.
BRL: Do you support the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center and other annexations?
Stought: I oppose the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center project. The project would add 3500 trips per day to Hirst Rd, which is already prone to congestion and gridlock. The town cannot supply the water this project would require, and I don’t believe it would be right to place more demands on our water infrastructure at this time. Lastly, the project would likely cost the town more than the revenue it would bring in.
I support our local business community and actively look for opportunities for beneficial development within our town, as I believe this is healthy and necessary for the town to thrive. I believe that we should primarily focus on these opportunities for infill development and redevelopment, and prioritize them over annexations.
BRL: Is it necessary to raise the utility rates high double digits for the foreseeable future?
Stought: For years, the town has kicked the can down the road on water rates. Our elected officials have consistently ignored the recommendations of our expert, award-winning staff. For years we have known that our debt service would increase significantly in 2025, and yet we have done little or nothing to prepare for it. Some have even claimed that “innovative solutions” and “alternative revenue sources” make rate hikes unnecessary.
I am certainly 100% in favor of the town pursuing opportunities for alternative revenue sources. Grants, partnerships, and similar efforts are a good opportunity to bring infusions of cash to the town and take some of the burden off those who pay the town’s utility fees. As recently as this year the town was awarded $226k to study PFAS (forever chemicals) in town water. This is a good thing.
That being said, we must ensure that we have this money in hand before factoring it into utility rates. To use the old adage, we should not count our chickens before they hatch. Unfortunately, this is exactly what previous town elected officials did.
The actions of previous town councils have placed the town in the unfortunate position of having to play catch-up with water rates. Because our staff’s recommendations were ignored, we are behind the curve and facing a debt service payment increase next year. In the short term, higher than average rate increases will be required to make up for past mistakes. Once the town is back on solid financial footing, these hikes will no longer be required.
BRL: Do you support working out a deal with the developers of the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street?
Stought: Our historic downtown is the heart of Purcellville. It is the place we take our families to eat and shop, and is a critical part of what gives Purcellville its unique historic character. Sadly, it has been left to stagnate for far too long. Several acres of land in the heart of our town are going unused when it could benefit town residents in many ways.
I support the revitalization of downtown. Recent renovations to the old Blue Ridge Hospice building have provided it with a beautiful new brick facade and made the building usable for new businesses. This type of infill development / redevelopment is highly appropriate for our historic downtown district.
Many years ago, a six-story building project was approved for construction along 21st Street. A six-story building would overwhelm 21st street and permanently alter Purcellville’s skyline. I do not want to see that project move forward. Therefore, if the property owners are willing to work with the town to reduce that project’s scope to a much more appropriate three-story building, I think the town should pursue that opportunity. The alternative is to let the currently approved project be built, and I don’t want to see that happen.
BRL: Do you support the revised zoning ordinance recently passed by the Planning Commission?
Stought: The recent zoning ordinance effort by the Planning Commission was a rushed, politically motivated attempt at government overreach and taking citizens property rights. It is championed and supported by Chris Bertaut, who is currently the council liaison to the Planning Commission and is running for Mayor, and Commissioner Brian Green, who is running for town council. During this process, the Planning Commission consistently ignored the recommendations of our planning staff.
The new zoning ordinance includes a new overlay district that imposes restrictions on what property owners can do with their homes. A similar proposal was brought three years ago and defeated by town council vote after dozens of residents spoke out against it. The new zoning ordinance moves common sense zoning uses such as PDH (used by Mayfair, Village Case, and Courts of St Francis), to legacy. Lastly, the new zoning ordinance removes clustering, which is currently used by Old Dominion Valley and Villages of Purcellville.
Not only do these decisions fly in the face of common-sense decision making, they were rushed through by the Planning Commission in less than a month. This process led to many homeowners receiving public hearing notices in the mail just a few days in advance. Many were unclear what changes were impacting them and many also missed the public hearing due to the short notice. This rushed process lacked transparency and was completely unfair to our residents.
Carl B. “Ben” Nett
Carl B. “Ben” Nett lives in Locust Grove with his wife and two children. He is a former member of the Presidential Protective Division of the U.S. Secret Service and the National Clandestine Service of the CIA, with warzone assignments in Afghanistan. He spent more than a decade as the Director of the Military Commissions Privilege Team at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In 2022, Nett began a second career with the Purcellville Police Department, graduating first in class from the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. Nett has earned the Sheriff’s Meritorious Action Award and was recently voted “Purcellville Police Officer of the Year” by his peers due to his work investigating financial frauds. He enjoys hiking the Appalachian Trail with his family, playing basketball with his son, and taking his daughter to gymnastics classes.
Blue Ridge Leader: Name three reasons why you want to be elected to serve the citizens of Purcellville.
Ben Nett: I have a strong aversion to dishonesty, bullies, and corruption. Does that count as one reason or three? I was initially motivated to run for Town Council because of our escalating utility costs, the constant bickering amongst council members, and the relentless push for mass urbanization by those proposing annexations that do indeed threaten our “small town charm.” While our opponents publicly express support from the council dais and during their political campaigns for Purcellville’s small town feel, it is evident that they support crony capitalism by favoring their relentless developer allies at the expense of our residents.
To that, I will now add my commitment to maintaining Purcellville as the “Safest Town in Virginia.” I can be more effective as a member of Town Council by leveraging my substantial management and budget experience, managing growth in keeping with the vision put forth in our 2030 Comprehensive Plan, and driving efficiency in government.
Put bluntly, the purpose of town government is to first and foremost protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents, pick up the trash, fix the potholes, enact our zoning laws, keep the water running, and manage waste. When elected, I’ll take care of our public safety and public works employees, curtail wasteful overhead, seek solutions to our traffic gridlock (one needs a police car to make a left turn during rush hours), and eliminate the double-digit water and wastewater rate increases planned by our opponents, Team Metropolis, that will see our already extravagant water bills more than double within five years.
BRL: Do you support the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center and other annexations?
Nett: No, and I’ll bet a steak dinner at Magnolias that no candidate for Town Council or Mayor will admit to supporting the Valley Commerce Center annexation prior to Election Day, as the vast majority of residents openly oppose this.
I’ll remind my fellow citizens that Stan Milan, head of Team Metropolis, has broken nearly every campaign promise he made just two years ago. What can one reasonably conclude from his about-face on every issue of substance? He campaigned on a message of slow growth, but is now fully supported by and openly embraces the out-of-town developers intent on transforming Purcellville into Ashburn 2.0. He previously expressed enthusiasm for annexing another property along Route 287 and Saint Francis Court for a proposed 130-room hotel, convenience store with gas station, restaurant, and a market facility. Note, also, developers’ properties (whether owned or occupied) play exclusive host to Team Metropolis political signage around town, to include the building that houses the Police Department.
If Team Metropolis truly opposed annexations and the mass urbanization that comes with it, then they would be embracing and supporting the Team Mayberry platform—not running whisper campaigns and ridiculing us personally. If voters allow Team Metropolis to prevail in this election, Purcellville will be “Loudoun’s Rural Destination” no more.
BRL: Is it necessary to raise the utility rates double digits for the foreseeable future?
Nett: Do you want to pay lower water bills or do you want to pay more than double your current water bills? That’s the decision you have to make in this election. It sounds like an IQ test, doesn’t it? Our opponents, Team Metropolis, plan double-digit water and sewer rate increases every year for the next several years, resulting in a 102% increase in our current utility bills.
Our plan eliminates the proposed rate increases for residents. We do this by creating a policy to dedicate a portion of the existing meals tax revenue (no new taxes) as a set-aside for debt reduction on our wastewater facility and, with that, reductions in general fund expenditures. Our local government, which serves a population of 9,000 residents, has a spending problem rather than a revenue problem.
Here are some examples: 1) Nearly half a million dollars in combined yearly compensation for a Town Manager and an Assistant Town Manager along with a current announcement for a nearly $200,000 “Director of Administration.” 2) A top-heavy police department with four six-figure-salary administrators overseeing an underpaid and understaffed Officer corps that has not been able to provide 24/7 coverage to the town for nearly a year. 3) A finance department that retains original staffing levels long after the county assumed the accounting burden for the collection of town property taxes.
A leading economist said that government spending is the true tax rate. The citizens of Purcellville are way overtaxed. Yet, Team Metropolis is justifying raising the utility rates by criticizing previous councils—including, by the way, votes by Stan Milan, the head of Team Metropolis, in support of the town’s refinancing as recommended by our financial advisors. Team Metropolis is preparing for annexations, higher taxes, and the assumption of even greater debt due to our AAA rating, which is the product of years of steady financial stewardship under former Mayor Fraser.
BRl: Do you support working out a deal with the developers of the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street?
Nett: The developers of Vineyard Square on 21st Street have had permits to build for 14 years and vacated their tenants to show they were “diligently pursuing” their project in order to keep their permits active. After a meeting with Stan Milan, the head of Team Metropolis, the developers of Vineyard Square put tenants back in for a two-year period. They have now come before council with a new proposal, which is to reduce the condo portion of the project from 40 condos to 36 and break up the condos into numerous four-story buildings in the back. I am not in favor of turning 21st Street into an area like San Diego’s Gaslamp District—complete with multi-family housing and a hotel. I am for letting the Vineyard Square permits expire in June 2025 and meeting with the developers to revitalize the area with appropriate commercial/retail which is conducive to our Historic Downtown. I believe the Historic Downtown Corridor holds tremendous untapped potential and is prime for further economic revitalization, such as that seen with the refacing and renovation of the American Legion and the introduction of Bia Kitchen.
My support for downtown development, beyond the approvals already granted, is contingent on such development matching the character and aesthetics of the town and avoiding adverse impacts on our already tenuous traffic situation.
BRL: Do you support the revised zoning ordinance recently passed by the planning commission?
Nett: My dad was a Democrat State Representative for over two decades and drew the ire of his party for opposing an eminent domain land grab by city government—seizure of private property, in that case, for other private use. He was ultimately vindicated by the state supreme court, and he was nominated for the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for taking on his own party and big business interests at the cost of his seat in the legislature.
The developers spent millions going after him—just as the developers lustfully eyeing Purcellville are now coming after me. I support zoning ordinances that, first and foremost, protect and preserve private property rights. The zoning ordinance passed at the end of July by the Planning Commission aligns with the desires of residents as expressed in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan.
I attended several Planning Commission meetings and witnessed, first-hand, the concerns expressed by citizens in attendance. Members of the Planning Commission listened attentively, made adjustments to address their concerns, and remained focused on aligning zoning with the wishes of Purcellville’s residents to preserve and maintain the character of our small town. Legacy districts were created to protect existing uses such as duplexes and Planned Developmental Housing—and protections were put in place to sustain what the town currently has. As a member of Town Council, I will always support the property rights of our residents. I ask for your vote.
Brian Green
Brian Green lives in Mayfair with his wife and two children. He has been a resident of Purcellville for over eight years and has lived in Loudoun County for twenty-five years. He brings a diverse background to the table across several areas of engineering, information technology, project management and customer service—in management and supporting roles. Green serves on the Town of Purcellville Planning Commission. In his spare time Green is a handyman at home and one of his passions is cooking and making homemade pasta and ravioli, much to his family’s delight.
Blue Ridge Leader: Name three reasons why you want to be elected to serve the citizens of Purcellville.
Brian Green: When elected, I will maintain the small-town feel of Purcellville through appropriate and responsible slow growth that is guided by the 2030 Comprehensive Plan and not influenced by the outside developers/interests who are present at every meeting pushing their agenda. They want very little rules so they can build what they want without citizen input.
I will ensure the Town’s services—water/sewer, public safety, and roads—are best in class, responsive to the demands of the citizens, and managed efficiently without exorbitant costs.
I will promote Town government transparency through clear and timely communication to citizens, share the Town’s priorities, make sure the permitting process is streamlined, and maintain an open door for citizen feedback. As a Council Member, I will act on behalf of the citizens for their health and well-being to ensure prosperity for all.
BRL: Do you support the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center and other annexations?
Green: I do not support annexations at this time. The Town services (clean water in particular) are already strained. Expanding the borders of the Town will put a heavy burden on the citizens of Purcellville, who have made it clear they do not want annexations. They want to preserve Purcellville’s small town character. This cannot be preserved by growing our borders and becoming like Ashburn.
There would be no benefit to our residents if we approved an additional 1.2 million square feet of industrial. It will create unbearable traffic—an additional 3,500 car trips to a residential area on roads which are in line with the rural character of our town. And no, the developer can not achieve the density he wants if the project were to be approved in the county. The county planning department has already weighed in with a strong voice of not recommending approval.
I do support the property being built at its by right use of 39 homes. This is in keeping with what the citizens in the vicinity and the town have asked for.
BRL: Is it necessary to raise the utility rates high double digits for the foreseeable future?
Green: I do not support raising our water and sewer rates by high double digits. We must get control of spending and the high cost that the general fund employees charge to our utility fund of over $1 million. Current strategies, such as dedicating a percentage of the meals tax towards the water/sewer debt and operational efficiencies are a must. Our financial advisor has already weighed in to say we can dedicate a percentage of our meals tax to our utility fund as long as we have a policy in place.
As Council Member, I will ensure solutions are explored, assessed and implemented as fast as reasonably possible to in order to reduce future increases for our citizens.
BRL: Do you support working out a deal with the developers of the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street?
Green: The Vineyard Square project has the necessary permits to begin development, granted by a previous council. I believe the current approved permits are out of character for Purcellville. It is true the developer has discussed alternatives—meaning reducing the planned number of condos and splitting up the residential to several four-story buildings in the back instead of having it all in one building. However, these alternatives are still out of character with the Historic Downtown and its quaint character. This is not the San Diego Gaslamp District. This is Purcellville. Allowing this kind of density on 21st Street, which is a narrow one-way street, is inappropriate and will increase traffic in an already congested area.
Our 2030 Comprehensive Plan is clear about what the citizens envision for this area—two-story buildings with commercial/retail/offices and, for residential, two apartments per structure. This is in line with our small town—not multi-family use in this area. It is time to “cater” to our citizens and work with this developer for a realistic development that is in line with our small town and not San Diego’s Gaslamp District—which is what the current Mayor and Vice Mayor envision.
Other businesses have done a marvelous job at renovations. We have Catoctin Creek Distillery, Bia Kitchen, and the new Enhanced Beauty and Wellness Clinic. They knew what to do and didn’t need a Master Plan to do it. Again, our Comprehensive Plan is our Master Plan for that area and other areas around Town.
BRL: Do you support the revised zoning ordinance recently passed by the planning commission?
Green: As a member of the Planning Commission, I was a direct contributor to the zoning rewrite and recommended the Zoning be passed on to Town Council for their legislative process. I believe the Planning Commission successfully achieved the mission statement which was to bring the zoning in line with the 2030 Comprehensive Plan as well as to mitigate nonconforming properties. Our goal throughout the process was to sustain and protect. We protected duplex and PDH developments throughout town and moved them to Legacy. This means they are protected and there can not be more of that kind of development around town, as the citizens in our 2030 Comprehensive Plan have clearly voiced their desire to sustain our small town.
Unfortunately, developers and Team Metropolis are not happy about it. They want higher story buildings and multi-family throughout the town. They want lax zoning so they can do what they want—regardless of what the citizens have said. They are already saying that our 2030 Comprehensive Plan is out of date when it isn’t due for rewrite for several more years.
I will always put citizens first, not developers. I will fight to protect our town and have already done so. I am asking for your support for Chris Bertaut for Mayor, and Ben Nett, Susan Khalil, Jon Arnburg and me, Brian Green, in the Town elections on November 5. Mayberry, not Metropolis.
Susan Khalil
Susan Khalil was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She moved to Virginia in 1986 and has been a Purcellville resident for nearly 25 years. She held a career in mortgage banking asset management and currently holds a position in finance for a national non-profit. Khalil has two adult children and notes they always look forward to coming home to visit and show off their hometown to their friends.
Blue Ridge Leader: Name three reasons why you want to be elected to serve the citizens of Purcellville.
Susan Khalil: I would like to, once and for all, get rid of the monetary waste that is happening within our local government. The current expense levels for our Town are out of proportion with the size of our Town, and my running mates and I intend to begin getting expenses in line on day one. I would like to ensure that the infrastructure of our Town is solid.
My running mates and I intend to conduct a full evaluation of the existing life of all of our Town’s infrastructure components and develop a capital improvement plan that addresses our needs. We will correct any issues that arise, and we will develop a preventive program that will ensure no surprises occur that will cause unnecessary expenditures.
We will ensure that the appropriate funding is identified and allocated. I have the opportunity of running with a slate of like-minded, experienced professionals dedicated to bringing all of the above to fruition. When elected, we will constitute a working majority on Town Council, and thus be in a position to make the necessary changes for the benefit of our community.
BRL: Do you support the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center and other annexations?
Khalil: I do not support the 117.07-acre annexation of the Valley Commerce Center located on Purcellville Road across from the Mayfair community. Our residents have spoken loud and clear for over a decade that they want to preserve our special town.
Annexation is not the way to preserve Purcellville’s small town charm. In our town’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan, residents in numerous outreach meetings and surveys spanning several years have distinctly reiterated that they do not want the town’s borders expanded.
The county has already weighed in and said that should the town annex this property, we will also have to annex a 12.5-acre property next to it. Town staff added there are other properties along Purcellville Road which would want to be annexed. Where would it stop?
If annexation paid for itself, Purcellville and all cities around our nation would have extremely low taxes. I do not agree with the false premise that we have to annex this property and others to lower our utility bills. Not to mention, where would the water come from?
Also, I will not play the fear game that if we don’t annex this property and others, the county will agree to rezone this property. The county’s planning department has already weighed in, recommending denial at the county level. As such, I do not ascribe to the philosophy of our current mayor and his “Team Metropolis” running mates—and what they may be telling residents on the campaign trail—that the town should annex properties to “control” what goes in. The land is already “controlled” in the county at low rural density. The only reason to annex is to create in-town density, which would turn our town into Ashburn 2.0.
Indeed, Team Metropolis cannot point to a single annexation in the Town’s history where it resulted in less dense development than when the land was in the County. Annexation is to increase density and with that comes more traffic congestion. It’s the Trojan Horse at the gates.
BRL: Is it necessary to raise the utility rates high double digits for the foreseeable future?
Khalil: The double-digit utility rate increases planned by our Team Metropolis opponents will not be sustainable for our residents. If our bills more than double within five years, as their modeling suggests, many of our single-income families and seniors will leave out of necessity. I feel sorry for the young families that move to Purcellville, so excited to be part of our Town, and then they get the surprise. It is imperative that the water and sewer situation be addressed immediately.
My running mates and I have a plan to hit the ground running with immediate impacts to reducing the current utility rates, one of which is to dedicate a portion of our meals tax—a tax that is not only paid by residents, but by outside visitors to Purcellville, to reducing the current debt. Meals tax revenue increases yearly, having risen from $1 million to over $3 million in the last ten years. A portion of that could easily go towards utility expenses after strategic cuts in operational expenses. Doing so, with a clearly defined policy is place, will not impact our credit rating.
It’s good to see that Fitch continues to recognize that we are a AAA town based on its new rating scale—something that S&P had realized for the past 8 years with their rating of AAA for the Town. In other words, the claim by Team Metropolis that their recent 16% and 18% water and sewer rate increases resulted in the Fitch AAA rating is a fallacy. If there were truly “missed opportunities” for rate increases in years past and if past administrations had “kicked the can down the road,” then why did S&P not downgrade us from AAA in the past ten years?
Team Metropolis can’t answer that question, because they don’t want to admit that our strong financial footing, to include paying off millions in debt under Mayor Fraser, is at odds with their previous phony “fiscal cliff” narrative. Indeed, some people will say absolutely anything to get elected.
BRL: Do you support working out a deal with the developers of the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street?
Khalil: Until recent renovations, the property in question accounted for the highest vacancy rate on 21st Street. The property owners failed to develop what they planned, or even a modified version of what they planned, while other businesses invested over $10 million combined on 21st Street in renovation and restoration. Now, the owners are working with our current mayor and his Team Metropolis allies on a bailout under the guise of revitalization. The major property on 21st Street that is in the need of revitalization is Vineyard Square and it should not be done at the expense of taxpayers. Bia Kitchen, American Legion, Catoctin Creek Distillery, Monk’s Barbecue, Another Turn Tack, Nichols Hardware, Tree of Life Ministries, Enhanced Beauty & Wellness Clinic, and Southern States invested millions in renovation and restoration on 21st Street without bailouts from the Town.
Why should the Town bail out one property owner who has consistently failed to act on his plan for the property? Why is the Vineyard square proposal on the Town’s Website and not the proposals of White Palace or other commercial properties?
I am not in favor of working out backroom deals with developers. I am not bought by developers. Our team’s largest donation thus far is from a farmer who put his land in conservation easement and wants to preserve Purcellville’s small town charm.
BRL: Do you support the revised zoning ordinance recently passed by the planning commission?
Khalil: The revised zoning ordinance follows the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, which is in accord with the wishes of the Town residents. These efforts are fully aligned with our campaign slogan “Mayberry Not Metropolis.” We want to maintain Purcellville as a small-town community, avoid mass urbanization, and reign in our rising utility costs with a renewed focus on fiscal discipline and common sense. Our Zoning Ordinance protects homeowners’ property rights, and protects our residents from development that is out of character with our town.
As such, I was stunned to see an op-ed written by John-Mark Gardner, an opposing candidate running with Stan Milan as part of “Team Metropolis,” who basically accused me of being a racist. He wrote: “Mayberry is a fictional town set in the Jim Crow South, an unpleasant era for many.” He accuses me, and my running mates, of “dog-whistles seeking to divide our community.”
What? How does one extrapolate institutional racism from wanting to lower our water bills and avoiding mass urbanization? Next, he’ll be attacking me for having ovaries.
John-Mark Gardner owes me, and my running mates, a public apology for his malicious personal attacks and whisper campaign of smears. There is no room for dirty politics like this in our small town.
John-Mark Gardner
John-Mark Gardner and his wife Becky celebrate their 20th Wedding Anniversary this month. They have three children, a high schooler at Loudoun Valley, a middle-schooler at Blue Ridge, and a 3rd grader at Emerick. He is an Army veteran and a Federal Civilian program analyst for the Department of Defense. Gardner dedicates much of his free time getting his children to and from lacrosse, baseball, soccer, and basketball events.
Blue Ridge Leader: Name three reasons why you want to be elected to serve the citizens of Purcellville.
John-Mark Gardner: My children, my neighbors, and my fellow townsfolk are my three reasons. Being elected to serve the citizens of Purcellville allows my three children and their large cadre of friends to see, firsthand, a community volunteer act with integrity and honesty in the best interest of their hometown. My goal as a member of Town Council will be to ensure they grow up in the best town in America. I hope to instill the love and appreciation I have for Purcellville in them. For example, a sidewalk out to Franklin Park is a great start to keep young families engaged and involved in our magnificent town.
Secondly being elected to serve on Town Council allows my neighbors and friends in town to breathe a sigh of relief. Purcellville Town Council is much like a volunteer home-owners association (HOA) board but with more serious legal powers. Wherever you live, the last thing you want is a crackpot on the local board making life miserable for everyone, add extra legal powers and you get commotion and chaos instead of clarity and candor. My Purcellville friends and neighbors have been very concerned about this town council election and have blessed me with tremendous support in trying to help elect me and other similarly thoughtful decision-makers.
Lastly, being elected to serve on behalf of my fellow townsfolk is an honor and privilege I will take with solemn resolve to do no harm. We have an extraordinary town full of PTO members and little league coaches. I have spent countless hours meeting, working, and coaching with these amazing fellow citizens. Purcellville is such a great place to live in and near, the surrounding county farms and woodlands are quickly disappearing. While we cannot go back in time, electing careful decision-makers to town council will enable Purcellville to work with tools available to the town to improve traffic issues, reduce future water prices, and bring the cost of living in Purcellville under control. A vote for me will not solve all the issues Purcellville faces, but I will truly and earnestly dedicate myself to the town’s best interests.
BRL: Do you support the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center and other annexations?
Gardner: Green fields, rolling hills, and pristine woodlands are what everyone wants around Purcellville. No one in Purcellville wants to pave over paradise to put up a parking lot. Our current Mayor, town council members, and even those of us running for town council all likely agree on that same end-state. The county, on the other hand, does not seem affected by community concerns. Eastern Loudoun is crammed with datacenters, traffic lights, and unincorporated HOAs. Not a soul in Purcellville wants the traffic and congestion of Ashburn. So how do we stop, constrain, and/or restrict unwanted development? I fear walking away at step 6, for example, in a 20-step annexation process needlessly speeds up unwanted development. “No” during interim steps in an annexation process does not mean “no” to the development. More likely, the first “no” vote from Town Council ending an annexation process means “over to you Loudoun County,” and I do not trust the Loudoun County Zoning Board to select the town dogcatcher in good faith. If unwanted development is proposed adjacent to town, using an excruciatingly long, drawn-out process to methodically deliberate the possibility of future annexation is the only tool the town possesses to restrain the money and power of developers seeking to pave over our paradise. Eastern Loudoun proves the county won’t save us from developers if we leave it up to them.
BRL: Is it necessary to raise the utility rates high double digits for the foreseeable future?
Gardner: My youngest will graduate in the LVHS Class of 2034. Double digit rate increases for that foreseeable future are completely unsustainable for my family and most every citizen. No one wants to pay more for water. All solutions are on the table for the next Town Council, save for one: we cannot keep kicking this can down the road. Purcellville’s FY25 Proposed Budget includes a lot of information about utility rates going back decades. Utility service cost the town more than it was charging for many years. All that debt piled up. Past councils basically took out a utility debt consolidation loan in 2013 and even refinanced the loan twice already in 2017 and 2021. We can climb our way out of this hole, but Town Council needs rational actors who make responsible decisions. Finally on the topic, I would like to implore voters to be wary of those running for local office shilling magical budgetary elixirs that claim to cure all utility ills. Twenty years of temporary tonics and monetary potions are what got us into this utility mess in the first place.
BRL: Do you support working out a deal with the developers of the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street?
Gardner: Absolutely. Empty buildings and blighted lots cost the taxpayers money. The new 2-story building project on Main Street by Market Burger and Gruto’s looks terrific. If a similarly beautiful project of that size and scope is completed along 21st Street, I do not know a reason of public good for the town to block private investment like that. No one supports turning Purcellville into a metropolis. The senseless metropolis threat seen in a few signs around town is just as imaginary as the fictional town of Mayberry. Bad faith politics and divisive sloganeering will not bring local small business owners into empty store fronts and voting against every local business proposal cost taxpayers more money in lost revenue from out-of-town shoppers.
BRL: Do you support the revised zoning ordinance recently passed by the planning commission?
Gardner: No. Homeowners’ rights are taken away. Article 4, section 3, page 87 clearly authorizes the Board of Architectural Review to limit, restrict, and control homeowners’ rights. I cannot support unnecessary government actions in search of a problem. Government overreach always ends badly for citizens. A nearly identical copy-and-paste version of the onerous Historic Overlay controls over private property was dismissed by previous Town Council due to the large number of citizens speaking out about the negative effects of these same burdensome regulations.
Brian D. Dean
Brian Dean lives on Main Street in Purcellville with his wife and two elementary school-age children. Dean currently serves as a member of the Purcellville Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and his wife Tamara is Vice Chair of the town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee. He is a producer, writer, and media executive who leads creative teams. He enjoys hiking and biking with his family, traveling, and cheering on his daughters at their sporting events in and around Purcellville.
Blue Ridge Leader: Name three reasons why you want to be elected to serve the citizens of Purcellville.
Brian Dean: First, I’m running for town council because I love Purcellville. In our small town, community still means something—living, working, and playing together. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or new to Purcellville, I believe our future is bright because you have chosen to make this special place your home, just as my family and I have. My commitment to the citizens of Purcellville is to serve as an independently minded, hardworking, collaborative representative whom you can count on to lead with integrity and common sense. I’ll utilize my experience managing complex problems and finding solutions as part of a team to improve the quality of life for residents.
Second, I will represent families by securing our future as a town that is healthy and prosperous for every generation that lives here. I’ll prioritize community events and public parks, improve townwide pedestrian access and bike/trail connections, and champion public/private partnerships such as Adam’s Bike Park to meet the activity needs of families with school-age children.
As a homeowner on Main Street, I experience the increasing traffic our town deals with every day. I’ll work to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce vehicle speeds while maintaining efficient traffic flow, and ensure safety for drivers and pedestrians within our town limits.
Finally, my candidacy differs from the politically motivated campaigns of my opponents, which seek to intimidate and induce fear among voters with empty threats of data centers in town, high rise office buildings, big box stores, mass urbanization, increased crime, and a looming “metropolis.” I oppose these foolish notions and you have my word that I will protect our small town and work to bring us together to strengthen our community as your representative.
BRL: Do you support the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center and other annexations?
Dean: I do not support the Valley Commerce Center annexation. I have carefully reviewed the publicly available information and all public meetings related to this proposal. I believe we need to prioritize opportunities to revitalize areas within our town limits as opposed to this annexation, which will stress our town resources and provide insufficient returns. As your town councilmember, I will dutifully consider every vote I make with an independent, well researched, and fair assessment of the facts before me. I understand that my job is to serve and represent the people of Purcellville, not special interest groups, developers, or big money political donors. My commitment is to work for you, and I’ll seek your input, answer your questions, and listen to your concerns.
BRL: Is it necessary to raise the utility rates high double digits for the foreseeable future?
Dean: Purcellville needs leaders that are capable of understanding the complexities of structurally balanced budgeting in order to get our utility fund resources back on track. In order to begin achieving this balance, utility rates were raised this year. As for the future, a comprehensive budget analysis and accounting process is completed before the town council votes on each year’s budget, when utility rates will be assessed again.
What is apparent is that we are in this current situation due to a decade of fiscal mismanagement by our elected officials. Year after year, they refused to listen to utility experts and our award winning town staff’s recommendations to address the incremental rising costs of our town’s sewer and water bills. Instead, they artificially suppressed the utility rates, kicking the can down the road while they directed our town staff to search for unreliable revenue streams under the guise of ‘innovative solutions.’ In addition, per town records, the town’s utility debt was restructured in 2013, 2017, and 2021, which resulted in an increase to the debt service costs of 12.5 million over the life of the loans and raised the principal by 2.8 million. Now, thanks to Mayor Milan’s leadership and the efforts of our finance team, we are finally on the way to improving our town’s economic footing. In response, Purcellville’s credit rating was just recently upgraded to the highest possible level of AAA, and our town was removed from the “under critical observation status” by Fitch Ratings.
BRL: Do you support working out a deal with the developers of the Vineyard Square project on 21st Street?
Dean: The property on 21st Street in our downtown corridor is underutilized in its current state. This central district in the heart of Purcellville represents an opportunity for an appropriate revitalization, matching the existing character and setting of our town. In the fall of 2023, the owners of the property presented revised design options to both the town council and the town planning commission, with the goal of working with the town’s elected officials, citizens, and business owners to address concerns with the original plans for the Vineyard Square project. They proposed modifying the design layout, reducing the height, and decreasing the overall size and footprint of the project. I am in favor of continuing these conversations, so that the citizens of Purcellville can have influence over this important project.
BRL: Do you support the revised zoning ordinance recently passed by the planning commission?
Dean: As an owner of a historic home on Main Street and a strong advocate for Purcellville’s heritage conservation, I do not support the planning commission’s revised zoning ordinance because it unnecessarily restricts the rights of property owners, rejects our expert planning staff’s recommendations, and has been proven to be thoroughly and justifiably unpopular with Purcellville residents. Sadly, the majority of the appointed members of the planning commission operate under a strict, close-minded ideology and their leadership refuses to collaborate or cooperate with anyone they believe might question their positions. In fact, one of these planning commissioners resigned earlier this year after shouting expletives disparaging our town during a public meeting. This is an example of why this election is so important. We need council members who are committed to fact-based decision making and who will respect each other despite differing opinions, in order to rebuild trust with the citizens of Purcellville and to effectively address the needs of our community.
Elections are November 5th
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