Candidates for the three open seats on the Reston Association Board of Directors were finalized last week.
The RA board, the governing body that oversees operations of what is one of the largest homeowners associations in the country, has nine members, four of which are at-large directors, representing all of Reston.
The three open seats on the board are: Lake Anne, North Point, and one at-large seat.
Ballots will be sent to RA members on March 12 and will be due back by April 2. The election results will be announced on April 13 at the annual RA Members' Meeting.
The candidates will be featured on a call-in forum on Comcast at 7 p.m. on March 17 and will attend a public forum at the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne Plaza at 7 p.m. on March 24.
The following is a list of the candidates and information about them culled from interviews and electoral documents they filed last week with RA.
NORTH POINT DISTRICT
* Doug Bushée
Bushée, who lost his bid to unseat Fairfax County Supervisor Cathy Hudgins in November 2003, is seeking reelection as the North Point district RA director, the seat he has held for the last three years.
If reelected, Bushée said he would continue to ensure members get the most out of their dues by instituting objective measures to evaluate RA's performance. Also, Bushée said he would work to improve communication between RA and its members. For his long-term goals, Bushée wants RA to better understand the needs of the community and wants the board to continue ensuring a high quality of life.
Specifically, Bushée said he would like to see RA respond more quickly to members' concerns, evaluate the current recreational facilities, and ensure RA has a plan to meet the recreational needs of its members.
* Eugene Cannon
Cannon, an AOL employee who moved to Reston last fall, said he is running because he and his family are new to the community and he feels it is his duty to get involved. He said he wants to ensure the board remains fiscally responsible and promises to be a strong voice during the debate over proposed changes to RA's governing documents.
Cannon points to his 10 years of experience working for private businesses as his qualifications, saying he would deliver results to North Point residents, as he has to business shareholders.
LAKE ANNE/TALL OAKS DISTRICT
* Vera Hannigan
A longtime Republican activist and former at-large RA board director, Hannigan is running because she said proposed changes to RA's governing documents should not be made. Specifically, Hannigan objects to a proposed $50 increase of the assessment cap and proposed changes to lower the threshold of public approval for capital building projects. Under the existing RA governing rules, Hannigan said, existing facilities and amenities can be maintained.
Hannigan has lived in Reston for 30 years and has also served on the Reston Community Center Board of Governors and the Reston Citizens Police Advisory Committee.
* Robin L. Smyers
A Reston resident since 1979 and a graduate of South Lakes High School, Smyers said her experience on RA's Design Review Board has given her the skills to deal with redevelopment and revitalization issues. Smyers is an account manager for telecom firm Looking Glass Networks in Herndon and has lived in the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks district for 15 years.
Smyers said her main goals are to protect the natural environment, with restoring the watershed a top priority. Also, she wants to ensure RA operates fiscally responsibly, getting as much out of each assessment dollar as possible. Finally, Smyers said she endorses the Dulles Rail Project, which would extend the Metro Orange Line to Reston.
AT-LARGE
* Mina Thomas
Thomas, a stay-at-home mother who runs a daycare business out of her house, said she is running because minorities are underrepresented on the RA board. She is a Moroccan citizen, though she has applied for U.S. citizenship, and a three-year resident of Reston. Thomas said one of her main intentions is to give a voice to the Latino community.
Litter is also a major concern for Thomas, who said she wants RA to take a greater hand in cleaning up trash and other debris. A mother of three, Thomas said she wants to set a good example for her children by running for the RA board.
* Michael L. Corrigan
Corrigan, a Reston resident for 29 years, is the current RA board vice president. He is leaving his Lake Anne/Tall Oaks seat to run for the at-large seat because he said he wants to represent Reston as a whole, not just a single district.
Corrigan believes two major issues facing Reston that need to be addressed. First, the governing documents need to be updated, as they have not been amended in 20 years. Second, he wants Reston to reevaluate its governance structure in order to give Reston more political credibility. This, he said, could mean maintaining the status quo, becoming a tax district, or incorporating as a town or a city.
Also, Corrigan said he wants to convert RA fees and trash collection costs into deductible taxes, and to create a single local source for services — specifically sidewalks, lighting, traffic, and design and permitting reviews.
* Rick Beyer
Beyer is the president and CEO of TracerNET, a company that develops Global Positioning System technology for trucking companies. Regarding public service, Beyer is the former chairman of the Olivet College Board of Trustees and is a former board member and vice president of the nonprofit Friends of Reston. He is also the co-chair of the Coalition to Save Lake Newport, which opposes the development of an office complex on and around the lake.
Beyer said he wants to ensure Reston's pathways, common areas, lakes, and recreational areas are protected. Furthermore, he wants Reston to operate without debt. To achieve this, he believes RA should form partnerships with other organizations and examine RA's existing assessment formula. He said he is particularly concerned about easing the financial burden on lower and fixed income families.
* Jay Monroe
Monroe, a three-year Reston resident, is a technical analyst for a global business and information technology firm. For the past two years, he has served as the chairman of RA's Programs Advisory Committee, which developed the online RA calendar under his leadership. Monroe also cites his community service as a qualification, having been a volunteer at the Reston Festival, community workdays, and his cluster's clean-up days.
Foremost among Monroe's goals is to facilitate better communication between RA and Reston's many clusters. An avid outdoorsman, Monroe said he is particularly concerned about the environment and wants to help protect it.