Welcoming RA's New Board Members

On Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of attending  2012 Annual Meeting.  It's always good to hear what the folks at RA are up to, and I had a number of interesting conversations with friends and neighbors.  As part of the Annual Meeting, RA announced the .  Michael Sanio and Donna Miller Rostant won the two At-Large seats, and Richard Chew was elected unopposed to the South Lakes seat.

First of all, let me congratulate each of them on their election.  I have had several enjoyable conversations with Michael during the course of the election, and I have known Richard from his previous involvement with RA.  I have not yet met Donna, although I look forward to doing so.  By the very fact that they stepped up to run, they showed that they are dedicated volunteers committed to Reston.  I am excited to work with each of them.

I also want to thank Eve Thompson, John Farrell, and Tom Vis, who ran for the Board and were not elected.  These elections are more meaningful when the voters have a choice.  All three of these candidates had important things to say, and they made real contributions to the community discussion that surrounded the election.  I hope they will all return again in some community volunteering capacity, and I'm confident that they will.

Returning my focus to the new Board members, I humbly offer some advice, from one community leader to another.  I know you're all probably still celebrating your victories, but I hope you'll consider these words as you chart your course for RA and for Reston in the year ahead.

First of all, try not to let the work overwhelm you.  Richard's been on the RA Board before, so he knows what he's in for.  But Michael and Donna might not realize it yet.  In my capacity as RCA President, I have spent countless hours planning, meeting, strategizing, advocating, and studying the issues that face our community. 

From what I understand, the RA Board is an even more time-intensive commitment.  Certainly, RCA doesn't have any meetings that last until midnight, as RA has.  And RA has a great many committees, at least some of which you'll participate in as Board members.

When you find yourself stuck in Hour Four of a seemingly endless meeting, it's easy to ask yourself whether it was really worth it.  But it is worth it.  Reston is a unique and special community, and RA plays a key role in keeping it that way.  On the Board, you're representing thousands of people, many of whom care deeply about Reston, but may not be able to be as involved due to work, family, or personal commitments. 

And Reston is at an important point in its history (more on this in a minute).  Never forget that you have a crucial responsibility, and that the decisions you make now are vital to Reston's future.  (Even if it doesn't always feel that way.)

On a related note, I urge you to stay connected to the community.  With all the hours you'll spend in meetings and at events, it may be hard to imagine setting aside more time for community business, but it's vital that you spend as much time as you can talking to Restonians.

The decisions that you make will affect the lives of our citizens.  And in order to represent the citizens, you need to know what they're thinking.  Talk to your neighbors.  Take the time to reply to the citizens who call or email you with questions and concerns.  Keep up with local news sources (including Patch) so that you can stay abreast of community conversations.  RA made community engagement one of the goals of its new , and that engagement starts with you as Board members.

As I mentioned above, our community has arrived at an important period in its history.  The coming of the Metro is going to drive a lot of development and growth in our commnuity, at a time when some of our older buildings and neighborhoods will be looking at renovation or redevelopment.  I urge you to follow the proceedings of the Reston Master Plan Task Force.  The Task Force's revisions to the Master Plan will affect for decades to come.  This is where the action is in Reston; make sure you stay informed.

And as you consider these issues, keep in mind the advice of RA's outgoing President, Kathleen Driscoll McKee.  At the Annual Meeting, Kathleen repeated her mantra that you should think "seven generations into the future."  She also challenged Restonians to think of their vision of what Reston should look like down the road.  I agree with her on both points.

The decisions we're making now will affect Reston many generations into the future.  And we need to develop a vision that accommodates the growth and development that will come, growth that is vital to sustaining us, without compromising those special features that make Reston the community we love. 

There are a number of community organizations, including RCA, that are working to develop that vision.  And plenty of individuals surely have visions they'd like to share.  RA can play a leading role in bringing the community together to plan our future and shape our vision of Reston.  I hope you'll work to make that happen.

And as we plan for the future, I urge you not to abandon our commitment to Reston's founding principles.  We need to make sure that this community remains open to people of all economic classes, all ages, and all races and ethnic groups.  One key piece of that commitment is affordable housing. 

As some of Reston's older neighborhoods redevelop, we risk losing the units that younger and less wealthy Restonians can afford.  If Reston becomes a community entirely of and for the privileged and affluent, we lose a lot of our spirit.  RCA will be advocating to ensure that Restonians of all walks of life can still afford to live here; I hope you will do the same.

Finally, seek out ways to engage the younger generation of Restonians in community service.  I've about the need for our younger citizens to get involved.  And I understand why it's hard for them.  Many of them have work and family concerns to take up their time.  And many of them, especially if they're new to Reston, may not feel the same deep ties to the community that our pioneer generation did. But it's their future, too, and we must get them involved. 

At the Annual Meeting, the South Lakes chapter of the National Honor Society received an award for their volunteer work with RA.  I hope that collaboration will continue.  Hopefully, some of today's South Lakes students will stay in Reston and become the next generation of leaders when we're ready to step off the stage.  I'll be happy to work with you to develop ideas to get younger people more engaged in Reston.

Congratulations again on your election.  I am optimistic that RCA and RA will be able to work together on projects that will make Reston an even better place to live.  If you'd like to talk to me about your ideas or ask any questions, you know where to find me.

And fellow Restonians, if you have any advice for the RA Board, feel free to share it in the comments.