Aug. 30 Deadline to Make F.C.’s Special Nov. 5 Ballot

Two prominent Falls Church citizens have stepped up in the last week seeking to qualify for the Special Election on Nov. 5 to fill the Falls Church City Council seat vacated by the resignation last week of Caroline Lian.

Former School Board chair Laura Downs and Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee and Board of Zoning Appeals member John B. Murphy are currently striving to obtain the necessary 125 valid signatures of registered City residents and to complete the paperwork required to qualify, and get it all done by August 30, now just over a week away.

A third city resident, Joseph Schiarizzi, chair of the City’s Environmental Sustainability Committee, made an initial inquiry about running, he told the News-Press, but decided not to proceed when he learned that Downs would be.

Falls Church City registrar David Bjerke told the News-Press that the paperwork includes a certificate of candidate qualifications, a declaration of candidacy, a statement of organization and declaration of economic interest form. Bjerke’s office provides prospective candidates with candidate forms, a summary of laws and policies for candidate campaign committees, a “do’s and don’ts” for campaigners and authorized representatives and guidelines for campaigners and authorized representatives.

As of press time yesterday, then, only Downs and Murphy are in the race, although anybody could still jump in up to 5 p.m. Friday, August 30.

Meanwhile, City resident and attorney Anne Sherwood, a member of the Falls Church schools’ Advanced Academic Advisory Committee, has qualified, with the deadline already passed, to be the lone candidate on the ballot to fill a vacancy on the Falls Church School Board following the resignation of David Ortiz. That election will also be Nov. 5.

Both Laura Downs and John Murphy shared their announcements with the News-Press and they are reprinted here in full.

Statement of Laura Downs

I’m excited to announce that I’m running for Falls Church City Council! I will be running to fulfill the term of Caroline Lian who recently resigned. There will be an election for the seat. It will be on the November 5th ballot. As this special election was just granted, I’m facing a compressed timeline- with 125 signatures due by August 30th to get on the ballot. If you can help gather signatures for me (taking the form to bus stops, sports events, etc.), please respond to this email or shoot me a text. To remind you, having someone sign the form is simply to help get my name on the ballot- it does not commit anyone to vote for me.

In the meantime, I’d love your help spreading the word about my candidacy to your friends and neighbors- especially those who may not know me through the school system.

My four years on the School Board (including one year as Vice Chair and two years as Chair) provided me with valuable public service experience including working on the city and school budgets with the City Council and General Government. My husband and I have lived in FCC for 15 years and have loved raising our four boys here and watching our community grow into a vibrant, welcoming “little city,” even being recognized by U.S. News and World Report as the number one healthiest community in the nation.

There will be more to come. I value each of you as friends, mentors, community leaders, and colleagues, and wanted you to be the first to know of my plans to run.

Statement of John B. Murphy

I am proud to announce my candidacy for the vacant position on the Falls Church City Council. While the timeline is compressed to qualify for the November 5th ballot, I’ve hit the ground running. I know campaigning for City Council will be a challenge, but it is well worth it.

I was born on Marshall Street, spent my childhood at Mary Riley Styles Library where my mom worked for 43 years, and my wife and I watched our two sons thrive in Falls Church City Schools. I know Falls Church City. I love it here, and I choose to stay here to continue to give back to our community.

So far, I served six years on the Board of Zoning Appeals, including two terms as chair and was a member and Chair of the Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee. I volunteered and served as both Board Member and Officer of the Village Preservation and Improvement Society (VPIS) over the last 15 years. I’ve spent my spare time mentoring our youth as an Eagle Coach, and volunteering for multiple organizations within Falls Church City, from being the building manager of the Scout House on Spring Street to delivering mulch for the Athletic Boosters. When it comes to my community, I’m all in and ready to help.

I would like to thank my early supporters for their help with petition signatures. I look forward to talking with Falls Church City residents, listening to their concerns and issues and working collaboratively with City Staff and Elected Officials. We live in an amazing place. With sustainable development, open responsive governance, and citizen input, we can continue to grow Falls Church, together. We can make it even better going forward. Feel free to contact me with questions, concerns or to show your support.