Politics & Government
Clarke Seeks to Unseat Four-Term Incumbent
An open-door policy and a better relationship with the school system are among her goals.
The Blue Ridge District that the next supervisor will represent includes four towns surrounded by rural countryside as well as the growing suburban communities of Brambleton and Arcola. The large area offers beautiful sceneries and great diversity. Representing such different areas is a challenge Janet Clarke said she is ready to undertake.
As the Republican candidate for supervisor in Blue Ridge, Clarke said she’s running to bring change to the district with an open door policy. Incumbent Jim Burton (I) has served four terms as supervisor of the former Mercer and the current Blue Ridge districts.
“If I can get into office and affect some positive change and give the people a voice and actually reveal what it is the community wants and move on, I’ll be happy,” said Clarke at an informal meeting at her campaign headquarters in Purcellville. “I feel like there is so much work that needs to be done to get this county on track, and I feel like I need to dedicate some time to it.”
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Clarke, a resident of Loudoun County for the past 13 years, has a bachelor’s degree in Community Interrelations from George Mason University and a master’s degree in Education and Human Development, with specialization in Leadership and Administration, from George Washington University. She obtained the degrees in her 30s and 40s.
She spent 15 years in the technology field, dealing with large federal contracts, but left the field in 1998 to pursue a career in education. For the past 11 years she has worked for Loudoun County Public Schools, both as an administrator and an educator. Clarke received “Rotarian of the Year” award this year and has volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America for 20 years. She has formed grass roots level groups to work on substance abuse and violence prevention programs as well as a teen center in Purcellville.
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Clarke served a three-year appointment to the Loudoun County Community Services Board; a two-year appointment to the Purcellville Town Council, where she served on the Public Safety Committee, Infrastructure Committee, and Ways and Means Committee. Clarke also served on the committee of three, which developed a resolution to the Woodgrove High School debate.
Clarke has gained the endorsement of Governor Bob McDonnell, Chairman Scott York and former Blue Ridge District Supervisor George Washington, among others.
The candidate said she feels her years of volunteer work in the county along with her public service give her the background she needs to be an effective district supervisor.
“I don’t represent any special interest groups, I don’t have an agenda, I have no plans to be a lifelong politician,” Clarke said.
She said she feels like this is the right time in her life to bring some positive change to the county she loves.
Her platform includes a conservative approach to fiscal management, greater economic development, improvement in education – including addressing the constant school boundary issues – and improvements to transportation.
“I’ve been working in the community for many, many years in different areas and it got to the point where I started seeing a lack of representation for the Blue Ridge District. I decided it was time to take the step and move to the next level,” Clarke said.
One of the issues she has with the incumbent, Burton, is what she called his reputation of being business unfriendly.
“Time and time again, business person after business person has made it clear that this is a problem,” Clarke said. “While we do need to work to preserve our heritage and farmlands, we also need to work on balancing businesses. And it’s not going to work when you have someone who is business unfriendly.”
Burton has long made known that he does not meet with developers outside of board and committee meetings, a policy that some say shortages his ability to negotiate the best deal.
“I respect the man,” Clarke said. “Anyone who is willing to serve in the community deserves that respect, but we can’t move forward with a vision to shape this county to be great with someone who is business unfriendly.”
Clarke cited a recent situation where Burton voted against a secure data center in Leesburg. Clarke believes the tax burden on the citizens would be alleviated with the addition of businesses to the county. Another example, Clarke said, deals with the limited mobile service in western Loudoun.
“We have huge pockets throughout the county and particularly in the Blue Ridge District” that lack service, she said. “I have talked to a lot of people, who not only get disconnected all the time but who can’t even telecommute, or their key employees can’t telecommute.”
Clarke said cell towers would allow more telecommuting and therefore ease the congestion on county roads.
Pointing to her background running a successful business, Clarke said she would bring new insight and create win-win relationships for businesses and the county as a whole.
One of the primary changes Clarke would like to make – school boundary decisions – will require serious collaboration with the Loudoun County School Board.
“The constant school boundary changes have so negatively affected families. It’s distressing,” she said. “There needs to be a huge effort for the county to work with the school system to do whatever is possible to change that.”
She said the county is mapped into zones already and instead of haphazardly placing public facilities like libraries, and schools we need to refer to the zoning map and create a public facilities plan and build to it.
“Studies have shown how transitions are a risk factor for kids. It can cause a lack of community connectedness which can lead to problems and an unsuccessful educational experience,” Clarke said.
Clarke said her experience working in school system at the various levels, and having children in county schools puts her in a good position to work with the school board, which makes school boundary decisions, something she feels has been missing from the county board.
“We need someone who is in the here and now, who has a vision and understands the needs and can move this county forward,” she said.
For more information on Janet Clark’s platform visit her campaign website.