RCA 2014 Election Slate of Candidates

            

Reston Citizens Association

Contact:  Colin Mills

cwmills47@hotmail.com

(703)608-6049

June 7, 2014

RCA Announces Slate of Candidates for the 2014 Board Election

Online Elections run from June 7 to June 22

The Reston Citizens Association (RCA) today released the slate of candidates for its 2014 Board of Directors election. RCA, was founded in 1967 to promote and protect Reston's founding principles and quality of life by serving as a non-partisan forum for all residents and business owners. This year is an exciting one for RCA as they are working hard to educate the community on the new development spurred by the arrival of the Silver Line and Phase II of the Reston Master Plan while also recommending smart growth solutions for transportation, education, environment, and accessibility to local and County officials and associations.

The following seats are up for election: North Point Director, Lake Anne/Tall Oaks/Town Center Director, South Lakes Director, Hunters Woods Director, and an At-Large Director. Each seat carries a three-year term. 

 The 2014 candidates are:

Sridhar Ganesan is running for re-election for the North Point Director seat. Ganesan, a Reston resident for 16 years and RCA Board member for two, has focused on analytical, advisory support, communications, strategic planning, finance and organizational matters.  Prior to serving with RCA, he chaired the RA’s Tennis Advisory Committee and helped organize charity events/tennis tournaments. He would like to help RCA to grow and participate more vigorously in its mission of educating Restonians on community issues and leverage his global corporate, operational and strategic experience to ensure that issues that affect Reston follow due process, offer constructive solutions that enable smart growth, and deliver outcomes that are what a majority of the community desires.

Hank Schonzeit, a 21 year resident of Reston, is running for Lake Anne/Tall Oaks/Town Center Director.  He currently serves as the Chairman of his condominium’s fitness facility task force and participates on the facilities committee. He volunteers regularly for Reston Runners and a suicide prevention hot line and has served as  Governour’s Square Cluster President and Treasurer. He has spent most of his career as an executive in healthcare systems. He wants to help maintain and improve Reston’s life-enhancing character and opportunities for healthy living, play, work  and appreciation of nature. He believes growth and development should be carefully managed and supported by the Reston community and not diminish the Reston experience.

Constance (Connie) Hartke is running for re-election for the Hunters Woods Director seat. Hartke, a Reston resident for 10 years and RCA Board member for one, has focused on developing communication tools and documents and delivering them so Restonians can make informed decisions on matters of import to the Reston community. She would also like to continue to advocate to our county government and our HOA, Reston Association. Hartke has also been a Board member of Rescue Reston since 2013 and Treasurer and Secretary – Cove Mountain Woods HOA (in the Smoky Mountains, TN) since 2005.  She volunteers for the Reston Triathlon, Jim McDonnell’s Lake Swim, and Reston Marathon while  also writing and managing her blog on Reston Patch – http://bit.ly/patch-connie.

Dennis Hays, a 21 resident of Reston, is running for the At-Large Seat. Hays is currently a Board member of Friends of the Reston Regional Library, RR Community Fund, and Community Living Alternatives. He has been President and Chairman of Course and Schedule Committee for Reston Runner’s, a Director of Runners Marathon of Reston, President of American Foreign Service Association, and Chairman of Friends of the Paramaribo (Suriname) Zoo. Hays came to Reston for the “live, work, play” philosophy of the community, the emphasis on preserving nature and the “walkability” of the pathways and trails. He believes progress can and must support the spirit of our community, and that the legitimate concerns of those who live and work in Reston should be factored into decisions about the community’s future. He believes upcoming action on the Master Plan, transportation issues, the balance between parkland and development and our library require close attention and a clear voice..

There are no declared candidates for the South Lakes seat; however, there is a write-in slot on the ballot where voters may support any qualified Restonian for the seat. 

The RCA Board election will take place from June 7 to June 22 at midnight. Continuing the practice established in 2012, this year’s election will be held entirely online. Anyone who (a) is 16 years or older and (b) lives anywhere in Reston (defined as Reston Small Tax District #5) is eligible to vote. 

Voters can go to www.rcareston.com and click on the “CLICK HERE TO VOTE” link to learn more about the candidates and cast their ballots.