Town Council Candidates Talk Cell Tower Code, Noise Ordinance And City Status At NEVCA Forum

Vienna Town Council candidates fielded questions Friday night about their vision for the town, and at a community forum hosted by the Northeast Vienna Citizens Association (NEVCA)  at the Vienna Community Center.

The forum, which drew a few dozen residents, was the second of two opportunities this week for residents to meet and ask questions of Laurie DiRocco, Howard Springsteen, Carey Siencki and Hamid Barahmand, who are competing for three open seats on the council. Residents will vote on May 3.

One member of the audience at Friday's forum asked the Council whether they would ever consider applying for city status -- potentially saving residents the burden of paying taxes to both the town and the city. Some Council candidates said it was worth considering, but the process via Richmond could take years, or even more than a decade.

They also said taking on some of those costs that the county provides -- such as education and fire and rescue -- are more than the Town can provide on its own. Some nearby jurisdictions, like Fairfax City, contract out parts of their education to the county.

Vienna Patch compiled video clips of the dozen or more audience questions throughout the evening. This is the second round of those videos. They can be played by clicking each video in the media viewer above.

Question 5: What is your vision for the Town, both in size and in features?

Question 6: What do you plan to do about noise in town?

Question 7: Can you comment on how the Town is addressing cell phone towers, and if the subject is addressed well enough currently in the town code?

Question 8: As a Town, we pay taxes to Vienna and Fairfax County, and we're
getting hit more than other county residents. Would it benefit us to become a city?

The council's non-partisan, at-large members are elected on staggered two-year terms. DiRocco and Springsteen are both nearing the end of their first term on the council. The third open seat was left vacant this fall with the departure of longtime council member George Lovelace; said when he took office that he would not run for the position.

The candidates also answered residents' questions earlier in the week at a forum sponsored by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE). (and ).

Part I of the videos from the NEVCA forum

Check Vienna Patch over the next few days to see the candidates' remaining questions and answers