by Neil Richard
Editor's Note: Board of Supervisors, At-Large District, is currently held by Ruby Brabo. Annie Cupka is also running for the same position. Board of Supervisors, James Madison District, is currently held by Richard Granger. He is running unopposed. Board of Supervisors, Dahlgren District, is currently held by John Jenkins. He previously announced he is not running for re-election. Jeff Stonehill is running to fill the vacancy.
Candidate: Ruby Brabo
Q: When did you arrive in King George and why did you choose to live here?
A: I moved here in 2005 from Germany. My ex-husband and I chose King George because we used to live in Stafford prior to going to Germany and he didn’t want to commute to DC on 95 North anymore. I was familiar with the area from our time in Stafford so I told him 301 was a better route. The time it took him never changed from when we moved back to when he retired. When we first moved to Stafford, there was one stoplight on Garrisonville Road. By the time we left seven years later, it took me 40 minutes to go two miles. I didn’t really care that King George didn’t have all the amenities at the time, I just like the peaceful, rural nature.
Q: What made you want to run for office?
A: I was actually asked by the Citizens for Non-Partisan Good Government to run for office in April of 2011. I always enjoyed politics and would create flyers for the community about where to vote and about big issues before that. I also spent four years as the President of my Homeowners Association and was able to prove that the County should not have let the developer leave before the infrastructure was complete. One of the comments I heard a lot was “you weren’t afraid to stand up to these guys.” They were rude to me and I had nothing to lose.
Q: What do you do in your free time for stress relief or as a hobby?
A: I like to run, mountain bike, and garden in my yard. I also like to crochet. It helps me unwind after long meetings.
Q: How would you promote unity within King George?
A: I believe we can have unity and come together. I try to do that more so now than eight years ago. The best way to promote unity is to focus on the issues and to find solutions. Everyone wants a good quality of life and loves this community.
Q: If you received a $1 million grant to use for King George any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
A: A million dollars doesn’t do a lot with our issues. What could we realistically accomplish? My gut says, and some people may not like it, to give the money to someone like the King George Education Foundation (KGEF). A million dollars won’t solve our major issues like bike lanes or broadband. But KGEF could do a lot more over a longer time with that much money.
Campaign Finance Reports
Candidate: Annie Cupka
Q: When did you arrive in King George and why did you choose to live here?
A: November 17, 2005. My twins had just turned 1. We moved from Woodbridge, Virginia and found a place in the woods. We wanted to raise our kids in a rural area so we left our quarter acre lot in a subdivision for ten acres of trees. They can go out the front door and explore. My husband’s grandfather took him hunting in Mathias Point so he remembers it from when he was a kid being a great place. The schools are better now than they were 14 years ago but even back then they were better than what was in Woodbridge.
Q: What made you want to run for office?
A: Looking back on the jobs I’ve had in the past, I’ve always been a citizen servant. I worked as a police officer then stayed at home for five years raising our kids. After that, I volunteered at their school which led to me being a paraprofessional which led to being part of the King George Education Foundation which led to being a County employee in the Economic Development office. I feel like I’ve always served so this is the next step.
Q: What do you do in your free time for stress relief or as a hobby?
A: I like to garden, read, and go for walks. We also just bought kayaks and I’ve been enjoying that. I never really grew up in an outdoor or sports type of family.
Q: How would you promote unity within King George?
A: I feel like I’m already doing it in the schools with the King George Education Foundation (KGEF). A prime example is the Fox Smart Center. Our main mission at KGEF is unity. To take it to the next level, I think certain civic groups do well but we as a County don’t do it well. I’d like to see more community clean up days or beach clean ups. Ultimately I’d like to see a downtown area around the old Courthouse. Something like a Town Square there.
Q: If you received a $1 million grant to use for King George any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
A: As a grant writer, I have to ask if there are strings attached. If there are no strings attached, I’d like to use it as seed money for a larger matching grant. The sexy answer is broadband but that may not be the right answer. I’d like to see more fire stations but that would leave the need to staff them. I think the most practical answer is to help with the Service Authority infrastructure. There are too many needs there. Not all houses are served by the Service Authority but we have to do something.
Campaign Finance Reports
Candidate: Richard Granger
Q: When did you arrive in King George and why did you choose to live here?
A: April of 2005. We used to live in Southern Maryland for five years prior to that but wanted a better place, better schools to raise our kids and my wife’s family lived here. Our realtor connected us to Tommy Burrell Sr. and he built our house. Our new house has enough room for my wife’s horse and we really like the rural nature.
Q: What made you want to run for office?
A: I knew Jeff Bueche before either of us was elected to office and he suggested I should run. I laughed at him. I’m not outgoing and more of an introvert. I thought about it and prayed on it and talked to my wife about it. In the end I felt led by God. I was nervous about it but I do what I can. I’m running again because I don’t feel like my time is done. It’s always been in God’s hands so if I get reelected, it’s His choice.
Q: What do you do in your free time for stress relief or as a hobby?
A: I saw “free time” and chuckled. It really is a commodity so most of my free time is spent with family. But I like stories. Science Fiction and Fantasy. I like to read, watch TV and movies, and play video games in that genre. It’s a way to unwind. I also love sports. Hokies!
Q: How would you promote unity within King George?
A: I was thinking about this question and ended up looking up the definition of “unity” to see if it helped. I think of unity of purpose when I hear this question. To meet the needs of the citizens of the community. There may be less unity on how to meet those needs but that’s not always a bad thing. We have lots of passion. We need to step back and listen. So for me, to promote unity, I try to lead by example and listen to others. Hopefully this helps me make wiser decisions. Diversity is a good thing but we need to be unified in our common goal.
Q: If you received a $1 million grant to use for King George any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
A: A million dollars is really right in the middle. We can’t really use it for Capital Improvement Projects because those cost tens of millions but we could start by looking there. When I looked at the list, the King George Elementary School roof needs to be replaced and that’s expected to cost a million dollars. It’s not a fun answer but it’s something. I also think the Parks and Recreation Department sometimes takes a back seat to other departmental needs, like a new ambulance or something, so maybe repairing the tennis court or putting in a dog park. I’d probably look there, in Parks and Recreation, to see what can be done.
No Campaign Finance Reports Available.
Candidate: Jeff Stonehill
Q: When did you arrive in King George and why did you choose to live here?
A: I moved here in 1997 from Mechanicsville, Virginia. I worked for the Virginia Marine Police [part of the Virginia Marine Resource Commission] and patrolled from Westmoreland and King George all the way up to D.C. I really liked it here and gave up my boat in 2004 to become a deputy with the King George County Sheriff’s Office. I like that King George is close to the beaches and mountains and it’s between D.C. and Richmond. It’s close enough to the city when it’s needed.
Q: What made you want to run for office?
A: While patrolling, I found that I really enjoyed the Dahlgren area. When talking to residents, I found what was important to them. When I was patrolling one day, a woman said I should run for Board of Supervisors because she would vote for me. That planted the seed and I became more involved like serving on the Citizen Budget Advisory Committee. I retired from the Sheriff’s Office and decided to run. [John] Jenkins said he wasn’t running again and said he was comfortable with me taking his seat. I feel I have a unique insight as a retired County employee and a business owner. I know the pitfalls faced by prospective business owners in King George and know how the public wants to be treated by a County employee.
Q: What do you do in your free time for stress relief or as a hobby?
A: I don’t have much free time but I do try to take one day off a week to relax. My wife Marsha and I like to boat and sail and ride mountain bikes. I also enjoy the trails at Caledon State Park and hanging out with our cat and our horses.
Q: How would you promote unity within King George?
A: I would try to connect people by doing three things. I would support events, like an open mic night or fishing tournaments. I would connect people through community education and awareness. And I would encourage businesses to use local resources like the Chamber of Commerce to help sustain small businesses. It takes all of us to make a community and I’d strive to connect everyone in the County.
Q: If you received a $1 million grant to use for King George any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
A: I would set up a water connection fund for small businesses. As we know, the King George Service Authority is in a bad place now but it is getting better. This impacts growth and we need business growth for the County’s economy to thrive. But if our water and sewer connection charges continue as they are now, business will go elsewhere for more reasonable rates.
No Campaign Finance Reports Available.
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