Elizabeth “Liz” Quist seeks to keep her seat as Mayor of Occoquan in the May 3, 2016 General Election.
Quist won the seat in 2014 running unopposed. She replaced Earnie Porta who last fall went on to mount an unsuccessful campaign for Occoquan District Supervisor on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
Quist served as Vice Mayor prior to serving as Mayor on the Occoquan Town Council.
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We sent Quist a candidate survey as part of our Project: Election series. Here are her responses:
PL: Why should Occoquan residents be excited to vote for you?
Quist: For the last six years I have dedicated upward of 100 hours a month in service of our community, balancing the needs of the residents, businesses and property owners that call Occoquan “home.” No one will work harder for you to leverage our resources and relationships to preserve the qualities that we hold dear.
PL: In your own words, what is the job description of a Town Council member? What expertise will you bring to the position?
Quist: In a Council-Manager form of government, it is the Mayor and Council Members’ role to create an overall vision and set policy, and the Manager’s role to carry out these policies. As Mayor, I work daily with Town Staff and Council Members to create a transparent and responsive local government that works for you.
PL: What are the biggest issues and needs residents of the Town of Occoquan? What will you do to address those needs?
Quist: We’ve identified six major goal areas that impact our residents most – parking, pedestrian safety and access, historic preservation and Town appearance, the Riverwalk project, community development and programming, and stormwater management. In every action I take, these six areas are considered. The most important aspect of addressing these areas involves understanding the nature and history of the problem, and collecting the data and information necessary to develop a well formulated and calculated plan. I have the experience and proven my commitment to continuing our efforts in each of these areas.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?
Quist: We all encounter situations that we’d hoped would go differently. It is how we respond and learn from these experiences that shapes who we are and how we grow, both personally and professionally.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well informed and understands the workings of town government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Quist: One of the things that makes Occoquan so special is our sense of community, and our residents’ desire to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Our citizens, whether born here or new to Town, say hello when you walk down the street, stop to help a neighbor in need, and happily volunteer for a host of Town committees and activities that keep them involved and in touch. We have worked to improve the quantity and variety of communication methods to keep all our citizens informed and welcome their involvement at whatever level they can give.
