Kim Short kicks off Supervisor campaign for Potomac District: ‘Time for change is now;’ Vows to improve mental health services, respond to constituents

Kim Short kicked off her campaign for the Potomac District seat on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

The Democrat welcomed supporters and those interested in learning more about her to the Montclair Community Library on Saturday, January 14, 2023, where she outlined her platform.

While there, she addressed residents’ concerns over data centers, The Rose gaming resort under construction in Dumfries (also in the Potomac Magisterial District), lengthy delays in the development of Potomac Shores and its Virginia Railway Express station, and vowed to do more to provide mental health services.

Short, 53, is a political newcomer appointed to the OmniRide board of commissioners, overseeing the region’s transportation system. She’ll face one-term incumbent Andrea Bailey during a June 20 Primary Election, one of Northern Virginia’s multiple Democrat-party party primaries in 2023.

Short spent 25 years in the Army and settled in the county. “Love of country is what I know, and love for our county has motivated me to get off the sidelines,” said Short. “Time for change is now.”

Short praised the soon-to-open, $10 million crisis receiving center inside an old Gander Mountain store at Potomac Mills, providing 16 temporary beds for those experiencing a mental problem.

Her opponent championed the new center. However, Short says 16 beds is not enough given the rising mental health case numbers following the pandemic.

She vowed to work across party lines and with Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration to bring home some of the $230 million in new funding the governor announced to help treat mental illness.

“So as I understand it, the governor has appointed someone over the mental health crisis, quite honestly, that we’re experiencing. And I sat in one of those meetings, and we had some great ideas talked about. They’re not quite ready yet for what they want to do. But I think it would be remiss if we didn’t all come together and come up with some good solutions,” said Short.

Short also said she would do more to boost teacher pay and morale for employees who work in the county’s local government. She said it concerned her to hear many county employees’ unhappiness during the ongoing collective bargaining process that started last year, with complaints of employees being overworked and over-stressed.

In education, Short says she’s visiting area public schools in the Potomac District to ensure they’re equally funded, have the same materials, and provide the same opportunities as others in the county. This past year, the Board of County Supervisors passed a historic $4 billion budget which included more funding for the county’s public schools.

Short says it will take more than money to ensure schools and other aspects of local government produce a return on investment for taxpayers. “You must be present. You can’t just write a check. You must inspect what you expect,” said Short. “Establishing taskforces is not enough. We need action forces to establish the outcome.”

She also said she would work to increase the salaries of fire and rescue employees to match those of county police officers who, this month, received a 17% pay increase. In the coming weeks, she said she’ll be talking with Christopher Shorter, the newly hired county executive, to gain a deeper perspective on the issues.

On data centers, Short said she’d toured western Prince William County, the hub of construction activity for the new facilities that power the internet. There are at least 20 more data centers in the county’s development pipeline, and supervisors approved the Prince William Digital Gateway — more than 800 acres of land next to Manassas National Battlefield approved for data center construction.

Short walked a fine line as to neither support nor oppose data centers in the county. However, she did accuse sitting supervisors of not listening to the concerns of those who opposed the Digital Gateway’s approval.

“People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, whether you share my opinion or not…there is absolutely no reason we should not respect the fact that people had questions and concerns,” said Short.

On January 2, several Democrats crossed party lines to support Bob Weir as the Republican nominee for the vacant Gainesville District Supervisor seat on the Board of County Supervisors. Weir joined multiple HOAs and conservationists opposed the Digital Gateway project, which led to the registration of former district supervisor Peter Candland, who agreed to sell his home in the Digital Gateway area to data center developers.

Weir will face Democrat Kerensa Sumers in a February 21 Special Election. The winner will complete Candland’s term ending December 31, 2023.

Short also focused on the long-planned Virginia Railway Express station at Potomac Shores near Dumfries. Then Gov. Terry McAuliffe and local officials broke ground for the new commuter rail station in 2014 (PLN was there), but construction work on the station has yet to begin.

“People have no more patience for VRE station delays,” said Short.

During a question and answer session, residents shared their concerns about The Rose — a 320-room hotel and conference center complete with video slot machines to open late this year. Increased traffic and the strain on police resources are concerning, and they said they felt the Bailey ignored their concerns and provided outright support for the gaming hotel, approved by the Dumfries Town Council in 2021.

Bailey announced her intention to seek re-election to the seat and noted successes like economic development, increased mental health services, and a new public works agreement between the county and Quantico Marine Corps Base.

Bailey has been a member of what attendees of today’s political kickoff event called the most politically partisan Board of County Supervisors. In 2021, Bailey and her husband, Cozy Bailey, the Prince William County NAACP Chapter President, were criticized for sending a cop to a constituent’s home after the resident questioned the supervisor during a public comment during a meeting.

Critics accused Bailey of using the police to silence her opposition. The supervisor declined to comment on the matter to PLN.

“The Prince William County Board of Supervisors is stifled by politics and influence, and that needs to change,” said Short.

Republicans have not announced a candidate for the Potomac District. Bailey won the seat in 2019 in a landslide victory, with 64% of the vote.

Incumbent county board chair at-large Ann Wheeler also faces a Democrat challenger, Deshundra Jefferson, who announced her campaign earlier this month.