Editor’s note: This article is part of a series by Potomac Local News introducing candidates for the Stafford County Board of Supervisors. This fall, voters will choose representatives for the Garrisonville, Hartwood, Falmouth, and Aquia Districts. To help local voters learn more about their candidates, Potomac Local News invited all Board of Supervisors candidates to a virtual interview with the same five questions. Their answers have been condensed for clarity. The remaining candidates either declined, had scheduling conflicts, or did not respond.
Videos of the interviews are available here.
Today’s topic: What is your top priority if elected, and what kind of leadership would you bring to the Stafford County Board of Supervisors?
Michael Catell (R), Falmouth: 
My top priority is to stabilize, to keep our taxes low. Economic development is one of the absolute keys to our growing success, or to our continued growth. Listening is absolutely essential. We need to be clear on our positions but we also need to understand where other people are coming from. We need to do that with responsiveness…with a responsibility to protect and preserve the quality of life in this county. Responsiveness, responsibility, common sense values and a work either that will not quit – that’s what I would bring to this role.
Kecia Evans (D), Falmouth: 
When it comes to economic development, we have to make sure we’re using common sense, inviting the right group of commercial mixed businesses here. We also have to make sure that affordable or attainable housing is available in Stafford. You want to make sure that you have a supervisor who is not only leading with compassion but also is available to constituents and putting families first. Not our own political agenda.
Kelly Robertson (I), Hartwood: 
Schools are an absolute priority to me. Education is very important for myself and my family. Making sure we are getting pay raises to employees that need it, and not doing blanket pay raises for some areas that are already well-funded. [Hartwood has] a couple thousand new homes coming in 2025, and the new Hartwood Elementary School is only geared for 1,000 students. It’s going to be overrun before it’s finished, and we’re not prepared for that. We don’t have to say yes to every rezoning project. We can say no, we can say this does not fit our comprehensive plan, and we can’t do this right now. We’ve got to slow down and take care of the people that are already here, already paying our taxes.
Marcus Oates (I), Hartwood: 
This is a very important election because there’s four board of supervisors up for re-election, four seats that could potentially change. I’m sure each district [supervisor] had its own priorities, and they were not all the same. Stafford County is a family. Whatever decisions the board of supervisors makes will impact everyone, so one of my top concerns is that the pace the county is growing. Are we postured in a way to do the things we all want: have great commercial development, a great economy, lower taxes, good schools, great rural areas. I believe with a strong strategy, a cohesive team, and communicating, we as a body can do all things. I don’t believe there is a one choice situation, I believe if you have a strategic vision and you are using a strategy given to you by your constituents, and being honest and transparent, all those things are possible.
Bart Randall (I), Garrisonville: 
I would make sure I have a good relationship with our school board. How many 7-on-7 meetings between the school board and board of supervisors were canceled? The school board gets held to a different standard when it comes to spending money. My top priority is being accessible, transparent, and being able to talk to constituents. You need to be focused on your plan and know when to modify it. We haven’t done anything for the past 5 years to get us to our 10 year plan.
Hank Scharpenberg (R), Aquia: 
Two top priorities for the county: one is to provide entertainment and recreational venues so people don’t drive North or South. Second is to balance the sources of revenue, to increase commercial revenue so we don’t keep hitting up seniors and young taxpayers making up for our bills. I’ve served in various positions and different leadership styles. By getting community input and putting out a clear vision, gaining consensus in that vision, and then filling in the blank with the leadership style to get over the finish line.
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