Derrick Wood is running to unseat longtime Prince William County Potomac District Supervisor Maureen Caddigan.
Wood is a Dumfries Town Councilman, and the Council spent some time Tuesday night discussing a campaign sticker affixed to the top of Wood’s laptop computer. Wood used the laptop during the televised Feb. 17 meeting of the Council, and that sticker was clearly visible to the cameras.
While a Dumfries Town Council meeting doesn’t bring in the same kind of TV ratings as, say, American Idol, there were some questions about the appropriateness of the campaign sticker that was displayed at the public meeting.
“Council should be reminded not to use the town meetings and council resources to advance a political agenda… I asked Councilman Wood how he would like to proceed… to give me a call to talk about it…” said Mayor Jerry Foreman.
Following the Feb. 17 meeting, Foreman, who also seeks higher office in the Virginia Senate and bids to replace longtime Senator Toddy Puller, sent an email to Wood, which he read a portion of Tuesday, referencing the bumper sticker and demanding a phone call to talk about it.
That call never came.
“I did not respond to you due to the tone of your email saying you ‘expected’ a phone call from me, knowing the phone works both ways,” Wood responded.
Vice-Mayor Willie Toney agreed with the mayor and urged the Council move on to other matters.
“When you put out the email you, you were spot on. I don’t think this is the appropriate time to discuss something that is to appease you,” said Toney.
That was followed by several outbursts from Councilwoman Helen Reynolds demanding the Mayor to “stop talking” and move on to other issues.
Foreman once again called for the adoption of a code of conduct for Town Council members. Dumfries Town Attorney Oluan Simmons on Wednesday confirmed there is no such document on file that governs the conduct of elected officials in the town.
Councilwoman Gwen Washington urged the council to take up the matter again away from TV cameras during a closed session.
“I don’t see this is a closed session discussion,” said Councilman Cliff Brewer. “We need to have some kind of rules in place so this doesn’t happen again by anyone, whether it be this council or a future council.”
Before Wood can run against Caddigan, he must first win an Primary Election facing fellow Democrat Andrea Bailey, who currently holds no public office.
