A few weeks ago, there was an ongoing, hilarious debate at Mason Conservative regarding the current state of the new FCRC administration. I did some fact finding and I would like to shed some light into the situation as I have interacted with all the various interest groups and personalities in the FCRC significantly over the past three years.

First, is a disclosure. Jay McConville is a client of mine and I was a consultant on his campaign. I know consultants have a tense relationship with political activists and I am okay with that. However, while I pay the bills by being a political consultant (and public relations consultant to other organizations in the entertainment industry), I am also a citizen. I am a hybrid vendor/consultant due to my numerous talents. While I have been a vendor for candidates I don’t particularly care for (I can owe up to that. It is just business.) I have fortunately, with limited exceptions, only been a consultant for candidates I would still support if I was not on staff.

Whenever possible, I want to work for the people I want to work for. Being an enthusiastic supporter of Candidate A, but getting your paycheck cut by Candidate B running against Candidate A does not seem right to me. Working for people I believe in allows me to put my talents that are in demand to work people who I truly want to see succeed. It is a win-win-win situation. First, I put food on the table. Second, I get to work for people I would vote for anyway. Finally, I do what I believe is my civic duty to put good people in leadership.

It does not matter what your political beliefs are. Good government cannot function without good people. As a result, my client roster and former bosses are very diverse and occupy a wide spectrum on the political continuum. My affiliation with a certain candidate does not give off any cues as to how liberal or conservative that candidate is. It only says that I believe this candidate is of great character and integrity and is therefore worthy of my support.

Jay McConville is a good man and he will do a good job. Period.

I played no role in the transition. I have never been asked nor did I ask for a role. I am not at all privy to any matters pertaining to the current FCRC leadership.

Let us move on to the real issue that has sparked a debate online about the direction of the FCRC. People appear to be upset with certain individuals who are on the transition team. Critics see the situation reeking of cronyism, power grabbing, and puppetry.

I am aware that a certain individual on the transition team is not viewed favorably by a segment of the FCRC and people who are privy to the FCRC (I will use FCRC as a general term throughout for people who are involved and privy to its matters. It does not denote paid membership.). In my past conversations with this segment of the FCRC, this segment perceives the individual in question to be an overeager, overambitious young kid who is waiting, planning, and scripting his life for the opportunity to run for public office well in advance. The individual is perceived to desperately want to be a relevant part of the “Establishment” by strategically kissing up to everyone in a position of authority or on the cusp of authority and by dressing and acting like the individual is twenty years older. The perception this individual gives off to this group is enough for this entire group to vote against everyone this individual openly endorses for any office. Several people of this segment have told me point blank that they would not vote for my clients because this individual’s name was on my clients’ endorsement list.

These are the words of the individual’s critics, not mine. I can’t speak for the individual’s quality of work due to my limited interactions with the individual. It doesn’t mean I think it is good or bad. I just won’t vouch for that which I have not seen up close.

Let us flip this around. The segment I am talking about contains, but is not limited to, individuals who are perceived by others to be perpetually angry and extremist in their views. This segment prides itself in being “anti-establishment” and “grassroots”. This segment was activated and inspired by then-Senator Ken Cuccinelli back in the days when individual candidates had to build standalone operations because the FCRC was so unreliable. The funny thing is that this segment was solidly behind John Cook along with the people they deride as “Establishment” and the two groups worked together at a grassroots level to get Cook elected and reelected. It was on this campaign that some of the establishment/anti-establishment beef still seen today at the local level had its roots in early 2009. Other aspects of the feud go back way longer.

These are the words of the critics and their opposition colored by my perceptions.

I have heard of the history between these two camps and I don’t care. One of the many reasons why I am no longer a dues paying member to any political party is because of silly high school beefs like this. Only in American political parties can factions be allowed to thrive antagonistically against one another for decades on end and play nice just for the cameras. If this was a business or a sports team, internal disputes would be handled in an orderly manner and if disagreements still surface, one or both parties would be cut. However, in politics, due to the institutionalized two party system in America, antagonistic factions don’t splinter into separate parties. They co-exist and thrive even as they plot for one another’s destruction within the party. If normal people really knew the amount of high school-ish drama, favoritism, and beefs that are involved among a small core of rabid activists who control the nomination process for public offices, they would revolt.

Does the individual in question come across as a young, square fuddy duddy? Yes. Does the antagonistic segment contain people who really need to smile more and stop blaming Democrats for every misfortune they personally experience or that the nation experiences? Yes. Have both sides contributed their time and talents to the GOP? Yes, countless hours on behalf of the FCRC and many candidates. Do both sides need to hug it out? By all means, yes.

Finally, the FCRC is organizing door knocking campaigns every weekend and staffing the phone banks in the basement every day. I have seen it with my own eyes. Other than aesthetic changes to the facility, it is business as usual.

9:35am – I am here, registered, and swagged out. All red everything, baby. Yes sir.
9:36am – U.S. Senate candidates are speaking. Wake me up when they say something new.
9:53am – Ken Cuccinelli is on stage.
9:59am – “Does that mean you want me to finish?” – KC. Yes!
10:00am – “Short speeches make long friendships.” I think Coach Don Shula of the Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins said that.
10:01am – “Ladies and gentleman, that concludes our pregame festivities.” – Mike Thompson, Jr.
10:02am – That pregame show was not crunk.
10:03am – I can think of 100 other things I would rather be doing this morning than to be in this circus.
10:05am – I think #99 on the list is wearing a chicken suit on M Street NW amidst heavy traffic.
10:08am – Irrational, unhinged conservative #18372939: An announcement was made for people to move their cars out of the fire lane or get towed. One extremist conservative said that was stupid because taxpayers fund the school where the convention is being held and can do anything they want. This is from a supposed “law and order” conservative. Come on, son.
10:10am – I want to go home.
10:13am – Some nice church ladies asked me yesterday why a nice, upstanding gentleman like me is involved in politics. I don’t have a good answer.
10:17am – The anger in the building is just too much for me.
10:37am – Voting has commenced.
10:38am – A friend of mine just sent me a text message asking the question, “no red shoes?”
10:39am – Sadly, no, but black goes with everything.
10:40am – Correction: All red everything from the ankle up with gold jewelry.
10:43am – It is real. My man Anthony Bedell is stepping down from FCRC Chairman after four years of supreme leadership and swagger. He is so excited and happy to return to a life of normalcy. I strongly relate.
10:59am – “How could anyone miss you?!!” – A Very Important Person commenting on my very loud, team-spirited outfit
11:01am – Voting has closed.
11:07am – Bedell speaks. People listen.
11:10am – “It has been an honor and a privilege to be your Chairman.” – Chairman Anthony Bedell
11:11am – Mr. Chairman, it has been an honor and a privilege to be your most loyal subject.
11:11am – “Anthony kicked some [butt].” – Mike Thompson, Jr.
11:35am – “What percentage of the vote do you think Mickey Mouse gets in Florida every year?”
11:36am – Hey now. Mickey Mouse is a credible candidate in Florida. He has Orlando locked up.
11:50am – Jay McConville has been elected FCRC Chairman.
12:05pm – Convention is adjourned.

A full write up will come soon.

Disclosures: Anthony Bedell is my former boss and Jay McConville a client of mine.

When Anthony Bedell is your esteemed and fearless party chairman, 400+ people show up to your meetings on a regular basis. That’s how we do it, baby. Everyday like this. Seven days. I’m talking 365. Winter, spring, and fall. In the summer we ride.

8:14pm – The FCRC has received 65 internship applications and has hired 22 so far who are present tonight.

8:52am – Estoy aquí.
9:00am – This town hall meeting is supposed to start at 9:00am. We are late. I have only seen Mark Herring, Dick Saslaw, David Bulova, Eileen Filler-Corn, Barbara Favola, and Toddy Puller present so far. Sharon Bulova is also present.
9:04am – Dave Marsden and Vivian Watts just came to the dias. People are walking around. Only Puller, Filler-Corn, and Favola have taken their seats.
9:07am – If I seem a bit annoyed, I am. I operate on football time which means five minutes early is on time and on time is late. Everybody else is late-late. You all owe me 10 gassers.
9:10am – Dick Saslaw calls the meeting to order.
9:11am – Seated right to left: Dave Albo, Barbara Comstock, Chap Peterson, Vivian Watts, Bob Brink, Toddy Puller, Mark Herring, Dick Saslaw (center), Dave Marsden, David Bulova, Barbara Favola, Eileen Filler-Corn, Tom Rust, Tim Hugo, Kaye Kory, Scott Surovell, Ken Plum, George Barker. (updated 9:21am)
9:14am – Scott Surovell introduced himself by saying he represents a waterfront district defending us from “the barbarians from Maryland.” (Editor’s response: Hey now, I’m all about a unified DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. DMV for life, baby!)
9:14am – Chairman Sharon Bulova addresses the General Assembly delegation.
9:16am – Sharon Bulova expresses concerns about budget cuts for K-12 education in the Governor’s agenda.
9:21am – Dick Saslaw introduces three General Assembly members who were not present during the 9:11am introductions. I am not going to say which three were even later than all the others who were late. Both parties were represented if anyone is curious about petty politics (Can’t we stop the political nonsense?). These individuals ought to be suspended for one day during the legislative session. (That might be a good thing! Ha!)
9:21am – Citizen talks about water issues.
9:26am – Citizen talks about court access, independent counsels, and fairness in the administration of justice.
9:29am – Dianne Blais talks about CAP housing.
9:31am – Like the Loudoun County Town Hall meeting, this is a listening tour. None of the members are commenting on any concerns raised or defending their records.
9:32am – Dick Saslaw is strictly enforcing time limits for presentations. I like it. Maybe he can discipline all the late arriving Members for me? Please?
9:36am – Three CAP representatives are speaking back-to-back-to-back.
9:39am – Citizen wants to save Northern Virginia Family Service from funding cuts proposed by the Governor.
9:42am – Another citizen speaks on behalf of Northern Virginia Family Service.
9:44am – Citizen from the Advisory Social Services Board urges the Members to vote against cuts on social services and expresses that their services promote healthy families, preventative health care, and save taxpayer dollars down the road.
9:49am – Advisory Social Services Board representatives are speaking back to back.
9:51am – “You need to wrap this up.” – Saslaw
9:51am – Citizen from Social Action Linking Together is against the shackling of pregnant women in prison.
9:55am – Back-to-back presentation. Representative of SALT is advocating work share.
9:54am – Editor’s thought: Boring politicians inspire no energy from the people. Charismatic politicians make the people take notice and take action. Citizens, please jazz up your presentations. A little swagger goes a long way.
9:57am – Citizen from the Alliance for Human Services wants to make the Members’ “tough” jobs, “tougher.” He wants the Members to understand that federal government cuts have consequences for state governments.
10:00am – Mark Sickles *just* arrived. Everyone not on the dias at 9:00am (8:55am preferred) owes me 10 gassers. Everyone not present for introductions for introductions at 9:11am is suspended for one day from the session. Sickles is suspended for two days. Richmond can learn from the world of football! I need to write a book.
10:01am – Citizen from the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy talks about the need to address poverty issues and keep that in mind when drafting the budget. She wants the budget to help all people including the poor and calls out (not by name) people who ran on a platform of faith to keep this in mind.
10:04am – The first citizen speaking for himself and not on behalf of an organization speaks. He talks about the need to pave secondary roads in Little Rocky Run. This is the first localized issue that is brought to attention. All other issues presented so far were general state issues. He wants an appropriate tax to fund transportation.
10:07am – Saslaw actually commented on this citizen’s concern.
10:08am – VTV Family Outreach Foundation talks about mental illness.
10:11am – Citizen from Virginia Cure wants to work to reduce recidivism from former inmates.
10:14am – Marsden asks a question.
10:15am – Citizen requests 6 minutes from Saslaw. He is summarily rejected.
10:15am – Citizen talks about Falls Church water issues. He addresses Chap Peterson directly and wants Peterson’s bill defeated.
10:18am – Jane Strauss says there is an increase in spending for FCPS, but says that funding is actually down because of the local composite index.
10:23am – Citizen from the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board talks about mental health issues.
10:26am – Back-to-back presentation.
10:29am – Another one.
10:33am – Back-to-back-to-back-to-back. Citizen from the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board talks about affordable housing and homelessness.
10:36am – “We better wrap it up.” – Saslaw
10:36am – Citizen from Parents for Infant and Toddler Connection of Fairfax-Falls Church talks about social services for infants and toddlers.
10:39am – Citizen from the League of Women Voters is concerned about budget cuts and measures that make it more difficult to vote like HB-9 and HB-61. She supports no-excuse absentee voting.
10:43am – Citizen from McLean representing himself is against FCPS disciplinary policies that do not allow for parental notification. He wants schools to start before Labor Day. This would allow for more time to prepare for the SOLs and cut out four weeks of nothing after the SOLs.
10:45am – Citizen speaking on behalf of both Medical Care for Children Partnership and Foundation Voices for Virginia’s Children talks about mental health issues.
10:48am – So I look up from my computer and I see Jim Scott arrived quietly in the interim.
10:49am – Citizen from the Parents of Northern Virginia Training Center talks about care for individuals with disabilities and behavioral challenges.
10:52am – Citizen from the Commission for Women and the Women’s Group of Mount Vernon talks about domestic violence and anti-stalking legislation that was passed earlier. She also talks about homelessness caused by domestic violence.
10:56am – Citizen from The ARC of Northern Virginia talks about special needs children.
11:01am – Back-to-back presentation.
11:04am – Citizen talks about mental health issues.
11:08am – Citizen from the Sierra Club talks about the need for renewable energy.
11:10am – Saslaw says that wind and solar power, costing 28 cents/megawatt are much more expensive that the 11 cents/megawatt rate from Dominion Virginia Power. Citizen was not pleased with his response.
11:12am – Citizen talks about intellectual disabilities.
11:15am – Citizen from the Potomac Conservancy talks about saving the Chesapeake Bay. He wants to expand the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act.
11:18am – Citizen does not want to open up Virginia for uranium mining. She says that uranium mining has community health risks, environmental risks, economic risks, and a decrease in quality of life.
11:22am – Citizen talks about transportation funding and mental health issues.
11:26am – Citizen is against uranium mining in the Commonwealth.
11:29am – Saslaw explains that the proposed bill to mine uranium restricts the activity to south of the 37th parallel (Chatham, VA).
11:30am – Mark Keam just took his seat on the dias with no introduction.
11:30am – Citizen is talking about supporting early childhood education.
11:33am – Citizen wants better access to mental health services for children. She wants funding for the placement of five child psychiatrists in different regions of the Commonwealth.
11:36am – Citizen wants to shift focus on transportation priorities away from roads to public transit.
11:39am – David Broder from the SEIU says that the Governor’s budget hurts home care providers, kicks older people off the lists while there is a growing waiting list, and the shift of funds from education to transportation will stress local governments.
11:42am – Fatigue is setting in. I just totally missed this presentation.
11:45am – Citizen talks about the benefits of drug abuse treatment programs.
11:47am – Citizen talks about increasing funding for substance abuse programs.
11:50am – Citizen from Voice of Vietnamese Americans wants Miranda Rights written in Vietnamese for arrestees.
11:53am – Citizen talks about Falls Church water issues.
12:08pm – Sorry, I haven’t been paying attention. I think some of the Members have dozed off pretending to read. I won’t name names. I sympathize.
12:14pm – Citizen believes both parents are equal and supports HB-84.
12:20pm – Citizen is against laws that destroy families. He says that cutting funding for social services destroys families.
12:22pm – I will be here as long as my computer’s battery has power. That means I will leave in seven minutes. I would like to thank multitasking for helping me get through the morning. Attending a Town Hall meeting, covering it here, and doing client work on my computer; I dig it.

(Owner’s note: Beginning today, from time to time, I will publish op-eds from local officials in the DC/MD/VA region. These op-eds will allow the authors to highlight issues of their interest and directly communicate with our readers and receive feedback on policy issues. In no way, shape, or form do these op-eds represent the opinion of the editorial board, staff writers, or yours truly. I want to make this outlet a family-friendly place for discussion of all viewpoints. I hope the result will be a informative discussion that leads the community to good governance and an educational experience for our youth. To that end, I encourage all elected officials Democratic and Republican to consider publishing op-eds on this outlet. To express your interest, please e-mail me at phil@philtranpr.com and I will send you some simple guidelines. – PT)

(Our first op-ed from a local official is from Elizabeth Schultz. Elizabeth is a newly elected member of the Fairfax County School Board representing the Springfield District. She can be reached for comment at elizabethschultzforschoolboard@gmail.com.)

Days before taking the Oath of Office, Fairfax County Public Schools’ Central Administration senior staff kindly arranged a retreat at the Mount Vernon estate this past Saturday for the newly-elected and re-elected School Board officials ostensibly as groundwork for the incoming School Board as it begins its work together. To assuage any concerns, please note the retreat was held at no cost for the facility to the taxpayers due to the partnership with FCPS – and only modest food was served.

While the auspices of bringing the School Board members together to set the proverbial stage for the next four years was laudable, of particular note is the fact that FCPS asked and expected the School Board members to take and submit their answers to the Myers-Briggs psychological assessment.

Incredulously, the lone hold-out to completing the exam was yours truly. The expectation that elected officials submit their answers to Fairfax County Public Schools’ (government) Central Administration senior staff whom they thereafter have oversight defies explanation.

Asserting the role of the School Board in service to the constituents – students, families, teachers and taxpayers – will be the greatest pursuit of the upcoming School Board. Ensuring the needs of and responsibilities to the stakeholders are met is, in my opinion, the most pressing function of this elected body which spends more than half of Fairfax County’s budget.

The disconnect remains, however, in seeking from elected officials’ – with all of the crucial tasks before the county – responses to a psychological assessment and submission of those answers to the senior staff over whom they are charged purview.

Unapologetically, I declined to submit any answers to the assessment. There is no legitimate reason to expect elected officials serving the public’s interest with the public’s dollars to spend time and the taxpayer’s money on such an endeavour.

Remaining true to form was the order for the day at the retreat. Amongst the various and sundry exercises, we were provided the conundrum, ‘an employee of ours, in an office which has faced absenteeism, requests a Friday off to take her two children to visit her mother – the children’s only living grandparent – who has been ill’, in the face of which a facilitator asked us to come up with a reason decline the employee’s request.

With similar conviction, I expressed that I would not give the employee the canned response delivered to us. Determining a work-around and developing a way to make priorities happen rather than refusing to give an employee time off was in order, in my opinion, given the concocted circumstances. “You must say ‘No’ to the employee,” my colleagues-to-be stated, “that is the problem they gave us!”

Another scenario as presented: “Parents contact you because their two students – having been caught with a group of students who were in possession of alcohol, though these two students had not consumed any – were dealt a discipline measure by the Principal with which the parents were upset; what do you do?” Others laid out the process by which a hearing is navigated and which the parents should follow if they elected an appeal. The School Board members sit in judgment at a panel at the end of such a process.

Conversely, I said I would meet and listen to the parents but was summarily admonished that I might come into possession of “too much information” or that “you don’t want to be the School Board member everyone comes to”. I remain stunned that meeting and listening to constituents is characterized by some to be a bad thing or that learning and understanding information contextually leads to bad decisions.

Ah, the portents of things to come. Merely because a situation is set before the School Board by staff does not mean there is but one solution and we are to follow the means by which we are directed.

Rather, the School Board is required to take up the mantle of leadership. It is the very essence of representative government and the reason why the incoming School Board – returning or newly-elected members – must attune themselves (ourselves, lest I forget) to the needs of stakeholders.

While I look forward to the opportunity to forge relationships as a dovecote of fellow School Board members, staff and stakeholders, it is not, in my opinion, our role to become psychological assessment projects for one another, facilitators nor the FCPS Central Administration senior staff members.

I commit to continue the effort in service to others as an elected official that I first began as a parent, taxpayer and advocate for the community and then as a candidate.

For those inclined – after all, it is your School Board and your money – I extend an open invitation to the Official Administration of the Oath of Office of the Fairfax County School Board on Monday, December 19, 2011 at 7 p.m.

The ceremony will occur in Luther Jackson Middle School Auditorium, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA with a reception to follow thereafter. Kindly RSVP to Bonnie Shannon at Bonnie.Shannon@fcps.edu. 
And, no, your Myers-Briggs responses are not necessary for admission.

Elizabeth L. Schultz
Fairfax County School Board-Elect
Springfield District

6:00pm: We are rolling.
6:06pm: Frost Middle School Advanced Symphonic Orchestra performance. These kids are good.
6:10pm: Introduction of officials to be sworn in.
6:12pm: Disclosure: I work on projects here and there for Supervisor John Cook and Supervisor Pat Herrity. In my opinion, both of these gentlemen would be excellent Members of Congress.
6:24pm: Sheriff Stan Barry is absent from his own swearing in ceremony.
6:26: The Government Center auditorium is packed.
6:27pm: Fairfax County Judge Jan Brodie to administer the oaths of office.
6:30pm: Humorous moment: Bulova tripped over a long line in the oath. No big deal. I would have done the same!
6:36pm: I just noticed that Judge Brodie simplified a tongue twister in the oath on the fly. Nice save.
6:38pm: Moving along to the constitutional officers.
6:40pm: Soil and Water Conservation District Directors. Is there a less sexy elected position in government?
6:42pm: Langley High School Madrigals performance. They will sing “America the Beautiful” and “God Bless America.”
6:47pm: Remarks by Chairman Sharon Bulova
6:49pm: “It is [Fairfax County's] nature and our culture to put back into the community.”
6:51pm: “Fairfax County is in an enviable place compared to the rest of the nation.”
6:52pm: Bulova is highlighting the creativity, enthusiasm, and innovation of Fairfax’s business and community leaders.
6:53pm: Bulova sees the reelection of all Supervisors as a testament of the satisfaction of citizens with the strength and progress of Fairfax County.
6:55pm: Split second applause for Metro’s Silver Line. Some folks were excited, but realized that this is not one of those speeches that allow pause for applause.
6:58pm: Bulova is promoting smart growth, mixed-use transit-oriented development to generate economic growth and preserve historic neighborhoods.
7:01pm: Standing ovation for the outgoing County Executive.
7:02pm: South County Secondary School Chamber Orchestra performance. They will play “The First Noel” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
7:03pm: Side note: Congratulations to South County and Centreville football; Division 5 and Division 6 state runner-ups respectively.
7:05pm: FCPS produces world-class scholars, athletes, and artists.
7:08pm: Bagpipe performance by the Northern VA Firefighter’s Emerald Society Pipe Band.
7:08pm: The Board of Supervisors is adjourned.