Fossum Voted Off Alexandria Planning Commission
Maria Wasowski, Nate Macek and Derek Hyra appointed to influential board.
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Donna Fossum, a member of the Alexandria Planning Commission for more than two decades, was voted off the prestigious board on Tuesday night.
Three new Planning Commission members were appointed by City Council—Maria Wasowski, Nate Macek and Derek Hyra.
Longtime commissioners Larry Robinson and Jessie Jennings stepped off the influential body, which makes recommendations to council on special use permits, requests for vacations or encroachments of public right-of-ways, rezonings, master plan amendments and other requests. Members also represent the Planning Commission on other city boards.
“I didn’t get a single vote after 23 years on the Planning Commission,” Fossum told Patch. “I didn’t get a thank you. I have no idea of why. … Don’t waste your time helping the city because they don’t care.”
The West End resident represented the Planning Commission on the Transportation Commission and the Beauregard Rezoning Advisory Group.
Last year, Fossum finished 10th in the 14-candidate Democratic primary for council.
Wasowski, co-owner of A Show of Hands in Del Ray, is a former president of the Del Ray Business Association and former chair of the Potomac Yard Design Advisory Committee. She received votes from all seven councilmembers.
Hyra is the chairman of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority. The West End resident is an associate professor at Virginia Tech, whose research focuses on inner-city economic development, national housing policy and urban politics.
Macek, an Old Town resident, works as a consultant at Parsons Brinckerhoff specializing in financial planning for major transportation investments. He currently serves as chairman of the Waterfront Commission.
The new members of the board will join the commission for its March 5 meeting.
Council also appointed two new members to the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals—Mindy Lyle, who served on the Waterfront Plan Work Group, and Del Ray Realtor Jen Walker.
They replace incumbents John Keegan and David Lantzy on the BZA, which hears and decides appeals requesting variance from provisions of the city’s zoning code.
Gail G
8:19 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Surprising, but not surprising. Can we get a breakdown of which council members voted for which applicants?
Drew Hansen
8:32 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Here you go:
Marcus Allen — 1 vote (Euille)
Danielle Fidler — 1 vote (Silberberg)
Donna Fossum — No votes
Derek Hyra — 6 votes (Chapman, Lovain, Pepper, Smedberg, Silberberg, Wilson)
Nate Macek — 6 votes (Chapman, Euille, Lovain, Pepper, Smedberg, Wilson)
Maria Wasowski — 7 votes (unanimous)
Gail G
9:43 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Thank you Drew. Any information
Very interesting. While I'm not opposed to change, if that was the reasoning behind council's decision, they should have at least given Donna a heads up and a thank you for her many years of service.
Susan D.
10:07 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
I am so glad she was voted off. She was the nastiest person I have ever dealt with when I had to go before her in council.
Jon Rosenbaum
11:00 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
She certainly should be thanked for her service. But these commissions and boards should not become subject to lifetime appointments like the Supreme Court. We do need people with experience but also opportunities for new members. Twenty three years is more than enough . She seems to feel a sense of entitlement.
Kristen
11:59 am on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Well said!
Del Ray Ray
2:20 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
“I didn’t get a single vote after 23 years on the Planning Commission,” Fossum told Patch. “I didn’t get a thank you. I have no idea of why. … Don’t waste your time helping the city because they don’t care.”
BOO HOO - nice way to ruin your legacy and explains zero votes.
Jen Pugh
2:49 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
How can you be on there for that long? I was chairman of the Alexandria Beautification Commission and was just term limited out after 10 years, which is fine, new blood is a good thing, but the Planning Commission has an awful lot of power, certainly a lot more than my little commission. Seems to me that this should not be a lifetime investiture.
Gail G
3:24 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The right way to handle this would have been for council members to give Donna a private heads up and let her choose not to re-apply for the spot.
Jim Roberts
4:08 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
She was given an inelegant boot. However, her long tenure serves to underscore why term limits are valuable. If they are good enough for the Governor of Virginia and the President of the USA, then they should be good enough for all City of Alexandria elected officials
oldtowner
5:16 pm on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
to Jim Roberts: Remember, she is not ELECTED, she has been appointed. The term limits you reference are for elected officials. And I disagree with the limit on the governor; should be able to serve a second term. That being said, the Council several years ago did set a 10-year limit on most board/commission appointments. Regardless of all that, this was handled rather inelegantly. She should be thanked for her years of service to the City.
SYSM
8:58 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Guess that's when you find out who your real friends are...
Defy Libtards
9:14 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
SYSM - NO ONE in Alexandria cares about you, or anyone else. We are all entitled, judgmental, and angry about our own politics.
George C.
4:58 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Open your eyes and don't be foolish. This was a result of a political vendetta, not an attempt to bring in "fresh" blood. The fact is she ran for city council last year and as a result angered some very powerful people in the city. This is a sad day for Alexandria. Fossum was one of the planning commission members who actually looked out for lower income residents. She has also been instrumental to the development of this city, with one recent notable accomplishment being her work on the Beauregard project. I can tell you this, I am regretting my council votes at this point. I wish they would make decisions that are best for Alexandria residents and not based on their political motivations.
Gail G
9:07 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
George, who do you think has a vendetta against Donna and why? Just because she ran?
Gina Baum
7:47 am on Thursday, March 7, 2013
Do you actually think Fossum didn't get a heads up? No doubt she did. There are some people who just don't understand grace and dignity. The appropriate response of a true leader deserving of such an influential powerful seat in the City might be..."I am grateful to have served the community in this capacity for as long as I did and thank all those who put their trust in me." Instead she gives this woe is me boo hoo response like a three year old. As far as I'm concerned with a response like that it is pretty clear this decision was for the best.