2023 Candidate Profile: Matthew Kelly For Fredericksburg City Council

FREDERICKSBURG, VA — Incumbent Councilman Matthew Kelly is one of three candidates running for two open seats on the Fredericksburg City Council in November's general election.

Kelly is running alongside Will Mackintosh and Jannan Holmes.

Patch sent the following questionnaire to all three candidates to help voters learn more about their options for Election Day on Nov. 7.

Name

Matthew B. Kelly

Age (as of Election Day)?

65

Town of Residence?

Fredericksburg, VA

Position Sought:

City Council, At-Large

Party affiliation

Independent

Family? Names, ages and any other pertinent details you wish to share

Wife--Cindie Kelly, Retired teacher. Taught in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania schools. Three children and six grandchildren.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I have a son serving in the U.S. Army.

Education Level

Degree in History from Mary Washington College

Occupation, including employer and years of experience

Retired as of August 1st after forty years as an insurance adjuster.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Currently serve as an At-Large Council member.

Campaign website

MattYes.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am concerned Fredericksburg has adopted an approach to development that is degrading its unique historic small town character. Adopting plans that mimic what is going on around us will lead to Fredericksburg becoming nothing more than another stop on the I-95 corridor for gas and a quick bite to eat.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Fredericksburg will continue to grow; but how we do it is extremely important—to residents’ quality of life, as well as the future financial viability of the city. The pandemic showed us that we need to diversify our tax base to avoid steep declines in revenue. We need to better balance residential and commercial development that complements Fredericksburg’s unique character.

Our small size makes it difficult for us to compete for more traditional economic development opportunities. What we do have is a unique historic small-town character. As the region grows, that character will attract visitors and business opportunities, expanding our revenue sources beyond the confines of the city limits.

We also need to pay attention to the development of the jurisdictions around us and its impact on the city as it relates to transportation, housing and economic development. We also need to take every opportunity to work with our regional neighbors to share costs and better position ourselves for state/federal funding.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to recent issues (i.e. the pandemic)? What if anything would you have done differently?

Regarding the pandemic, I believe we did as well as we could under a rather unique and challenging situation. I give a lot of credit to city residents coming together to support their neighbors and the local business community.

On more controversial issues I believe we could have done a better job of engaging the parties involved. We sometimes get into the “us against them “mode, which is counterproductive. We do not have to agree but it is important that all parties have an opportunity to make their case, have their questions answered, and concerns addressed. It’s a hard thing to do in this day and age but necessary. Not doing it only makes the situation worse. We serve the citizens of the city, all citizens, and I will continue to make public engagement my number one priority.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only independent candidate with a record of resolving issues by working with individuals/groups with diverse views and interests. The Rappahannock River Easement, downtown hotel and garage, the region’s first Affordable Housing Plan, the city’s first Archaeology Ordinance and the Fred Nats stadium all came about by bringing differing views to the table, resulting in consensus and a resolution that had some buy-in from all the involved groups. We do not need the rancor and divisiveness of party politics in city government.

One example would be my record on environmental issues. In addition to working on the Rappahannock River Easement, I helped with the river management plan, passing the city’s Low Impact Development Ordinance and worked on the first waste to energy project turning methane gas from our landfill into electricity. I am currently chairing an R-Board committee, including environment groups, to develop public/private partnerships to increase recycling and composting.

I am the only candidate that is putting forward specific actions to improve residents’ quality of life and to help ensure the financial viability of the city.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

That would take up a lot of space. I would refer you to my webpage, MattYes.com where I cover the issues of, The Arts, Education, Environment, Housing, Infrastructure, Preservation, Recreation, Tourism, and Transportation. I cover what I have been involved in and what still needs to be done. Here too, I respectfully maintain I am the only candidate advancing specific ideas and tangible actions to achieve success.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have served on the City Council for almost 20-years. In that time I have served on numerous boards and commission. I have represented the city on all key regional boards dealing with regional planning, transportation, and waste management. I have developed very good working relations with local, state and federal officials regardless of party affiliation. I would again refer you to my webpage--MattYes.com for more details on my service to the city and plans for its future.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

It is through argument and debate that the best solutions come forward—embracing the diversity of ideas. On committees I have been involved in setting up—George Washington Regional Commission Affordable Housing Taskforce, The Historic Preservation Taskforce, and most recently the R-Board Committee looking into new approaches to waste management—I make sure ALL interests, no matter how diverse they may be, are at the table at the beginning of the discussion.

When I vote on membership to city’s boards and commissions my primary goal is not to find like-minded individuals but rather individuals who will bring a different perspective to the board to encourage a more robust discussion on the issues.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

In my time working on community boards or City Council I have not just supported positions I have worked to achieve them—The first Church Shelter Board, The River Easement, the Fred Nats Stadium, the city’s Historic District Plan and Archaeology Ordinance. Through these efforts I have the support of preservationists, environmentalists, developers, Republicans and Democrats. Not because we all agreed on the issues, but because they all know I do my homework, I am accessible, and actively engage ALL interested parties.