Meet The Candidate: Bill Replogle For Leesburg Town Council

LEESBURG, VA — The Leesburg Town Council election on Tuesday, Nov. 3 has four candidates — Bill Replogle, Kari Nacy, Ara Bagdasarian and Zach Cummings — vying for three council seats.

A Leesburg Town Council post is nonpartisan, but candidates typically seek the endorsement of a major party's local committee.

Replogle, Bagdasarian and Cummings have been endorsed by the Loudoun County Democratic Committee, while the Loudoun County Republican Committee has not endorsed any Leesburg Town Council candidates so far in 2020.

Replogle has worked on regional transportation issues and, in his day job, helped to attract new business to Loudoun County. He has a track record of working on behalf of the environment and battling climate change. Among his previous positions, Replogle served on Leesburg’s Environmental Advisory Commission, which he chaired for two years.

Learn more about Replogle and why he is running for Leesburg Town Council in 2020:

Candidate

Bill Replogle

Age (as of Election Day)

65

Office Sought

Leesburg Town Council

Party Affiliation

Democratic

Family

Married to Barb, father to Dave & Annie. We've lived here for 30 years. Our kids grew up in Leesburg. Love this place.

Education

Dartmouth

Occupation

Branding/Advertising

Campaign website

billforleesburg.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Chairman of the Town of Leesburg's Environmental Advisory Commission

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

It's all about health: A healthy community, economy and environment. I will help revitalize our local economy, preserve Westpark as green space and be vigilant about smart growth and a healthy environment.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

Of course. I think the peaceful demonstrations and dialogue have helped awaken our nation's awareness that racial inequality is still a big problem that we have to acknowledge and deal with. I am against any violent protesting or looting. I am not in favor of defunding police, though training and personnel reviews are in order. I believe in the beloved community that Dr. King and Congressman Lewis spoke of often. We need to put the United back in United States.

What are your thoughts on the campaign to "defund" the police?

Not a fan.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

I think we have to be smart about it. The national response has been a disaster. By the same token, I don't think we should be reactionary. Masks where advisable, primarily indoor public spaces. More outdoor activities and dining, which will be a challenge as the cooler months and flu season approach. Making testing more available with rapid response to those tests and contact tracing will help avoid a resurgence of the virus. And once we have a vaccine that has been rigorously tested, widespread adoption will be critical to its success in fighting the virus.

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

My fellow candidates Ara and Zach are like-minded, and together we will end the gridlock in Leesburg's Town Council and get stuff done.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The only incumbent has decided not to run.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Smart growth. Healthy economy. Healthy environment. Walkable community. Increase quality of life while minimizing the tax burden.

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

I served as chair of our Environmental Commission and was instrumental in recycling and watershed initiatives. I've worked with Loudoun Economic Development, The Board of Trade and the Greater Washington Initiative on attracting business to the region and bringing baseball back (go Nats!). I've worked on transportation with Metro Washington Airports Authority, Dulles Cargo, Metro and VRE. And I've been active in other efforts to connect our community and preserve green space. Our Save The Trail campaign helped reroute and bury overhead powerlines saving tens of thousands of trees along the W&OD Trail.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but if we get our local economy revitalized without jeopardizing public health, keep Westpark out of the hands of developers, and prevent the Rockwool plant over the border in West Virginia from polluting our air, we will have achieved a few good things.

Why should voters trust you?

Because I've got their backs. I will listen to the community and fight for their interests. I will work with the Mayor and my fellow town council members to tackle the pressing issues facing us, from revitalizing our local economy to preserving Westpark. And we just bought a house downtown. We aren't going anywhere.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

We need to be fiscally responsible and minimize the tax burden on our residents. I'm committed to creative solutions to achieve those goals, working alongside the Mayor and fellow council members, town staff and the citizens and business owners in Leesburg.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

To paraphrase JFK, "ask not what your town can do for you, ask what you can do for your town." And I like the get in "good trouble" call to action of John Lewis. And as the ancient Roman playwright Terence once said, because I'm man, "nothing human is alien to me." We need to come together and end the divisiveness in both our town and our country. That begins by acknowledging we are all brothers & sisters no matter what color our skin, what religion we practice, what political party we align with, what our net worth is, or what our personal beliefs. Embrace a respect and reverence for the planet and our fellow inhabitants, and we can begin to evolve as a species and tackle the tough problems ahead.

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

I think once we get beyond COVID-19, we're not out of the woods. Climate disruption is an even bigger problem looming on the horizon, and it's going to take our best collective thinking and efforts to deal with the wildfires, hurricanes and rising seas. It's also going to take a new administration committed to creative solutions to this and other problems. We need more enlightened and cooperative leadership from King Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.

Are you running for office in Leesburg? Contact Mark Hand at mark.hand@patch.com if you have not received your candidate questionnaire.