Meet The Candidate: Kari Nacy For Leesburg Town Council

LEESBURG, VA — The Leesburg Town Council election on Tuesday, Nov. 3 has four candidates — Kari Nacy, Ara Bagdasarian, Bill Replogle 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.

Bagdasarian, Cummings and Replogle 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. Nacy was backed by the LCRC when she ran for town council in 2018.

Nacy, who came up a little short in the 2018 town council election, is hoping her second run for town council has a different outcome. Nacy, 37, grew up in Leesburg and lives in the town with her husband and daughter.

Nacy has a Masters of Business Administration and works as the director of Department of Defense intelligence programs.

Learn more about Nacy and why she is running for Leesburg Town Council in 2020:

Name:

Kari Nacy

Age (as of Election Day)

37

Office Sought

Leesburg Town Council

Party Affiliation

Town of Leesburg is a non-partisan seat

Family

Husband: Matt Nacy, daughter Savannah

Education

BA, Political Science; Masters in Business Administration

Occupation

Director of DoD Intelligence Programs (7 years)

Campaign website

www.karinacy.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Chair of Leesburg Planning Commission

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

Right now, our response to COVID-19 remains our town’s top priority. Ensuring public safety, providing relief and support for local small business, and making sure funding from Richmond and Washington gets to where it needs to go as quickly and efficiently as possible. To give local residents some added assistance, Council could make a few adjustments, like allowing payment plans for tax bills, keeping parking free of charge, expanding outdoor seating for restaurants and other similar venues. These small changes can make all the difference.

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?

I look forward to working with Leesburg Police Chief Brown, the NAACP, religious leaders, and other members of our community to ensure that no one in the Town of Leesburg is ever accused, mistreated, abused, or discriminated against based on the color of their skin.

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

As a wife and working mother, keeping Leesburg safe will always remain one of my top priorities. Chief Brown has done a fantastic job building close ties between our community and local law enforcement. He has my full support. On his watch, Leesburg will stay safe, and our values of mutual respect, honesty, civility, and common sense will always be protected.

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?

We've encountered unprecedented times and I believe we're all just trying to do the best we can and adjust to the changes. There's always room for improvement. In Leesburg, we're working to move forward to get things safely and responsibly open and back on track. Thankfully our town has pulled together as a community to support each other, and our local businesses. The true sense of community and love and support in Leesburg has been tremendous.

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

I was born and raised in Leesburg and my whole family is here. I truly love Leesburg and am raising my daughter here because of the wonderful community, charm, and, residents. My roots are here. Not every candidate can say that.

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

There are no incumbents running for their seats this time. The lack of decision in some council decisions due to political divide is something I’ve been disappointed to witness and hope to change.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

If elected, my top priority would be COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts for our local community and small businesses, while working to avert any potential budget crisis that may result from the pandemic. Additionally, I hope to ensure that any updates to our town plan really reflect and maintain our historic small-town charm, while still allowing Leesburg to thrive and grow.
On Council, I look forward to bringing my positive outlook and sense of optimism to the job, along with my years of experience in private sector management and budget acumen. But most importantly, I hope to bring a willingness to work together with every member of council, regardless of any difference in personal or political ideology, in order to achieve real results for our town.

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

I currently Chair the town Planning Commission where I have been able to be a voice for citizens when it comes to the land use and development in Leesburg. I've been able to bring a fresh perspective and would do the same for council.

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

Successfully creating a vision and executing it for our new Town Plan that maintains our small-town charm which makes Leesburg one of the best places to live, raise a family, retire, and work.

Why should voters trust you?

As Director for my job, I'm entrusted with managing over a hundred people, many contracts, and a large budget. I'm also a small business owner, wife, and mom. On Planning Commission I have proven that I have the best interests of Leesburg citizens at heart. I understand the value and importance of building and earning trust. I will work hard on Council to earn the trust of my fellow Leesburg residents.

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

With an imminent budget deficit on the horizon due to the pandemic, my goal will be to close the gap without harming our residents and civil servants. Raising taxes or having to do a reduction in force is not the answer. The last thing I’d want is to cause further harm by asking people who’ve already sacrificed so much during this crisis to sacrifice even more. Instead, we need to look at projects that can be put on hold in order to free up funds to cover shortfalls. And before budget deliberations, Council needs to investigate ways to spur business and economic development that can generate new sources of revenue to help close deficits. There’s no shortage of ideas for tightening our budget belt, and every council member should commit to not passing that burden on to our residents and small business owners.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

I worked in the car industry as a cashier after college and a customer came in one day when her car had broken down. She was very upset and yelling at me and the owner of the dealership overheard. After she left, he came over to me and said "Never overreact...unless a speeding bus is coming at you." What Mr. Cherner said to me that day has always stuck with me. First and foremost it helped me learn to make sure that I always make thoughtful and rational decisions not based on emotions. But the underlying message was also to always be a kind person to others. I've carried it forward in my job and in my life to make sure that I'm always being the best mom, wife, co-worker, manager, sister, daughter, and kind human that I can be.

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

Town of Leesburg residents should know that I will always have their back if elected to council. And that for me it's truly about serving my community and the town I love.

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