Reston Association Board Elections: Why Five Former RA Presidents Support Daton Lynch

RESTON, VA — Reston Association (RA) Board of Directors elections are underway for two new directors: one Member-at-Large and one Tall Oaks/Lake Anne district director. Voting ends Tuesday, March 31. A 10% quorum is required to validate the election.

In the Member-at-Large race, RA members have a choice—a fresh voice and perspective represented by Daton Lynch or an incumbent. The third candidate for Member-at-Large, Greg McCandless, has decided to turn his attention to other matters and is no longer actively campaigning for the director seat. Five recent past presidents endorse Daton Lynch, and we believe you should too.

Reston Association’s quiet strength has always been its clarity of purpose—knowing what it is, and just as importantly, what it is not. That clarity of purpose traces back to founder Robert E. Simon and his vision of thoughtful planning, shared responsibility, and a community—a homeowners association—that governs itself wisely, ever mindful of its voice within the broader framework of Fairfax County.

The Reston Association Board’s responsibility is to serve its member community of residents, stewarding its shared assets while staying true to its founding promise of equity, economic diversity, and environmental values of sustainability, open space, and “dark skies.”

As a newly elected board forms, it faces the challenge of serving its members both today and tomorrow. We need nine directors who can work collaboratively—and always collegially—on the many issues facing our association, including:

• How to responsibly renovate and modernize facilities and amenities, accommodating growing interests in sports like pickleball or disc golf while respecting existing users and budget realities.
• How to ensure community members can remain active and connected at every stage of life.
• How to improve equity and accessibility across all programs and facilities.
• How to maximize the long-term value of RA’s assets for its diverse and multigenerational membership.

And lastly, how to bring TSA corridor residents into RA, ensuring they contribute to funding the RA assets readily available to them.

These questions affect older Restonians on fixed incomes who value stability and predictability, as well as young and growing families seeking opportunity and access. Good governance requires balancing these interests within a roughly $23 million annual budget, planning for capital reinvestment, and maintaining fiscal discipline to protect both current and future residents and community assets.

We believe the role of RA Board directors is best served by focusing on governance rather than operations management, and by steering clear of the micromanagement tendencies that have defined the incumbent at-large candidate’s time in office.

A board director’s governance role is significant and extremely important; at its heart is a fiduciary obligation to fiscal responsibility. The primary role of a director involves setting direction, mission, strategy, and high-level objectives for the association and its professional staff while holding the organization within reasonable financial guardrails. Then it is important to step back and allow professional staff to perform their operational functions while the board monitors progress and makes course corrections as needed.

Board discipline also extends to relationships beyond RA. A successful board must be able to work constructively with Fairfax County government and, especially, in partnership with our Hunter Mill District Supervisor. It means understanding how the system works, showing up prepared and credible, and advocating effectively.

We, five recent past RA Board presidents, support a board made up of collegial members who understand good governance—a board that takes the lead in setting direction for areas our homeowners association controls and advocates effectively, when appropriate, for the association’s membership externally.

We ask our fellow association members to vote for Daton Lynch, the only candidate currently campaigning for the open At-Large seat who possesses these skills and qualities. We know Daton Lynch will maximize the return members receive for our assessment dollars while staying true to Reston’s founding principles.

The future of our community depends on your thoughtful participation. Please take time to vote.

Signed by Former RA Board Presidents: Caren Anton, Cathy Baum, Julie Bitzer, Kathleen Driscoll, Andy Sigle

---

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner.. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch. To learn more, click here.