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Manassas Park hears interviews from residents seeking seats on boards and commissions
Summary
Two residents interviewed for openings on local boards described professional backgrounds and interest in volunteer service; council members probed zoning and planning experience and encouraged outreach to recruit volunteers.
Two residents interviewed before the Manassas Park City Council on the night’s agenda described professional backgrounds and reasons for applying to serve on local boards and commissions.
Applicant Netu Chandra, who introduced herself as a Manassas Park resident and said she works for Fairfax County, summarized an architecture degree from India and seven years of U.S. experience in facilities renovations and signage work. “I work for Fairfax County as a space runner right now,” Chandra said when asked to introduce herself. Council members asked whether she was applying to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) and the juvenile/domestic relations committee; Chandra said she preferred zoning and described her approach to contested decisions: ask what the concern is, seek solutions, and try to persuade people through explanation and empathy.
A second applicant, who identified himself in the discussion as Brian and said he has lived in Manassas Park for more than a decade, told the council he served four years in the U.S. Army and now works as a statistician at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He said he was willing to learn about local regulations and suggested using Facebook and other social networks to recruit volunteers. “I think that’s a good way to have posts and encourage people to participate,” he said.
Council members repeatedly asked applicants about their familiarity with local zoning codes and the comprehensive plan. Chandra acknowledged she was still learning zoning code nuances in her current architectural work; Brian said he was not yet familiar with specific local regulations but would learn on the job.
Councilors thanked the applicants for stepping forward and for military service where applicable. Staff said they would follow up about which committee best matched each applicant’s background. No formal appointments or votes on the applications occurred during the interview segment; the council recessed mid-sequence before continuing interviews.
