Friends and Neighbors,

I want to take a moment to share what happened at this week’s Board of Supervisors Transportation Committee meeting and why I spoke out, firmly and directly, on behalf of the Mason District.

On Tuesday, I addressed the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) about the lack of snow plowing during the January 6–7 snowstorm. That weekend, hundreds of Mason District residents reached out: stuck, stranded, and unheard. Our roads were neglected. Our neighborhoods were forgotten. And months later, VDOT still has not provided a clear plan to prevent this from happening again.

Let me be clear: we deserve both accountability and a real plan of action.

When I told VDOT officials “you failed miserably,” I meant it. I’ve heard from too many residents who were left in unsafe conditions for far too long, especially in Mason, where transportation infrastructure is already a pressing issue. And when I said, “all you have are excuses, and I don’t want to hear excuses,” it wasn’t out of frustration alone. It was out of deep commitment to you, the residents I serve. Because the people of Mason District shouldn’t have to fight this hard for basic public services.

To be fair, we do have a productive, day-to-day working relationship with VDOT. Their local team members are responsive and collaborative, and I truly appreciate their partnership on many of our neighborhood-level projects. But this storm response failure was bigger than that, and we need VDOT leadership to be just as committed to long-term planning and equitable service delivery as their local teams are to everyday operations.

This isn’t the first time we’ve had to push VDOT, but I promise you it won’t be the last if that’s what it takes to get our community the service and safety we deserve.

Whether it’s holding agencies accountable, pushing for smarter infrastructure investments, or making sure no community is left behind in future storms, I will always stand up for Mason District.

We all deserve better. And I’m going to keep working to make sure we get it.

With appreciation,