Supervisor Gross will not seek re-election

Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross will not run for re-election in 2023, she announced at the Board of Supervisors meeting Dec. 6.

Gross, the longest-serving member of the board was first elected in 1995 and has been vice chair since 2009.

Gross didn’t give a specific reason for retiring, only indicating that it was time to move on after 27 years. “During the next year plus, my staff and I will endeavor to provide the same robust constituent services as we have done for nearly three decades,” she said.

“Penny has been a champion of the environment and a passionate advocate for the residents of the Mason District during her tenure. She is also a well-known leader in the region for all of her work that extends beyond Fairfax County,” Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay said.

“Penny has skillfully handled some of the most difficult issues of the county during her time on the board, and has done so with grace, compassion, and an unwavering dedication to public service and to the people of Fairfax County,” McKay said.

All supervisors are up for re-election in November 2023.

McKay, along with supervisors James Walkinshaw (Braddock), Walter Alcorn (Hunter Mill), Rodney Lusk (Franconia), and Daniel Storck (Mount Vernon) are all officially running for re-election. John Foust, who has represented the Dranesville District for 16 years, announced in August that he will not seek another term on the board.

At the Mason District Holiday Town Gathering on Dec. 5, Gross recounted some of the major events affecting Mason District during 2022. Here are some of the highlights: 

• A major blizzard last winter stranded some drivers on I-95 for over 24 hours. A report blamed the gridlock on VDOT. 
• As board vice chair, Gross chaired three days of budget hearings, as McKay was sick with Covid. As the value of vehicles soared, the board took action to reduce the car tax burden.
• Last spring, the Mason District Government Center was flooded with coats and blankets donated by the community for refugees fleeing Ukraine.
• Fairfax County and VDOT began planning efforts to improve pedestrian safety on Leesburg Pike in Culmore. Upgraded streetlights will be installed in January.     
• Several major redevelopment projects were approved, including an expansion of the Radley Acura dealership in Bailey’s Crossroads, a replacement of the Patrick Henry Shelter in Seven Corners, and a new live-work project at the Skyline Center.
• The Alta Crossroads multifamily project is heading to construction.
• Construction has started on townhomes at Graham Park Plaza and on McWhorter Place in Annandale.
• The newly expanded Edsall Road Fire Station has reopened, and construction is underway on the Seven Corners Fire Station.
• Construction has started on the Falls Church High School renovation project, and a new addition for Justice High School has been approved.
• The expansion of Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale was completed, and improvements have begun at Hogge Park in Bailey’s Crossroads.