Burk Seeks Second Term As Supervisor

It’s been four years since Democrat Kelly Burk was first elected to the Board of Supervisors where she has continued to represent the Leesburg District ever since. Next month, she plans to go head to head against Kenneth Reid to reclaim her current position.

When asked why she decided to run again, Burk said she loves what the town has to offer. Leesburg has a strong voice on the board of supervisors, she said, which is very important when it comes to growth.  

“If we continue to make sure that Leesburg and Loudoun County are great places to live people will come,” Burk said, who has lived in the town for 32 years. “That’s our job. To make sure that the quality of life issues, the health safety and welfare of our citizens are taken care of and that’s where we need to focus.”

Currently, Burk represents Loudoun County on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, Annexation Area Development Policy Committee (AADPC), Loudoun County Disability Services Board, Joint Committee of the County of Loudoun and Town of Leesburg, and the Community Action Agency Advisory Board.

She served on the Leesburg Town Council from 2004 to 2007, where she served as liaison to the town’s Environmental Advisory Commission, Public Arts Commission and Thomas Balch Library Commission. She also served on the town’s Board of Architectural Review.

Furthermore, Governor Warner appointed Burk to the Advisory Board for Education Business Partnerships and the Virginia Board of Optometry from July 2002 to 2004. She chairs the Shenandoah University Northern Virginia Advisory Board and served on the Board of Directors of the Virginia and Loudoun Education Associations.

Other memberships include the Kids Health Care Partnership, Loudoun Literacy Council, and Leadership Loudoun. She was named Loudoun County Woman of the Year in 2001.

During her four years as supervisor, Burk said she has done all she can to be a very effective leader. When the town has come to her in the past, Burk said she has always worked with her colleagues to get the job accomplished.

“I have a proven record of doing that and you’ll get nothing accomplished if you can’t work with people,” Burk said. “I’ve shown that I can work across the board with people and get things accomplished and I think that’s just the role of what the representative on the Board of Supervisors should be doing.”

Burk said the nice thing about running for a second term is that she has a better understanding of how to set collaborations and relationships right from the start. She understands how things work at the county level, she added, which omits any learning curves that you might have if you were just beginning.

If re-elected, Burk said has a number of areas that she would like to continue focusing on. Among them is transportation. The future of Loudoun County is slowly drifting towards gridlocked commutes and missed family dinners, she said. Through her transportation plans, Burk hopes to reduce traffic, eliminate gridlock, and get Loudoun residents home quickly and safely.

The budget is also a priority. As a Leesburg representative Burk said she has made the difficult decisions needed to close the budget gap. She has helped reduce the inefficiency, while continuing to fund the school system. Even in the midst of economic struggles, Burk said she has put Loudoun County in a position to thrive.

And then there’s education. As the county’s school system continues to grow, it is very important to ensure that its schools, teachers, and students have the tools needed for continued success. As Supervisor, Burk said she would continue to work hard to make sure that Loudoun County’s public schools remain some of the best in the country.

Burk added that she would also like to focus on the citizens while making sure they have an open door to share their concerns and ideas are. It has been an honor and privilege to represent Leesburg, Burk said, and she is very excited to continue working with the residents. 

For more information on Kelly Burk and her upcoming campaign go to her campaign website.