Candidate Profile: Terry Modglin Runs For Mason District Supervisor

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA —Terry Modglin, a veteran and consultant who has been working with Afghan refugees, is running for Mason District supervisor as the Independent candidate in the general election.

A new Mason District supervisor will be elected in the Nov. 7, 2023 election, as longtime Supervisor Penny Gross is retiring. Modglin is running against Democrat Andres Jimenez in the Nov. 7, 2023 general election. Jimenez won the Democratic primary election over Reid Voss, Jeremy Allen and Steve Lee.

Mason District voters will have a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors representative and Fairfax County School Board representative on the ballot. The Mason District includes areas like Bailey's Crossroads, Seven Corners, part of Annandale, Lake Barcroft and Lincolnia.

The general election ballot in Fairfax County will also include countywide races for Board of Supervisors chairman, three at-large School Board representatives, Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney, Fairfax County Sheriff, and Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.

Early voting for the general election began Friday, Sept. 22. More information on how to vote is available from the Fairfax County Office of Elections.

Patch asked candidates for Mason District supervisor to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are Modglin's responses:

Name

Terry W. Modglin

Office Sought

Mason District Supervisor

Campaign Website

www.TerryforMason.org

Age (as of Nov. 7 election)

77

Education

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, B.S.Foreign Service, American University Masters in Public Administration

Occupation

Consultant, currently Coordinator for English Classes for Afghan Refugees, Fresh Start Refugee Assistance Center

Family

My son Matthew, wife, and two grandchildren line in Glastonbury, CT. He is owner Kitchen Living Design, LLC. My daughter Rachel has three children and lives in Palm Bay, FL. She is Community Relations Director at Sonata Senior Living in Melbourne, FL.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Previous public office positions or appointments

Staff Director, Panama Canal Subcommittee, U.S. House of Representatives, 1975-80

Why are you seeking this office?

My life has been devoted to public service, as an Army Officer, a Capitol Hill staffer, national manager and director of youth and municipal crime prevention programs, coordinator for English language training for Afghan refugee resettlement. I believe I can lead and deliver for a better Mason because of my wide experience with police, schools, and communities and my strong commitment to results. As an Independent, I am not tied to a party position that I must follow to the exclusion of innovation or modification or defensive arguments. I will work with all Members of the Board of Supervisors.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

My experience of 25 years working with youth, police, schools, and communities gives me an understanding of how these institutions work and many ideas for improvement. Second, I acknowledge the issues and problems that exist with respect to crime, education, budget and financing of our increasingly varied jurisdiction, all with a focus on how to get better. You cannot solve problems with acknowledging them, getting all the facts. Third, I view the community and neighborhood organizations as partners in helping me to develop solutions that are best for the Mason District and Fairfax County. I am a fiscal conservative but I know that sometimes you must spend more money to solve leading problems.

What do you see as the top issues facing (your county/district), and how do you address them in your campaign platform?

(1) It is critical that we stop the deterioration we see in law-abiding behavior. We cannot allow the shoplifting, property crime, fare evasion, and violent crime using firearms that we see to be normalized. Prevention, enforcement, and accountability (2) We must support opportunity for students in our schools to reach their maximum potential through more choice and help for individual students who need it. (3) We must do all we can to make Mason cleaner and greener, whether this involves the specific designation of green space, more emphasis on walkable and bikeable communities, more canopy, more composting, diminished use of bags, packaging, and other items used in commerce that are not biodegradable. (4) Greater access and use of public transportation is a must if we are to achieve our environmental goals. Public transportation should be attractive to people at all income levels, not just a necessity for some but a preference for all.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been
- a Platoon Leader and Company Commander in Vietnam, responsible 24/7 for the lives of my troops. I will never have a higher responsibility than that.
- a U.S. House of Representatives staff director with significant involvement in major legislation, responsible for subcommittee hearings, coordination with other committees, preparation for floor debate, and writing statements on topics for Members of the Subcommittee and larger committee.
- Executive Director for ten years of a youth crime prevention national/international non-profit with programs that reached forty stares at its apex.
- leader and first president of the foundation that built a memorial at Fort Benning, Georgia to fallen soldiers of our brigade. I led the fight for approval of the concept and our foundation ultimately raised $800,000 to build it.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I have been called the most hard-working person they have ever seen by many of my colleagues over the years. That is because I regard public service as a mission. I know that in order to achieve a goal you must know how to listen to and work with persons of all views. People will obey the law to the extent they feel connected to it, whether that is through knowing why the law was created or being accountable to obey it. Most my life has been working with people, including young people, to accomplish a goal. I always ask - what does my decision mean for society five, ten, or more years from now.