To the Editor:

Perhaps not all of your readers are familiar with the background to Scott Gordon’s letter in last week’s paper — "The Beauregard Small Area Plan is a Disaster." Given that he apparently intends to run for a seat on our City Council, voters might find his approach rather interesting.

After close to two years of community meetings discussing and evolving the draft Plan, it was a surprise to find a brand new face turn up at our Jan. 23 meeting. It was even more surprising to find how authoritatively this new face seemed to feel he could speak to what he had determined were shortcomings of the Plan. The following morning his conclusion that "The Beauregard Small Area Plan is a Disaster" appeared in several different media.

Come to find that the new face belongs to none other than Scott Gordon. One skeptic pondered whether Mr. Gordon’s sudden new-found interest in the West End might in any way relate to his political aspirations.

Many people have devoted a great deal of time, effort and thought to move this Small Area Plan forward. It is far from perfect and there are clearly some material disagreements about various aspects of it. But we continue to work together to address and attempt to resolve those. To find that Mr. Gordon can be handed a hot-off-the-press 161-page draft Plan at 7:05 p.m. and shortly thereafter assert that the Plan is a "disaster" would seem to imply he has rather unique powers. Or perhaps he sees no need to be informed before he opines?

To pick up on the last line of Mr. Gordon’s letter ("Be aware Alexandria, you are not a priority") one might respond: Be aware Alexandria, being well informed is not a priority of some people before they make sweeping, categorical judgments (much less run for office).

Thank you, Mr. Gordon, for giving some of us first-hand insight into how you might conduct yourself were you to find your way onto our City Council. No doubt we will have other candidates to measure you against.

Don Buch

Alexandria

Vice chair, Beauregard Corridor Stakeholders’ Group, writing on his own personal behalf.