I’m serving because I care deeply about Culpeper’s future. Our town is growing and we get to choose how the growth impacts our community.  We’ve made real progress over the last few years—modernizing infrastructure, improving transparency, and preserving our small-town character—and there’s still more to do. I want to keep Culpeper grounded in our shared values while planning wisely for the next generation. I’m not done fighting for the Culpeper we love!

My service is guided by three clear priorities that reflect Culpeper’s values and the work I’ve focused on since taking office: Preserve, Plan, and Protect. I’m committed to preserving Culpeper’s small-town character and historic identity, planning wisely for responsible growth with strong infrastructure and sound finances, and protecting individual freedoms by keeping local government transparent, limited, and accountable. These principles have shaped my approach on Council, and they remain the foundation for the steady, practical leadership I believe Culpeper deserves.

Growth isn’t the enemy — unplanned, careless growth is. I support development that strengthens our economy and tailored to fit our town’s small-town character. That means protecting historic neighborhoods, limiting large development projects, prioritizing infrastructure stability, and standing firm against sprawl that doesn’t serve our community. Growth should support our values — not erase them.

I support Culpeper’s long-term debt reduction strategy. My focus is on spending wisely, investing in scalable infrastructure, and resisting the temptation of short-term fixes that create long-term problems. Responsibly stewarding our money is how we build a resilient future. Reduce debt, invest wisely, stay focused on priorities: that’s financial leadership.

The Constitution (https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript)protects our freedoms — it doesn’t grant them. I stand against unnecessary regulations and tax increases, and I believe government should empower citizens, not control them. I fight for transparency, individual liberty, and making sure your voice is heard in every decision. I don’t work for the government; I work for you.

I am committed to enhancing public safety by supporting the Culpeper Police Department (CPD), the Co-Responder Program, and the Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Department Company 1. I will continue to advocate for CPD budget requirements that provide essential equipment and capabilities, improve officer training and safety, and strengthen community partnerships and neighborhood relationships. The Co-Responder Program pairs CPD officers with Encompass Community Supports (https://ecsva.diligent.community/portal/)mental health professionals to address streetside mental health crises, leading to safer resolutions and fewer arrests. I also meet with and back our local Culpeper County Volunteer Fire Department (Company 1) and am currently pushing for a shared town/county fire inspector role to strengthen public safety. These efforts reflect my commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all Culpeper residents: we deserve a safe Culpeper.

Data centers can provide tax revenue and jobs, but they must be responsibly located, well-regulated, and never compromise our town’s quality of life. I support policies that protect local control, preserve our character, and ensure infrastructure keeps pace. Future data center revenue can gradually offset declining funds from past housing and development booms, helping fund evolving infrastructure needs without overburdening residents. Without a carefully phased-in revenue source, I believe we risk relying on tax increases as the primary way to fund our future infrastructure upgrades. Culpeper deserves options.

Charm isn’t just about looks — it’s about character: faith, work ethic, integrity, and compassion. I will continue to support zoning that reflects our priorities, invest in parks and walkable neighborhoods, and oppose sprawling development that changes who we are. Our rural character and small businesses are essential to our small town identity – I will fight to support them. Culpeper has an amazing and challenging history that should unite us – not divide us. I emphasize ‘Decisiveness, not Divisiveness’ – the theme of my 2021 Town Council campaign. We choose our own character and how we communicate and resolve issues – let’s choose well and work hard to protect it in a way that honors Culpeper’s legacy.

I believe in growing locally — not chasing short-term trends. That means supporting our small businesses, working with large industry, reducing government red tape, and carefully investing in infrastructure that helps Culpeper families and entrepreneurs succeed. We’ve faced economic ups and downs, but when we focus on smart, locally driven growth, the whole community prospers. There are big-time opportunities in our small-town economy!

Our physical infrastructure should never be an afterthought. I support smart, scalable planning that anticipates growth before it happens. That includes water, sewer, roads, power, — and yes, preparing for things like data demand and broadband too. We also need to forecast future needs for public safety, public works and the town’s public facing services. We should build the house on a solid foundation – let’s be proactive, not reactive.

I support the UDO because it modernizes Culpeper’s zoning rules while respecting property rights and preserving our town’s unique character. Unlike the outdated 1960s-era zoning, the UDO incorporates clear standards for building types, lot arrangements, and neighborhood design, giving property owners certainty about what they can build and flexibility in how they can use their property. At the same time, it protects the small-town charm that makes Culpeper special—encouraging traditional-style homes, walkable neighborhoods, and preservation of historic and natural areas. The UDO isn’t perfect – I’ve raised concerns and ensured our residents and businesses have had a chance to improve the original version – but I think it does a better job of balancing growth with the careful stewardship of our community. We will continue to improve and tailor the UDO to ensure that as Culpeper evolves, we preserve the values and aesthetics that we cherish.

I stand firm on the principle of transparent and responsive government. This requires honest and open communication, easily accessible records, and active listening. I’ve worked hard to make council decisions more transparent and will continue to prioritize community involvement in every step we take. I established the first official Facebook account as a Member of Town Council (https://www.facebook.com/Joe4Culpeper/)where I announce upcoming meetings, provide background on decisions, and poll local residents and business owners on town topics. This is a priority of how I work to protect our Constitutional freedoms: if you don’t know what your government’s doing, it’s not your government anymore.

Yes — but we must stay ahead of the curve. I supported investments in the Town’s reservoir, water treatment plant, development of wells, watershed protection, and planning for drought resilience. I also supported our agreement to provide treated effluent (non-potable, treated wastewater) to the data center developer for cooling, repurposing a town resource efficiently while preserving natural resources. Clean, reliable water is a core responsibility of local government — and we need to stay focused on the fundamentals. Preserve natural resources and steward the resources we have – that’s planning wisely.

Our annual water quality report (https://files.culpeperva.gov/Annual_Water_Quality_Report.pdf)confirm that Culpeper’s drinking water meets or exceeds all state and federal standards. Still, I pushed for continued upgrades to our filtration systems and safeguards for source water. A 2020 water system assessment provided key recommendations that I’ve strongly supported in budget reviews, including unidirectional flushing and improved storage tank maintenance. Safe water is not optional — it’s fundamental.

The 2019 Hazen and Sawyer water study (https://www.culpeperva.gov/government/public_services/environmental_services/2019_hazen___sawyer_water_quality_study.php?utm_source=chatgpt.com)confirmed that the primary cause of the town’s poor water aesthetic are the soil elements manganese and iron, both naturally occurring items located in our regional soil and aquifers. When these elements dissolve into a water supply, it causes discoloration, metallic taste and odor, and staining of water fixtures and equipment (dishwashers, clothes washers…). The study recommended actions that can be taken, such as unidirectional flushing (UDF), storage tank maintenance, and capital upgrades to the water collection and treatment system. Short-term improvements have been made, but we need to plan a long-term though costly solution.

We’ve developed a Safe Yield Study, improved monitoring efforts, upgraded our reservoir collection system and expanded our system of drilled wells to ensure supply continuity. We’ve published an updated drought mitigation and response process to better inform town residents and businesses. We’ve been blessed to provide water to neighboring localities in previous drought conditions. Droughts may be natural — but being caught unprepared isn’t – let’s plan wisely.

Yes — quietly and steadily, we’ve been making sure our grid stays strong. From system upgrades to emergency peak-shaving capacity, we’re investing in long-term resilience, not just short-term fixes.

This is not just about recreation — it’s about community. Town residents have wanted a pool for many years and we were able to leverage federal grants from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that freed up local funding for a pool design shared with Culpeper County. We were able to plan wisely by using our available resources without placing a cost burden on taxpayers. This will be a place where families gather, kids learn to swim, and neighbors connect!

I’ve helped revitalize the Town–County Interaction Committee to ensure we’re talking and solving problems together — not working at odds. This forum was historically convened to resolve conflicts, but my priority for this committee is to establish it as a regularly occurring meeting to build an effective and collaborative relationship between Culpeper Town Council and the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors. From shared services to coordinated planning, let’s focus on teamwork – not turf wars.