Paul Milde

Kandy Hilliard

In a fiercely fought contest, candidates for Aquia District seat on Stafford County Board of Supervisors trade insults, ideas.

Date published: 10/31/2005

By RUTH FINCH

Little fairy princesses and vampires aren't the only ones asking for candy this time of year.

"We want Kandy," is the campaign slogan for Kandy Hilliard, 44, a Democrat running for her second term representing the Aquia District on the Stafford County Board of Supervisors.

Her opponent, Republican Paul Milde, 38, is warning voters not to pig out on Kandy, a reference not only to her co-opting Bow Wow Wow's 1982 hit song, but also to her dicey relationship with a certain fiberglass hog.

Puns and put-downs like this are traded each campaign cycle, but in this year's board election, the nastiest and most personal insults have come from Stafford's Aquia District.

If Milde's not rehashing Hilliard's unpopular defense of the county's decision to require Virginia Barbeque to remove a Hampshire porker from the roof of its restaurant, Hilliard is reminding voters of Milde's past convictions for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, accessory to burglary and reckless driving.

But beneath the jabs lie the same basic quality-of-life issues that have weighed on voters' minds for years: schools, taxes, traffic, environmental protection and above all, growth.

Hilliard stands proud of her record of opposing projects that would bring additional houses. But Milde is criticizing her for taking a $500 campaign contribution from a developer, Joe Samaha, who has a proffer amendment pending with the Planning Commission.

Milde also accuses her of dragging her feet on keeping Crow's Nest, an environmentally sensitive area in eastern Stafford, out of developers' hands.

And he objects to Hilliard's consideration of a project that would bring needed soccer fields--and 280 townhouses--to the Courthouse Road area.

"It's not a good deal for the county," Milde said of the soccer-field proposal. "I think there are places we can find $5 million for the soccer complex without having to trade the density."

Hilliard said she considers it her job to weigh the pros and cons of any proposal that comes before her.

"I am looking for a way to build those soccer fields fairly soon and I will consider any proposal that brings that idea forward," she said.

As for the campaign contribution, Hilliard points to Milde's investment in a condominium project near Onville Road in North Stafford.

Kandy Hilliard, 44, assistant director of The Childcare Network Education: Diploma from Stafford County High School, 1979; some college. Fellowship at the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, 1998. Address: Geddy Way Date of birth: May 22, 1961 Family: Husband, Charlie; two children, Zak, 18, and Carlin, 14 Community activities: One term on the Stafford Board of Supervisors. Former PTA president at Stafford Elementary School. Former chair of the Stafford County School Board Citizens Advisory Committee for Parental and Community Involvement. Served on Germanna Community College Advisory Committee. Sunday school teacher at Regester Chapel United Methodist Church. Platform: Delivering on campaign promises, achieving goals. Practicing open government, involving citizens. Engaging all parties, all sides. Finding solutions. Web site: kandyhilliard.com Paul Milde, 38, owner of Closet Interiors Plus Education: Diploma from Woodbridge High School, 1985. Some courses at Northern Virginia Community College. Address: Marlborough Point Date of birth: Oct. 16, 1967 Place of birth: Alexandria Family: Children, Travis, 13, and Bailey, 9 Community activities: Member of the Aquia Harbour Lions Club and Spotswood Baptist Church. Industrial Development Authority member in Stafford, previously served on IDA in Staunton. Founder of savecrowsnest.com. Sponsor of the Stafford County Schools Adopt-A-Classroom program, and an Adopt-A-Highway sponsor. Platform: Ensure that plans and funds for roads are in place before building begins; fight to slow growth; insist that the growth in county spending is limited to the rate of inflation and population growth; insist that our board operate with greater openness. Web site: paulmilde.com

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Date published: 10/31/2005