Barry, Kaylin, Hockenberry Running for Council as Independents

By STAN FENDLEY
Falls Church Times Staff 

March 4, 2010 

May’s City Council election took final form this week as Johannah Barry, Ira Kaylin, and Lindy Hockenberry filed to run as independents. 

After exploring the race for months, Barry and Kaylin made it official with an announcement indicating they would run a coordinated campaign with a common platform.  Hockenberry will run separately after losing her bid last month for a Citizens for a Better City endorsement. 

Johannah Barry

Barry is founder and CEO of Galapagos Conservancy, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the Galapagos Islands.   She is Secretary of the East Jefferson Street Neighborhood Association and has been active in the community’s response to three major development efforts in the East Jefferson Street area.  Barry also is a martial arts instructor with the Fairfax County Parks Authority and has served as a volunteer self-defense instructor with Fairfax County Police Department. 

Ira Kaylin

Kaylin is a former Chief Financial Risk Officer at the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, DC, where he managed the financial risks of assets valued at over $100 billion.  He also served as the bank’s Auditor General and a member of the bank’s committee overseeing pension investments.  He currently is a member of the City’s Economic Development Authority and president of the Falls Church Crest Home Owners Association. 

According to their announcement, Barry and Kaylin’s objectives are to: 1) ensure the fiscal sustainability and independence of Falls Church 2) maintain the high quality of the City schools, 3) promote and secure, long term development and 4) improve governance and transparency to give citizens a greater voice with their elected officials. 

“Specifically,” the announcement says, “we have to generate more revenue from diversified sources to remain independent.  We need to be independent order to maintain our world class schools, critical city services and a special sense of community.  We need to retain housing values, recognizing the detrimental impact of continual tax rate increases.  Fiscally sound budgeting should begin now.  Our fiscal sustainability, however, will depend on our ability to promote, and secure, long term economic development.  This can be achieved through a pro-active effort to secure medium to high density commercial, office, and related retail space around already established business corridors. Equally important we need to have a City Council that is responsive to citizen concerns and that is transparent in its decision making.  Many citizens feel disenfranchised and without voice with their elected officials.” 

Lindy Hockenberry

Hockenberry is a former two-term Council member and former Vice Mayor.  She served in Falls Church City Schools for 40 years, and has been active in the Chamber of Commerce, Falls Church Arts, and Tinner Hill Blues Festival. 

In her announcement prior to the CBC convention, Hockenberry said, “Our wonderful Little City is at a crossroad unlike any in its history.  Our country is recovering from a historic recession that has had a dire effect on all of us.  The City of Falls Church shares the same financial difficulties as do all of our local governments, but I sincerely feel that with strong leadership and community support that our city will recover and be stronger than ever.  I believe that with my experience and knowledge, I can provide the strong leadership that is needed during these rocky times.” 

The entry of Barry, Kaylin and Hockenberry into the race makes a total of eight candidates vying for four positions on the Council.  Others are independent David Snyder and CBC candidates Barry Buschow, Hal Lippman, John Lawrence and Ron Peppe. 

The election is Tuesday, May 4.