Cimino-Johnson Announces Leesburg Council Bid

It’s not yet the New Year, but the Leesburg Town Council race has officially begun.

Four-year town resident Todd Cimino-Johnson announced his campaign this week for one of three Town Council seats on November’s ballot. The seats held by council members Marty Martinez, Neil Steinberg and Suzanne Fox will be on the ballot, along with the mayor’s chair, a seat held by Kelly Burk since 2017.

It will be Cimino-Johnson’s first campaign for elected office, although he previously submitted an expression of interest to be considered to fill the vacant council seat left by Josh Thiel’s resignation last year. Cimino-Johnson also was considered by the School Board for filling the vacant seat left by Leesburg District representative Beth Barts’ resignation in October.

Cimino-Johnson listed housing as a top priority if elected to the council, and a big reason why he has chosen to throw his hat in the ring for a council seat. He pointed to the experience of he and his husband when the couple moved to Leesburg from Cimino-Johnson’s native Martinsburg, WV, four years ago.

“We went from a $700 mortgage in Martinsburg to $1,700 for half the square footage for renting an apartment in Leesburg,” he said. “But we loved Leesburg.”

They ended up buying a home in Leesburg’s Tuscarora Village neighborhood, but have lived through several headaches since moving in, namely uncertainty regarding the phasing of the development and when residents can expect certain promised amenities from the developer.

He said he can relate to the concerns of residents in the Leesburg Mobile Park, as the property is headed for a change of ownership and potential redevelopment that could displace them.

“They need an advocate that understands housing issues, has been through housing insecurity and can understand something needs to be done,” he said.

If elected, Cimino-Johnson said he hopes to work with developers and other stakeholders in the housing industry to see what can be done to create affordable housing solutions in town for local service industry workers, teachers and police officers.

Cimino-Johnson also cites working with small businesses; protecting Leesburg’s small-town feel; and focusing on sound environmental policies and increasing the town’s tree canopy as priorities.

Professionally, Cimino-Johnson is the program coordinator of business and economics at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in Martinsburg, WV. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Shepherd University, an M.B.A. from Shepherd University, a master’s degree in history from American Public University, and a doctorate in community college leadership from Old Dominion University.

Cimino-Johnson is active in both Loudoun and Berkeley counties. He is a member and former president of the Martinsburg/Sunrise Rotary; a member of Leesburg’s Parks and Recreation Commission; a board member of Safe Space NOVA; treasurer and board member of Equality Loudoun; a board member of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Loudoun County Communications Commission; and a volunteer reader with Read Aloud of Berkeley County.

For more information on Cimino-Johnson and his campaign, go to facebook.com/toddciminojohnson.