Democrats come to M. Park council

By JONATHAN HUNLEY

Published: December 2, 2008

The first two Democrats ever elected to the Manassas Park City Council were sworn in Monday night.

Peter J. Farrell and Suhas Naddoni, who were elected Nov. 4, took the oath of office in the council chambers at City Hall.

Farrell garnered the most votes in a five-way race for three council seats that also featured a Republican candidate and three incumbents who ran as independents.

Naddoni was unopposed in a special election for the remaining two years of a four-year seat vacated when Adam Larson stepped down in 2006 because he was moving out of Manassas Park.

Back then, council members appointed Keith D. Miller to serve in Larson's place until this year.

Instead of running for the remainder of Larson's term, however, Miller sought a full four-year term, and he was elected along with Farrell and Vice Mayor Bryan E. Polk.

Miller and Polk ran as independents, though Polk had been elected in 2004 with the GOP label and Miller said he considered himself a Republican.

After being sworn in Monday, Farrell joked to a crowd of family, fellow Democrats and other well-wishers about the relative ease of officially joining the governing body.

"So I wonder if it will be this easy for Obama," he said, referring to the elaborate inauguration scheduled next month for President-elect Barack Obama.

"Do you have your cabinet in order?" replied E.J. Scott, chairwoman of the Manassas/Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee.

Farrell will take office in January.

Naddoni, because of the nature of the special election, was to begin serving at Tuesday's regular City Council meeting.

After he was sworn in, he said he was "deeply honored" and "humbled."

Staff writer Jonathan Hunley can be reached at 703-369-5738.