By Aileen Streng

Published: May 6, 2008

When one of the six candidates withdrew from the Occoquan Town Council race 12 days before Tuesday’s election, the winners of the five seats on that council were all but decided.

Lance R. Houghton officially pulled out of the race and informed the Prince William County Board of Elections on April 24.

That left the names of incumbents Ken T. Brunsvold, Barry G. Dean and James Walbert along with Denise M. Bush and Joao Paul “JP” Cunha on the ballot.

On Tuesday night, it became official that those five candidates won the five seats on the Occoquan Town Council.

Brunsvold received 116 votes; Bush, 103 votes; Cunha, 103 votes; Dean, 99 votes; and Walbert, 90 votes.

Incumbent Mayor Earnest “Earnie” Porta ran unopposed in his re-election bid and received 125 votes.

I think this will be a great council,” Porta said. “[The incumbents] were excellent council members. I was so glad they decided to run again.

“I think we will get a lot done and this group is committed to doing what is best for the town,” Porta said.

The two new members on the board are not newcomers to Occoquan town government.

Cunha has been involved for the last eight years, most recently as the town’s director of public works, a position he has held for the last four years. He also has been on the Occoquan Board of Zoning Appeals since 2005. He was a member of the Occoquan Architectural Review Board from 2000 to 2002 and was a council member from 2000 to 2004.

“He will bring some good past experiences to the council,” Porta said.

Bush has been a member of Occoquan Planning Commission since shortly after she moved to the town three and a half years ago. She also was a member of the Occoquan 2007 Commemoration Committee.

“I very much enjoyed working with Denise on the commemoration committee,” Porta said.  “I’m very glad she will be on the council.”

There are 580 registered voters in Occoquan out of a population of about 800.

Occoquan Town Council members are paid a stipend of $1 per month or $12 a year.