The women who are the backbone of Fairfax Town Hall

Lew Tremaine/The View from The Hill

There are two women at Fairfax Town Hall who deserve to be recognized. They would be Linda Neal and Michelle Gardner.

Linda has been working in town as associate principal planner since I hit town in 1984. She has always been highly professional and awesomely qualified. A true credit to the profession. 

Linda and I go way back, to when I covered the town with THE FAX. I could always count on her to give me accurate information, and to let me know what her opinion was, something I always took seriously. When I was on the Town Council, we appointed her interim Planning Director, a role she bravely, if not reluctantly took. And she did a very fine job, one she happily stepped down from when we found a replacement.

Linda is the institutional memory of the town. It is hard to imagine how she could possibly be replaced.

Michele Gardner is our town Clerk, an elected office that the town has entrusted to her. She is alway a ray of sunshine when you deal with her, even when she’s telling you “no”. 

She replaced long-time Town Clerk Judy Anderson,  who left enormous shoes to fill. Michelle filled those shoes with charm and grace. She has announced that she will be retiring. Such a loss to the town, but a retirement she richly deserves.

I’ve long thought that the world would be a better place if women ran it. Linda and Michelle offer proof to that thought. 

Fairfax is a better place for Linda, Michele, and Judy’s service. They deserve high praise.