After a half-century of service with and to the Arlington County Civic Federation (actually, 51 years in total), nobody would argue that Joe Pelton isn’t entitled to reduce his workload a bit.
But he’s not going away, and still has priorities he wants to work on.
At the federation’s June 11 meeting, Pelton delivered a year-end wrap-up of efforts by the organization’s transportation committee, with a focus on recent congressional action increasing the number of take-off and landing “slots” for flights beyond current perimeter restrictions at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Like many, Pelton has been active on issues related to noise emanating from the airport (which opened in 1941), but says that is just one facet of the matter.
“In my mind, the issue is airport safety – to add more and more flights there is irresponsible,” he said, asking for the formulation of a Civic Federation resolution on the issue.
Despite concerns raised by local leaders and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and opposition from the U.S. House of Representatives, additional slot pairs were approved at the insistence of the U.S. Senate as part of this year’s Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization package.
Also as part of his remarks, Pelton gave something of a valedictory, looking over his service to the Civic Federation since first becoming a delegate in 1973.
“It really has been interesting,” he said.
Just three years after joining as a delegate, Pelton was elected Civic Federation president. During his 1976-77 term, issues included addressing long-range planning; developing plans for more urban development around future Metro stations; redevelopment of the Columbia Pike and Shirlington corridors; and making efforts to beautify the county.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the generally liberal Arlingtonians for a Better County (ABC) largely stood in for the Democratic Party in Arlington, to allow those who were covered by the federal government’s Hatch Act to participate in local governance in a nonpartisan manner. Pelton in 1978 was the ABC candidate for County Board, losing narrowly (21,193-19,135) to Republican-backed independent Steven Detwiler.
State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) years back met Pelton when she joined Arlingtonians for a Better County, and has been impressed with his service ever since.
“Joe was a thought leader in ABC and in the county overall,” Favola told the GazetteLeader. “It is a pleasure to work with him, because he is always well-prepared – his advice is grounded in the principles of ensuring equity and fairness in public-policy positions.”
While planning on throttling back his Civic Federation efforts – “I do think I will decrease it” – Pelton said he would remain engaged. And that was music to the ears of Jackie Snelling, a Civic Federation leader who presided over the reports by various committees at the June 11 gathering.
“Here is a resource,” she said of Pelton. “If you want to know why things are as they are, you can talk to Joe. He is very generous with his time.”
