Chris Bertaut – Mayor

Biography

Keep Purcellville, Purcellville

For more than 20 years, my family has proudly called Purcellville home. I am running for re-election because I believe the decisions we make today will determine whether future generations enjoy the same small-town character, historic charm, and quality of life that brought so many of us here.

Over the past several years, I have worked to keep the promises I made. I said I would stand up for responsible growth, protect taxpayers, preserve our small-town character, and follow the vision residents established through the Comprehensive Plan. That is exactly what I have done.

I supported the Town’s updated Zoning Ordinance after years of public input, voted to remove the Northern Collector Road from the Townwide Transportation Plan, and opposed annexation proposals that I believe would fundamentally alter the character of our community.

Purcellville is constantly facing pressure to grow beyond what residents envisioned. My position has remained consistent: growth must respect the Comprehensive Plan, protect taxpayers, and preserve the qualities that make Purcellville special.

The proposed Valley Commerce Center annexation is just one example of the difficult decisions facing our town. Growth is never free. Every annexation and major development proposal creates new demands on roads, utilities, public safety, infrastructure, traffic, and town services. Those costs do not disappear—they are ultimately borne by taxpayers.

My responsibility is to represent the interests of Purcellville’s residents first, not outside interests seeking to reshape our community for their own ends.

The decisions we make over the next two years will shape Purcellville for decades. Choices about growth, infrastructure, fiscal responsibility, and the character of our community cannot easily be undone. We can protect what makes Purcellville special while preparing responsibly for the future. We don’t want to Ashburn Purcellville. We want Purcellville to remain Purcellville.

One of the greatest challenges facing our town today is the increasingly divisive tone that has emerged in local politics. Over the past year and a half, residents have witnessed lawsuits, personal attacks, political hostility, and behavior that has too often distracted from the important work of governing.

I believe public meetings should be places where neighbors respectfully exchange ideas, even when they disagree. They should not become forums for intimidation, unfounded accusations, or attempts to divide our community.

I have always believed that reasonable people can disagree without becoming enemies. Purcellville is a community, not a battlefield. Our residents deserve leaders who listen, treat people with respect, and focus on solving problems rather than creating distractions.

My campaign is built on a simple principle: Keep Purcellville, Purcellville.

My priorities are to protect taxpayers, preserve our town’s identity, make government more efficient and accountable, support our local businesses, invest in critical infrastructure, and ensure future growth reflects the values and vision of our community.

I love our town. My family built our lives here, and I have spent years serving this community because I care deeply about its future. This election is about whether Purcellville remains the town we know and love, defined by its character, history, and strong sense of community.

Purcellville is worth protecting, and I respectfully ask for your vote so I can continue that work.

Read Chris Bertaut’s interview in the Blue Ridge Leader:

Chris Bertaut moved to Purcellville with his family 22 years ago, drawn to its small-town character, close-knit community and youth sports. A widower and father of two Loudoun Valley High School graduates, Bertaut enjoys time with his sons, who are helping him sharpen his skills in the kitchen, while Dad still comes in handy when a car needs attention or something needs fixing – and you might just find him at the grocery store at 10 p.m. picking up something for their next meal. 

He works in telecommunications and information technology. He has been a Boy Scout leader, a Sunday School secretary and his HOA President. He has served on the Town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee and continues to serve on the Planning Commission. Bertaut is also on the Planning Coordination Advisory Committee for the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and represents Purcellville on the Town’s Association of Northern Virginia. Bertaut was elected to Town Council in 2020 and has served as mayor since 2025.

Blue Ridge Leader: What are your three top priorities for the Town of Purcellville?

Chris Bertaut: My priorities are effective and responsible government, protecting Purcellville’s small-town character, and ensuring fiscal discipline and operational efficiency.

First, I will restore stability, professionalism and respect for the rule of law to Town government. Our democratic process depends on respecting lawful decisions, even when we disagree.

Since the 2024 election, disruption, cursing and litigation by my opponent and her supporters have divided our community, distracted Town staff and imposed substantial legal costs on taxpayers. I will continue moving Purcellville forward with civility, stability and mutual respect.

I will focus on serving residents and encourage broader participation on Town committees. Good government should reflect the entire community, not the loudest voices.

Second, I will continue to protect Purcellville’s character. Our Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance reflect our community’s vision. I will oppose growth inconsistent with them while supporting economic development that strengthens our commercial base without sacrificing that vision.

I will continue encouraging developers to bring proposals before the public early. Residents deserve a voice in development decisions—no backroom deals. I receive no campaign contributions from developers; my opponent has.

Third, I will continue making Town government more efficient and financially sustainable by streamlining operations, strengthening accountability, supporting professional administration and right-sizing the budget while protecting essential services.

Purcellville needs leadership that brings people together, respects the law, protects our community and remembers that every dollar belongs to taxpayers. That is the standard I uphold.

BRL: Under what circumstances would you support annexing land into the Town of Purcellville?

CB: We must honor Purcellville’s Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance, which reflect years of public input and a clear community vision: preserve our small-town character, sustain what we have and do not expand simply for growth.

I do not support annexation as a tool to “control” land use. Annexation allows significantly greater density and development, increasing demands on water and sewer systems, roads, staff and public safety, while one-time utility connection fees do not cover long-term costs.

One annexation brought Purcellville approximately $12 million in one-time utility connection fees, yet did little to reduce long-term debt or offset ongoing Town costs.

On my eighth day as mayor, I voted to end the Valley Commerce Center annexation request, which sought to bring approximately 117 acres into Purcellville for a 1.2-million-square-foot industrial development.

Residents had opposed annexing the property for more than a decade. My opponent voted against ending the annexation request, later did not oppose the County’s rezoning, and voted against removing the Northern Collector Road from the Town-Wide Transportation Plan.

Now that the County has rezoned the property, development and uses are limited by its private water supply to 45,000 gallons per day. I will not support annexation to provide Town utilities and enable greater density or intensity. I ask my opponent to make the same commitment.

Purcellville should not enable urban development to creep west. Growth outside our boundaries is not a reason to move them.

Annexation must meet a high bar: a compelling public benefit, such as parkland, with long-term costs fully addressed—not passed to our residents.

Annexation should be the exception, not a growth strategy.

BRL: How important is the Town’s Zoning Ordinance, and are there changes you would like to see?

CB: The Zoning Ordinance is one of our most important tools for protecting Purcellville’s future. The Comprehensive Plan reflects the community’s vision; the Zoning Ordinance gives that vision force by determining what can be built, where and at what density.

I worked on rewriting our Zoning Ordinance and voted to enact it. My opponent voted against it. My responsibility is to Purcellville residents, not those seeking greater density.

In the R-3 residential district, duplexes now require a Special Use Permit, ensuring case-by-case consideration and a public hearing where neighbors can weigh in before greater density is introduced.

Purcellville’s historic downtown is small, with narrow streets and limited parking. We maintained the 2½-story height limit and two residential units per building because revitalization does not require sacrificing downtown character.

Commercial rezoning at the Main Street/East Colonial Highway traffic circle would allow more intensive development, increasing traffic and infrastructure needs in an already congested area and potentially requiring a traffic signal on the Southern Collector Road.

I am open to changes that clearly benefit the Town, but I will not rewrite the ordinance to accommodate individual proposals or create greater density simply because someone requests it.

I oppose data centers in Purcellville and western Loudoun. An undeveloped 18-acre property near St. Francis Court has been zoned PD-GI since 1993, making data centers a by-right use. The Board of Supervisors can change that zoning but has not.

A majority of the Board, including our Supervisor, recently voted to rezone the Valley Commerce Center property for intensive industrial development, despite its inconsistency with the County’s Comprehensive Plan and strong resident opposition.

Protecting western Loudoun means honoring the community’s vision in land-use decisions. I will continue to oppose data centers, inappropriate industrial development, and the expansion of Purcellville’s boundaries—developments that threaten the town’s small-town character.

BRL: Do you believe the Town has made sufficient investments in utility infrastructure over the past several years? What improvements would you prioritize moving forward?

CB: Yes. Purcellville has made substantial investments in water and wastewater infrastructure, and the work continues.

Increasing the Town’s potable-water storage capacity by almost 30% without new debt is a major accomplishment. Beginning less than six years ago and expected to be completed this year, the project strengthens our water system as availability becomes a growing concern.

The Town also funded improvements to Hirst Reservoir, the top-ranked reservoir priority, and advanced Phase 1 of replacing approximately 5,000 feet of cast-iron water main. Both projects began under Mayor Kwasi Fraser’s leadership, with construction continuing after he left office.

Purcellville also replaced water and sewer lines along 21st Street less than a decade ago and protected a future water resource on the Aberdeen property. With proper maintenance and responsible growth, these investments will serve residents for decades.

My priority is addressing remaining utility needs based on condition, risk and urgency, while pursuing grants, low-interest financing and outside funding before turning to higher rates.

That includes replacing the second half of the water main that failed in 2025, which had not been identified as a priority. Projects should be reevaluated annually as demand and system reviews identify changing needs.

The responsible path is to protect our resources, maintain our infrastructure and manage growth so we do not continually create new demands.

BRL: Residents and businesses collectively pay more than $18 million annually in real estate taxes to Loudoun County. Do you believe the town is receiving an adequate return on that investment?

CB: Purcellville and Loudoun County share an interest in a strong community. With more than $18 million in County real estate taxes generated here annually, we should identify opportunities to increase County investment in Purcellville.

We can strengthen our partnership through land-use decisions that respect planning principles for Purcellville and the surrounding area.

Purcellville hosts five County public schools serving the Town and western Loudoun, relying on Town roads, utilities and stormwater infrastructure. That creates opportunities for shared investment.

Water quality is one example. When per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were detected in a Town well serving a school, Purcellville shut it down to protect residents and students. Addressing PFAS and other emerging contaminants can be extremely expensive and is an appropriate area for Town-County partnership.

I see opportunities for greater partnership in utilities, PFAS remediation, stormwater and environmental protection, and transportation. We can work together without sacrificing the Town’s small-town character or accepting growth inconsistent with our community’s vision.

BRL: How would you assess Purcellville’s long-term financial outlook?

CB: I am optimistic about Purcellville’s long-term financial outlook, provided we continue making disciplined decisions and address utility needs responsibly.

S&P downgraded Purcellville’s general obligation debt rating from AAA to AA+ in May, citing operating imbalances in the water and sewer funds and $63 million in planned borrowing through FY31.

At the same time, S&P described the Town’s reserve position as “exceptional,” with reserves increasing from approximately $10.2 million in 2023 to $11.5 million in 2025.

Our Capital Improvement Plan is a long-range planning document, not a debt schedule. Projects are continually reevaluated and can be modified, deferred or funded through sources other than Town borrowing, such as the $7 million PFAS-treatment grant we received.

The Town is entering an important financial transition. The Fireman’s Field mortgage ends in 2027, and General Fund debt is scheduled to be fully retired by 2034, creating greater flexibility.

Our greatest challenge is the long-term health of the water and wastewater systems, but the answer is not simply higher utility rates and more growth. Before asking residents to pay more, we should validate capital needs, improve efficiency and pursue outside funding.

Growth is not a substitute for sound financial management. New development creates additional infrastructure and service demands and does not automatically improve finances.

Purcellville has declining debt obligations, substantial assets and financial tools available. We can meet our obligations, invest wisely, protect residents and businesses, and preserve the small-town character that makes Purcellville home.

BRL: How would you encourage economic development?

CB: I would continue encouraging economic development by keeping taxes low, providing efficient Town services and removing unnecessary red tape so businesses can open, operate and invest with confidence. Economic development should follow our Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance, not depend on greater density or intensity.

That is especially important in our Historic Downtown. A significant portion of 21st Street has remained undeveloped under the same ownership for more than 15 years. The Town cannot force redevelopment, but neither should inactivity cause us to abandon our vision for a historic commercial downtown. Redevelopment should strengthen the area as a commercial center—with shops, restaurants and businesses complemented by limited residential uses—not turn it into a residential center.

Community events are also economic development. Purcellville’s residents, businesses, civic organizations and volunteers bring people together and give visitors reasons to return. Maybe our next tradition is a community spaghetti cook-off—count me in!

A vibrant community grows from the energy and initiative of its people. The goal is a Purcellville where businesses thrive, residents enjoy their town and visitors want to return.