Stephanie Stullich: 'The Challenges are Hard, but the Opportunity to Have an Impact is Great.'

is the only , one of two contested Mayor and Council races this November.

Over the years Stullich has served as president of the Old Town Civic Association and as a member of the Committee for a Better Environment. She co-authored a book about the history of College Park.

She works at the U.S. Department of Education as a program analyst.

Patch sent a few questions to Stullich about why she wants to keep her seat, and these are her responses:

College Park Patch: As you look back over the past five years that you've been on council, which of your contributions makes you most proud?

Stephanie Stullich: This year I won agreement to increase our contract police officers to 10.2 FTEs (full time equivalent) by the end of FY 2012 — up from 7.8 FTEs in FY11.  I’ve worked with residents to establish Neighborhood Watch listservs in Calvert Hills, Old Town, College Park Estates and Yarrow. I’ve been an advocate for building new student housing on and near campus to address the housing shortage, and new construction has added over 3,400 student beds over the past two years. I chaired a city council subcommittee that led development of a five-year strategic plan, with input from a resident survey and focus groups. And I’m proud of my role in nurturing the College Park Neighborhood Business Alliance that is working to support local independent businesses in our community.

Patch: Do you have any regrets over the past two terms as councilwoman?

Stullich: I have no regrets.  Change takes time, and I haven’t accomplished everything I want for the city, but we need to be patient, never give up, and keep working toward our long-term goals of making College Park a safer, more vibrant, more attractive place to live and work.

Patch: Hypothetically speaking, if you are not re-elected, what advice would you give your successor?

Stullich: Actively listen to your constituents and seek out their views on the issues, and encourage them to be involved in the city and share their views on the issues they care about.

Patch: How do you describe the cultural make up of College Park’s District 3, and what challenges and/or opportunities result from that?

Stullich: District 3 has a quintessential college-town population, with a diverse mix of long-term residents, undergraduates, and graduate students.  We have a lot of university faculty and staff, and also people who commute to work in D.C. and other areas.  There are some challenges to having students and older residents living in the same neighborhoods, and yet on the big issues we all have a lot of common interests — we all want safer streets, less crime, less traffic, more high-quality restaurants and retail, more locally-owned businesses, and a more vibrant “college town” character.

Patch: What do you feel are the most important issues facing District 3 and the city?

Stullich: Managing new development, improving public safety, and addressing quality of life issues in our neighborhoods.  Proposed new developments at East Campus, Cafritz, and along the Route 1 corridor could have a major impact on our community — hopefully for the better. We need to ensure that developments that move forward have appropriate density, respect nearby neighborhoods, are pedestrian-friendly and aesthetically pleasing, bring the kinds of retail and restaurants that residents want, meet high standards for energy efficiency and storm-water management, and avoid creating traffic jams during the construction phase. 

Patch: What are your motivations for running for re-election?

Stullich: Serving on the city council has been more rewarding than ever I expected. The challenges are hard, but the opportunity to have an impact is great.  I believe we are now at an important crossroads, with a much stronger, more collaborative relationship with the University, thanks to President Loh’s leadership, as well as strong support from county and state representatives.  I think we can achieve great strides forward toward creating a more vibrant and attractive college town, attracting more faculty and staff to live in College Park, and improving the quality of life for all who live here — and I am excited about being a part of that.