After nearly three decades in elected office, former County Board member Libby Garvey plans to remain active in Arlington civic life.
Garvey, who ended more than a dozen years on the County Board on Dec. 31, plans to continue publishing her civic newsletters while working to become a clearinghouse for thought-provoking political conversation at the local and national level.
“I’m trying to get good information out to people, foster good understanding about issues, bringing people together. I enjoy talking about ideas,” Garvey told ARLnow during a recent meet-up at Busboys & Poets in Shirlington.
Garvey began her local political career in the 1990s by winning a seat on the Arlington School Board. In 2012, she emerged the victor in a County Board special election to succeed Barbara Favola, who had been elected to the state Senate.
Garvey gained prominence for her ultimately successful opposition to the Columbia Pike streetcar proposal. This stance won her fans and foes, perhaps in equal measure.
Garvey told ARLnow she hopes her overall civic service will be judged on its totality, not any single issue.
“I consider myself a member of the ‘radical middle,'” she said of her political point of view.
Efforts in 2005 and 2011 to win election to the General Assembly failed, but Garvey said that she had no regrets on that front. Local governance provides the opportunity to have a more direct impact on constituents’ lives, she said.
Whether she plans to try and influence the course of future Arlington elections remains up in the air. Right now, Garvey’s immediate focus is on an upcoming intra-Arlington housing move.
Her new home will provide extra space to hold community gatherings, she said.
“It’s all about connecting with people,” Garvey said.
