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Herndon Mayor Keven LeBlanc is starting his first term with a purple gavel, a less formal approach to council business and plans to revive one of the town’s biggest traditions.
For LeBlanc, who was sworn in Jan. 7, the gavel represents a fresh start for the mayor and six council members. He declined an offer to use a former mayor’s gavel and instead chose one matching purpleheart wood.
“Purple is the color of inclusion,” LeBlanc said. The color also represents his hometown of New Orleans and signals his intention to work across Republican and Democratic divisions.
Virginia’s city and town council elections are nonpartisan, meaning candidates’ party affiliations do not appear beside their names on official ballots. However, party sample ballots and endorsements by state and federal lawmakers can still connect municipal candidates with political parties.
LeBlanc previously served on the Herndon Town Council from Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2024. Outside government, he is president and CEO of 4A Consulting LLC and has more than 20 years of experience leading systems engineering, software engineering and information technology organizations serving federal and state clients.
Inclusion at the swearing-in
LeBlanc said he puts considerable thought into his decisions, but the days before his swearing-in demonstrated his willingness to adjust after hearing from town staff.
He had wanted a friend to read Howard Schnauber’s poem “My Name Is Old Glory” and to present a flag from the Pentagon during the ceremony. When staff recommended keeping the event minimal, he changed course.
LeBlanc said he plans to conduct the reading on Veterans Day, while the flag presented to him will fly over the Pentagon on Memorial Day.
He still sought to demonstrate that the council represents the entire community. Council Chambers featured items from civic organizations including the Woman’s Club, the Herndon Historical Society and the Fortnightly Club, as well as objects representing several cultures and religious communities.
The display reflected a town where fewer than half of households speak English at home. Census Bureau figures show English is spoken in 46.4% of Herndon homes, compared with 82.2% statewide. Spanish is spoken in 33.4% of the town’s homes, other Indo-European languages in 10.6%, Asian and Pacific Island languages in 5.9%, and other languages in 3.6%.
LeBlanc said the display included items representing South Asian, East Asian and Hispanic communities. A New Virginia Majority painting displayed the flags of Latin America, while other contributions represented Muslim, Pakistani, Jewish and Christian residents. Someone from Palestine gave him a protective piece containing Quranic text in a pouch.
Herndon’s Black, artistic and literary communities also contributed. LeBlanc received signed books from children’s author Kwame Alexander, written when Alexander lived in town. The police department presented a poster showing Project Hope, an after-school program connecting local officers with immigrant students.
A less formal Town Council
LeBlanc is also changing some longstanding council procedures. During alternating work sessions, he plans to address council members by their first names and move meetings back to the Hoover Room at the Herndon Municipal Center from the police station.
He said the changes are intended to create a friendlier atmosphere. He also will no longer read the council’s behavior policy before public hearings.
Other plans include regular meetings with the town manager and staff, an inaugural State of the Town address and a broader commitment to transparency.
Herndon Festival could return in 2026
LeBlanc expects the Herndon Festival to return in June 2026, when the United States marks its 250th anniversary.
The town manager announced the festival’s cancellation in December 2023, citing a shortage of volunteers as well as logistical and safety concerns. The event began in 1981 and was traditionally held downtown before moving to the Northwest Federal Credit Union campus in 2019.
That relocation was intended to accommodate Comstock’s proposed mixed-use redevelopment of 4.675 acres downtown. The developer ultimately withdrew from the project, a decision announced Dec. 6, 2024.
LeBlanc envisions a different type of festival, centered downtown and spread across several weekends leading to July Fourth. Rather than emphasizing carnival attractions, the schedule could include community picnics, walks, runs and other celebrations.
A new brand for Herndon
The town is also preparing a rebranding campaign that LeBlanc planned to present with an approval resolution at the Jan. 21 work session.
The proposed tagline, “Live Differently,” could be adapted into phrases such as “Love Differently,” “Connect Differently” and “Eat Differently.” The effort also includes a refreshed color palette.
Picnic-table umbrellas are expected to return to Old Town Hall, while light poles around Herndon will receive flags featuring the new branding.
LeBlanc has also asked staff to explore joining Virginia’s LOVEworks program, an extension of the Virginia is for Lovers tourism campaign. He wants Herndon to have its own new LOVE sculpture.
Beyond Town Hall, LeBlanc visited Clearview Elementary School on Jan. 16 while Washington Commanders representatives were there. The following day, he met with Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.
The purple gavel will remain a visible symbol of LeBlanc’s approach as he presides over council meetings: a blend of colors intended to celebrate Herndon’s diversity and emphasize inclusion.