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| Monthly Newsletter from Chairman Sharon Bulova |
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| Sign up for the Bulova Byline
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| Did You Know? |
Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as
Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history.
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| Fairfax County Board of Supervisors designates February 2016 as Black History Month in Fairfax County |
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| Stay Connected |
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Email
Website
Office
(703) 324-2321
Please contact my office with any comments, questions, concerns or ideas.
I look forward to hearing from you!
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Greetings,
Our last board meeting was on Tuesday February 2nd, Groundhog Day. And so, there we were, talking once again about our most recent snow storm, dubbed by the media "Snowzilla." Unlike Snowzilla's 2010 predecessor "Snowmageddon," which trapped residents in their homes (many without power for up to a week), a lot went well during this historic snow event.
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| View of my deck partway through the storm. Looks like a manatee minus a flipper. |
Primary and secondary roads were cleared quickly, although disappearing travel and turn lanes were a problem. Neighborhood streets and cul-de-sacs took longer, especially in the western part of Fairfax County where more than 30 inches of snow fell. Despite strong winds and deep snow, Fairfax experienced very few, brief power outages.
In Fairfax County, with the exception of privately owned Homeowner Association streets, pretty much all roads are owned and maintained by the State, not the County. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) augmented their fleet of plows and front-end loaders with private contractors. Additionally, in response to the Governor's declaration of a State of Emergency, our public safety workforce was aided by members of the National Guard and their Humvees.
At our Tuesday meeting, I received support from our Board to host a Snow Summit. The summit, which will be held the afternoon of March 1st, will give us an opportunity to thank VDOT and our Fairfax County first responders for their herculean efforts during Snowzilla, but also to discuss lessons learned and issues to be addressed as we prepare for future storm events. See in this Byline more information about the Summit, and how you can share your experiences. My office and County staff will be putting together a matrix of issues we will want to discuss at the summit.
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What is a "LOB"? Throughout this winter and spring, a lot of our Board's time is being devoted to budget sessions where we will be discussing the County's Lines of Business. See in this Byline a description of this intensive process, which will aid us in determining the effectiveness of County programs to make sure our tax dollars are wisely spent.
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On February 16th, the County Executive will present his Advertised Budget for Fiscal Year 2017, including projections for FY 2018. You can watch the presentation on Channel 16's Live Stream. You will also be able to see details of the Advertised Budget online. Once the County Executive's budget has been released, I hope you will take advantage of the town meetings and budget forums to be held throughout the County. Find future dates, times and locations at fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb.
Adopting the budget is the most important thing our board does and it is important that the community is at the table with us as we make decisions about our funding priorities.
Lastly, March 1st will be a primary voting day for both the Democratic and Republican Party. More information about registering and voting can be found below!
Thanks so much for receiving my Bulova Byline. A well-informed community is a well-served community and I look forward to working with you on the issues that matter to you and your family.
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Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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| Snow-Covered Sidewalks, Crosswalks and Bus Stops |
 In Fairfax County, most roads are owned, maintained and plowed by the State (VDOT), not the county.
Compared to Snowmageddon of 2010, I think VDOT's response to last week's storm was excellent, but there are still lessons to be learned and practices that can be improved. On March 1, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will hold a "Snowzilla Summit" during our Board Meeting to discuss a number of issues, including clearing pedestrian facilities, school bus stops and commuter bus shelters after a heavy snowfall.
Currently, neither the state nor the county clears snow from sidewalks. While not legally obligated, residents and businesses are asked to shovel walkways in front of their property. However, there are many sidewalks in Fairfax County not adjacent to a home or business, and those go un-shoveled. Snow piles up at crosswalk corners, making it impossible for pedestrians to cross the street. FCPS stayed closed for a week, in large part due to snow-covered sidewalks kids rely upon to walk to school. Clearing sidewalks is a tough issue, and there are many ways to address it. Tune in to Channel 16's Live Stream on Tuesday, March 1 (after closed session and before public hearings) to listen to our Board discuses the issues we face when heavy snow hits the area. If you have some ideas for me to review before the Summit, please email me at [email protected]. Your feedback is always welcome.
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| Reviewing Lines of Business (LOBs) to Ensure Efficient County Services |
 Determining priorities and passing a budget are the most important things our Board does each year. The 2016 Lines of Business (LOBs) review will take a look at the efficiency and effectiveness of every Fairfax County program and service. Our Board sees this process as critically important to ensuring our resources are being wisely invested and we are delivering high quality services necessary to maintain and improve upon our high quality of life. The outcome of LOBs will inform the Board on future budget decisions.
We have 390 LOBs in Fairfax County. Each LOB outlines the purpose, relevant challenges and trends, opportunities for alternatives, and metrics that help illustrate the number of people using a particular service. Last month, agencies began presenting their LOBs to the Board of Supervisors. While Fairfax County takes a look at LOBs on a regular basis, this year's process is the most comprehensive review we've undertaken since 2010.
This year's process is broken into two phases. Phase one of the LOBs process presents to the Board and the community the services we provide. The Board may request a deeper dive into the particulars of a particular service with an eye toward improving efficiency or quality. Phase two will consist of our Board reviewing these more thorough evaluations. All presentations are posted online for the community to review.
The reviews of county services we are currently working on is the first part of the LOBs process. Based on this review and through comments and feedback from residents, the Board will initiate the second phase of LOBs: re-adjusting programs to match current priorities, addressing emerging trends, and achieving better outcomes in service delivery.
In the past eight years, Fairfax County has eliminated more than 700 positions and cut more than $300 million from our budget. As of FY2016, Fairfax County has the lowest staff-per-resident ratio we've ever had (10.98). Any additional reductions will inevitably impact our ability to address the County's priorities through providing services. The LOBs review process will allow our Board, our partners on the School Board, our corporate neighbors, and our community as a whole to fully understand the impact that future budget decisions will have on our quality of life. Ultimately, the Board will discuss a sustainable financial plan to pay for services and invest in the future of Fairfax County.
Community feedback is crucial for this process. We want to know what County services and programs are most important to you, and which ones are not. Please feel free to ask questions and provide comments on our LOBs Online Feedback Form. You can follow the LOBs process, view presentations, and listen to a very helpful podcast at fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/2016-lines-of-business.htm.
As an added note, schools are obviously Fairfax County's number one priority. Over half our budget is transferred to FCPS every year. The School Board, a separate body of elected officials, is responsible for making these kinds of LOBs decisions for the school system, to ensure their budget is efficient as well. Under the Constitution of Virginia, the Board of Supervisors cannot dictate to FCPS which services/programs are most or least valuable for our students and teachers. Since FCPS has their own internal budget process, they are not being looked at as a LOB in our process. Please contact the Superintendent of Schools or your School Board Member if you'd like to follow up specifically on FCPS budget line-item comments or questions.
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| Calling all Emerging Leaders, Established Leaders, and Lifetime Leaders! |
Are you in your 20s and 30s and looking to grow in your leadership and teamwork skills? Are you well-established in your career, but struggling to find ways to inspire others and tackle complicated obstacles at work? Are you retired after a fruitful career and looking for ways to give back and pass on your skills to others? Leadership Fairfax offers life-changing programs for people in all stages of their career, and I encourage you to attend one of their info sessions to learn how Leadership Fairfax can trigger powerful personal development and inspire creativity, leadership and forward-thinking in the workplace. Many local leaders in government, businesses and non-profits thank Leadership Fairfax for providing them with invaluable networking opportunities and tools for success, both personally and professionally. Upcoming info sessions will cover all three Leadership Fairfax Programs, including the Emerging Leaders Institute (ELI), Leadership Fairfax Institute (LFI), and Lifetime Leadership Program (LLP).
Info Sessions:
Wednesday, February 17th 5:30 pm Reston
Tuesday, February 23rd 8:30 am Tysons
Wednesday, March 2nd 8:30 am South County
Wednesday, April 6th 5:30 pm Fairfax
Wednesday, April 14th 8:00 am Dulles Corridor
Deadline for 1st round of applications: March 30, 2016.
Deadline for 2nd round of applications: June 15, 2016.
Applications are being accepted now! APPLY HERE for the Class of 2017.
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| Neighborhood Code Compliance & Property Concerns |
Fairfax County's Department of Code Compliance is hosting a conference for all those interested in learning about common types of property concerns, and how the county can use available ordinances and codes to bring properties into compliance. Come learn more about the enforcement process and how to report a concern/complaint about a property. Conference topics will include:
Code Compliance
Community Association Best Practices
Community Connectedness
Emergency Management and Preparedness
Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT)
Police
Successful Children and Youth
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)
Zoning
The conference will be held from 9am to about 2:30pm on Saturday, March 5th at Falls Church High School, 7521 Jaguar Trail, Falls Church, VA, 22042. Following a brief opening welcome and remarks, attendees will break out into several classroom settings to take part in presentations/discussions on topics of interest and value to them and their community. Group and agency information tables will also be available for attendees to collect information between presentation sessions. More information.
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| Get ready for Super Tuesday, March 1 |
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| Follow @fairfaxvotes on Twitter for more voting updates |
The Presidential election is now in full swing and Virginia will hold its Presidential primary on March 1st on "Super Tuesday." Preparing for this important election takes only a few simple steps.
First, be sure to check and update your voting registration.
The last day to update your registration is this Monday February, 8th! Second, if you wish to vote absentee, there are nearly 20 valid reasons why you may be eligible. Find out if you qualify! Your absentee ballot is counted after the polls close on March 1 and included in the results.
Third, if you wish to be more involved in this election, think about serving as an
election officer
. You can help support the cornerstone of our democracy and get paid while doing so!
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| Move Around the Region with Capital Bikeshare |
Capital Bikeshare is coming to Reston and Tysons this fall. This action occurs just one month after the approval of 31 pedestrian and bicycle projects in Herndon and Reston. Exact locations for Bikeshare stations are still being identified. Soon there will be:
- 132 bicycles available in Reston at 15 stations located between Wiehe-Reston East Metro Station and Reston Town Center
- 80 bicycles available in Tysons at 11 stations located east of Route 7, north of Route 123, and south of Dulles Toll Road
With the transformation of Reston and Tysons into more urban centers, Fairfax County is investing in infrastructure needed to make it easy to get around. More people are living and working in these areas than ever before. Bringing Capital Bikeshare to these areas supports the county's Strategic Plan to Facilitate Economic Success, calling for communities with multiple transportation options!
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| Donate Used Laptops for Homeless Kids in Fairfax County |
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