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| Monthly Newsletter from Chairman Sharon Bulova |
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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,
S
ometimes the smallest things can lead to something magnificent. That was what I thought looking at this pretty little spring, the very spot  where the mighty Potomac River begins. Located in West Virginia near its border with Virginia and Maryland, this location also marks the farthest western boundary of the original Fairfax land grant, given by King Charles II to Lord Thomas Fairfax in 1649. In 1746, after a survey of the landholdings, the original boundary stone was set next to the spring. The present six-ton Fairfax Stone includes a plaque explaining the stone's significance.
As an extension of Fairfax County's 275th anniversary celebrations this year, Lord Nicholas Fairfax will be back in Fairfax to lead a Charity Motorcycle ride. The Ride will begin on September 22, 2018, with options for 1, 2, and 4 day participation (the latter offering a camping feature). The route will circumnavigate the original Northern Neck Proprietary (all the land between the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers from the Chesapeake Bay to the Fairfax Stone in West Virginia - 5,280,000 acres!) to the boundary stone where Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia meet.
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Visiting the Fairfax Stone with former City of Fairfax Mayor, John Mason
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This will be a lot of fun, but is a complex operation that involves lots of planning and considerable support. A Coordinating Committee has been established, chaired by John Mason, the former mayor of the City of Fairfax (and a friend of Lord Fairfax). The Patriot chapter of the Harley Owners Group
is planning the Ride itself. My office and Visit Fairfax will be providing support, as we have done for this year's Anniversary activities.
Many volunteers will be needed to assist with fundraising, publicity, organizing and executing two celebratory events, distributing informational material, assisting with tracking revenue and expenses and much more. If interested, please contact John Mason at
[email protected]
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On October 26, our Board cut the ribbon for Fairfax County's new Public Safety Headquarters. It's a beautiful building, full of natural light and sustainable energy features, but most importantly, it will be a much improved and efficient work environment for our public safety family over the Massey Building.
For the first time, both Fire & Rescue and the Police Department will be housed together, allowing for enhanced collaboration between the two organizations. The building, with expansive meeting and conference areas and a state of the art press/media room, is reflective of our commitment for increased transparency and outreach.
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A lot is going on in Fairfax County for you learn about and participate in! Remember the little spring that eventually becomes a powerful river as it makes its way to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Something as simple as a smile or a seemingly insignificant kindness can make a powerful difference in those around you.
Thanks so much for keeping up-to-date through this Byline and for your interest in our community!
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Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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| Opioid Roundtable Discussion |
On Saturday, October 21, Congressman Gerry Connolly and I hosted a roundtable discussion at the Fairfax County Government Center to address the opioid crisis facing our nation and local communities in Northern Virginia. In the United States, overdose deaths from opioids (including prescription drugs and heroin) have more than quadrupled since 1999. In Virginia,
Narcan was administered by EMS 4,076 times last year alone. Sadly, right here at home in Fairfax County, more than 100 residents suffered from drug-related deaths last year.
It is important that we learn as much as we can about what it going on and help spread awareness about resources and recovery options for those in need. The Board of Supervisors allocated funds from our FY2017 Carryover Budget and recently launched an Opioid Taskforce to help address the opioid epidemic locally.
A full video of the roundtable discussion can be found here. The program will also air on Channel 16 on Nov. 4 and Nov. 12 at 10:00 AM, as well as on Nov. 22 and Nov. 27 at 8:00 PM.
Resources:
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| Fairfax County Opens New Public Safety Headquarters |
The new Public Safety Headquarters officially opened on Thursday, October 26, 2017 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The nine-story, 274,000 square foot facility will house personnel from the county's Fire and Rescue Department and the Police Department, and joins the Herrity, Pennino and Government Center buildings on the Government Center campus.
This functional and modern facility is full of natural light, green technology and collaborative work spaces for our hardworking public safety staff. The new headquarters replaces the aging and deteriorating Massey Building, which currently serves as the headquarters for Police and Fire. Demolition of the Massey Building is scheduled to take place between Fall 2018 and Spring 2019.
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| Election Day is TOMORROW: November 7, 2017 |
In Virginia, every year is an election year. Tomorrow (Tuesday, November 7) Fairfax County residents will head to the polls to select the next governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general of the Commonwealth, as well as their representative in the Virginia House of Delegates. Polls are open on Election Day from
6:00am to 7:00pm. Visit the
County elections website to find out what's on your ballot, where to vote, photo ID requirements, and more.
There is also a critically important $315 million public
school bond referendum on the ballot. If approved by voters, the Fairfax County Public Schools' current plans to use this bond money are to:
- Plan and/or construct two new elementary schools, one in Fairfax/Oakton area and another in the Northwest county area
- Relocate one modular building
- Plan additions at three existing high schools to add capacity at Madison, Stuart and West Potomac
- Plan and/or construct renovations of 10 elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools
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| I-66 Outside the Beltway Project Update |
We are inching closer to another project milestone for I-66 in Fairfax County. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Express Mobility Partners (EMP) will be presenting the latest designs for the I-66 Outside the Beltway Widening Project during a series of public meetings in November. The I-66 Outside the Beltway project will add:
- Two Express Lanes in each direction from I-495 to Gainesville
- Interchange improvements
- Bicycle and pedestrian trails
- 4,000 park-and-ride options with access to Express Lanes
VDOT is hosting design public hearings on November 13-16. Residents will have an opportunity to review the designs, speak with the technical staff about the project, and provide official comments about the project. The meetings will be open house format with a formal presentation.
Meeting Schedule: 
- Monday, Nov. 13, 6:00pm to 8:30pm at Oakton High School Cafeteria, 2900 Sutton Road, Vienna
- Tuesday, Nov. 14, 6:00pm to 8:30pm at Stone Middle School Cafeteria, 5500 Sully Park Drive, Centreville
- Thursday, Nov. 16, 6:00pm to 8:30pm at Piney Branch Elementary School Cafeteria/Gym, 8301 Linton Hall Road, Bristow
The I-66 Outside the Beltway project designs and other project information will be available for review before the meeting on the project website at outside.transform66.org. Inquiries or requests can be emailed to the project team at [email protected].
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| 2017 Design and Environmental Achievement Awards |
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| Children's Creativity Thrives at the Workhouse Arts Center |
Are you looking for fun and instructional activities for your kids? Look no further than the Workhouse Arts Center. Year round, the Workhouse Arts Center offers enriching camps, classes and workshops for school-aged children. The Workhouse even offers
Teacher Workday and School Holiday Camps. While school is out, children can continue to learn in a fun environment for the same cost as ordinary childcare. Through instruction, campers will spend the day channeling their creativity by learning a variety of techniques for different art mediums. They'll even get a taste of the culinary arts!
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| Save the Date for My 2018 New Year Reception! |
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