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| Monthly Newsletter from Chairman Sharon Bulova |
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Did You Know?
The last time the Cubs won the World Series there were 46 states in the Union.
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Email
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Office
(703) 324-2321
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| Did You Know? The VA General Assembly convenes its 2017 session on Jan. 11. You can track legislation of the upcoming session. You can also view Fairfax County's legislative priorities for the upcoming year. |
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Greetings,
Just days before Election 2016...I'll be so glad when it's over.
I usually love elections. There is nothing like the experience of building a campaign team; fretting over raising the money needed to reach out to the voters; knocking on doors and honing your message at candidate's  forums and rallies. These last few days are a fever of last minute efforts to bring the team across the finish line. A campaign is a unique journey with adventures and lessons learned along the way.
The presidential race of 2016 has been angrier and more divisive than campaigns in recent years. The next president will have an enormous challenge bringing our country together. In different ways, we will all have a role in encouraging the kind of thoughtful and respectful discourse needed to make that happen.
In the end, this is a contest. One side will win and one side will lose. It is important to remember that reasonable people can disagree reasonably.
In addition to the presidential and congressional races, there are a number of important questions on the ballot that will help Fairfax County ensure the quality of life our residents value and rely upon. I will be out and about on Election Day and look forward to saying "hi!"
People often ask me how I became involved in politics. I'm re-running part of my Byline column from last year that helps to answer that question.
November 2015
"My mother was a Democrat and my dad was a Republican. They both held strong, usually opposing, opinions that they expressed back and forth like a ping pong game at the dinner table. On Election Day they would both march off to our local precinct to cancel out each other's vote.
Mom and Dad were united, however, in their enthusiasm for John F. Kennedy during the presidential election of 1960. It was the first election that got my attention and I recall our family's excitement when  we heard our candidate was attending a fundraiser at the Pikesville Armory in our very own hometown.
My dad, my sister Marmie and I piled into our station wagon and arrived at the armory just in time for the motorcade to arrive. Senator Kennedy and his campaign staffers got out of their car and entered a small building on the armory grounds so that he would have some private time to go over the speech he would give at the $1,000 a plate dinner.
By this time it was getting dark. Most of our welcoming crowd had dispersed, but a small group of us circled around the building, peeking into windows, hoping to get a glimpse of John Kennedy.
One of the screened windows opened into a brightly lit, sparsely furnished room. Much to our surprise, a door opposite our window opened, and there in the threshold stood John F. Kennedy. Behind him were media armed with cameras and notepads. I will never forget how Mr. Kennedy smiled and greeted us at the window, then touched his hand to ours through the screen. Flash bulbs went off as he settled into a chair next to our window to go over his notes. Photos from this little encounter appeared in the next morning edition of the Baltimore Sun and then a week later in Life Magazine. Note: I am the girl in the striped shirt with bangs and a pony tail.
For a twelve year old girl, this was the ultimate introduction into politics. I was hooked. I stayed up all night to watch as election numbers came dribbling in. This would be the first of many such nights.
President Kennedy inspired me with his message, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." He noted that, as a society, Americans had become soft, and rallied us to embrace athletics and fitness. I took that charge to heart and to this day I am a faithful jogger."
Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican or independent, I hope that you will exercise your right and privilege to vote this Tuesday. Please see inside this Byline for information on what is on the ballot this year. As always, I will be making the rounds at precincts around the county to greet voters. I still get excited on Election Day and I still stay up most of the night to learn how things turn out. I look forward to seeing you on Election Day!
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Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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| Know Before You Go on November 8 |
 The election is almost here! Polls are open in Virginia from 6am to 7pm this Tuesday, November 8, 2016. If you are planning to vote on your way home from work, you need to be in line at your poll location by 7pm in order to vote. Please give yourself plenty of travel time.
Know where you are voting, b
ring your required photo ID
, and review your sample ballot, which includes:
- Candidates for president and vice president
- Member of House of Representatives for 8th, 10th or 11th Congressional Districts
- Two proposed state constitutional amendments
- Meals tax referendum
- Three bond referendums for transportation, parks, and human services
- Mayor and six Town Council members (only for Town of Herndon residents)
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| Capital Bikeshare Now Available in Tysons and Reston |
Capital Bikeshare offers an easy, fun and healthy way to get around! There are nine new bike stations in Reston and eight new bike stations in Tysons. Visit capitalbikeshare.com for real-time status of available bikes.
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| How To Use Capital Bikeshare |
Fairfax County is the fifth jurisdiction in the DC Area to join the Capital Bikeshare system, bringing the total number of bike stations to 435 region-wide. Fairfax County's
Strategic Plan to Facilitate Economic Success calls for creating more urban, mixed use communities with many transportation options, and Capital Bikeshare helps accomplish this goal. Check out Fairfax County's
Bike Map to see where you can go!
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| Board of Supervisors to Vote on Creating a Police Civilian Review Panel |
 Byline readers will recall that in March of last year the Board of Supervisors endorsed the creation of an Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission. The purpose of the Commission was to engage the community in an open and transparent process to recommend changes to help the Board and our Police Department achieve the goals of maintaining a safe community, ensuring a culture of public trust, providing for the fair and timely resolution of police-involved incidents and reviewing Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) and police responses for cases involving mental health.
I am pleased to share that of the 142 recommendations the Commission delivered to the Board in its
report
on October 20, 2015, most of these are either in the process of being implemented or have been implemented.
I am especially proud of our creation of Diversion First. This program
offers alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness or developmental disabilities, who come into contact with the criminal justice system for low level offenses. The goal is to intercede whenever possible to provide assessment, treatment or needed supports. People needing diversion may also have a substance use disorder, which often co-occurs with mental illness. Diversion First is designed to prevent repeat encounters with the criminal justice system, improve public safety, promote a healthier community and is a more cost effective and efficient use of public funding.
The Board of Supervisors on Dec. 6 will vote on the creation of a Civilian Review Panel to review administrative investigations of alleged police misconduct. This is an historic step our County is taking toward enhancing the trust between the Fairfax County Police Department and the communities it serves.
The Office of Independent Police Auditor, which was established at our Board Meeting of September 20th, would work in conjunction with the Civilian Review Panel to act as a set of independent eyes on administrative investigations of FCPD officers' actions.
The Commission's recommendation is for the Civilian Review Panel (CRP) to accept complaints from the public regarding alleged misconduct. The CRP would review administrative investigations conducted by the Police Department. Additionally, the CRP would be authorized to hold public forums on FCPD policies and procedures. These types of forums were held by the Ad Hoc Commission and I see the CRP, and many other groups like the Communities of Trust, as potential hosts for such forums. Receiving public comments on the CRP's work, as well as FCPD policy, can help us achieve our common goals.
I look forward to voting to establish a Civilian Review Panel at our Board meeting on Dec. 6, and, in partnership with Chief Ed Roessler, continuing the great progress we are making for our Fairfax County Police Department to serve as a national model for good policing.
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| How WMATA is Funded in Virginia |
How is Metrorail funded? I often hear from residents who have questions about how Fairfax County and the National Capital Region pays for Metro Service.
Part of the challenge is that the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia all have different methods for funding our respective shares of the Metro operating budget. For the District and Maryland, the process is relatively easy and straightforward. Funding comes from the D.C. Government and the State of Maryland. In Virginia, however, the process is more complicated. Different components of Metro's budget are funded from different local or state sources, including regional gas tax revenue, local General Fund dollars and state aid from the Commonwealth. The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission recently created a graphic I wanted to share that illustrates the process for Virginia:
The Region is wrestling right now not only with long term funding needs for the Metrorail system, but also Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld's
proposed budget for FY2018
. Regional leaders will be working over the next several months to develop a consensus about Mr. Wiedefeld's proposal and the direction Metro should take coming out of the SafeTrack repairs to keep the system safe and reliable.
After the disruption caused by SafeTrack, the real focus is operating reliable service and keeping the system in a state of good repair, not just getting through the next budget. SafeTrack will correct the most egregious issues facing the system but it will take a sustained commitment from the region and a higher degree of accountability and transparency to accomplish long term reliable and safe operation.
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| Code Compliance Works to Investigate Neighborhood Complaints |
Do you have questions or complaints about zoning related issues in your community? If so, Fairfax County's Department of Code Compliance can help you navigate safety and quality of life issues that may arise. The Department of Code Compliance investigates complaints involving most zoning, noise, property maintenance, building, fire, blight, grass and health codes by consolidating many of the county's code enforcement activities into a single agency. Visit the Code Compliance website to see those issues with which they can directly assist you, and those issues with which they can direct you to another county agency for a response, or contact them at 703-324-1300 to speak with a staff member. Other complaints addressed by Code Compliance include illegal signs, hoarding, multiple occupancy, home businesses, drop boxes, property maintenance and unpermitted construction, just to name a few. Our Code Compliance staff members are great to work with and happy to help with any concerns or potential violations you may encounter in your neighborhood. Fixing any of these issues is a complaint-driven process, so please reach out:
12055 Government Center Parkway, Suite 1016, Fairfax, VA 22035
Hours: Mon through Thurs 8am to 4pm and Fridays 9:15am to 4pm.
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| Water Works: Wastewater Management Partners with FCPS |
 Over 372,000 homes and businesses in Fairfax County create 100 million gallons of wastewater every day that must be treated to protect the environment. But what happens to all that water we use to wash dishes and clothes, take showers and baths, and flush our toilets?
The Department of Public Works and Environmental Services Wastewater Management Program maintains 3,390 miles of sanitary sewer pipes that carry wastewater to facilities where it is receives high-levels of treatment before it is discharged into local waterways.
The Wastewater Management Program also conducts many outreach and education activities to promote environmental stewardship amongst county residents. A few examples include:
- More than 17,500 high school students and 70 teachers have been trained on the importance of water quality in the hands-on Sewer Science (Lab) Program. Elementary and middle school versions of the program are now under development.
- Every year, over 350 elementary students participate in a Water Quality Field Day that provides hands-on activities which support the Virginia Standards of Learning, and the initiatives for science and technology, engineering, and mathematic (STEM).
- In its own facility, laboratory scientists assist students with approved water quality science projects.
- Participate in dozens of community events to educate residents on the importance of water quality.
- Temporary positions are offered to high school graduates in which they learn skills to gain experience in the trades and labor field that have led to fulltime employment.
The success of this program has been recognized by the Virginia Governors Environmental Excellence Award.
Residents of all ages can help improve water quality in the County by properly disposing of fats, oils and grease, as well as un-flushable toiletries that can clog sanitary sewer lines and cause overflows. Residents can also dispose of unused medicines in the trash or during police department take-back days. Also dispose of all hazardous household waste at a local landfill. Remember, never take clean water for granted because quality of water equals quality of life. For more information, visit
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/wastewater
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| High School Grads Explore Options as College Tuition Continues to Climb |
 Edison Academy will host an Apprenticeships and Skilled Trades Career Fair on Thursday, November 17 from 11:15am to 3:15pm at Edison High School. This Career Fair offers an opportunity for high school students and recent grads to learn more about skilled trades, two-year degree programs, certificate programs, education training and apprenticeships as post-secondary education options.
S
tudents, recent graduates and parents who wish to attend this event are encouraged to
register online
. Business, industry and educational organizations who wish to participate must register
online
and contact
Genie Williford
, at 703-924-8154. More Info...
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| Local Food Drive Helps Kids Who Are Homeless |
 Sixth grade students from Springfield's Orange Hunt Elementary School have partnered with the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office and Paisano's Pizza to collect non-perishable food items for children who are homeless. This is a heartwarming effort of kids helping kids, and you can participate, too!
The food drive runs now through November 17 and your support would be much appreciated. You can drop off non-perishable snack items for kids at the following Paisano's Pizza locations:
Burke Paisano's Pizza (5765 Burke Centre Pkwy)
Kingstowne Paisano's Pizza (6937A Telegraph Rd) Springfield Paisano's Pizza (6133 Backlick Rd)
If you order a pizza for delivery at one of these locations, you can still donate by bagging your non-perishable food items and handing them to the driver. Very convenient and easy way to give back!
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| Sponsor a Family in Need through Britepaths this Holiday Season |
 It seems hard to believe, but in one of the nation's wealthiest counties, there are more than 63,000 people who don't know where their next meal will come from. More than 28,000 of them are children. As the holidays near, they may not have a festive dinner or gifts for their children to celebrate the season - unless you help. Through a grant from Fairfax County, local non-profit Britepaths (formerly Our Daily Bread) matches local families in need with community members who provide Thanksgiving and December holiday meals, as well as gifts for the children in the family. Participating in the Holiday Program is a wonderful group or family activity and a great way to give back to the community. Please consider sponsoring a family for the holidays. Visit Britepaths' Holiday Program page and complete our secure online donor form. Britepaths will match you with a family and send you all the information you need. The organization also welcomes cash and gift card donations to help families who are not sponsored. To register and for more information, visit britepaths.org, email [email protected] or call 703-273-8829.
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| Workhouse Arts Center | Upcoming Performances and Events |
 What a difference a couple of years makes. It was not that long ago that Fairfax County was faced with some hard decisions about the former Lorton Prison. Efforts to partner with the community to turn part of the prison complex into an arts center was in jeopardy. A big thanks to former CEO John Mason for sorting out financial and administrative challenges that have resulted in "righting the ship". Today, the Workhouse is a real success! Great performances, classes and events are always on the horizon at the Workhouse Arts Center.
On November 12, famous comedian Joe Zimmerman will perform LIVE at the Workhouse! A Broadway Cabaret Series is coming up on November 19 from 8-9:30pm, and a free drink is included in the ticket price. Also on November 19 from 7-9pm in another part of the Workhouse, you can attend a Date Night Cooking Class for a fun and unique night out with your special someone.
This Holiday Season, you won't want to miss a one-of-a-kind adaptation of A Christmas Carol on December 3, a show where one actor plays over forty roles!
To keep up with everything happening at the Workhouse, follow them on Facebook or visit their website at www.workhousearts.org.
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| Please Save the Date for My Annual New Year Reception! |
This reception is my opportunity to thank the many volunteers, appointees and County employees who make Fairfax County such a great place to live, work and play. This is my treat! And not funded with tax dollars.
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