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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,
September is "Back to" month - back to school, back to work, nose back to the grindstone. During these last days of August and during the beginning of September, my colleagues and I are pleased to participate in a number of community activities meant to prepare young people from all backgrounds to succeed in school. Several of these events  feature back-to-school backpack and haircut drives, organized by volunteers of our Fire & Rescue Department in partnership with the Police Department, local businesses and non-profits.
One of my favorite events is "Shop with the Sheriff." A partnership between the Fairfax County Sheriff's Department and the Target in Burke, Shop with the Sheriff has been growing since it first began over twenty years ago. Shortly after being elected Chairman, I received a handwritten note from a young woman thanking the county for this program. I was so touched by her letter that I have kept it handy and like to read it every once in a while. It reminds me of why I love local government. Today, I am sharing her words with my Byline readers:
To the Sheriff's Department of Fairfax,
My same is Sara (name has been changed). I have two children, a seven year old and a two year old. My husband and I lost our jobs the beginning of 2010. Due to our health we couldn't pay our rent and couldn't keep our apartment any longer. We decided to go to a shelter to keep our family together. We didn't know what we were going to do or how to do it.
School was going to start soon and we didn't know how we were going to get school supplies, school clothes, snacks, lunches or backpacks. Friday morning came. Staff knocked on my door and I got the shock of my life. I got Christina (name changed), my seven year old, dressed so fast it was unbelievable. We went downstairs and there was a school bus. A sheriff was driving it. The staff said parents aren't going but some of the staff was going and there were going to be more sheriffs - women and men. They were taking twelve boys and girls to shop for school clothes and other things.
When Christina came back she was so, so happy!! We couldn't believe how many bags she had. When we opened those bags, I was so happy I cried. She had clothes for school, shoes, socks, underwear. She even had personal hygiene products and something to play with.
I just want to thank the sheriffs that took part in that whole day and made time for families like us. I am still amazed every time I think about or talk about it. It was like Christmas time for us.
I thank you, thank you, thank you. My family can't thank you enough and we will never forget what you guys did.
Forever in my Family's Heart,
Sara
I hope that all of our children have a successful school year. Education is Fairfax County's highest priority and we are known nationwide for an excellent school system that prepares children of all backgrounds to achieve their greatest potential.
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On the "back to work" side of things, see inside this Byline an update on progress regarding Phase 2 of the Silver Line. Construction is underway to extend Metrorail all the way to Dulles Airport and into Loudoun County. Construction is over 30% complete, with passenger service still anticipated to begin in 2020.
 Operation SafeTrack is underway to shore up long neglected safety elements of the Metro system. To keep abreast of SafeTrack and ways to adjust your travel plans while the work is underway, you should check in regularly with fairfaxcounty.gov/safetrack. I also am keeping constituents up-to-date via social media. You can learn about SafeTrack and other time sensitive issues by following me on Facebook and Twitter. Fairfax County's Department of Transportation's Tweets and Facebook posts are also great to read for SafeTrack updates and time sensitive transportation news.
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In case you haven't noticed, there is an election scheduled for November 8th. In addition to the Presidential and Congressional elections, ballot questions this fall will include a
Virginia Constitutional question, several County
Bond Referendums and a question asking voters to decide if Fairfax County should be able to have a
Meals Tax (a source of revenue most towns and cities within or adjacent to us already have).
Inside this Byline is language you will be considering on November 8th regarding the establishment of a Meals Tax.
The turnout for this election is expected to be quite large. The Office of Elections is recruiting interested county residents to become Election Officers. Recently our Board honored forty individuals who have served as election officers for more than twenty years. If you can commit to a long day and sometimes demanding work, it is exciting to have your finger on the pulse of the election process.
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Lastly, to balance out the "Work" part of the equation, a number of recreational activities are happening in September that you may enjoy. My personal "picks" are:
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Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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| Communities Working Together: Justice, Unity & Peace Town Hall |
September 10, 2016, 1pm - 3pm
Centreville Baptist Church
15100 Lee Highway, Centreville, VA
20120
The key to building communities of trust is establishing positive relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
With the continued violence against unarmed black men and women, and recent attacks on police officers across the nation, Fairfax County is inviting residents, public officials and law enforcement to engage in important and difficult conversations in order to listen and learn from one another.
To address concerns within our community, Fairfax County's Communities of Trust Committee (COTC) will host a Town Hall Meeting with the theme Communities Working Together: Justice, Unity and Peace. This event will be an opportunity to share and discuss Fairfax County public safety initiatives, listen and respond to concerns from local residents, and discuss suggestions for growth and improvements in the area of community policing. At this forum, Police officers will talk about what it is like working on the street, and residents will discuss their encounters with police. Communities Working Together will also engage the audience to learn about their roles and responsibilities in keeping our neighborhoods safe and enhancing trust within the community. Federal, state and local leaders plan to attend.
Panelists Include:
Chief Ed Roessler, Fairfax County Police Department
Giulio Arseni, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI Civil Rights Division
Hilary Shelton,
NAACP Washington Bureau Director and Senior Vice President for Advocacy
Claire Gastañaga
, Virginia American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Executive Director
Pastor Milton Harding, Centreville Baptist Church
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| Summer Shopping Spree with Sheriff's Deputies |
At the end of every summer, the Fairfax County Sheriff's Office takes children who are homeless on a back-to-school shopping trip at the Target in Burke. Sheriff's Deputies are paired off with kids to be "shopping buddies" and they enjoy picking out clothes, shoes and other back-to-school needs throughout the store. The Sheriff's Office raises enough money from community partners and sponsors to give each child a $250 gift card to spend on back-to-school items.
Shop with the Sheriff is a great program that helps kids build relationships with public safety officials, and enter the school year looking and feeling their best with some new clothes and confidence! To learn how you can help make Shop with the Sheriff an even bigger success, please
email
[email protected].
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| Help Students Step Into Success with New Shoes |
Nearly 30% of students in the Fairfax County Public School system are on free/reduced lunch programs. Many of these 54,000 children come from families that struggle to provide basic necessities, including school supplies and clothing. You can have a hand in helping elementary students start the school year off on the right foot through the #Shoes4Kids Donation Drive. The Tysons Partnership is collecting new athletic shoes in sizes 9 toddler through 8 youth. There will be a collection box in the lobby of the Fairfax County Government Center, right next to the information desk, sponsored by my office and OP3. The goal is to donate 1,000 pairs of shoes by September 29 at noon.
Visit
www.tysonspartnership.org/TysonsCares
if you would like to make a donation online or find another drop-off location near you.
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| One Fairfax Resolution |
During the summer, The B
oard of Supervisors and the School Board
adopted a resolution called
One Fairfax.
The resolution states that decisions will be made on the local level through the lens of racial and social equity, and calls for the development of an official policy to support opportunities for all residents to reach their highest level of personal achievement.
An intentional focus on racial and social equity positions Fairfax County to improve strategies to help eliminate gaps and increase success for all.
I am proud to represent a county that values our diverse community and supports our students, residents, workforce, and business owners of every race, socio-economic status, and background.
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| Many Items Up for Vote this Election Day, November 8! |
In addition to the Presidential and Congressional elections on November 8, other questions on the ballot will include Proposed Virginia Constitutional Amendments, several Fairfax County Bond Referendums, and a question asking voters to decide if Fairfax County should have a Meals Tax to help support schools and local services. If passed, 70% of Meals Tax revenue would be dedicated to the Fairfax County Public School system, while the remaining 30% would go towards local capital improvements and property tax relief. I support the proposed Meals Tax because it would help diversify our tax base, take some of the tax burden off our homeowners, and would give the schools a big boost in their budget. In Fairfax County, levying a new tax can only be done through a citizen referendum. It's up to the voters to decide whether we should have a Meals Tax, or not. I encourage you to take some time to read up and get all the facts about the proposed Meals Tax before Election Day so you can make a decision that's right for you. More information...
On Election Day, it takes thousands of trained Election Officers to ensure we have efficient and well-run elections. Officers are paid $175 for working a full Election Day, and it's a great opportunity to get involved with democracy at its core.
Our Board recently recognized forty Election Officers for serving in twenty or more elections! Congratulations to everyone in this group, and to all who give their time to help make elections run smoothly for Fairfax County residents. You can learn more and apply to be an Elections Officer at
fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/working.htm
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July 12, 2016 -
Board of Supervisors recognized Fairfax County election officers who have served 20 or more elections
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| Metro's Future Includes More Silver Line and Free Public Wi-Fi |
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Construction underway for Silver Line Phase 2
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The final 11-mile section of Metro's Silver Line Phase 2 will include six new stations: Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Dulles International Airport and Route 606 and Route 772
in Loudoun County. Currently, construction for Phase 2 is over 30% complete and scheduled to be finished in 2019, with service beginning in 2020.
To set up a briefing about the progress of Silver Line Phase 2 for your homeowners association, civic group or business, send an email to
[email protected]
. To report construction concerns, you can call a 24-hour hotline at 1-884-385-7245. I look forward to the day when this project is up and running and I can't wait to be there to help cut the ribbon!
In other Metro news, WMATA recently announced the launch of free public Wi-Fi at six stations as part of a limited pilot program. Metro stations included in the pilot are Metro Center, Gallery Place, Judiciary Square, Union Station, Archives and L'Enfant Plaza. The Wi-Fi service will be available for 45 days. Then, the Wi-Fi service will be suspended while Metro evaluates how well the service worked and gathers user feedback from riders. Your feedback can be submitted at the bottom of the WMATA homepage and will be used to deploy Wi-Fi at all 91 Metrorail stations in the future.
I'm glad WMATA is taking this important step to help support its customer experience.
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| Explore the Arts | Workhouse Fine Arts Festival |
This weekend September 10-11, the Workhouse Arts Center will host a Fine Arts Festival
exhibiting original art including paintings, ceramics, photographs, furniture and sculptures from over 150 incredible artists. The Festival will also feature an educational open house, live music and food trucks. Free parking and free admission included. Visit workhousearts.org/fall-arts-festival to learn more, and register for an optional opening night celebration with the artists! Please email [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering for this unique weekend event!
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| Great Falls Riverbend Park Hosts Virginia Indian Festival |
Northern Virginia's premier celebration of Native American lifestyles is coming to Riverbend Park with the Virginia Indian Festival on Saturday, September 10 from 10am-4pm. This exploration of the history and lives of Virginia's First Families includes many hands-on activities. Visitors can shoot a bow and arrow, throw a spear, help build a dugout canoe and learn to use ancient tools. Story telling, demonstrations of very early technology, crafts for sale, food concessions, and traditional dancing featuring the Rappahannocks will be part of the festivities. Admission is $6 per person in advance or $7 at the door. More information is available by calling the park at 703-759-9018 or by visiting fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/riverbend-park.
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| Fall Garden Day & Plant Sale at Green Spring Gardens |
Come celebrate autumn at Green Spring Garden's Fall Garden Day on September 10, 2016. From 9am-3pm, Green Spring Gardens in Alexandria will host local plant and garden craft vendors, live music, a silent auction and a delicious bake sale. The event is free to attend and sponsored by the Friends of Green Spring. This is a great time to visit one of Virginia's most innovative and beautiful public gardens!
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| Kids Camping Trip at Wolf Trap National Park |
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is sponsoring a campout for 5th & 6th grade first-time campers October 7 - 8, 2016. Friday is a Teacher Workday, so students can spend their days off in the great outdoors and learning the essentials of camping! Activities will include a
rchery, fly fishing, hiking, tent pitching, bird watching, learning fire safety skills, outdoor cooking, performing camp fire skits, roasting s'mores and more. Space is limited so sign up fast!
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