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| Summer Newsletter from Chairman Sharon Bulova |
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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,
For a while it seemed the D.C. area was experiencing some other part of the country's lovely weather system. San Diego maybe. Then all of a sudden the "warm, dry and pleasant" turned into the "hot and muggy" we are more used to in the middle of summer. Weather that makes everything damp and sticky. Bad hair weather.
When I was a little kid growing up outside of Baltimore, I remember news stories of city residents escaping the stifling nighttime heat by trekking to nearby Druid Hill Park carrying blankets and sheets to sleep in the open air.
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| Druid Hill Park in Baltimore |
How did we survive before air conditioning!?
In addition to information about our Board of Supervisors-School Board Retreat, progress on the Silver Line and implementation of recommendations from the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission, this summer Byline edition is full of fun ways to enjoy the pleasant things Fairfax County has to offer, including free summer concerts and farmers' markets.
Enjoy!
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Sincerely,
Sharon Bulova
Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
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| Evenings on the Ellipse Begins Today, July 7 |
 The Evenings on the Ellipse concert series is back at the Government Center this summer. On Thursday evenings from July 7 through August 25, the Fairfax County Government Center's backyard will be alive with fun music and good company.
Employees, nearby residents and music lovers can stop by after work to relax in Wolf Trap-esque style!
See concert lineup below.
Fairfax County's two wineries, Paradise Springs and The Winery at Bull Run, will be offering complimentary tastings of their premium reds and whites.
If it rains, concerts will be moved inside to the Government Center Forum.
Also on Thursdays from 3-7pm now through the end of October, you can stop by the Farmers Market (rain or shine) in the front parking lot of the Government Center. Every Thursday we have fresh fruit, veggies, bread, sweets and are visited by a food truck or two! You can grab some food at the market and walk around back for the concert. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chair and hope to see you at a show this summer.
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| The State of Public Safety 2016 |
There is a lot going on in the world of public safety this year, and this new video highlights many public safety initiatives, programs and updates you might want to know about. You can watch the full version
 or view individual segments:
Being the safest jurisdiction of our size in the nation doesn't come by accident. It is a result of our public safety leadership, the teams they have built and the vigilant communities they serve. Please contact me anytime with questions or feedback regarding public safety in Fairfax County, and I hope each segment in this video encourages you to become more involved with supporting public safety efforts in your district and neighborhood.
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| Board of Supervisors Approves Police Reengineering Action Items |
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View the progress of each recommendation |
At our meeting on June 21, the Board of Supervisors approved two Action Items related to the Use of Force and Communications recommendations made by the
Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission
. Chief of Police Ed Roessler has already implemented many of these recommendations, including the adoption of a predisposition to disclose rather than withhold information, a central tenet of the Communications recommendations, as well as putting the sanctity of life at the center of its training, a key part of the Use of Force recommendations.
You can view the video of the Board meeting here.
Many of the recommendations are already in the process of being implemented by Chief Ed Roessler and the FCPD, while others required Board direction in order for Chief Roessler to proceed. The purpose of the Action Items was to provide direction where needed and officially endorse those recommendations already being implemented. The Use of Force recommendations passed unanimously, while the Communications recommendations passed on a vote of 8-2 with Supervisors Pat Herrity and Kathy Smith voting against.
Members of the Ad Hoc Commission Implementation Committee are meeting with senior Police Department leadership this month to discuss how the Board's action will change the status of the Use of Force and Communications recommendation in the
Progress Report
. That site will also have a list of all changes made to the Progress Report as a result of Board action as well as any clerical changes.
On July 19, the Board's Public Safety Committee (a committee made up of all 10 BOS members) will meet at 1pm in Rooms 9/10 at the Fairfax County Government Center. All are welcome to attend the Committee meeting. The primary topic for this meeting will be the implementation of the Ad Hoc Commission's recommendations related to Independent Oversight and Investigations. These recommendations include the establishment of a Civilian Review Panel and the hiring of an Independent Police Auditor. It is expected that the Board will follow a similar process for moving these recommendations forward, with a vote on these recommendations in the early fall.
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| Op-Ed: Let's Stand by the Silver Line |
As published in Greater Greater Washington on June 27, 2016:
In light of the safety and maintenance issues that Metro is now addressing with SafeTrack, some members of the media have said that instead of building the Silver Line, WMATA should have fixed the rest of the system. As one of the leaders that helped make the Silver Line happen, I'd like to respond.
Expansion and maintenance are not mutually exclusive when you do them both responsibly, and it is important to note that WMATA did not build or pay for the Silver Line extension. The Silver Line was financed outside of the WMATA budget, and funding to build the extension could not have been used instead for Metro maintenance.
Financing for construction of the Silver Line comes from multiple sources, including special tax districts in Fairfax County paid by commercial and industrial landowners along the Dulles corridor, motorists using the Dulles Toll Road, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the federal government, Loudoun County and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
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Opening Day of Silver Line Phase I - July 26, 2014 |
The Silver Line took decades of planning and spanned numerous elected officials and leaders. The project almost died a few times, and the 2014 grand opening was a tremendous feat. This extension of Metro has served as a major underpinning of economic growth and redevelopment in Tysons, spurring over 100 million square feet of new approved development within a half-mile of the new stations. In terms of growth in the commercial tax base, Tysons increased by a rate of 3.1% in FY 2016 and 10.8% in FY 2017.
By 2050, Fairfax County plans to attract 100,000 residents and 200,000 jobs to Tysons. Riders using the Silver Line from Phase I (Tysons/Reston) and Phase II (Dulles Airport and beyond) will have access to a one-seat ride to downtown DC and a safe and convenient connection to the rest of the region. This increase in connectivity and access to Metro is why ensuring the safety and reliability of the system is critical to our region's success.
Past WMATA leaders failed to make safety the top priority and neglected to do major maintenance as well. That led to tragedy and, eventually, the SafeTrack maintenance plan we see today. SafeTrack is impacting all Metro riders this year, but the heavy dose of maintenance medicine will shore up the entire system.
Paul Wiedefeld is focused on getting Metro back on its feet and transforming WMATA's culture into one that is safety-first. I believe this generation will be known for repairing, revitalizing, reinvesting, and reinvigorating the infrastructure that past generations built. While SafeTrack is placing a temporary burden on commuters, it's necessary and in many cases is being completed ahead of schedule. I believe this bodes well for WMATA's future.
I will be working with my regional counterparts through the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Greater Washington Board of Trade to identify dedicated funding for WMATA. We must prepare for the future and we must do so safely, responsibly, and consistently. Our regional economy depends on Metro's success.
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| Silver Line Phase II Construction Underway |
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Innovation Center Metro Station under construction near Dulles Toll Road/Route 28 intersection |
Phase I of the Silver Line is complete and includes four stations in Tysons and one in Reston.
Phase II picks up at the Phase I terminus location (Wiehle-Reston East) and continues westward in the median of the Dulles Toll Road and the Dulles Access Highway. The final 11-mile section of the Silver Line will include six new stations:
Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Dulles International Airport and Route 606 and Route 772 in Loudoun County. All stations in Phase II will have commuter parking except for the Reston Town Center Station and the Dulles Airport Station. The opening of Silver Line Phase II will provide a transfer-free ride from Washington Dulles International Airport to downtown D.C. and connect residents of Loudoun County and western Fairfax County like never before. Construction for Phase II is scheduled for completion in 2019 and service to begin in 2020.
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| Working Together at Joint Board Retreat |
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Members of both Boards brainstorm list of shared fiscal priorities during afternoon breakout session |
The Board of Supervisors and the Fairfax County School Board held a full day joint retreat at the Fred W. Smith National Library in Mount Vernon on June 14, 2016. The two Boards discussed goals and priorities and reviewed past and present areas of collaboration. Many topics came up in conversation such as land use, shared facilities, fiscal priorities, equity, families, public safety and workforce development as they relate to students in FCPS. Karen Cleveland of Leadership Fairfax facilitated the discussions during the morning half of the retreat.
View meeting notes, presentation materials, photos and listen to an audio recording of the retreat here. I will work with School Board Chairman Pat Hynes this summer to chart a path forward for our two Boards.
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| Communities of Trust Public Safety Day |
Communities of Trust (COT) is a non-profit organization that works to increase positive relationships between public safety agencies and the local communities they serve. COT is chaired by Shirley Ginwright, President of the Fairfax County Branch of NAACP. As a way to engage communities and promote positive interactions with law enforcement, COT holds neighborhood events where kids can enjoy games, food, face painting and more alongside police officers, firefighters, Sheriff's deputies and FBI agents. This positive exposure to men and women in uniform helps build trust with residents and encourages kids from all different backgrounds to consider careers in law enforcement. On June 18, COT held its second Public Safety Day in Bailey's Crossroads and it was a major success! If you would like to have a COT event in your neighborhood, whether it's a fun Saturday afternoon or a large forum for discussion regarding public safety in the community, COT wants to connect with you:
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| Lamb Center Grand Opening |
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Lamb Center Grand Opening on Sunday, June 26 with Congressman Gerry Connolly, State Senator Chap Petersen and Members of the Fairfax City Council. |
The Lamb Center provides hot meals, showers, laundry services, medical services, mental health/recovery programs and assistance with housing and employment for people experiencing poverty or homelessness in our area. For many, the Lamb Center is a place to turn to when there is no place else to go. It is also a place to find hope and support when needed most. Although the Lamb Center has been in the community since 1992, it recently opened a larger facility at 3160 Campbell Drive in Fairfax, is open six days a week and receives about 150 people a day.
Homelessness should be rare, brief, and non-recurring. The Board of Supervisors set a goal to end homelessness as we know it by 2018. Since 2008, homelessness in our county as decreased by 42 percent. Thanks to Fairfax County's Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, our partners in the City of Fairfax and surrounding jurisdictions, and non-profits and faith organizations like the Lamb Center, we are well on our way to achieving that goal.
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| Voting in Virginia: New Bills Signed by Governor McAuliffe |
HB1223 gives voters the option of giving their name and current address in writing at their polling place, rather than requiring voters to say their name and address out loud. For example, a voter could simply hand their photo ID to a poll worker as long as it had their name and current address on it. Citizens with disabilities, speech impediments and accents no longer have to worry about reciting their name and address out loud perfectly in order to exercise their right to vote. This bill also removes a potential voting barrier for older adults suffering from dementia or stroke who know exactly who they want to vote for, but might experience speech slurring or only recall a former address. U.S. Citizens who are registered to vote shouldn't be discouraged from showing up at their polling place due to potential embarrassment or fear of holding up the line. We should encourage everyone to vote, and congrats to Governor McAuliffe, Delegate Vivian Watts and Delegate Mark Sickles for sponsoring this important voting rights legislation.
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| Governor McAuliffe signs two bills making it easier for citizens in Virginia to vote |
HB1030 establishes a training schedule for officers of election where officers will be trained every two years and whenever a change is made to election laws. This will help ensure voting procedures are consistent throughout the Commonwealth, regardless of your polling place.
Please remind your friends, family and co-workers to register to vote or update voter registration information 22 days before Election Day (November 8, 2016).
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| Things to Do and Places to Explore this Summer! |
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The Water Mine at Lake Fairfax |
Fairfax County has a lot to offer you and your family when it comes to summer fun and outdoor activities. Take advantage of our beautiful parks, lakes, trails and highly-rated summer camps and water parks. The Park Authority also hosts a Summer Entertainment Series featuring many genres of music - there is literally something for everyone. Check out some of these events and activities in our area. With so much to do, there is no excuse for a lazy summer! (Unless that's what you're going for)...
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