Issue 16
Monday, June 8, 2020
Prince William County
Dear Neighbors,

While no one could have envisioned the past six months, it is a privilege to serve you during these historic times. Now, more than ever, is it critical to be connected with the residents of the county. This is why I'm excited to share School Board Chair, Babur Lateef, and I will be hosting PWC Youth In Conversation tomorrow.

Find out more and how you can watch the live event in my feature article. In this issue, I have also included more equality news, COVID-19 updates, BOCS information, and PWC School announcements.

In Service,
Chair Ann Wheeler
Equality News
Starting A Conversation
We are excited to announce on Tuesday, June 9 at 3:00 pm Chair Wheeler and Chair Babur will participate in a roundtable listening event with 10 high school students from across Prince William County! The two chairs will hear from the teens on the recent events, local government and discuss ways to get further involved.

The dialogue, which promises to be the first of many, will be live-streamed via Chair Wheeler's Facebook page. It can also be accessed using the link shared on both Chairs' Twitter accounts.
Safety
This week the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) issued a statement suggesting protesters wear masks, wash hands frequently, stay six feet apart from others in crowds, and, if symptoms appear, stay home and call their health care provider. They also have a searchable map of known locations of various COVID-19 test sampling sites. Inclusion in the list does not constitute endorsement by VDH.
COVID-19
Public Health Restrictions
While the rest of Virginia moved into Phase Two of Forward Virginia on Friday, June 5, Governor Northam has advised Northern Virginia and the City of Richmond will remain in Phase One to allow for additional monitoring of health data. 
Small Business Deadline Extension
If you were impacted by COVID-19, you now have until 5:00 pm Tuesday, June 9 to file an application for up to $10,000 from the Small Business Relief Micro-Grant Program. Applications will be reviewed by the Department of Economic Development and the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force.
#PrinceWilliamStrong Pledge
The County Office of Tourism (Visit Prince William) launched a voluntary program for local businesses to build consumer confidence and spur Prince William’s economy. The ‘#PrinceWilliamStrong Pledge’ encourages County businesses to commit and adhere to guidelines, mandatory requirements and best practices. Endorsed by the County’s Economic Recovery Taskforce and Prince William Chamber, the pledge inspires support of local businesses while providing assurances to customers, clients, and employees as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.  
Local Available Testing
COVID-19 testing is available at CVS located at 6360 Hoadly Road in Manassas and 16712 Jefferson Davis Hwy. in Dumfries. You must register in advance and be a resident of Virginia. Uninsured patients will be covered under a program funded by the Department of Health and Human Services. Learn more at CVS Health .

Visit coronavirus.pwcgov.org for information regarding future free community testing events.
Board Of County Supervisors
Assistance For The County
At the June 2 meeting, the BOCS allocated the remaining $25 million CARES Act funding on hand. See Issue 14 for details on earlier distributions and restrictions on the use of these funds.
Overview Of The June 2 Distribution
  • $4 million for testing
  • $5 million to help small businesses recover 
  • $1 million to aid the Community Feeding Task Force
  • $1 million to the Human Services Alliance of Greater Prince William to provide grants to community organizations
  • $3 million for a navigation center built on county property to offer the homeless shelter and services 24/7
  • $11 million toward unbudgeted current and projected expenses
Schedule
The next regular meeting will be held
June 16 at 2:00 pm
More details on the session will be available in a future Wheeler Report.
PWC Government AAA bond rating has been reaffirmed. Some details on the rating:
  • This is our ninth consecutive year
  • It is the highest rating available
  • It allows the county to obtain financing at the lowest possible cost
  • Included all three of the major credit agencies
  • Only 48 of the country's more than 3,100 counties hold the highest rating from all three major credit agencies
"The county's bond rating is the most significant indicator of how well we are managing the financial position of the county while implementing policies that support the local economy. We are here because we have an excellent county staff."   
Chair At-Large Ann Wheeler
School Announcements
2020-2021 School Year
PWC Schools are preparing to open for in-person learning as regularly scheduled on August 25. They are also developing an extensive plan should virtual learning be required. Later this spring, representative parents will provide focused input regarding their Return to New Learning plan.
Confronting Racism
The School Board has issued a statement on the death of George Floyd and their commitment to promoting institutional change to combat racism and inequity within our schools. One of the many actions outlined in the statement is the pursuit of concrete ideas to engage students in constructive dialogue. 
Ann B. Wheeler was elected Chair At-Large of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors during the 2019 General Election and assumed office on January 1, 2020. Prince William County is located 25 miles south of Washington, D.C., and is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s second-most populous county with approximately 470,000 residents.