Good afternoon, I’m Ann Wheeler, Chair At-Large of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

I am excited and honored to embark on my fourth year as the Board Chair and have the opportunity to speak today on our County's amazing progress, and potential, as part of the annual State of the County address. This is a tradition that allows us to reflect on our recent successes and to look ahead with hope and determination to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Together, with our adopted Strategic Plan as our guide, we will continue to build a brighter future for all of us.

I would like to start by expressing my deep gratitude and admiration for my colleagues on the Board of County Supervisors. Their tireless commitment and dedication to our community has been a constant source of inspiration to me, and I am grateful to each of them for their tremendous service to their constituents. As A Board, together, we have been able to make so many positive changes to bring us to where we are today.

I especially want to recognize and thank Pete Candland for his many years of service as the Gainesville District Supervisor, and I think I can speak for all the members on the Board when I say that we wish him great success in all his future endeavors. I look forward to working with the incoming Gainesville District Supervisor after next month's special election.

I am also thrilled to welcome Christopher Shorter as our new County executive, whose wealth of experience in local government operations, strategic planning, and financial management will be an asset in leading the organization and advancing the County to a successful and exciting future. I do want to take a moment to thank Elijah Johnson for his invaluable contributions as acting County executive this past year. His commitment and dedication to the organization and the community is commendable, and we are so very grateful for his leadership and guidance over the past year.

And while there are many to thank for the successes of the County, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to the nearly 6,000 County staff members who work tirelessly every day to make Prince William County a strong, prosperous, and vital community. Your dedication and commitment are truly inspiring, and we are deeply grateful for your service.

Prince William County is at the forefront of progress in many areas. Our growing community is a shining example of diversity and inclusivity, with Prince William County being the most diverse county in Virginia and the 10th most diverse in the nation. It is through the collective vision and hard work of the Board of County Supervisors, County leadership and staff, stakeholders, local business owners, and members of the community that we stand at a true turning point as we enter the new year. Together, we can achieve anything. So, let's embrace this moment and work towards building an even brighter future for all of us.

Despite the continued challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain financial climate, Prince William County has made remarkable progress this past year. Thanks to the resilience and determination of our community, we have not only weathered the storm, but have emerged stronger than ever before. Our County has become a place where people can live, work, and play with confidence and optimism for the future. 

One of the most important actions we can take to strengthen our community, in addition to investing in the local economy, is in investing in the education of the next generation of the leaders in the Prince William County school system. This has been of the highest priority for this board, and last year’s budget offered over $100 million more annually in school funding directly from the County versus when this Board took office and cumulatively, we have given over an additional $250 million to support our school system. This funding ensures the continuing success of our schools and helps provide our students with the resources they need to succeed. We are raising the bar on raising the next generation and our entire local community will benefit.

Along those lines, I am thrilled to announce that our local economy is thriving. Our internal economic development initiatives alone have resulted in $1.3 billion in capital investment in just in 2022, leading to the creation and retention of over 1,700 jobs. Our coordinated efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic with ARPA funds helped our storefronts, hotels, and small businesses rebound and reimagine their futures in 2022. We awarded more than $9 million to approximately 350 small businesses in Prince William County with our Restore Retail grant and Lift Up Lodging program. 

Looking forward to 2023, our economic development department will move forward with plans to implement an SBA Microloan Program, giving more options to our community businesses to stay, grow, and expand right here. We will also release the comprehensive Barriers to Success study, which will dive into how our business resources and systems can be improved for small business owners. 

Finally, we are doubling down on the value of our entrepreneurial ecosystem. High-growth companies can drive innovation and, moreover, increase new jobs and employment. That's why the Board supported an expansion of the IGNITE program, which will now offer high-growth companies cash grants of up to $100,000 to help them achieve their goals in Prince William County. The IGNITE program is expanding to support ongoing education, community building, and student business development opportunities. 

Overall, it’s an exciting time to start, grow, and expand your business in Prince William County. 

Financially, Prince William County continues to thrive as the Board remains committed to its Principles of Sound Financial Management and further diversifies its tax base to maintain a stable revenue system. 

I am pleased to report that our financial efforts have been recognized once again by all three bond credit rating agencies, which have affirmed Prince William County's AAA bond rating. This is the highest rating available and a testament to the Board of County Supervisors' focus on making smart investments in our County while providing the necessary services to support our residents. The rating analysts have recognized our important progress in attracting new businesses, diversifying our tax base, and strengthening our financial condition. Out of more than 3,100 counties in the nation, Prince William County is one of only 49 to receive a AAA rating from all three agencies, affirming our status as a fiscally responsible and sound local government.

Last year, I spoke about the Board's priority of addressing the recruitment and retention of a skilled workforce. In November 2022, we reaffirmed our commitment to our current and future staff by adopting a Collective Bargaining Ordinance. For the first time in the County’s history, employees have the right to bargain collectively over terms and conditions of employment. 

In addition, in December 2022, the Board approved an increase to the police pay scales and hiring incentives for hard-to-fill vacancies throughout the County organization, making the Prince William County government a more competitive and desirable place to work. As a Board, we are dedicated to supporting our County staff and will continue to work hard to create a supportive and fulfilling work environment. We value the contributions of our dedicated employees and are committed to helping them succeed. 

In addition to supporting our first responders to create a safer community, we understand the importance of investing in our community to help achieve that same end. That is why the Board of County Supervisors recently approved the creation of a new Community Safety Initiative. This broad initiative aligns directly with our Strategic Plan goal of being a safe and secure community and brings together County agencies, community groups, and trusted voices from across our County to address the various concerns related to safety.

By leveraging and coordinating the efforts of all those committed to keeping Prince William County safe, this initiative allows all voices to be heard and identifies proactive steps forward. We are excited about the positive impact this will have on our community, and the chance to work together to build a brighter future for all of us.

Prince William County continues to make important strides in achieving our health, well-being, and human services strategic goal, including securing funding for a Crisis Receiving Center. This cutting-edge project will help some of the most vulnerable members of our community by providing timely access to services for those experiencing acute mental health care needs. The initial $11.9 million needed to open the Crisis Receiving Center, which will be located at the old Gander Mountain building in Woodbridge, was secured from a combination of federal, state, and local sources. We are hoping to see it open early next year and it will be of immense benefit to our community. We also have secured federal funding to assist in building the County’s Homeless Navigation Center on the Eastern end. We look forward as this project progresses. 

Another priority for the Board is our strategic goal of environmental conservation and sustainability. In its first year, the Office of Sustainability was allocated $1 million to advance sustainability in our County. The Sustainability Commission was also formally created, consisting of eight appointed residents by the Board of County Supervisors. In addition to this, we continue with our stream water restoration projects throughout the County and our reforestation initiative to plant native trees in resource protection areas.

Transportation safety and mobility remain top priorities for the Board of County Supervisors. That's why we work closely with our regional partners and state and federal agencies to enhance transportation options for our residents.

In 2022, as pedestrian crashes continued to increase nationwide, we completed critical pedestrian projects on Old Bridge Road, Gemini Way, and Mill Street to provide safe, ADA-accessible facilities for our residents. We celebrated key milestones on major transportation improvement projects, including breaking ground on the Brentsville Interchange. We also broke ground on the Prince William Parkway-University Boulevard Intersection Improvement Project, an innovative quadrant intersection funded by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority that will create a new connection in the Innovation Park area to significantly improve mobility and support economic development. The County was recognized with an achievement award from the National Association of Counties for our successful efforts in enhancing transparency and public participation in our Transportation program to improve our service to the community. 

In 2022, the County also secured more than $100 million dollars in external funding to implement the Capital Improvement transportation projects adopted by this Board. The majority of funding for our active transportation projects, more than 80 percent, is from sources outside of the County revenues. Finally, we adopted a new Mobility Chapter of the Comprehensive Plan that, for the first time in County history, incorporates recreational trails as part of the transportation network and actually reduces roadway lane miles from the previous plan. 

2023 will continue to be an exciting year for transportation. We are entering this new year with many active mobility projects in the County, such as the Balls Ford Road Interchange scheduled for completion this year. These active projects total more than $1.2 billion dollars. Many of these projects include pedestrian access and safety aspects, including sidewalks, shared-use paths, and traffic calming measures. This reflects this Board’s commitment to reducing transportation fatalities and injuries as one of the priorities in the coming year. 

We are excited about these projects, which exemplify how Prince William County is leveraging collaboration, innovation, and strategic investment to meet current needs and set our County up for long-term success. 

One of our most impressive achievements last year is the completion and adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, a turning point for Prince William County. This extensive plan is the result of six years of hard work, planning, and research, and it outlines the County's plan for growth for the next 20 years. It represents our commitment to investing in and guiding our community, from roads and parks to libraries and land use, and it shows that Prince William County is a growing, thriving place. I believe that we can make positive progress if we all work together with a shared goal of making our County a stronger and better place for all County residents. 

As we look forward to 2023, we have much to be excited about. I truly believe that Prince William County is a great place to live and do business. We’ve accomplished a lot over the past three years, and there is more work to be done, but it is an exciting time for Prince William County. As our region continues to grow and offer new benefits and opportunities, Prince William County is committed to being a part of that success and welcoming and embracing the diverse perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds of all those who call our community home. It is our honor to serve you, and we look forward to the many accomplishments we will achieve through our collaboration. Let’s get to work!

Thank you.