Issue 42
Friday, November 20, 2020
Prince William County
Dear Neighbors,

Stores had their holiday merchandise out before Halloween. Soon afterwards, yuletide tunes were wafting from their speakers. Then, in what seemed to be the overnight magic of elves, parking area decorations suddenly appeared. Now every other commercial is adorned in red, green and tinsel.

I know its easy to get distracted when so much effort is spent diverting our attention and our next Wheeler Report will be a special holiday focused issue. Yet, as you will see in the articles below, there's quite a lot happening in our county right now.

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to let all of my subscribers know how grateful I am for your engagement and continued desire to be informed. Please consider forwarding issues and sharing them on your social media so more people can stay up to date about PWC. If you aren't a subscriber, use the subscribe button so you never miss an issue!

In Service,
Chair Ann Wheeler
COVID-19
Local Testing
Free COVID-19 testing continues to be available for anyone who lives or works in PWC, the City of Manassas, or the City of Manassas Park. Participants must provide their full name, telephone number, and a home or work address in one of the three jurisdictions. All sites can accommodate drive-thru or walk-up testing.
The list of weekly testing locations and times website is continually updated. Please check it to confirm before heading out (expand top box on the website). Facts about testing can also be found here.

NOTE: Increasingly testing locations are reaching capacity quickly and closing. To ensure you receive a test please arrive at the site as close as possible to the start time. Testing is not available once the test kits are depleted at each site. To be sent updates on closings due to capacity, sign up for PWC email updates or check the PWC Government Facebook page.
From BOCS November 17 Meeting
PWC Schools
The BOCS passed a resolution which transferred $3,240,000 to the School Board Operating Fund. The allocation is from the federal CARES Act and must be used for COVID-19 related expenses and in accordance with the rules governing their use.
Tax Extension
The BOCS passed a resolution extending the payment deadline for real estate taxes for the second-half of 2020 for 60 days. The extension applies to both commercial and residential real property and changes the deadline from December 5, 2020 to February 3, 2021. If the real estate taxes for the second-half of 2020 are not paid on or before Feb. 3, 2021, the amount of the installment is past due. If you have questions, call the PWC tax office at 703-792-6710 or email [email protected].
County Taskforce And Recovery Updates
PWC Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Misner's updates included that the:
  • Testing Taskforce has administered more than 12,150 free tests since July 13
  • Feeding Taskforce has redirected over 8 million pounds of food
  • Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Program has funded 217 applications for over $2.2 million
  • Small Business Micro-Grants has awarded 532 grants totaling over $4 million
Vaccination Planning
Pre-planning for COVID-19 vaccination by PWC Health District, Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park Emergency Management is following these current Virginia Department of Health Planning Assumptions:
  • Phase I (Limited doses available) - Vaccinations will be closed events and highly targeted on immunization of healthcare, public safety, and persons with highest risk of severe illness.
  • Phase II (Large number of doses available) - Transition to vaccinating general public at large at open community events and Public Health events focused on underserved and hard to reach populations.
  • Phase III (Continued vaccination) - A surplus of vaccine is expected and will be available in the private sector much like the flu shot.
Help
Overwhelmed by COVID-19? You are not alone. Call or text the VA COPES warmline seven days a week at 877-349-5428 to talk to trained crisis counselors who are here to help. Available to all Virginians, it is staffed
Monday through Friday from 9 am to 9 pm and on weekends from 5 pm to 9 pm. Spanish speakers are available.
Chair Wheeler
Meet The Chair
County staff recently talked with Chair Wheeler about her journey and vision for PWC. Watch this 2 minute video to find out what they learned.
Chair Wheeler participated in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly opened Oh! Market (Issue 41) at 7412 Stream Walk Lane in Manassas. The 47,000 square foot store, which opened Friday, November 20, stocks grocery items from 60 countries, has a mini food court, and a walk-in fish market! Get a peek inside the store, see the ribbon cutting, and hear from Chair Wheeler in WJLA's recent video and article. Follow Oh! Market's Facebook page to keep up to date on everything they will be doing at the store!
BOCS
The next BOCS public meetings will be on
TuesdayDecember 1 at
2:00 pm - regular meeting and
6:30 pm - state delegation meeting

A Special Closed Meeting has been added for Tuesday, November 24 at 9 am to conduct interviews.
In addition to the items featured in this Wheeler Report, at the November 17 meeting the BOCS also passed a resolution endorsing the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (COG) interim climate mitigation goal of 50 percent greenhouse gas emission reductions below 2005 levels by 2030.

An independent, nonprofit association, COG has a membership of 300 elected officials from 24 local governments, the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, and U.S. Congress.
While The Wheeler Report covers a wide variety of county news, these agencies and local elected officials are not under the direction of the BOCS:
  • Courts - Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court
  • Elected Officials - Commonwealth’s Attorney, Clerk of the Court, School Board, and Sheriff
  • General Fund Agencies - Adult Detention Center, Elections, Health Department, and Virginia Cooperative Extension
Transportation Opportunity
Applications are due by Thursday, December 10
Transportation Planning Board (TPB) is accepting applications for their 2021-2022 Citizens Advisory Council (CAC). Comprised of people from the Washington metropolitan region who bring diverse viewpoints on long-term transportation policy, the mission of CAC is to:
  • Promote public involvement in transportation planning for the region
  • Advance equitable representation in regional transportation planning, and
  • Provide independent region-oriented community advice to the TPB on transportation plans and issues
The committee will meet once a month from February 2021 to December 2022.
County News
It is exciting to announce and welcome Parag Agrawal as PWC's new Planning Director. Mr. Agrawal believes strongly in community engagement, building positive relationships, and collaboration. He is looking forward to bringing his experience in revitalization, redevelopment, and land conservation to the county. His start date is expected to be December 7, 2020.
The BOCS recently accepted, budgeted, and appropriated $98,770 to the PWC Police Department from the U.S. Department of Justice's Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. The funds will be used to replace existing, aging forensic equipment that is outdated, at the end of its lifecycle, and insufficient to meet current demands.
Smart911, a free service for individuals and families that provides key information to 9-1-1 call takers during an emergency, is now available in PWC! Participation starts by creating a Safety Profile for your household at Smart911 online or in the Smart911 App. All information is optional, and you have the ability to choose the details you want to include. By completing the Safety Profile ahead of time, that information is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker, allowing them to send the right response teams to the right location with the right information. Additional information including pets in the home, vehicle details in the event of a crash, and even emergency contacts can be included.
 "The additional information, that is completely controlled by the citizen, can provide first responders with information that may include who may be in the residence, where they may be located and any medical conditions that they may have."
 Eddie Reyes
Director, Prince William County Public Safety Communications
PWC is now using PetData, Inc. for their dog licensing program.
PetData/PWC is a national company that handles everything including mailing animal licensing notices, processing payments, entering data, answering phone calls from pet owners, and online pet licensing. Please note, the county no longer processes dog licenses at the counter, by mail or online.
Your 2021 PWC dog license tag will include important free benefits. To access these benefits, once you receive the tag, scan the QR code on the tag using a smartphone camera. This provides access to the PetHub "Activate Your Tag" webpage to create your free account, sign up to for found pet alerts, keep a pet's medical history and more.
PWC government offices will be closed Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
A Way To Help
Girl Scout Troop 2767 is hosting a Coat and Blanket Drive to Benefit ACTS. Please wear a mask and bring your bagged items to Old Bridge United Methodist Church at 3966 Old Bridge Road in Woodbridge on Sunday, November 22 from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. Please email any questions to Crystal Adame.
A Great Resource
Did you know PWC has a great interactive recreational portal? Whether you are interested in hiking, golfing or visiting a historic property the portal is your resource! Using the portal, you can find locations and detailed information for the following things available to the residents of our county:
  • Parks
  • Fitness, Pools and Golf
  • Historic Properties
  • Trails
  • Water Access
Empowering Parents
The Prevention Alliance of Greater William is bringing together local educators and experts to host a two-day, multi-lingual workshop to empower parents and provide them with information to safeguard their children. Presenters and partners participating in the free, virtual sessions are the Virginia Cooperative Extension, NAMI Prince William, Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Action, PWC Community Services, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and Why Inc.
Tuesday, December 8, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm
"Recognizing Signs of Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use in Youth" 

Thursday, December 10, from 7 pm to 8:30 pm
"How to Start the Conversation and Build Open Relationships with Our Children" 
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.