Issue 24
Monday, August 3, 2020
Prince William County
Dear Neighbors,

Last week the life of Congressman John Lewis was celebrated. Continuing to cross barriers, he was the first Black lawmaker to lie in state in the Capital Rotunda, one of America's highest honors. Three U.S. Presidents spoke at his funeral, honoring a life dedicated to protecting rights and improving lives.

Aptly, Congressman Lewis spoke to us too. In his last days, he penned an essay with instructions it be printed on the day of his funeral. If you haven't read Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation, I encourage you to take a few minutes to do so.

In this Issue you will find COVID-19 updates, BOCS information, an event reminder, and a weather story. I want to call your attention to several action items. The first one is on the agenda for Tuesday's BOCS meeting. Item 10 B pertains to a proposed bypass to alleviate traffic congestion on Route 28. It was deferred from the last meeting to allow for citizen input. I encourage you to sign-up to speak if you have a position on the item you would like to share with the board.

Two other action items relate to the County's 2021-2024 Strategic Plan. Please complete the brief survey if you haven't yet. If it isn't on your calendar, find out when your district Supervisor is holding their resident community conversations. You are also welcome to attend one of mine. The dates and times are being scheduled and I will advise as soon as they are finalized.

In Service,
Chair Ann Wheeler
COVID-19
State News
Help For Small Businesses
Governor Ralph Northam recently unveiled a new economic recovery fund for small businesses and nonprofit organizations whose normal operations were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rebuild VA recovery fund of $70 million will provide grants up to $10,000 to approximately 7,000 applicants. The application process opens August 10. The program will be administered by the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD).
“It’s clear that our COVID-19 economic recovery is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, and this puts great pressure on our small businesses to make costly, unexpected adjustments, from paid sick leave to purchasing PPE.” 
Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball
Answer The Call
An important part of how Virginia can slow the spread of COVID-19 is Contact Tracing . The Virginia Department of Health has created a short video to help you better understand the process.
County News
More Funding
The Governor has announced the Commonwealth will be distributing another $644.6 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding to local governments. This is the second and final round of allocations related to the federal CARES Act ( Issue 14 & Issue 23 ). Similar to the first round, it will be allotted proportionally based on population and equal to the first installment, which was $41 million for PWC . To receive the second allocation, localities must submit a new certification form and complete an online survey regarding the use of their CRF dollars. 
Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF)
  • The federal CARES Act established the CRF to provide funding to states and eligible local governments
  • Virginia received approximately $3.1 billion as its share of the $150 billion CRF
  • The CARES Act does not require states distribute funding to local governments with populations less than 500,000
  • Governor Northam choose to direct funds to cities and counties of all sizes
COVID-19 Testing
With the establishment of five fixed testing locations and the addition of mobile sites , COVID-19 testing is available throughout the county. You can find testing information on the PWC COVID-19 testing web page, which is kept updated with the latest information.
Board Of County Supervisors
Upcoming Meeting
The BOCS will meet 
Tuesday , August 4 at 2:00 pm

For Public Comment Time options visit 
SpeakUp! Prince William.
Advance sign-up   is required by
5:00 pm on Monday, August 3.
NOTE: This is the last meeting before August recess .
The next scheduled meetings are
Tuesday, September 8 at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm .
Be Part Of The Process
As shared in Issue 19 , community engagement  is a vital component in the county's 2021-2024 Strategic Planning process. Your input will help in selecting goals and priorities to guide the county’s vision for the future. The two ways you can participate, a survey and a community conversation , are detailed below.
A Brief Survey
First, everyone can help by responding to an online survey. Only 8-questions, it will be available online until  August 30. The demographic questions are because the county would like responses from a broad cross-section of the community. However, please know all responses are kept strictly anonymous.
Community Conversations
Every magisterial district Supervisor is holding conversations with residents. If you haven't heard from your supervisor yet, keep an eye out for their session announcements. Chair Wheeler is also holding 2 county-wide sessions in late August. More information on those will be provided in the near future.
If you want to learn more about the county's Strategic Plan read the How Your Government Works feature article in Issue 17
Don't Forget
Community-Building
National Night Out (NNO) is Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020 . This year residents are encouraged to spend the evening outside with their families and neighbors using appropriate social distancing. Neighborhood watch programs throughout the county will host motorcade stops where police officers and other law enforcement personnel can meet neighbors. COVID-19 restrictions will necessitate some changes from previous years, primarily not having the public enter police vehicles.
Storm Warning
Parts Of Virginia In the Path
Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to strengthen back to a hurricane. It is currently predicted to continue traveling up the east coast impacting coastal Virginia. On Friday July 31, Governor Northam declared a state of emergency which allows the Commonwealth to mobilize resources and equipment needed for response and recovery efforts. 
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.