At Tuesday's Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board designated February as Black History Month in Fairfax County and recognized the Best Workplaces for Commuter awardees including the following from the Providence District: Brookfield Properties, Operated by CBRE, Cougaar Software, Inc., Groundswell Corporation, Inova Health System - Inova Center for Personalized Health, Maximus, Mosaic, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, Silverstone Senior Living, The Boro, The MITRE Corporation, Towers Crescent, Transurban, Tysons Community Alliance, and Tysons Corner Center. You can access the full list of awardees here.

I presented the following Board Matters:

• Recognizing February as National Children's Dental Health Month
• Celebrating Women's History Month with a Menstrual Product Drive - jointly with Chairman McKay and Supervisor Smith

The Board also took the following actions:

• Held a public hearing and approved the rezoning of Tax Map Parcel 39-4 ((1)) 24 (Dunn Loring Elementary School) to permit a new elementary school with an overall floor ratio of 0.30. Access the final proffers here.

• Authorized the advertisement of a public hearing on March 18th at 4 pm to consider adopting the proposed One-Year Action Plan for FY 2026.

• Held a public hearing and approved the proposed zoning ordinance amendment related to special events and food trucks.

Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) Nomination Process

One week left for SSPA nominations! If you would like to propose a site-specific land use change for the county’s 2025 Countywide Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) cycle, be sure to submit your nomination by Thursday, February 13th.

Prosperity Avenue Road Diet Survey

Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) held a virtual public meeting on Monday, Jan. 27th to discuss repurposing two of the four lanes on Prosperity Avenue between Hilltop Road and Gallows Road with protected bike lanes. They are seeking community feedback now through February 14th.

Hunter's Branch Community Input Meeting

There will be a virtual Community Input Meeting on February 27th from 7:00 pm- 9:00 pm to discuss the proposed redevelopment of the Hunters Branch Office Complex. The meeting will cover transportation study results and staff recommendations.

Plan Forward

As Fairfax County’s Plan Forward continues its work to update policies that guide how land is developed, several community meetings are scheduled for this February.

The public is invited to attend a meeting to hear the latest project updates and staff's research findings. Community conversations and comments obtained this winter will be used alongside the community feedback already received to inform staff's recommendations for policy changes. 

Metro Seeks Community Input for Proposed FY26 Budget

The public comment period on Metro’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) has begun and the community is encouraged to take the survey and provide written comments by 5:00 pm on Monday, February 10th.

Customers and the general public will have four opportunities to provide feedback publicly on the budget proposal. They are invited to participate in person, via video, or telephone.

Celebrating Black History Month

This month, we proudly celebrate the achievements, contributions, and resilience of Black individuals throughout history. From leaders who fought for justice to innovators who changed the world, Black history is a vital part of our collective story.

There are a variety of engaging events at parks, libraries, and community centers, where you can immerse yourself in Black culture, history, and excellence. Together, let’s honor the past, celebrate the present, and inspire the future! You can find a list of those events here.

Chief vs. Chief Adoption Bowl 2025

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter is thrilled to announce the return of the Chief vs. Chief Adoption Bowl for the second year in a row! This exciting adoption event, featuring fee-waived adoptions for dogs 45 pounds and larger, runs from Thursday through Sunday, February 6th to February 9th.

AARP Tax-Aide

AARP is hosting free tax-aide workshops at the Jim Scott Community Center on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm now through April 12th.

*Please note workshops will not be held on February 15th and April 1st.

Volunteer and Build a Baby Box

Baby Boxes are a meaningful way to make sure that the littlest members of our community have the basic necessities to get started in life. Individuals or organizations can make baby boxes to help support teen moms, babies in foster care, young mothers, and other families in need.

Application for the 2025 Student Representative to the School Board

Each year FCPS students have the opportunity to apply for the position of student representative to the School Board. The student representative is not a member of the School Board but serves in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, representing the interests of the students at Fairfax County Public Schools.

Celebrate Women's History Month with the Menstrual Product Drive

I have partnered with my colleagues, the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, the Library, the Community Services Board, and the Commission for Women to host our second annual donation drive in March to collect essential menstrual products for our vulnerable community members.

Donations will be collected at 53 sites across the County including the Fairfax County Government Center, numerous Board of Supervisor offices and Department of Neighborhood and Community Services centers, all Fairfax County Public Library branches, and the Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health.

Leaf Collection Update

Leaf collection crews are wrapping up work in Areas 3 and 4. Round 2 leaf collection will begin in Areas 5 and 6 on Wednesday, February 5th. Please continue to check the leaf collection schedule for updates.

Green Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day

This Valentine’s Day, celebrate in a way that warms hearts without filling trash bins. With a little creativity, you can express love for your partner and the planet. Check out some ideas for a zero-waste Valentine’s celebration!

2025 ArtsFairfax Awards

ArtsFairfax will present the 2025 ArtsFairfax Awards to recognize the visionary contributions that the arts bring to Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church. Nominations are open to the public. Self-nominations are accepted. ArtsFairfax will announce the award winners in April.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 28th by 5:00 pm.

Keep the Heat On: Apply for Crisis Assistance

It's been a cold winter so far, which can strain heating systems and budgets. Crisis Assistance helps those in a “no heat” situation in their home, such as broken equipment or receiving a disconnection notice. You could receive assistance such as payment of a security deposit, purchase of heating fuel, repair or replacement of broken heating equipment, or supplemental heating equipment.

Crisis Assistance applications are accepted now through March 17th.

FCPS Proposed Budget for FY2026

During the recent FCPS School Board meeting, a proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 was introduced, prioritizing student needs, family expectations, and fiscal responsibility. The budget addresses taxpayer concerns, chronic state underfunding, and the evolving needs of today’s students.

Totaling $4.0 billion, the proposal represents a $297.1 million (7.9%) increase over the FY 2025 Approved Budget. It includes a request for an additional $268.3 million, a 10.4% increase from the prior year’s transfer, though only a 5.6% increase from last year’s request.

English Conversation Groups

The Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) offers English conversation groups at most of its branches when in-branch programs are running, with levels from beginner to intermediate and advanced. These online conversation groups are open to all adults looking to practice their English, no matter which branch you usually visit or if you have participated in a library conversation group before.

Connect Fairfax County: Enhancing Safety Through Collaboration

The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) launched Connect Fairfax County, a new program to improve public safety by allowing participants to register their security cameras. Registering your camera does not grant FCPD access to your footage. This program allows community members and commercial property owners to register their security cameras with FCPD’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) via an online portal. Law enforcement can quickly use this information to reference a map of relevant cameras that may contain actionable evidence that can be reviewed by our detectives.

Sorensen Institute’s High School Leaders Program

The High School Leaders Program (HSLP) at the University of Virginia will be held from July 12th through July 26th. This two-week, immersive experience will engage students in policy discussions, leadership training, and networking with Virginia’s top civic leaders. This program is open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and helps build essential skills for making a real impact in your community.

Deadline for the application is March 25th.