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Dear Neighbor, 

As many of you are aware, a referendum bill in Richmond seeks to clear the way for a casino in Tysons along the Silver Line just a stone’s throw from the edge of the Dranesville District. Like I told many of you while I was campaigning, I do not believe that a casino along the Silver Line is a good idea, nor did I or any of my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors ask for the authority granted in this bill to put forth a casino referendum. To quote Chairman McKay: “What happened here is that people in a vacuum worked on a plan and went to Richmond without coordinating with Fairfax County . . . None of those groups have come formally, sat down with me and said, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re proposing. This is what our bill looks like. Will Fairfax County engage in conversations with us?’” I am hopeful that the Board of Supervisors Legislative Committee Meeting being held tomorrow, Friday, January 26, will result in action from the full Board. You can follow along here starting at 4:00pm. 

First, let me speak to the merits. I am a strong supporter of mixed use, transit-oriented development along the Silver Line that continues to make Fairfax County a great place to establish your business or to raise your family. In my view, locating a casino along the Metro is inconsistent with our County’s development strategy for Tysons and out-of-step with our county-wide efforts to create more attainable housing and transit opportunities for our workforce. While I understand that such projects always come with the promise of jobs and tax dollars, I have yet to see strong evidence that the benefits outweigh the costs in general associated with casino activities, and certainly not with the proposed bill, which only promises to send at most about 25% of tax receipts to the County while shipping the rest off to Richmond. In other words, with respect to both the opportunity costs and the real costs of such a casino, in my view, the juice is not worth the squeeze.  

Second, let me speak to what I’ve heard from you. I have yet to speak to a single constituent in favor of a local casino. (But if you do support it, please let me know at [email protected].) Rather, starting in the summer last year, I began to hear from residents while knocking on doors that they didn’t want a casino along the Silver Line. Immediately upon taking office, before the bill had even been finalized in Richmond, I started receiving emails from constituents asking me to oppose a casino. And since the bill has been made public, opposition has only grown not just in office and meeting contacts, but in terms of local groups and civic associations, such as the McLean Citizens Association, the Great Falls Citizens Association, McLean Hunt Homeowners Association, Herndon-Reston Indivisible. Proponents of the casino have suggested that the primary casino opposition is coming from outside agitators. I assure you that I understand that claim is simply nonsense. Again, if you support the casino, please do let me know. So far opposition has been uniform. 

I called the bill’s sponsor yesterday and told him what I’ve been hearing from my constituents regarding their opposition to a casino in Tysons and that I do not intend to advance a referendum on a casino. If the Senator is serious about bringing additional tax revenue to Fairfax County for our schools and services, I suggested that he focus on what we do need – let’s change the way Virginia funds schools and bring state school funding in line with our peer jurisdictions. (Have you heard me say that before?) Further, in light of comments that the Senator made that Tysons was an ideal location to draw Maryland gamblers because “the roads are wide open on the Virginia half of the Beltway there because of the NEXT project and because of the Express lanes,” I invited him to visit us in Dranesville and actually spend some time on the Beltway and help us fix the myriad of problems caused by I-495 NEXT construction, which is what I have been focused on in my early days in office. 

The casino bill cleared its first hurdle yesterday in the General Laws Committee and now heads to the Senate Finance Committee, where I know Senator Jennifer Boysko, who represents all of Dranesville, opposes the bill. As I said, it’s my sincere hope that after tomorrow’s Board of Supervisors Legislative Committee Meeting, the Board will be taking additional action to make our position clear.  

This is a far longer start to a newsletter than appropriate, but I think it’s important to let you know that I hear you, I’m working on it, and when it comes to a casino in Tysons: don’t bet on it. 

All the best, 

Jimmy 

James N. Bierman, Jr. 

Dranesville District Supervisor

McLean Governmental Center 

1437 Balls Hill Road

McLean, VA 22101

PH: 703-356-0551

[email protected]

Supervisor Bierman attended his first Board of Supervisors meeting on January 23, 2024. He introduced two Board Matters to address the concerns of Dranesville residents regarding traffic and road construction. Board Matters are one way that a Supervisor can raise an issue to the other Supervisors, and, with their approval, direct appropriate action. Both Board Matters were unanimously approved by the Board. After the Board unanimously voted in favor of his first Board Matter, Supervisor Bierman joked that he was 1 for 1 and “batting a thousand.” With the passage of the second Board Matter, he actually went 2 for 2! 

The first Board Matter advances an effort to improve the County’s cut-through restriction program. As you may know, communities that meet various VDOT criteria and have sufficient community approval may have access to roads restricted during specific times of day to reduce the amount of traffic. Of course, this type of restriction would also limit the ability of residents to use these roads during those hours. State law permits localities to adopt an ordinance to exempt residents from these restrictions by creating a sticker exemption program. This Board Matter directs staff to provide responsive information at a February 13 Board Transportation committee meeting with the goal of the creation of a sticker exemption program in Fairfax. 

The second Board Matter addresses the I-495 NEXT project and is based upon concerns about coordination with Maryland on their plans for I-495 and the American Legion Bridge and the significant deforestation along the construction site. These concerns are heightened by the lack of response from Virginia Secretary of Transportation Sheppard Miller to a September 2023 letter from the Board asking for information and input into a written agreement between Virginia and Maryland on this project. The Board Matter directs staff to seek additional information from VDOT and to develop a plan for coordination with VDOT and Maryland to address concerns with the implementation and effects of the project, especially regarding deforestation, ramps to nowhere, and community engagement.  

You can read the full text of both Board Matters here.

Supervisor Bierman is committed to working to address community concerns related to traffic and road construction.

January 23 Board Meeting Highlights

At last Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, the board designated January 2024 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Everyone deserves to feel safe and supported in their community. If you are worried that you or someone you know has been trafficked, there are resources available. Reach out to the Fairfax County Domestic and Sexual Violence Services 24-Hour Hotline 703-360-7273.

Supervisors Jimmy Bierman and Andres Jimenez from Mason District at their first Board meeting.

The Board also designated January 14-20, 2024, as Teen Cancer Awareness Week, November 2023 (retroactively) as Military Family Appreciation Month, and recognized Eileen Ellsworth for 18 years of service as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia.

The Board approved traffic calming measures on Forestville Drive as part of the Residential Traffic Administration Program.

The Board of Supervisors adopted an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance, which updated the landscaping and screening regulations. The amendment increased the required percentage for interior parking lot landscaping, added street frontage landscaping, revised the transitional screening and barrier requirements, updated maintenance provisions, and made other changes. The revisions will be incorporated into the online Zoning Ordinance in the near future.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors official meeting summaries, video archive, meeting highlights podcast, and meeting schedule can be found on the county web site: www.fairfaxcounty.gov.

This week is Data Privacy Week, an international effort held annually to raise awareness about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data and building trust. Taking steps to manage your privacy settings and data is an important part of emergency preparedness actions we all should take:

• Review account privacy settings. Log into social, shopping, cloud storage sites and ensure you have security options enabled. Disable location tracking, limit ad targeting, and lock down public viewing of posts, photos and data.
• Adjust smartphone privacy. iOS and Android phones collect sizable data on movements, interests and activities. Adjust settings to limit app permissions, turn off tracking services, and disable unnecessary default options that share data without your knowledge.
• Remove unused online accounts. Our digital footprints accumulate over the years. Delete unused social media accounts, old retailer accounts with outdated payment data, obsolete cloud storage logs and other vestiges that could pose security risks if hacked.
• Check credentials on financial accounts. Ensure robust passwords, passcodes and two-factor authentication are enabled on banking, investment, insurance and other accounts with sensitive personally identifiable information. Update where needed.
• Learn more about emerging tech. Read up on privacy best practices as networked gadgets, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and extended realities become more pervasive. These technologies introduce new data vulnerabilities that conscientious consumers should be aware of.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also offers these tips:

• Share less information with apps and services.
• Use strong and unique passwords with two factor authentication (2FA).
• Tighten privacy settings on your social media accounts.
• Delete unused accounts, apps and browser extensions.
• Stop search engines from tracking you.
• Use a VPN to hide your browsing history.

This one-week Data Privacy Week initiative serves as an annual reminder for individuals and organizations to reassess privacy practices. But responsible data stewardship requires year-round vigilance in today’s interconnected world. Treat personal data like the valuable asset it is.

Eight local jurisdictions across metropolitan Washington, including Fairfax County, have finalized a Regional Fair Housing Plan, submitted their portions of the plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in December, and are now looking ahead at implementing its goals and strategies. The update on the plan, which marks the first time in 25 years that local jurisdictions have joined together on a similar effort, was announced at the Board of Directors meeting of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). For more information, visit the COG website.

Arts Herndon is happy to announce that the call for art for the 13th Expressions Portrait Competition has now reopened and is scheduled to close February 8th, 2024. Artists 18 years or older residing in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and West Virginia are invited to submit original 2D or 3D portrait art.

Preference will be given to works following the traditional definition of portraiture: “…a painting, sculpture, or other artistic representation, in which the face and its expression is predominant with the intent to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person.” Finalists will be featured in the Expressions Portrait Exhibit at Arts Herndon, February 28 through March 28. Winners of the competition will be announced during the awards reception on Saturday, March 16, 2024, from 4 - 6 pm. For complete details and application form, visit the ArtsHerndon Website.

Following a three-month administrative review, the Fairfax County Park Authority Board lifted the temporary hold on the Mastenbrook Grant Program and applications are now being accepted.

As a result of the administrative review, the Park Authority is introducing new criterion for eligibility. In order to be considered for a grant, the maximum project cost for proposed projects cannot exceed $100,000. The added criterion is intended to refocus the Mastenbrook Grant Program on its original intent: to encourage community investment in smaller capital projects that enhance parks and park facilities. For larger projects estimated to cost more than $100,000, funding proposals may still be submitted to the Fairfax County Park Foundation.

Since 1999, the Mastenbrook Grant Program has awarded approximately $2.2 million in grants for projects valued at more than $16.5 million. Grants ranging from a few hundred dollars to the maximum of $20,000 have funded projects such as trail improvements, construction of gazebos and shelters, dog parks, playgrounds and athletic field improvements.

To learn more and apply, visit the Mastenbrook Grant Program webpage.

The buses are fueled and ready to roll as Stuff the Bus - the county’s post-holiday food drive, now in its 13th year - hits the road in the fight against hunger in Fairfax County.

A Fairfax County Fastran bus will visit local grocery stores to collect donated food and household items. Since launching in 2011, the campaign has collected more than 281,500 pounds of food to benefit local non-profit food pantries, resulting in 200,000 meals for those in need.

Saturday, January 27

10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Herndon Giant

2425 Centreville Road, Herndon

Benefitting Cornerstones

For more information, visit the Stuff the Bus website.

Join us on Saturday, February 3 for our first Open House. Enjoy light refreshments, meet Supervisor Bierman and the staff.

Saturday, February 3,

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

McLean Government Center Community Room

1437 Balls Hill Road, McLean

Supervisor Bierman and staff are excited to meet you and hope to see you on February 3rd!

McLean District Police Station will host free child seat inspections on a first come, first serve basis.

Saturdays, January 27, 2024

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

McLean District Station

1437 Balls Hill Rd, McLean

Please have your car seat already installed, so that the inspection can be performed. If you have any questions, contact the McLean Station at 703-556-7750 ext. 0 or email MPO Carolyn Beyer.

Jan. 30 & 31: FCEDA Tech & Cyber Networking and Hiring Fair

Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA) is hosting a free, two-day tech and cyber networking and hiring event, to connect job seekers and employers to help fill thousands of high-priority positions. Network with 40+ in the IT sector ranging from defense and aerospace to healthcare and renewable energy at this free in-person and virtual event. Photographers will be standing by to provide free professional headshots as you browse future opportunities and enjoy a beverage and snack.

Tuesday, January 30th, 2024, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Capital One Hall

7750 Capital One Tower Rd, Tysons

Register Here

Can’t make it in person? Participate virtually on Jan. 31.

For more information, visit the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority website.

The McLean Community Center happily serves the residents of Dranesville Small District 1A and other patrons. Are the classes, events, performances and teen activities meeting your needs and the needs of the community? Tell the MCC what you think. They rely on patrons for feedback on how well the MCC is meeting their mission to provide access to inspirational arts, cultural experiences and learning opportunities.

Take a few minutes to share your experiences and opinions on this survey. 

The survey deadline is January 31, 2024. Your responses will be shared with the MCC Governing Board and the MCC program staff. A public hearing on programs will take place on March 20, 2024 as part of the regular Governing Board meeting for the month. Those McLean Community Center tax district residents wishing to speak at the public hearing should contact [email protected] to be placed on the agenda. For more information, visit the McLean Community Center website.

Join the Asian American Chamber of Commerce and Tysons Corner Center for the Lunar New Year Celebration.

Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Tysons Corner Center

Fashion Court, Lower Level Nordstrom Wing

1961 Chain Bridge Road

Tysons Corner, VA 22102

Free

Enjoy dance performances, a magic show, music and a fashion show. For more information, visit the Lunar New Year Celebration webpage.

Early voting has begun for the March 5 presidential primary election. 

There is a primary for the Republican and Democratic candidates for president. In Virginia, voters do not register by political party, and you may only cast a ballot in one of the presidential primary elections. View sample ballots on the Office of Elections website.

Three locations will be open for early voting on weekdays:

• Fairfax County Government Center: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Mount Vernon Governmental Center: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• North County Governmental Center: 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

*These voting locations will be closed for the George Washington Day holiday on Monday, February 19. 

An additional 13 early voting locations will be offered beginning Saturday, February 24. Before going to vote, please double check the hours early voting sites are open because times vary by location.

Any registered voter can cast their ballot at any early voting site. The last day to vote early is Saturday, March 2, at 5 p.m.

Vote by Mail

For voters who already requested them, absentee ballots will begin to arrive in the mail after January 19. To vote by mail, you must apply by Feb. 23 at 5 p.m., and any registered voter can absentee vote by mail without needing a reason or excuse.

Click here to learn more.

For more information on voting, including identification requirements, becoming an election officer, and polling locations, visit the Office of Elections website.

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dranesville

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