This email includes information on Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, FY 2021 budget carryover recommendations, the upcoming Virginia sales tax holiday, and more. See below for details.

Updates, meetings and events:

Please share this email with your friends and neighbors, and do not hesitate to contact my office if we can be of assistance; email Dranesville@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-356-0551.

Sincerely,

John

At Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting the board recognized Jennifer Sicilliano for her years of hard work and service to Fairfax County as the Chief External Affairs Office for Inova Health System.

The Board approved the following action items:

The Board held public hearings and approved:

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

The FY 2021 Carryover Package was presented to the Board of Supervisors at their meeting on Tuesday, July 27. With an available General Fund balance of $177.47 million and approximately $122 million in unspent federal coronavirus relief and recovery funds, the board will consider increased investments in priorities like the environment and energy, affordable housing and early childhood services; and additional support for the county’s public health program and pandemic response. A public hearing and vote on the package is scheduled for October.

Carryover is the process by which unspent or unencumbered funds for commitments to pay for goods and services at the end of one fiscal year are reappropriated to the next fiscal year. 

The carryover package also includes a number of strategic reorganizations to facilitate collaboration and achieve efficiencies, funding to address budgetary shortfalls caused by the pandemic including the closure of county park facilities and program cancellations, and investments in IT projects and capital infrastructure, among other items.

On Tuesday, July 27, the Board of Supervisors authorized a public hearing on a proposed plastic bag tax ordinance, scheduled for September 14, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center. In accordance with enabling legislation passed in the 2020 Virginia General Assembly, the five-cent tax would be applied to each disposable plastic bag provided at point of checkout at grocery stores, convenience stores and drug stores. Should the ordinance pass in September, the tax would take effect on January 1, 2022. A two-cent discount would be available to participating retailers until January 1, 2023, at which time the discount would decrease to one cent.

The plastic bag tax is intended to discourage consumption of single-use plastic bags, which often end up as litter in local streams and waterways, harming fish and other wildlife. In addition, revenue collected from the tax may be used for environmental cleanup, litter prevention and environmental education programs. Recognizing that the tax may unduly impact certain populations, in accordance with the enabling legislation, tax revenue may also be used to provide reusable bags to recipients of certain federal food support programs.

Members of the public are encouraged to testify at the September 14 public hearing and may do so by providing in-person, written or recorded testimony. For more information on ways to provide public hearing testimony, or to register to speak on September 14, please visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/clerkservices/ways-provide-public-hearing-testimony or contact the Department of Clerk Services at 703-324-3151, TTY 711.  

For more information on the proposed plastic bag tax ordinance, please visit the website of the Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination.

Dranesville District School Board Representative, Elaine Tholen, provides a detailed update on Fairfax County Public Schools, including information about the start of the school year, summer resources, and recent school board activities. Her newsletter is available online here.

Over the past 16 months, Fairfax County and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) successfully partnered to create the Supporting Return to School program and Camp Fairfax to provide learning opportunities for children during COVID-19. With the return to in-person instruction in FCPS this fall, SACC will be providing before and after school services in 142 locations this year, including two new centers.

For more information and to register for the 2021-22 school year visit the Fairfax County Office for Children website here.

Fairfax County is seeking community volunteers to participate on a Selection Advisory Committee that will review and evaluate proposals and make recommendations on how to distribute funds to community partners that support Fairfax County residents. The funds are issued through the Consolidated Community Funding Pool (CCFP), a competitive countywide grant program, and will go to programs that fill critical human services needs among the most vulnerable populations.

To be eligible for the Selection Advisory Committee, you must be a Fairfax County resident and at least 21 years of age. You are not eligible if you are a current Fairfax County Government employee, board member/officer, or an employee of any organization planning to apply for CCFP funding.

Volunteers must be able to commit 2.5 hours per week from January-March 2022. Extensive pre-service orientation will be provided, and this volunteer opportunity can be done entirely virtually if requested.

If you’re interested in making a difference in your community, visit the Consolidated Community Funding Pool information page or contact Michelle.Brizzi@fairfaxcounty.gov for more information and apply by August 31, 2021.

CASA is recruiting for its Moving Forward NOVA AmeriCorps program. The program is a stipend-paid year-long community service commitment in which those that join provide services with the immigrant and low-income communities in Prince William County and Fairfax County. Find more information at wearecasa.org or contact Luis Angel Aguilar, CASA Virginia Director, at laguilar@wearecasa.org.

During the sales tax holiday, you can buy qualifying school supplies, clothing, footwear, hurricane and emergency preparedness items, and Energy Star™ and WaterSense™ products without paying sales tax.

Detailed lists of qualifying items and more information for retailers can be found in the Sales Tax Holiday Guidelines. For more information visit the Virginia Department of Taxations website.

Cooling Assistance is a program designed to help keep vulnerable Fairfax County residents cool during the summer months. To be eligible, at least one household member must be: 60 or older, 5 or younger, or disabled according to Social Security, Medicaid or 100% Veteran’s Administration. 

Cooling assistance can help with: 

Applications for Cooling Assistance can be submitted in the following ways: 

Find more information here.

The Friends of Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library is holding a book sale! A large selection of books and media for all ages and interests are available. Proceeds benefit the Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library and related activities. Donations of books and media are appreciated.

Wednesday, August 18

10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. by appointment through SignUp Genius

at

Tysons Pimmit Regional Library

7584 Leesburg Pike

Falls Church, VA, 22043

Due to the pandemic and to avoid overcrowding in the rooms at the August book sale, first day buyers will be admitted by timed entries. Please use SignUp Genius for your free time slots to find and purchase books on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.

There will be no restrictions on entry for the remainder of the sale, Aug. 19 - 22.

For more information contact the Friends of Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library at TysonsLibraryFriends@gmail.com, or 703-338-3307.

Fairfax County is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Residents are strongly encouraged to utilize the resources listed below: