September 2, 2026

Ignored Critical Maintenance Needs Further Pressure Budget

On July 30, the Board received a response to my Board approved motion of February 17th asking for information on the County’s critical maintenance and renovation needs. Excluding renovations the County has over $250M in unfunded maintenance on critical building systems. It is clear from the response that the County has been severely underfunding maintenance requests and requirements. In addition, it is clear the Board’s fiscally unconstrained energy policy is causing additional financial issues. For those unfamiliar with the term “fiscally unconstrained” it means having no financial or budgetary limits that restrict spending, investment, or other fiscal actions — essentially, being free from fiscal constraints – when pursuing a goal.

In February, the Board supported my motion to compile a list of all critical facility maintenance issues in County owned buildings as a result of the critical building system issues identified by the Chief Judge at the Old Courthouse, the unexpected closures of two libraries and the Historic Courthouse during the 250th anniversary of our country, and several recent County building closures for HVAC issues. The critical issues at the Courthouse have been known since a 2019 report that was attached to my motion. It is long past time that the Board review and prioritize the backlog of critical maintenance needs and renovations of our existing facilities over building new projects and political agenda items.

Speaking of political agenda items, is also clear from the response, and I quote from the report, the “efforts to improve energy efficiency have introduced advanced technologies that, while beneficial in the long-term for operational and environmental performance, require ongoing calibration, software updates and more frequent preventative maintenance. These systems are less tolerant of failure and more interdependent, meaning a single fault can impact multiple building functions – resulting in higher costs.” I have asked for additional details on the issues. Significant funding has gone to energy efficiency projects while critical maintenance needs have been ignored. It appears that many of these projects that were in the fiscally unconstrained energy plan are causing maintenance issues as well as overall budget issues.

It was unclear from the response how much in additional critical repairs are needed at the main courthouse that the Chief Judge has asked the Board to address – the memo recommended a $400K study to determine what is needed. The response also did not include detailed information on much needed renovations in addition to the maintenance needs on critical systems.

At today’s meeting on the 2026 Carryforward Budget, I thanked staff for including significant funding in the Carryforward Budget to begin to address some of the backlog. I also asked when the Board was going to discuss how we would address the significant backlog. The request was met with silence by the Budget Chair. More to follow.

High School Crossing Guard Update

I have been consistent in my opposition to the elimination of school crossing guards at our high schools since it was first introduced two years ago. I have been working with residents, PTA leaders, School Board members and my colleagues to address the predictable issues that have surfaced at many of our high school crossings. At our last Board meeting (August 26th) Supervisors Lusk and Alcorn joined me on my Consideration Item requesting funding to have some of them reinstated. At yesterday’s Budget Committee meeting, Supervisor Bierman joined the call to have the County Executive immediately address the concerns at the six or so schools that FCPD has identified as having significant issues. We do not vote at Committee meetings but the County Executive agreed to have the police department provide uniformed crossing guard coverage at Edison, South Lakes, West Springfield, Centreville, and West Potomac High Schools based on initial concerns identified during FCPD’s initial review. Coverage will also be provided at McLean, Oakton, and Chantilly High Schools while evaluations at those schools are completed. This is not a final decision; the police department will finalize their assessments and provide recommendations for Board consideration during Carryover.

I have been working for years to get a traffic light approved and funded at the West Springfield crossing at Grigsby and Rolling Road. The light was finally approved and funded last year but VDOT has said it will not be installed for several years. We are working to accelerate the timeline VDOT has shared.

My Board item on August 26th also asked for an update on the status of hiring the contracted crossing guards and their performance to date. The Board approved converting many of the current police crossing guards to contracted crossing guards in April. I understand there are issues with the performance of the contractor and am looking forward to the update before our meeting on September 15th.

I do think we can work a long-term plan to transition away from high school crossing guards at many of our high schools but only after the traffic infrastructure, coordination and training is in place to address both student safety and congestion. Cutting crossing guards to solve the Board’s spending problems is not the answer.

The Board will hold a public hearing on the 2026 Carryforward Budget at 10:30 AM on September 15th including my Consideration Item to reinstate the high school crossing guards for the rest of the school year where there are significant issues. For more information on carry forward please see here and to learn how to testifiy, please see here.

Free Concerts in the Park Survey

As we wrapped our last concert for our free Concerts in the Park Series, I wanted to take a moment to thank all the bands for their amazing performances, our food trucks, 2 Silos, to everyone who joined us at the concerts and most of all to the amazing sponsors for making the Free Concert in the Park series a great success. As always, I am looking forward to finding ways to improve the summer concert series, and I would love to hear your feedback on the series. Please complete this brief survey to let us know how we did and what you would like to see done differently. I am looking forward to bringing you another great series of concerts next year!

In the Community

Second Story Tour

Toured Second Story to see all the amazing work they do in the County providing housing, counseling, and other critical support services to vulnerable youth. Thank you for all you do in the community.

Fairfax Area Center Community Meeting

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Fairfax Center Area Study Public Meeting. There were some great questions and concerns brought up in the meeting, from adequate parking for voting and civic activities to affordability.

High School Football Season

Last Friday marked the start of the high school football season in Fairfax County. Congratulations to all the teams who have started their season 1 – 0, including West Springfield High School.

Other News and Information

Helpsy Bins Return
Spotted Lantern Fly Awareness
Michael R. Frey Campus Closure
Dog Daze (September 12)
Fairfax Center Area Community Meeting (September 14)
Stuff the Bus (September 19)
Free Shredding Event (September 19)
Cloverleaf Polo Class (September 19)
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Fairfax Walk (October 3)
ECHO Fall Yard Sale (October 10)

Helpsy Bins Return

The Helpsy Textile Recycling Bin has returned to the West Springfield Government Center; residents are once again able to drop any unused textiles in the Helpsy Bins, but the Purple Glass Recycling Bin has not yet returned. Residents will not be able to drop off glass at this site until the Purple Glass Recycling Bins return. Please see here to find other Purple Glass Recycling Bin locations.

Spotted Lantern Fly Awareness

Spotted Lantern Flies have been out in abundance this Summer and pose a significant threat to our community’s trees and agriculture. The County has some great practices for keeping your trees and gardens safe from the Spotted Lanternfly. The invasive spotted lanternfly heavily relies on the non-native tree of heaven as its preferred primary host for feeding and reproductionIt is strongly recommended to remove these trees to prevent infestation of Spotted Lanternfly. To learn more about these methods, please see here:

Michael R. Frey Campus Closure

The Department of Animal Services Michael R. Frey Campus is temporarily closed to complete an HVAC renovation that will take approximately six months. The Lorton Campus will remain open to the public with normal operating hours

Dog Daze (September 12)

The Fairfax County Park Foundation will be hosting its Dog Daze event on September 12th from 9 am until 1 pm at the Water Mine in Lake Fairfax Park. This event is a dogs-only swimming extravaganza with pools, sprays and showers for those with dogs who love the water. To learn more about the event and to get tickets, please see here.

Fairfax Center Area Study Community Meeting (September 14)

Fairfax County will be holding another Community Meeting for the Fairfax Center Area Study virtually on September 14th at 7 pm. The Fairfax Center Area Study (Plan Amendment 2013-III-FC1) is a multi-phase planning study to examine the Comprehensive Plan guidance for the Fairfax Center Area which includes approximately 5,500 acres west of the City of Fairfax and east of Centreville, generally between Route 50 and Route 29. For more information and to access the virtual meeting, please see here.

There will also be an in-person Springfield Land Use Committee on September 21st discussing the Fairfax Center Area Project and Land Unit K. This meeting will have a public comment section for community members to voice their opinions on the projects. Springfield District Land Use Committee | Board of Supervisors - Springfield

Stuff the Bus (September 19)

Help fight hunger in our neighborhoods and Stuff the Bus with food to refill our local nonprofit food pantries on September 19th at various grocery stores across the County, from 10 am to 3 pm. Unlike prior years collection will take place at Supervisor offices including mine at West Springfield Government Center at 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA, instead of grocery stores. If you cannot make it on the 19th, my office maintains a year-round collection box for ECHO. For more information and a list of all participating locations, please see here.

Free Shredding Event (September 19)

The town of Clifton and the Resource Recovery Project will be hosting a free shredding and textile collection event on September 19th from 9 am until 12 pm at Clifton Elementary School. This event is free and open to all members of the community to shred any of your paper and documents as well as donate any of the following textiles: Clothing, Footwear, Linens, Hats, Bags (pocketbooks, backpacks, duffle bags, totes), Belts, Gloves, Ties, Scarves, Bathrobes, Jewelry, Luggage, Sports jerseys and Stuffed animals.

Cloverleaf Polo Classic (September 19)

Cloverleaf will be hosting their 20th annual Cloverleaf Polo Classic on September 19th from 1:30 to 5 pm where they will have silent auctions, live music, a kid’s corral and an opportunity to meet the horses. To learn more about the Cloverleaf Equine Center, their programs and the Cloverleaf Polo Classic, please see here.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (October 3)

Fairfax County will be hosting their own Fairfax Walk in cooperation with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on October 3rd, in the Mosaic District. Funds raised at the Out of the Darkness Fairfax Walk directly support research, advocacy efforts, and educational programs in schools, workplaces, and communities across VA. To learn more about the Fairfax Walk, please see below.

ECHO Fall Yard Sale (October 31)

ECHO has chosen an unforgettable date for its Fall Yard Sale this year! Mark your calendar for October 31, in the gym at St. Bernadette’s School, 7600 Old Keene Mill Road, Springfield, for a sale of home accessories, fashion items, collectibles, toys, electronics, and more. The sale will end by noon, so you’ll still have time to prepare for holiday festivities. ECHO’s semi-annual yard sales support our mission of helping people in our community.

Four-Legged Friend

Meet Merlin!

With patience and kindness, Merlin bloomed while in our care. He learned that leashes lead to calm walks, that treats are delicious rewards, and that hands reaching toward him usually mean affection. He leaned into people for pets, sat close beside them, and even nestled himself between their legs just to stay near. His body softened, his expression warmed, and his desire for connection became clear. Playtime showed a brighter spark-Merlin bounding, bouncing, and offering playful bows. Toys didn't hold his interest for long, but people certainly did. Sometimes his enthusiasm bubbled over, turning into jumpy, energetic bursts. He meant no harm-he simply forgot how big his feelings were.

When meeting another dog, Merlin surprised everyone with his grace-loose body, wagging tail, playful jumps. He showed friendly interest and enjoyed the company, making him a good candidate for dog-to-dog introductions. Merlin's story is one of resilience, slow courage, and growing trust. He's a strikingly handsome boy with a tender heart that needs guidance, patience, and a family willing to help him learn. With training, continued socialization, and a gentle, supportive home, Merlin will flourish. He's ready for his next chapter-one written with kindness, structure, and love. The magic is already inside him. He just needs someone to help him shine.

This pet is eligible for an Adoption Audition! What is an Adoption Audition? It's a 5-day, no-strings-attached, trial adoption period. You can take this pet home to try it out! Interested? Come to the shelter any time during open hours and talk to one of our Customer Care staff!

If you'd like to schedule a visit to meet Merlin. Please see here: Adopt a Dog | Animal Shelter

Supervisor Pat Herrity

6140 Rolling Road,

Springfield, VA 22152

(703) 451-8873

About Pat