July 20, 2022

Neighbors,

At yesterday's Board of Supervisors meeting, I noted that late last month Virginia Health Commissioner Colin Greene made comments dismissing structural racism as a factor in public health and in community health disparities. He was reprimanded by the Virginia Board of Health and did back away from his statements.

However, as I noted for my colleagues, we see things differently in Fairfax County. The Fairfax County Health Department has documented various social, economic, and environmental disparities among communities of color, which lead to inequitable health outcomes. For example, in Fairfax County, someone who is African American is 30% more likely to die prematurely than someone who is White. This is unacceptable. 

The disparities became even more clear during the pandemic and was a focus of the Board of Supervisors, and of the Chairman's Task Force on Equity and Opportunity. Access to COVID testing, and later to COVID vaccinations, was a serious test of our ability and commitment to reach all members of our community. And although improvements and adjustments became necessary along the way, our Health Department with the support of Neighborhood and Community Services and many other agencies and departments rose to the challenge. 

OneFairfax is the lens through which the county’s Health Department and other county agencies address equity in health access and outcomes. These efforts include: 

• Investing in active, accessible, affordable and reliable modes of transportation to connect residents to jobs, education and recreation. This also has positive environmental impacts on air quality.  
• Promoting availability of healthy and affordable housing with policies that create and preserve high-quality housing for all income levels. 
• Using planning, zoning and economic development tools that create social and physical environments that promote good health.

While we are moving forward, there is still much work to be done to ensure fair and equitable access to health care. I am committed to continuing to be an advocate for positive change. 

Below are are links to resources to see some of the work that is being done in our community.

• Partnership for a Healthier Fairfax
• The Chairman's Task Force on Equity and Opportunity
• Fairfax County Health Department Equity Impact Plan 

If you have any questions regarding these efforts, contact my office at [email protected] 

Regards,

Walter

• Children Under Age 5 Now Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Community Levels By County
• Fairfax County COVID-19 Data Dashboard

Effective Aug. 14, all regional and community Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) branches are moving to a modified schedule due to ongoing staff recruitment challenges. The modified schedule is:

Regional branches (including Reston Regional Library):

• Monday and Tuesday: 1 to 9 p.m.
• Wednesday thru Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Community branches (including Patrick Henry Library in Vienna):

• Monday: 1 to 9 p.m.
• Tuesday thru Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This schedule requires only one shift of staff a day, allowing FCPL to maintain all open days at its branches. For information regarding classes and programs at specific library branches, contact your local library.  Learn more.

The Board of Supervisors met yesterday, July 19. You can read the Board package here and watch the meeting here. My three Board Matters, which were all approved unanimously included:

• Campus Commons Pedestrian Improvements 
• Recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Northern Virginia Handcrafters Guild
• Comments on the Commonwealth Transportation Board’s Proposed Changes to the Commonwealth Mass Transit Fund State Transit Assistance to Localities for WMATA

In addition, as part of my duties as chair of the Board's Transportation Committee, I serve on the Board of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE). At yesterday's meeting I was very happy to be part of the recognition of the VRE's 30th Anniversary. We were joined by former Chairman Sharon Bulova (photo), who was instrumental in the creation and success of this important commuter rail service. 

Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force Update; Upcoming Meetings 

County staff review of the Task Force’s interim recommendations on the 14 areas of the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study is underway. Upcoming Task Force meetings to discuss county staff input and preliminarily endorse final drafts of various comprehensive plan sections:

• Tonight, Wednesday, July 20, 5 p.m. The meeting is hosted on Webex. Use this link to attend and participate. Call in and listen to the meeting: dial 1-844-621-3956, and use access code: 2331 043 4467.
• Monday, July 25, 5 p.m. The meeting is hosted by Webex. Use this link to attend and participate. Call in and listen to the meeting: dial 1-844-621-3956, and use access code: 2343 484 2771.
• Tuesday, July 28, 5 p.m. The meeting is hosted by Webex. Use this link to attend and participate. Call in and listen to the meeting: dial 1-844-621-3956, and use access code: 2335 903 0777.

The meetings can also be viewed on YouTube. To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the Task Force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. The archive of meeting details and agendas is here. The video archive of all past task force meetings can be found on my YouTube page. If you have questions or would like to provide input, please email [email protected].

Hunter Mill District Transportation Advisory Council (HMTAC) Meeting, July 27

The next Hunter Mill Transportation Advisory Council (HMTAC) Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 27 at 8 a.m. The meeting will be virtual on Teams, use this link to join the meeting.  Or call 571-429-5982 and use Conference ID: 873 083 852#. Meeting agenda. The HMTAC meets quarterly on community transportation issues. For additional information or to be added to the HMD TAC email list contact Shyamali Hauth.

"Take A Seat Vienna" Art Project 

The Vienna Arts Society (VAS) recently announced that it is is hosting another "Take a Seat Vienna" art bench project. Beginning this Fall, a new collection of hand-built benches will be custom painted (and weather treated) by Artists of the Vienna Arts Society. During Spring 2023, the benches will be placed around Vienna for six months. Following the public art display, there will be a community auction and the benches will be up for bid. Local businesses interested in sponsoring a bench should contact Pat Britz at [email protected].

If you live in the Lake Anne area of Reston, you may have noticed issues with your cell phone service. This may not be your phone, it may in fact be due to the decommissioning of antennas on the old Lake Anne Fellowship House, which is about to be demolished. My office is coordinating with cell phone carriers who are working on a short-term solution and identifying a long-term antenna location. I understand this is a frustrating situation and my office is doing what we can to help facilitate a quick resolution. If you have questions or concerns about your coverage, I encourage you to contact your cell phone carrier. 

Monkeypox Update

Monkeypox is a rare disease in the U.S. It is caused by a virus that belongs to the same group of viruses as smallpox. The Fairfax County Health Department is working with the Virginia Department of Health and with other local public health agencies to respond to outbreaks of Monkeypox occurring in our region. Learn more. 

4-H Fair and Carnival at Frying Pan Farm Park, Aug. 4-7 

Enjoy carnival rides, games and food trucks on the farm from Aug. 4 through 7. Over the next few weeks, more details will be released about wristband sales and discounts, the Big Truck Night and farm demos, plus a list of food vendors. Learn more. 

Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

With our recent wet weather, I encourage you to learn how to protect yourself from mosquito bites that can make you sick. Watch Insect biologist MC Bugg-Z rap (yes, rap) about what steps you can take.