March 25, 2020

Dear Neighbor,

Yesterday the Board of Supervisors met with a limited agenda of must-pass items, most related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic emergency. You can watch the full video of the meeting here . We passed a new policy allowing the Board to meet electronically when it is unsafe to meet in person, while ensuring transparency. We also took action to extend deadlines for personal property taxes and real estate taxes, as described below.

I've received a number of inquiries regarding the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and the related economic slowdown on our County budget. It is too early to say precisely what the impact will be, but we are preparing nonetheless. The County Executive has directed agencies to defer all non-critical expenditures and imposed a hiring freeze on non-critical positions. We are also setting aside $11.3 million in FY 2020 funds in a reserve to address impacts of the pandemic.

Effective today, March 25, all Fairfax parks and amenities are closed to public use. Trails remain open for individual use, but playgrounds, athletic fields, golf courses, and more are closed. Parking lots will be closed, but you can access many of our trails by parking on nearby public streets and walking to a trail entrance. Remember to check for any "No Parking" signs. We've included a link to a map below to help you identify those entrances.

Continue reading for more information on:

  • Governor Northam's Call for Medical Volunteers
  • Inova's respiratory clinics and vehicle-side testing
  • Extension of real estate and property tax deadlines
  • Congressman Connolly's Small Business Resource Guide
  • Closure of Fairfax County buildings
  • Closure of Fairfax County parks
  • Metro system station closures
  • Fairfax County food resources
  • No Kid Hungry Emergency Text Line


Yours in service,

Supervisor James Walkinshaw
Governor Northam is requesting medical professionals, medical students, and student nurses to consider volunteering with the Virginia Medical Reserve Corps .

The Virginia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a force of dedicated volunteers who stand ready to support the community in the event of a public health emergency. Each of the 27 local MRC units is comprised of teams of medical and public health professionals who, along with interested community members, volunteer their skills, expertise and time to support ongoing public health initiatives and assist during emergencies throughout Virginia.

To become a VA Medical Reserve Corps Volunteer, please submit an application in the  Virginia Volunteer Health System .
Beginning tomorrow, Inova Urgent Care Centers at Dulles South, North Arlington and Tysons will staff respiratory illness clinics to evaluate all patients with respiratory illness symptoms. Inova's three clinics will also be able to collect samples via physician ordered vehicle-side appointments for COVID-19 testing. These appointments are only for those individuals who have already been screened by their primary care physician, meet criteria and have a written order for the COVID-19 test. Patients who do not have a written order or do not meet criteria will be directed into the respiratory clinic for evaluation.    

These clinics will be open seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

Additionally, Inova President and CEO Dr. Stephen Jones filmed a brief video this week to update the public on where to get more information on COVID-19, why they have made important changes to their operations, and how they have been preparing for months for the potential of COVID-19 to impact our community. 
Click here to access Inova's most up to date COVID-19 information.
Tax Filing and Payment Extensions
Vehicle and Business Tax Filing Deadline Extended to June 1

The Fairfax County  Board of Supervisors  approved a one month extension for filing vehicle and business personal property taxes and paying the first installment of real estate taxes.

The board took action at its  March 24 meeting  to assist taxpayers during the coronavirus outbreak.

With the extension, residents now have until Monday, June 1, to  report any changes in vehicle ownership and location , among other changes.

Normally, residents must file these changes with the county by May 1 or face a 10% penalty.

However, the 60-day deadline to register any new vehicles with the county — whether newly purchased or moved into the county after June 1—remains the same. Vehicle owners can  register online .

Businesses now have until June 1, to file their  personal property with the county . This includes vehicles, furniture and fixtures, machinery and tools, and computer equipment that are located in Fairfax County as of January 1.
First Real Estate Tax Payment Deadline Extended to Aug. 28

The county extended the deadline to pay the first installment of  real estate taxes  until Friday, Aug. 28.

Normally, the first installment is due by July 28.

The extension will help homeowners who pay their real estate taxes directly to the county. Many homeowners pay these taxes as part of a monthly mortgage payment. The mortgage company then sends the taxes directly to Fairfax County. Homeowners should contact their mortgage company if they have questions.

The county began mailing  real estate tax assessments last month . However, the assessment notice is not a bill.

In addition to these measures, the deadline for seniors and people with disabilities to apply for county tax relief has been  postponed to June 1 .
Rep. Connolly's Small Business Resource Guide
Congressman Gerry Connolly has compiled a Small Business Resource Guide that business owners and employees can use. Please click here to access the business guide.
To help limit the spread of the coronavirus, Fairfax County will close all  government buildings and facilities  to the public starting Friday, March 27, at 5 p.m., until further notice. However, the county government remains open for business online and by phone and mail. 

Closing government buildings will help protect the health and safety of residents and employees, and the move is intended to promote social distancing, a key action to help limit the spread of the coronavirus. 

Some specific public services may continue to be provided in-person as determined necessary by county agencies and employees will continue to be able to access these facilities. Nonprofit organizations located in county facilities will receive operational guidance from their partner agencies. Click here to learn more.
The  Office of Elections will remain open for business during its regular office hours as required for voter registration and by mail absentee application and ballot processing. Voter registration applications and absentee ballot requests will continue to be processed by the county’s Office of Elections staff and in-person absentee voting is available, curbside only, and only at the Government Center. Voters should call 703-222-0776 upon arriving and materials will be brought out.
Effective Wednesday, March 25, 2020, all Fairfax County Park Authority parks and amenities are closed to the public until further notice. Trails will remain open for individual use, not group use. Adherence to all social distancing recommendations will be required.

The closures are in response to Governor Northam’s order to close public access to recreational facilities. Closures will include parking lots, athletic fields, sport courts, restrooms, nature centers, visitor centers, golf courses, historic sites, picnic areas, playgrounds, amusements, boat launches, skate parks, off-leash dog areas, outdoor fitness equipment and any areas for open recreation. Click here to learn more.

Did you know Fairfax County has over 330 miles of trails? Click here to use the county's trail buddy program to locate a trail near you. There are many trail entrances near public streets where parking is allowed. Remember to check for Do Not Park signs.
Metro’s Pandemic Task Force recently announced the strategic closing of 17 additional stations, effective Thursday, March 26, 2020, in an effort to conserve critical resources and protect the health and safety of Metro employees and the public. This follows drastic measures already taken to reduce travel on Metro to essential trips only, leading to a Metrorail ridership decline of 90 percent.

These steps will help reduce the risk of exposure to employees and save critical cleaning supplies for the remaining stations. While Metro increased its on-hand warehouse inventory of essential supplies, such as hospital-grade disinfectant, wipes, hand sanitizer, and other items used by Metro’s frontline employees, suppliers are experiencing delivery delays. Metro is taking action to make its current 2-3 week warehouse supply stretch until massive orders placed in late January are received. Click here to learn more.
County Food Resources
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency continues to evolve, we understand that individuals and families in our communities may have food assistance needs. 

Fairfax County and Fairfax County Public Schools have worked together to develop a searchable map that includes community food distribution sites, including FCPS grab and go locations, community meal distribution sites, food pantries, and other related services.

Please click  here  to view the map.

Please click here to locate FCPS Emergency Meal locations, Food Bus Routes, and Pop-up Meal locations.
If you know of any family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers who have children experiencing hunger in other parts of Virginia, please refer them to No Kid Hungry's Emergency Text Line.

No Kid Hungry has launched a texting hotline to provide information about emergency food distribution sites in communities where schools have been closed due to #COVID19. To find food near you text FOOD or COMIDA to 877-877.
No Kid Hungry ha lanzado una línea de texto para encontrar sitios de distribución de alimentos en comunidades donde las escuelas han cerrado debido a COVID-19. Para encontrar comida cerca de usted, envíe un texto con la palabra COMIDA al 877-877.
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