THE WHEELER REPORT
MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2020
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA
Dear Neighbors,

This is the first issue of the Wheeler Report and it aims to provide timely and important information about a range of County issues.

To begin, I write to address concerns surrounding the Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). At this time of uncertainty, it is important that we take a moment to pause and think clearly about what must be done to ensure the personal health and safety of ourselves, our families, and our neighbors. Below, please find the latest list of cancellations and facility operations instituted by Prince William County to preserve the health and well-being of our community. These measures are meant to help us all with the recommended "social distancing" that will help dampen the spread of the virus.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY GOVERNMENT: As of 12 noon today, Prince William County Executive, Chris Martino has issued a local Declaration of Emergency pursuant to Virginia Code Section 44-146.21. This was done to allow the county to mobilize and prioritize resources and handle procurement issues. I remain in constant contact with Mr. Martino and his staff to ensure the safety of the public. In an abundance of caution, all gatherings and events scheduled to take place at county facilities are canceled until further notice. Staff have been encouraged to tele-work.

Senior Centers: CLOSED (BlueBird trips are also canceled until further notice.)
Public Libraries: CLOSED
Recreation Centers: CLOSED
Historic Sites: CLOSED

For the latest information on the opening and closing of county buildings and facilities, click here . You can also sign up for PWC Alerts, here .

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY SCHOOLS: All Prince William County Public Schools are closed to students until Tuesday, April 14th in response to the Novel Coronavirus. The school system continues to monitor the situation and reserves the right to extend school closures. It should also be noted that all school-age child care (SACC) are closed until further notice.

In the interim, breakfast and lunch food distributions are available to anyone under the age of 18 years old, from 9:00am until 10:00am on weekdays at the following locations.

Elementary Schools


Middle Schools


High School


For more information regarding Prince William County Public Schools' response to the Coronavirus, click here .

OMNIRIDE:
General Service Information: For today, all OmniRide routes are operating regular services. Ridrship and health and safety conditions will determine the level of service moving forward. Please stay on the lookout for future updates.
 
Quantico Local Riders: Effective immediately and until further notice, Marine Corps Base Quantico no longer permits cabs and rideshare cars on the base. OmniRide is no longer able to continue the cab shuttle from the base to the OmniRide Route 1 local bus. As a stop-gap, VRE will allow those passengers to ride to Woodbridge VRE Station and connect to OmniRide buses from there. 

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: As of today, Federal offices within the Washington Metropolitan Area are open with maximum telework flexibilities to all current tele-work eligible employees, pursuant to direction from agency heads. For additional information, click here for further guidance from the Office of Management and Budget.

THANK YOU! Prince William County is a resilient community. Thank you to the doctors, nurses,public health officials, and medical staff working overtime to keep our community safe.

To the residents of Prince William County, thank you for your support and responsiveness during this rapidly changing health crisis. Please feel free to contact me. My staff and I stand ready to assist.

Sincerely,

Ann B. Wheeler
Chair At-Large
Prince William Board of County Supervisors
(703) 792-4640
3/17 BOCS MEETING CANCELLED: Yesterday afternoon, Governor Northam banned all gatherings of 100 people or more and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention called for the cancellation of all events with 50 or more people for the next eight weeks.

The safety of Prince William County residents is my number one priority. As a result, I have canceled the Board of County Supervisors meeting scheduled for 2:00pm on Tuesday, March 17 pursuant to the Board’s Rules of Procedure Section A(1)(c). Please view the BOCS meeting schedule for information regarding all future meeting updates.
VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (VDH) DISTRICT: The Virginia Department of Health is closely monitoring the outbreak of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To date, there are three confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in Prince William.

Dr. Alison Ansher, Health Director of the Prince William Health District and her team are in constant communication with the infected individuals as well as the Virginia Department of Health. Public health staff are working tirelessly to identify all who may be at risk. For the latest updates regarding the Coronavirus in Virginia, visit here .

I encourage each of you to take personal responsibility for mitigating the spread of the virus by following recommended preventative measures. Below, please find a list of best practices from the VDH to be implemented immediately in an effort to keep yourself and others safe.

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not hands) when coughing or sneezing, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Stay home when you are sick.

For additional information, please visit the VDH coronavirus website . There are public information representatives at (877) ASK-VDH3 (877-275-8343) ready to field your calls with lingering questions.
US CENSUS 2020: The US CENSUS 2020 is open and ready for you to submit your response!

On Thursday, March 12th, I had the chance to speak to Joel Martinez of Tu Comunidad con Joel Martinez , on the first day US Census 2020 invitations were sent to homes. We were joined by Brian Engelmann, Prince William County demographer, and representatives from the US Census. We discussed the importance of an accurate count of all residents and the safeguards in place to protect our privacy.

As we all practice social distancing in response to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), take the time to read and complete your US Census 2020 invitation. This is the first step in doing your part to ensure we are all counted. Should you have any questions, feel free to contact my office at (703) 792-4640 or visit the county US Census 2020 website .
Ann B. Wheeler was elected Chair At-Large of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors during the 2019 General Election and assumed office on January 1, 2020. Prince William County is located 25 miles south of Washington, D.C., and is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s second-most populous county with approximately 469,000 residents. 
FOR THE LATEST UPDATES VISIT: