In this Issue…
Springfield District Targeted for Renaming - Despite the lack of any public request or indicated desire to have the name of the Springfield District changed, members of the Redistricting (now the Renaming) Advisory Committee (RAC) from outside the District have targeted it for renaming. I will be holding a Town Hall meeting to discuss the impacts of the name change and to get your input on whether the name should change. My thoughts below.
Other news and information…
- Update from ECHO
- Sully District CAC Virtual Meeting (2/9)
- Our Journey: Lived Experiences of Multicultural Family Caregivers (2/9)
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AARP: Be on the Lookout for Online Relationship Scams (2/10)
- Osher Life Long Learning Institute Special Promotion (2/18)
- Bull Run Civil War Round Table Scholarship (4/4)
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Springfield District Targeted for Renaming
Despite the lack of any public request or indicated desire to have the name of the Springfield District changed, members of the Redistricting (now the Renaming) Advisory Committee (RAC) from outside the District have targeted it for renaming. I will be holding a Town Hall meeting to discuss the impacts of the name change and to get your input on whether the name should change.
I believe the name should not be changed for the following reasons:
- The lack of any public request or expressed desire to have the name of the Springfield District changed
- The name "Springfield" still represents much of the District
- A name change will cause unnecessary confusion for voters who have lived in the Springfield District for many years.
- There are many references to the Springfield District in county ordinances, proffers and other legal documents that will have to be corrected, causing an unnecessary administrative burden and expense.
- The same rules are not being applied to other District names in the same manner.
- The existing name is not offensive.
I have been honored to represent Springfield District since I was first elected in 2007. Throughout that time I have not heard residents complain or indicate a desire to have the name changed.
Redistricting has changed the boundaries of the District slightly over time, but the name "Springfield" still represents much of the District. Earlier this year, three Springfield District precincts were redistricted without public input, separating longstanding parts of the Springfield community. Despite these changes, and the fact that some parts of Springfield have not been in the District for many years, the District still contains key Springfield community distinctions. The Springfield District still contains West Springfield High School, the West Springfield Post Office, and the West Springfield Government Center which houses both the West Springfield Police Station and the West Springfield Fire and Rescue Station. It is still the most populous section of the district. It still contains over 80 percent of the population of West Springfield High School. It also contains most of the geography of the Springfield Rotary Club and the Springfield Lions Club.
The name "Springfield" is also representative of much of the rest of the district. The Occoquan watershed area of the Springfield District is full of "spring" names. Little Rocky Run, my neighborhood on South Springs Drive, has most of its residents living on or off street names referencing springs. Springfield Nights, a summertime staple event of the Springfield community, is held at Burke Lake Park.
There will be an unnecessary administrative burden and expense on county staff as there are many references to the Springfield District in county ordinances, proffers and other legal documents that will have to be corrected. Not sure why we would be adding expenses when taxes have increased 45 percent over the last decade, inflation is out of control, we are looking at a difficult budget year because of Board initiatives and spending, and there has been a decline in our commercial tax base.
The RAC was initially tasked to look at offensive names but expanded their look to consider geography, which is why Springfield was added. However, the RAC did not elect to consider the geography provisions equitably. It is true that parts of the Springfield District are represented by other Supervisors. The same can be said of Braddock District, originally named for Braddock Road, where the majority of Braddock Road is in other districts including Braddock Farms and Braddock Park. If the Board was consistent in its renaming rationales, especially as my colleagues preach ‘equity’, then there would at least be a discussion on renaming Braddock District for the same reasons as they have proposed for renaming Springfield.
The name Springfield is not offensive and is one of the most common place-names in the English language, originating from the British Isles.[1] Thirty-four states have a town named Springfield and 41 cities across the country share the name.[2] The Springfield District was first created in February 1967 by action of the Board of Supervisors.[3]
Where do we go from here? I am hosting a town hall on the 9th and based on that input the RAC will make their recommendation to the Board by March 1st – the timeline they were given by the Chairman. The date for Board action has not been publicly shared. Interestingly, the RAC has been directed NOT to get recommendations on new names – perhaps because the new name of the Springfield District has already been decided without the input of Springfield District residents. The RAC ran a good process on redistricting and came to a fair, community-focused recommendation to consolidate West Springfield in the Springfield District. What remains to be seen is if the Board will again ignore the recommendations of the citizen advisory panel like they did with RAC recommendations on redistricting. I encourage you to participate in the RAC process and share your thoughts with me and the RAC at the Town Hall meeting.
Sources
You may find the login to the virtual town hall here:
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AGENDA
Springfield District Virtual Renaming Town Hall
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 Virtual Meeting (Zoom)
7:00PM Welcome – Supervisor Pat Herrity
Remarks by RAC Chair Paul Berry
Remarks by Supervisor Pat Herrity
7:15PM Q&A Forum
8:30PM Conclusion
Join by Telephone Dial: USA 602 333 0032
USA 8882709936 (US Toll Free) Conference code: 628171
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While not the subject of the Town Hall – the RAC is also considering the renaming of the Lee, Sully, Mt Vernon and Mason districts
As readers of my newsletter will recall, the last few years on the Board have been marked by changes that have not been good for our community or our taxpayers. Emboldened by a single party General Assembly and Administration before the last election changed things, this Board has quickly increased taxes, passed burdensome ordinances, and time after time held public comment sessions only to hear from citizens who opposed what was proposed and then vote for it. Being the lone vote is not easy but having a diversity of opinion and hearing both sides of an argument should get our residents a better answer. I have tried to give the Board the benefit of the doubt, but it is obvious that the current Board is no longer pursuing what is in the interest of our community, but what is instead a partisan agenda.
One begs the question where will this all go? Renaming as I predicted has become akin to an Orwellian effort of rewriting history and a Faustian effort of erasing anything that might cause discomfort.
I would like to leave you with this excerpt from the Editor’s Note from the Sun Gazette:
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WHAT THE [HECK] IS WRONG WITH ‘SPRINGFIELD’?
Speaking of Fairfax County, its version of China’s Cultural Revolution remains in full force. Next stop: Renaming supervisor districts because they don’t comport with modern sensitivities.
In what I’m sure will be a brilliant, albeit as-yet-unwritten, editorial in next week’s Sun Gazette will put it, it’s not the changing names that is going to be the annoyance, it’s the sanctimony with which Fairfax leaders will do it with. These people truly, truly believe that, in a governance sense, their [poop] does not stink.
(If only.) Some Fairfax elected officials are so obnoxious in this regard, they really should be considered honorary Californians.
As a previous editorial said, it’s clear that “Lee District” is a goner, and probably “Mount Vernon,” too. But also on the firing line, for some reason, is “Springfield District.” Brian and I tried as best we could to determine what offense “Springfield” could cause (unless one hates “The Simpsons”). Maybe it was added to the list simply to screw with Pat Herrity, the lone Republican on the body and the occupant of that didn’t.
Given the pettiness of a few Democrats on the Board of Supervisors, that wouldn’t be a surprise.
SOURCE:
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Other News and Information
- ECHO Food Bank Need Your Help
- Sully District CAC Virtual Meeting (2/9)
- Our Journey: Lived Experiences of Multicultural Family Caregivers (2/9)
-
AARP: Be on the Lookout for Online Relationship Scams (2/10)
- Osher Life Long Learning Institute Special Promotion (2/18)
- Bull Run Civil War Round Table Scholarship (4/4)
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ECHO Food Bank Needs Your Help
Thanks for the mountains of donations we have been receiving at the West Springfield office but ECHO still needs your help to restock their pantry. High food prices and food shortages affect all consumers, but the most vulnerable families in the community suffer actual hunger. ECHO needs donations of all categories of non-perishable foods and hygiene products. The following items are in shortest supply: cooking oil, masa flour, pancake syrup, muffin/corn meal mix, tortillas, laundry detergent, shaving cream and deodorant. ECHO Food volunteers are currently unable to order bulk quantities of needed foods due to the shortages. The most effective way to help keep ECHO Food Pantry shelves stocked is to bring food donations to ECHO or to one of the remote donations sites listed at the bottom of ECHO’s homepage at echo-inc.org.
ECHO also continues to need new or gently used men’s clothing in small and medium sizes as well as new men’s underwear in sizes 28 to 36 and men’s shoes in sizes 6 to 9. The Housewares Department needs all sizes of pots with lids and 10 -12” frying pans.
ECHO is also looking for volunteers in such diverse areas as facilities maintenance, fund-raising, and social media. Time commitments vary from “occasional” to weekly, to daily, depending on the volunteer's availability. For more information on these positions as well as receiving and distribution positions, email Volunteercoordinator@echo-inc.org.
Sully District CAC Virtual Meeting (2/9)
Join the Sully District Station for a meeting with the Community Advisory Committee. This is your opportunity to interact with your local community law enforcement and provide them with feedback or any concerns you may have.
February 9, 2022 - Virtual ONLY
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Our Journey: Lived Experiences of Multicultural Family Caregivers
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 noon to 1PM
Lily Liu, former AARP historian/archivist, will share her experience as a family caregiver for her mother who has Parkinson's Disease and dementia. Her perspective will give caregivers, health care professionals and community partners a greater understanding of the unique issues that multicultural, immigrant family caregivers face. Lily's journey from "The Dragging Daughter" to "The Dragon Daughter" highlights the importance of family caregivers seeking out information and resources to be empowered as they provide care.
AARP: Be on the Lookout for Online Relationship Scams
Thursday, February 10, 2022 @ 2:00 PM
Learn how to recognize online relationship scams in this thirty-minute webinar! Lots of people meet friends and potential love interests online through dating sites, social media, or mobile apps. It can be a great way to meet people, but recognize that not everyone is who they say they are online. These scams aren’t just targeted at people who are looking for a relationship on a dating site or app. They can occur through social media and even through email. In this 30-minute webinar, we’ll discuss the red flags to be on the lookout for anyone engaging in online relationships. Don’t let scammers ruin your Valentine’s Day!
Osher Life Long Learning Institute Special Promotion
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University (OLLI Mason) offers a robust level of class offerings and recruits a wonderful set of teachers from all walks of life, including George Mason University, OLLI membership, and outside experts.
Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, OLLI Mason thrived as an organization. In 2021, they have continued to program and deliver over 500 classes on a broad spectrum of subjects. Over 20 clubs continued to meet online, giving members the ability to stay connected. OLLI plans to resume field trips and in-person classes during the spring term (March 28—May 20).
Currently, OLLI Mason membership is available to new members at an incredible value. OLLI is offering a $300 special promotion rate for those who purchase an annual membership during the winter 2022 term (January 24—February 18), so act now! Curious about class offerings or want more information about OLLI? At no cost to you, please visit the OLLI George Mason University YouTube channel. You can view a sample of the recent, fantastic class offerings. You can find more information about OLLI Mason on their website or by emailing the administrator at olli@gmu.edu.
Bull Run Civil War Round Table Scholarship
Since 2013, the Bull Run Civil War Round Table has given $2,000 scholarships to Northern Virginia, high-school seniors exhibiting a passion for American history – particularly an interest in and knowledge of the Civil War. This annual award goes to a student based on an assessment of a locally based Civil War essay, high-school grades and participation, and history-teacher recommendation.
Applicants must submit a transcript demonstrating grades and courses, a written description of extracurricular activities, a picture of themselves taken at a local historical sign related to the Civil War, and a written recommendation from a history teacher at their high school.
These submissions will be evaluated, with top candidates being interviewed by the Round Table Scholarship Committee, for the final selection of a winner. Packages may be e-mailed to BRCWRTScholarship@gmail.com, or mailed to: BRCWRT-Scholarship Team, P.O. Box 2147, Centreville, VA 20122.
The nonprofit Bull Run Civil War Round Table was established in May 1991 to unite those wishing to expand and share knowledge of the Civil War via lectures, research, field trips and active participation in the preservation of Civil War sites. For more information, go to bullruncwrt.org.
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