The New Year presents a tremendous opportunity for us to continue the great momentum we've got going from 2017. I am particularly looking toward advancements in education, revitalization and transportation, and already am preparing to work with my colleagues as we continue to bring residents the most modernized services available.

As always, I am pressing the General Assembly to approve more school funding. While I was proud to make the motion to pass a budget that transferred $2 billion dollars to FCPS last year, there is still a need for more state funding. Virginia is among the top 10 states in income and the bottom 15 in education funding. That has to change.

As Chairman of the Board of Supervisors' Budget Committee, I am already working on balancing our FY19 budget. Especially as of late, I am very mindful of federal cuts, our ability to maintain services, and the ability of our residents to afford them. Among my top budget priorities is the streamlining of service delivery in order to absorb state and federal cuts to human services. These services are being taken from some of our most vulnerable residents and I'm committed to finding a way to overcome these cuts.

I am also continuing our ongoing strategies to revitalize Springfield and Route One, working with other local elected officials and business leaders to accomplish our shared goal.  We'll soon hopefully be approving a decades-overdue overhaul of the entire comprehensive plan for Route One known as Embark, and securing state and/or federal money to advance the next phase of Route One improvements. The plan currently seeks to bring comprehensive improvements to the area on and around Route One, easing travel, improving safety, protecting our environment, revitalizing land use, and improving affordable housing for residents. 

I served on Governor Northam's Transition Policy Council on Transportation in December, offering my insights and knowledge to help the new administration draft transportation policy that works for all Virginians and pushes us toward statewide infrastructure modernization. I was honored to be part of the council and look forward to seeing what our report accomplishes. For more information, I've linked the final report here
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No matter how you travel, transportation in the winter can be a struggle, especially in extremely cold weather. If you ride Fairfax Connector, knowing how to stay warm while waiting for your bus is essential. Here are four important tips to help make your trip a little bit more bearable in the cold weather:

1. Plan Your Travel Ahead of Time: First, think ahead. If possible, decide on a route that keeps you waiting outside for the shortest time possible. It is important to arrive at your bus stop five minutes before the listed arrival time of your bus.
    
2. Get Real-time Estimated Arrival Information by Using Fairfax Connector BusTracker: To minimize the wait time at your stop, check the estimated arrival time of your bus on your smartphone, tablet or desktop through Fairfax Connector BusTracker. You can also sign-up for email and/or text alerts for your route's estimated arrival times for a specific stop.
    
3. Wear the Right Winter Clothing: Dressing appropriately for the winter means you are not exposing any skin to the cold, so you are wearing a hat, mittens or gloves, a scarf, socks, warm boots or shoes, and a warm jacket. Thick, loose clothing and lots of layers are ideal. Be on the lookout for frostbite, which typically affects smaller, more exposed body parts like the nose, earlobes, fingers, hands and toes, and get out of the cold if possible. Symptoms are a change in skin color, a slightly painful sensation, hard looking skin, numbness and a cold or burning feeling. Again, it's important to keep those areas covered to avoid frostbite.
    
4. Keep Moving to Keep Warm: Doing cardio at the bus stop might look a little silly, but moving your body and jumping up and down helps generate some heat. Just keep moving to keep your body temperature at a steady level.

  Hypothermia Prevention Program in Lee District and the Route One Area

                                            

Article 10-104 of the Zoning Ordinance regulates the location and height of fences and walls on residential properties. Building permits are not required for fences of any height but are required for certain retaining walls, and the locations of fences and walls are restricted in front, side and rear yards.  Additionally fences installed at intersections must provide adequate sight distance for motorists approaching an intersection such that a clear and unobstructed view of approaching traffic is provided. If you have questions concerning the height or location of fences or walls in your neighborhood, you may file a complaint with DCC.  For more information, visit the DCC website or see their Residential Fences and Walls Flyer.