October 17, 2019 
In This Issue:
 

Shaping the Future of Aging in Fairfax County: Earlier this week the Board approved my motion to build on our senior survey and prepare a new plan to shape the future of aging in Fairfax County, to recognize the award winning 50+ Community Action Plan and to rename the 50+ Committee the Older Adults Committee.

 

Plan to Eliminate the Route 29 Bottleneck Advances: At this past Tuesday's meeting, the Board passed my motion to approve the design and a project agreement that will improve the last remaining four-lane section of Lee Highway between Centreville and the City of Fairfax to six lanes and add bike and pedestrian improvements.

 

Recycle Used Clothing and Household Goods: Earlier today I cut the ribbon on a new Donation Station at the I-66 transfer station in the Springfield District. The new donation box accepts used clothing and household goods. Donation Stations, provided through a partnership with TVI/Savers, offer another option for residents to divert material from the waste-to-energy plant and landfills.

 

Other Events (Details Below):

Absentee Voting Begins at Satellite Locations Today
Fairfax County Parkway Widening Project Public Meeting: November 6
National Drug Takeback Day: October 26
"Operation Keep Fairfax Warm" Coat Drive Runs Through November 1
West Springfield District Police Station 'Trunk or Treat' Event: October 30th

 Shaping the Future of Aging in Fairfax County
 
Earlier this week, the Board approved my motion to build on our senior survey and prepare a new plan to shape the future of aging in Fairfax County, to recognize the award winning 50+ Community Action Plan, and to rename the 50+ Committee the Older Adults Committee.
 
Final Summary Report of the 50+ Community Action Plan - As Chair of the Board of Supervisors' 50+ Committee, we set out in 2014 to develop a plan that would make Fairfax County a better place to age, and a place for our older adults to live safely, independently, and with dignity. We wanted a plan that would be affordable, actionable, and achievable. In such a diverse place as Fairfax County, we wanted a plan that would be driven by the community--one that would embrace all of our vibrant and engaged older adults
 
The award-winning 50+ Community Action Plan approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2014 and its 31 initiatives successfully addressed services for older adults and family caregivers, safe and healthy communities, community engagement, transportation and housing. The results of the plan are provided in this  Final Summary Report (pdf).
 
I sincerely thank the countless individuals, organizations, County agencies and Commissions that assisted, supported, and participated in the development and execution of this Plan. Special thanks to the Board, past and present members of the Commission on Aging, the Area Agency on Aging, and the champions of the Plan's initiatives for their work in making Fairfax County a better place for our residents to grow older and flourish. This is not the end; it is the beginning. 
 
SHAPE the Future of Aging Plan -
The size of our older adult population continues to grow which will provide new challenges and opportunities. Earlier this year we conducted a countywide survey to better understand the experiences, lifestyle, perceptions and challenges faced by those who are aging. This feedback will be critical to developing strategies to serve our aging communities in the future.
We need to continue to address both the challenges identified in the survey and those that have more recently become issues, such as affordability, isolation and dementia.  With the continued assistance of the Board, community partners, residents, and staff, I am looking forward to developing the next iteration of the plan as we work to positively shape the future of aging in Fairfax County. Some of the details are below-- I will be providing updates in the Herrity Report as the process begins.
 
Working title - 2020 SHAPE the Future of Aging Plan
 
Working Categories
  • Services for Older Adults & Family Caregivers (caregiver support, dementia-friendly, resources)
  • Housing & Neighborhood Supports (affordable housing, home modifications, home maintenance, villages, livable communities)
  • Access to Mobility Options (transportation, mobility support, walkability)
  • Personal Well-Being (community engagement, isolation, public & mental health, nutrition)
  • Economic Stability and Planning (financial stability, exploitation, employment, end of life, business partnerships)
 
Working Timeline 2020: 
  • Early March: Launch SHAPE the Future of Aging Planning Process
    • Press Release
    • SHAPE the Future of Aging Plan Website
  • April - June: 3 Community Forums and Focus Groups (dates TBD)
  • Summer - Staff drafts new SHAPE the Future of Aging Plan
  • September - Older Adults Committee Meeting
  • October - BOS approves SHAPE the Future of Aging Plan
The Older Adults Committee -
At the September 50+ Committee, we decided the 50+ Committee's name no longer reflected those whom we are serving. Rather than specify an age range (50+), the Board agreed that "Older Adults" better aligns with the focus of our efforts. At Tuesday's meeting the Board approved a name change to the Older Adults Committee.
I will be providing updates in future editions of the Herrity Report as the Shape the Future of Aging process begins.


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Slow Down Signs

Our next batch of signs have arrived at our West Springfield Office!
  
Come by during office hours if you'd like one for your neighborhood.
  
*Limit 2 signs per individual

Plan to Eliminate the Route 29 Bottleneck Advances
 
At this past Tuesday's meeting, the Board passed my motion to approve the design and a project agreement that will improve the last remaining four-lane section of Lee Highway between Centreville and the City of Fairfax to six lanes and add bike and pedestrian improvements. The $85.9M project will improve capacity and remove the bottleneck along this 1.5-mile corridor and will also complete a continuous 10-foot wide shared use path for bikes and pedestrians. Work will also include drainage improvements as well as modifications to four intersections-Centreville Rd./Union Mill Rd., Clifton Rd./Stringfellow Rd., Meadow Estates Dr./Hampton Forest Way, and Buckley's Gate Dr./Summit Dr. Land acquisition should start early next year with construction beginning in 2022. This project is funded with a combination of state and local funding, as well as concessionaire fees associated with the I-66 Outside the Beltway project. For more information on this project, visit here.
Recycle Used Clothing and Household Goods
 
Earlier today I cut the ribbon on a new Donation Station at the I-66 transfer station in the Springfield District. The new donation box accepts used clothing and household goods.
 
Donation Stations, provided through a partnership with TVI/Savers, offer another option for residents to divert material from the waste-to-energy plant and landfills. Reducing waste by repurposing unwanted but usable goods is an important part of the county's integrated waste management strategy.
 
A second Donation Station is available at the landfill complex in Lorton. Both locations are open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 
Attendants at the Donation Stations help residents unload items and provide a receipt for the donations. The collected items are prepared for sale in local thrift shops. Textiles that are no longer serviceable are recycled into carpet, upholstery, and other uses. Residents with unaccepted items can dispose of them in a different area of the site.
Accepted items include:
  • Clothing, shoes, hats, outwear and accessories
  • Toys and games
  • Books
  • Records and CDs
  • Household items, such as toaster, glassware, dishes, and cookware
Donation Stations do not accept:
  • Car seats, cribs, playpens
  • Bike helmets
  • Food, plants, pets
  • Lawnmowers, swing sets
  • Things that are broken or missing pieces
  • Electronics
  • Propane or fuel containers
  • Weapons
The Savers family of stores is a for-profit, global thrift retailer offering gently used clothing, accessories, and household goods. Their Rethink Reuse® business model of purchasing, reselling, and recycling gives communities a smart way to shop and keeps more than 700 million pounds of used goods out of the waste stream. They also help more than 100 nonprofit organizations by purchasing donated goods from them, which provides a source of revenue to help support their vital community programs and services. Locally, they operate Unique in Merrifield.
 
Other notable recycling efforts at the I-66 transfer station: Back in 2010 I helped Bikes for the World arrange for a collection location at the I-66 transfer station for used bicycles. They fix them and distribute them to those in need. Paint that is dropped off at the transfer station is picked up by Habitat for Humanity and resold at their Restores locations to fund their work in the community. 

In-Person Absentee Voting Begins at Satellite Locations Today
   
In-person absentee voting will be available in 10 locations across Fairfax County beginning today. The Fairfax County Government Center will be open for voting on Mondays through Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. a nd Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. T he last day to vote absentee in-person is Saturday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m.
 
The following satellite voting locations will be open on weekdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Use the following links to find out more information about each location.
 
 
 

Fairfax County Parkway Widening Project: Public Information Meeting set for November 6
 
 The Virginia Department of Transportation will be hosting its fourth Public Information Meeting to update the public and collect feedback on the Fairfax County Parkway Widening and the Popes Head Road Interchange Project. This project will widen the Parkway from 4 to 6 lanes from Ox Road to Route 29, build an interchange at Popes Head Road and the future Shirley Gate Extension, reconfigure intersections along the project limits, and construct a missing segment of the shared use path from Burke Centre Parkway to Route 123.

The meeting is set for November 6th in the cafeteria at Robinson Secondary School (5035 Sideburn Road in Fairfax) from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. with a presentation at 7:00 p.m.  This much needed project has been delayed for too long over my objections. I will continue to work to move the project towards construction as quickly as possible so we can fix this dangerous and congested area of the Parkway.
 
Drug Takeback Day: October 26 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

 The DEA National Drug Takeback Day - Operation Medicine Cabinet Cleanout is set for October 26 from 10a.m. to 2p.m. with multiple takeback sites countywide. Visit the DEA website to find a takeback box near you. Also, if you cannot make it to this event, there are takeback boxes available year-round at each of the Fairfax County Police District Stations, including my West Springfield office. For more information regarding what is accepted at our permanent take back boxes, visit https://fcpdnews.wordpress.com/2019/01/14/drug-take-back-box-locations/
Operation Keep Fairfax Warm
 
Fairfax County's 9-1-1 Call Center is currently running its "Operation Keep Fairfax Warm" coat drive and accepting used coats of all sizes in good condition to give to homeless shelters countywide. These coats will also be provided to homeless individuals outside of shelters that officers meet on the street. Donations can be taken to your nearest Police District Station including the one at my West Springfield office.

West Springfield District Police Station's 'Trunk or Treat' October 30 from 6 to 8 p.m.
 
The West Springfield District Station Police Officers have a message to share:
"It's Halloween time, ready or not.
Meet us at West Springfield District Station parking lot.
Cruisers will be parked and their trunks popped and filled up with lots of candy treats.
Bring the kids for treats and giveaways and a safe, friendly Halloween preview."
 
(This is a free event!)
 


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