Thank you for joining my virtual budget town hall to discuss the FY 2022 Advertised Budget Proposal. I was joined by Chairman McKay Fairfax County Chief Financial Officer Joe Mondoro, Dranesville District School Board Representative Elaine Tholen and Assistant Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services Leigh Burden for the discussion. Video of the meeting is available online here.

The County will continue hold public hearings on the budget on Tuesday, April 13 (starting at 4:00 p.m.), Wednesday, April 14 (starting at 3:00 p.m.), and Thursday, April 15 (starting at 3:00 p.m.). Residents will be able to provide testimony on the budget proposal via video, phone, or in writing, but, in order to protect the public and staff, there will be no in-person testimony. More information on how to participate is available online here.

This email includes:

Please share this email with your friends and neighbors, and do not hesitate to contact my office if we can be of assistance; email Dranesville@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-356-0551.

Sincerely,

John

Gov. Ralph Northam recently announced further changes to public health restrictions in place to prevent transmission of COVID-19. These changes come as Virginia’s vaccination rate rise and case counts fluctuate.

Effective April 1:

Read amended business guidance here, and more details on the Governor’s announcement here.

Beginning March 23, individuals who live or work the Fairfax Health District that fall into the following categories are now eligible to register to get a COVID-19 vaccine:

(See below for specific category details.)

These are the next two priority groups of frontline essential workers in Phase 1b as outlined by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). We are now accepting registrations for the first eight categories on this list:

The Health Department is opening these categories because our vaccine supply is increasing, and we are moving through our current waitlist at a faster pace. We expect to move into Phase 1c by mid-April and move into Phase 2 by May 1 in accordance with VDH guidance.

Employees should be prepared to show some form of work-related identification or paystub as the vaccine appointment could be offered by one of our vaccine partners that may require ID.

As a reminder, Fairfax County is not participating in the statewide registration system at this time. You should register on our website.

According to the CDC, the following categories are included in the Public Transit Workers priority group:

The Virginia Department of Health has also approved these categories:

This category includes both United States Postal Service carriers and private companies (such as Amazon, UPS, FedEx, etc.).

As the region continues to receive more vaccine from Operation Warp Speed, more licensed vaccinators will be called upon to serve in the mass vaccination campaign. Since most school public health nurses have returned to schools, the Health Department is hiring approximately 250 vaccinators (licensed nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and pharmacists) in coming weeks to help get the COVID-19 vaccine into the arms of residents as quickly as possible. Vaccinators will be assigned to work at Health Department vaccination sites that operate six days a week, including the Fairfax County Government Center.

Interested candidates should have experience vaccinating and hold a current license or a multistate licensure privilege to practice as a Nurse Practitioner, Physician Assistant, Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, or Pharmacist in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as a valid driver’s license. Candidates must be willing to work weekdays and/or weekends, on a flexible schedule. Candidates can apply online here.

While COVID-19 cases are currently trending downward, testing remains paramount in identifying who is infected in order to perform a case investigation and identify close contacts, which will ultimately help slow the spread of illness. In addition, approximately 10% of all positive swabs collected by the Fairfax County Health Department are submitted to the state laboratory to test for variant strains of COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one circulating strain identified in the U.S., the U.K. variant, may be 50% more contagious. While still uncertain, scientists from the U.S. report that it may cause an increased risk of death, although more studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Throughout the pandemic, the Health Department has focused on making COVID-19 testing readily available and equitable. In addition to the 80+ clinics and health care providers offering testing, the agency provides community testing in neighborhoods where socioeconomic factors and transportation make it difficult to access testing. The Health Department’s testing sites are open Monday through Friday in locations based on epidemiology (disease) data and input from community leaders. No appointment is necessary and testing is free of charge.

The Health Department’s testing sites are not intended for those who would like a COVID-19 test for travel, to return to work or school, or for documentation of a negative test for other purposes (e.g. hospital visits, employers or attending social events). If you need a test for any of these purposes, contact your health care provider, or any of Fairfax County’s 80+ COVID-19 testing locations.

The Health Department’s testing sites serve both drive-up and walk-through clients and perform specimen collection outdoors. For locations and hours of operation, visit the Health Department’s testing page here.

The Board met virtually on Tuesday for a regularly scheduled Board Meeting. Below are a few highlights and the entire meeting is available to view on demand here.

The Board approved:

The first application for a development project under Fairfax County’s new Economic Incentive Program (EIP) was approved by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, March 23. The property is located in the Skyline Center at 5201, 5203, and 5205 Leesburg Pike in the Bailey’s Crossroads area. The EIP is available to development proposals that are located in the county’s six Economic Incentive Areas and that meet the program’s other eligibility requirements. EIP incentives include real estate tax abatements, site plan fee reductions and an expedited zoning process, among other regulatory incentives. To learn more about the program, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, click here.

Fairfax County updated its 42-year-old Zoning Ordinance to bring it into the 21st century. On Tuesday, March 23, the Board of Supervisors approved the modernization project which goes into effect on July 1, 2021.

Notable changes include:

The Board also passed a number of follow-on motions, including a motion directing staff to monitor and evaluate accessory living units and home-based businesses. A report on these two topics will be provided to the Board within 18 months of the July 1 effective date.

The modernized Zoning Ordinance is available at the Department of Planning and Development’s zMOD page. Prior to the July 1 effective date, additional outreach events and educational material will be posted on the zMOD website.

As of Monday, March 22, 2021, all library branches will return to Express Services.

Library patrons will be able to once again use their local branches, but with some modifications in place, including:

Normal circulation procedures remain in place. This includes: items will be due after their normal circulation period, fines will be assessed, and holds will begin expiring again if not picked up.

Express Services will be available at all locations:

Curbside Services will continue to be offered Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Dranesville District Representative, Elaine Tholen, provided the latest information, resources, and meetings from Fairfax County Public Schools in her Spring newsletter, available online here.

The Great Falls Citizens Association (GFCA) will host a virtual Town Hall Meeting on safety and design issues at the Route 7/Towlston Road intersection, such as intersection sight lines, the impact of the Arden development on traffic light wait times, and the ability of the intersection to safely accommodate buses and large trucks turning onto Towlston Road from westbound Route 7.

The Town Hall Meeting will be an opportunity for residents to talk about their concerns. VDOT officials will be in attendance and will be available to address issues raised by the community.

Wednesday, March 31 at 7:00 p.m.

You must register to attend the Town Hall Meeting. Once registered, you will receive a reminder email on the day of the Town Hall Meeting. GFCA is structuring the Town Hall to allow anyone from the community that wants to speak to have the opportunity to do so. If you want to speak in the meeting, please indicate your interest when you register by clicking the "I wish to speak at this meeting".

GFCA encourages HOAs and HOA members along Towlston and Leigh Mill Roads as well as in the immediate vicinity of the Route 7/Towlston Road intersection to attend the Town Hall meeting.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is a non-profit affiliate of George Mason University that offers over 600 courses, socials and clubs each year to retirees/older residents of Northern Virginia. OLLI classes, socials and clubs have all gone online during the pandemic, providing a great lifeline to a vulnerable population during a time of social distancing.

Each term OLLI opens several classes to the public for free. Click here or on the flier for more information on upcoming free classes available via youtube.

For general information about OLLI Mason, and their spring term offerings click here.

Fairfax County is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Residents are strongly encouraged to utilize the resources listed below: