Community Notice from
Dranesville Supervisor John Foust
Dear Neighbor,

On Friday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration announced that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been cleared for use. See below for details from the Health Department.

This email includes information on the FY 2022 Budget Mark-up package, two Dranesville District Land Use cases the will be deferred to May, and the Office of Elections is seeking Korean and Vietnamese speaks for the June primary. Also, below is a link to Dranesville District School Board Representative Elaine Tholen's most recent newsletter.

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
CDC and FDA Lift Pause on J&J Vaccine
On April 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted their recommended pause on the use of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine, following the recommendation of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) that the vaccine should be cleared for use by all adults.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has instructed providers across the Commonwealth that they are free to resume administering the J&J vaccine immediately. The Fairfax County Health Department will follow that guidance and resume offering J&J vaccine at our vaccination sites once they become available.

The recommendation is based on the following:
  • The FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.
  • The FDA has determined that the available data show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.
  • At this time, the available data suggest that the chance of blood clots and low platelets, also known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) occurring is very low, but the FDA and CDC will remain vigilant in continuing to investigate this risk.
  • This extra scrutiny by the FDA should instill confidence in the system that is in place to guarantee COVID-19 vaccine safety.

Residents may schedule an appointment to receive one of the three available free COVID-19 vaccines at Fairfax County Health Department clinics, the Tysons Community Vaccination Center, or the George Mason University clinic by creating an account in the Health Department’s scheduling system – Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) – through the Fairfax County website or VaccineFinder.org.

As with any vaccine, we encourage individuals to educate themselves on any potential side effects and to weigh that against the possibility of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 (see Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers external).

If you need assistance or for further information you can contact the health department’s call center at 703-324-7404, call 877-VAX-IN-VA (877-829-4682) or visit vaccinate.virginia.gov
FY 2022 Budget Mark-Up Package
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved the FY 2022 Advertised Budget mark-up package during its meeting today, including the addition of a 1% pay increase for county employees, $15 million more for the Fairfax County Public Schools Operating Fund transfer to support compensation increases for FCPS employees, and funding to provide salary supplements for state employees, including Office of the Public Defender support staff and probation and parole officers. The budget maintains the one-cent tax rate reduction proposed in the original FY 2022 Advertised Budget Plan, down from $1.15 in FY 2021 to $1.14 in FY 2022.

The additional expenditures are offset by net revenue adjustments, including higher than expected Business, Professional and Occupational License revenue, and use of the $20 million Economic Recovery Reserve, resulting in a balanced FY 2022 Budget.

With additional resources required to staff the planned opening of new facilities, support necessary to continue initiatives such as the Diversion First program and Opioid Task Force, and baseline funding needed to support the Body Worn Camera program and pandemic response efforts, the proposed budget includes several adjustments that allow the county to move forward on community priorities.

The board also provided Budget Guidance for FY 2022 and FY 2023 that addresses:
  • Funding for FCPS - Which should increase equally with county disbursements and include opportunities for collaboration between the county and schools.
  • The Countywide Strategic Plan, on which the board stressed the need for appropriate feedback opportunities for the community. Board action on the plan is scheduled for October.
  • Employee Pay – Staff was directed to return to the Board if an opportunity becomes available for an additional one-time bonus in FY 2022, either through county or federal stimulus funds. The guidance also described full compensation program funding for FY 2023 as “imperative.”
  • Affordable Housing – The County Executive was directed to set aside the equivalent of at least one-half cent on the Real Estate Tax rate (in addition to the current half-penny) for the next two fiscal years – through county dollars or through the maximization of federal stimulus funds, where possible – to address preservation and development goals for affordable housing. The Affordable Housing Preservation Task Force established in July 2020, identified three preservation goals and the County Executive has been directed to return to the board this fall with a plan to implement those goals, including appropriate resources in FY 2022 and FY 2023.
  • Trust Policy – The County Executive was directed to develop a comprehensive plan to ensure that the county is a welcoming community for immigrants, including the establishment of a position as the county’s first Immigrant Community Liaison.

The guidance also addresses tax relief, environmental and energy initiatives, Celebrate Fairfax and the use of stimulus funding.

The FY 2022 Budget is scheduled for adoption at the Tuesday, May 4 Board of Supervisors meeting.
Deferral of Two Planning Commission Hearings Scheduled for April 28
A hearing on the McLean Community Business Center Study (PA 2018-II-M1) will be deferred to May 26, 2021. This Plan Amendment was authorized in April 2018 by the Board of Supervisors to update guidance on planned land uses, transportation, parks and open space, and other public facility needs for downtown McLean. The last significant update to the Plan was in 1998. A series of community workshops were conducted in the Summer of 2018 to create a Vision Plan for downtown and afterwards a task force worked for 2.5 years to develop Comprehensive Plan text. Information regarding the study, including the draft Plan, overview videos, task force meeting material, and staff report can be found here.

The Madeira School, Inc. (SEA 83-D-030-09) public hearing will be deferred to May 19, 2021. The school, located at 8328 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls has requested to amend previous approval for a private school of general education to allow replacement of an existing science building with a new STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Mathematics) building; Replacement/enlargement of existing stables and indoor riding ring; and replacement of various structures with 15 residential units. Information including a map of the site, public hearing dates, and staff report can be found here.
Vietnamese and Korean Speakers Needed as Election Officer for the June Primary Election
The Fairfax County Office of Elections needs additional bilingual election officers to assist voters for the Primary Election to be held on Tuesday June 8, 2021 and in future elections.

Specifically, individuals who speak Vietnamese and English fluently or Korean and English fluently are needed to serve in Annandale, Centreville, Chantilly, and Falls Church.

You will perform all regular election officer duties, including assisting most voters in English, but will be assigned to precincts with a significant number of voters who may primarily speak Vietnamese or Korean. To serve as a designated bilingual election officer, you must also complete a short oral language skills assessment.

Fairfax County is the largest voting jurisdiction in Virginia with 243 precincts countywide. It takes thousands of enthusiastic and trained election officers to ensure that we have efficient and well-run elections. Compensation begins at $175 and training is provided online for new officers.


Please apply as soon as possible, but no later than Friday May 7, 2021. More information visit the Office of Elections website here.
Update from Elaine Tholen,
Dranesville District School Board Representative
Dranesville District Representative, Elaine Tholen, provided the latest information from Fairfax County Public Schools in her April newsletter, available online here.
Stay Informed about COVID-19
Fairfax County is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Residents are strongly encouraged to utilize the resources listed below: