Fairfax 1-28-21 (Pdf) Download

xxxx xx INSIDE: Experts split on 2021 local housing market • Page 7 9 17 CALLERS TELL MADISON, VIENNA POLICE OAKTON TIGERS WERE MEET IN ON THE LOOSE RIVALRY Sun Gazette GREAT FALLS McLEAN OAKTON TYSONS VIENNA VOLUME 42 NO. 16 JAN. 28-FEB. 3, 2021 As COVID Continues to Rage, So Does Chaos Shortage of Vaccine Leaves Thousands of County Residents in Limbo as They Await Inoculation BRIAN TROMPETER Sta Writer Thousands of Fairfax County residents under age 75 who thought they had conrmed appointments for CO- VID vaccines suddenly nd themselves in limbo. Fairfax County government ofcials and Inova Health System this week canceled rst-dose appointments for many people already in the vaccine queue, pointing the nger at policy changes at the state level, and they’re urging the public to show patience as the vaccine rollout continues to have hiccups. A national shortage of vaccines is trickling down to impact states and localities. As a result, state ofcials re- versed previous policy and decided to allocate vaccine distributions to juris- dictions on a population basis, overrid- ing previous vaccine orders placed by local governments and hospitals. The result: Northern Virginia localities have seen their allocations trimmed, and have to make starker choices about vaccine eligibility, said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay (D). “We have a very efcient, well-run program that now has to be slowed down,” he said in a Jan. 25 e-mail to constituents. (The chaos is being replicated across AROUND AND AROUND SHE GOES! Northern Virginia; in neighboring Ar- lington, Virginia Hospital Center also Langley High School’s Julia Stout performs her routine on the uneven bars during a Jan. 23 competition at Yorktown High School. Washing- ton-Liberty won the meet. See coverage in Sports, a montage of photos on Page 20 and a link to a slide show of photos at https://sungazette. was forced to cancel its thousands of news/photos. PHOTO BY DEB KOLT Continued on Page 19 ONLINE https://sungazette.news l On Facebook: sungazettenews l On Twitter: @sungazettenews @sungazettespts Local Postal Customer Postal Local ORDER WARM WEATHER SHADE Solutions NOW! www.montgomeryawning.com PERMIT NO. 260 NO. PERMIT EASTON, MD EASTON, PAID FREE ESTIMATES. Toll Free: 800-300-1941 U.S. POSTAGE U.S. Loudoun: 703-737-0491 | Fauquier: 540-347-1941 PRSRT STD PRSRT [email protected] Park Authority Is Prepping Scaled-Back Fee Increases BRIAN TROMPETER residents and the Park Authority’s park- revenues in scal 2021 will continue to rounds played and an 8-percent rise in Sta Writer revenue-fund nances over the past year,” be signicantly lower than usual because greens-fee revenue, even though the of- Duray said. “Assembling this year’s fee of across-the-board spending controls cials closed all the courses for at least Fairfax County Park Authority proposal required sensitivity to both – a implemented during the pandemic. eight weeks last spring because of the (FCPA) board members on March 10 will true balancing act. The scope of the pro- The proposed fee increases are scally pandemic. vote on a scaled-back slate of fee increases posal is modest – similar in size to last responsible and focus on outdoor parks, Park ofcials reopened all the courses for some of the agency’s offerings. year, but only half the size of two years where park demand has shifted during over a three-week period last May and The proposed fee increases, which ago – to minimize impact on the residents the pandemic, as well as fees that have not saw their usage skyrocket, likely as a re- would take effect April 1, would raise of Fairfax.” been adjusted for several years, he said. sult of the public’s being cooped up. In about $357,000 more in scal 2022, which The Park Authority’s scal 2020 net In keeping with long-standing policy, the rst four weeks after the courses re- is about half the amount garnered from revenues were about $3.4 million, a two- agency ofcials review fees annually and opened, revenues from golf rounds shot fee hikes two years ago, said Marketing thirds decline compared with the previous make regular, minor adjustments instead up 38 percent and those from buckets of Services Manager Nick Duray. year, even though the agency signicantly of imposing much higher fees less fre- golf balls went up 21 percent compared “It is no understatement to say that the reduced expenses and entirely depleted quently. with the previous year. COVID-19 pandemic has played havoc the revenue-and-operating fund’s stabi- FCPA’s eight golf courses in scal 2020 The Park Authority’s overall golf rev- with the living patterns of Fairfax County lization reserve. Ofcials also expect net saw a 2-percent increase in the number of enues dipped only 2 percent in scal 2020, despite the pandemic’s disruption. Rev- enue sources hardest hit were snack-bar sales (down 19 percent) and fees from rec- reation classes (down 54 percent), special events (down 55 percent) and mini-golf (down 47 percent). New to The Park Authority’s golf courses be- gan receiving extra-heavy usage last May, mirroring the nationwide trend, and that resulted in increased stafng and mainte- Tysons Corner. nance costs, ofcials said. Because the Park Authority Board But not to banking that ﬁ ts your life. last September approved out-of-cycle increases for greens fees and driving-range charges, the annual fee proposal does not contain further hikes for those categories. However, the board may raise driving- cage fees at Pinecrest, which had been lower because of the nature of the facilities, to match this fall’s adjusted driving- range fees. The board approved increases in power-cart rental fees at some courses to ensure they were equal at all facilities for golfers playing nine holes. The pandemic clobbered the agency’s RECenters in scal 2020, drawing only 1.2 million visitors (down 25 percent) and nearly $17.9 million in revenue (down 35 percent). The facilities otherwise had been on track to outpace the previous year, said FCPA ofcials, who did not propose any RECenter fee hikes for this year. The agency’s managed parks also struggled in scal 2020, handling just shy of 2 million visitors (down 8.9 percent) and taking a revenue hit of 50.2 percent. We think banking should adapt to ﬁ t your lifestyle. Not the other The Water Mine at Lake Fairfax Park was way around. So whether you choose to bank with our convenient closed all summer and saw revenue losses of 49 percent. mobile app, online, or in our new Tysons Corner branch, if you’re The Park Authority Board will consid- ready for a bett er way to bank, we’re ready to help. er raising from $50 to $60 the four-hour rental fee per area at Burke Lake Park and Let’s get started. Schedule an appointment at fnb-online.com. hiking charges for two popular gazebos at Green Spring Village, citing the height- ened demand for smaller outdoor spaces to host small-group special occasions. Among the proposed changes, canoe and kayak rental fees and charges for tour boats would rise at Lake Accotink, Lake Fairfax and Burke Lake parks, and there would be a new charge for shing kayaks at Riverbend Park. 1497 Cornerside Blvd. | Tysons, VA The Park Authority Board also will consider new fees for wedding rentals of Member FDIC the formal garden at Colvin Run Mill Continued on Page 19 2 January 28, 2021 sungazette.news 2804_fnb_tysons_con_new_sungaz_7x9.8_d.indd 1 1/13/21 1:43 PM Friends of Riverbend Park Readies for Busy Year BRIAN TROMPETER for Title I school eld trips, the afore- during peak periods, and possibly create Sta Writer mentioned bass-shing boat, 10 Mad more parking spaces at the site. River canoes, continuing-education staff, The park was closed last March The nonprot Friends of Riverbend tabletop displays at the visitor center, sci- through May because of the pandemic, Park Inc. (FORB) saved on operating ex- ence and nature books for the children’s but its trails were open. Visitors parked penses and cut back on program spending library, Eagle Scout projects and water- in adjacent neighborhoods and hiked into last year during the pandemic, but this quality measuring equipment. the park, but sometimes left litter in peo- year plans to spend those accumulated The organization also has supported ple’s yards and drove too quickly on local funds on a special purchase: a top-notch the educational pavilion’s dedication, the Hugh Morrow roads, Morrow said. patrol-and-rescue boat. park’s luncheon for volunteers, program- chainsaws. The group dedicated its annual report The group, which recently released its scheduling software, maintenance tools In addition to the boat purchases, to its founder, Catherine Mayes, who died 2020 annual report, will channel $15,000 and equipment, a telescope and the park’s FORB’s leaders will earmark $5,000 for Oct. 30 at age 71. Mayes served as its rst through the Fairfax County Park Founda- annual Native American and Bluebell fes- a discretionary fund that could be tapped president from 1999 to 2005. tion to purchase the watercraft from Spec tivals. by the park’s staff for small purchases. “It was her devotion to Riverbend Rescue International in Virginia Beach, The group in 2020 netted $5,000 from That method will beat having park em- Park, her determination to keep it as a said Hugh Morrow III, FORB’s president its annual native-plant sale and sold more ployees ask the organization each time to natural-resource refuge for the citizens and director.

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