Pandemic Levels Blow to Women's Memorial Funding
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Pandemic Levels Blow to Women’s Memorial Funding News, Page 4 Classifieds, Page 6 Classifieds, Alina Madalina, of Alexandria, Reserving Some Expenditures walks past future Turning Point Suffragists Memorial site in Until Revenues Materialize Occoquan Regional Park. News, Page 3 Requested in home 5-1-20 home in Requested Time sensitive material. material. sensitive Time Attention Postmaster: Postmaster: Attention ECR WSS ECR Keeping an Eye Customer Postal 322 # permit Easton, MD Easton, PAID On Accotink Creek Postage U.S. News, Page 2 STD PRSRT Photo by Susan Laume/The Connection Photo April 30 - May 6, 2020 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com Spring Valley Farm and Orchard News Eli and Misty Cook Keeping an Eye on Due to the Covid 19 crisis, Eli & Misty Cook, who normally participate in the following Farmers Markets: Accotink Creek Alexandria-Old Town Alexandria Farmer’s Market DuPont-FRESHFARM DuPont Circle Market, D.C. 301 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314 1600 20th St. NW Washington, D.C 20009 Saturday 7:00 am to 12:00 pm Sunday 8:30 am to 1:30 pm ‘Transform 66,’ construction Silver Spring-FRESHFARM Silver Springs Market Mosaic- FRESHFARM Mosaic Market 1 Veterans Place Silver Springs MD 20910 2910 District Ave. Fairfax, VA 22031 stirring the silt pot in Fairfax. Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Sunday 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Westover-Westover Farmer’s Market Reston Farmer’s Market ( Opening May 8) By Mike Salmon of thing and are working with the 1644 N. McKinley Rd. Arlington, VA 22205 1609 Washington Plaza N Reston, VA 20190 The Connection Friends of Accotink Creek to make Sunday 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturday 8:00 am to 12:00 pm sure the creek is protected. Dean Burke-Burke VA pickup location will be in the VRE parking Fairlington Farmer’s Market hen the Friends Naujoks, a Potomac Riverkeeper at lot VRE STA P Lot, 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke, VA 22015 3308 S. Stafford St. Arlington, VA 22206 of Accotink Creek the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Saturday 8am-11am. Suday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (Opening May 5) looked at the mud- is part of the effort, and said that died waters down- “sediment pollution is number one We now offer a Seasonal Market W stream from where it goes un- source of water pollution in the Box, ordered online, der I-66 in Fairfax County, they country,” along with phosphorus, that can be prepaid and brought the issue to the Virginia a leading cause of impairment to packaged in advance. Department of Transportation and the Potomac and its tributaries and No waiting in long lines then the Virginia Department of Chesapeake Bay. “One of the goals and selecting -- Environmental Quality to try to of Chesapeake Bay Clean Up is sed- stem the tide of sediments entering iment, nitrogen and phosphorus,” just grab your box and go! the waters of Accotink Creek. For he said, “phosphorous attaches to We also offer optional home the last few years, VDOT has been sediment to use as a transport.” delivery inside the 495 beltway. widening I-66 to put in toll lanes The I-66 Outside the Beltway between I-495 and Haymarket, widening project crosses 5.1 miles Check out our website for more info: an area that includes the Accotink of the Accotink Creek watershed, springvalleyfarmandorchard.square.site or call 304-496-7788 Creek watershed. passing over the tributaries of also check us out on facebook at: According to the Potomac Riv- Long Branch (north), Bear Branch, facebook.com/SpringValleyFarmandOrchard or call Misty 304-671-7220 erkeeper Network, “VDOT ‘fixes’ Hatmark Branch, Hunters Branch, were not adequate,” they said. The group keeps an eye on this kind See Construction, Page 6 lost (adj): 1. unable to find the way. 2. not appreciated or understood. 3. no longer owned or known Adopt Donate Volunteer Volunteers needed for adoption events, fostering, transportation, adoption center caretaking and more. lostdogandcatrescue.org 2 v Burke / Fairfax / Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton / Springfield v April 30 - May 6, 2020 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News Dance Benefit Raises Funds for MS Research Photos Courtesy of Jordyn Salow Before school ended for the year, dance students from the Fairfax Academy put on a dance benefit to support those battling multiple sclerosis. The event was a big success and, besides highlighting the talented dancers, it raised $1,700 for the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Reserving Some Expenditures Until Revenues Materialize Fairfax City moves “Because of its budget adoption COVID-19, we’re to May 13. holding expenditures By Bonnie Hobbs in reserve until we The Connection start seeing what our ontinuing to grapple with the fallout from COVID-19’s chill- revenues will be. ing effect on the economy, And this also applies CFairfax City Manager Rob Stal- zer recommended the City move its FY 21 budget adoption from May 6 to May to personnel raises.” 13. He did so because Fairfax County is — Fairfax City Manager also adopting its budget later than usual, Rob Stalzer and the City has two large contracts with the county. A chart of important dates regarding Fairfax City’s budget. going to just flip a switch and it’s He said that during the April 14 City going to go back to the way it Council meeting and also suggested the term borrowing of $5.335 million for the FY was. I think the recovery is going to Council hold quarterly, budget-review, work THE ONLY INCOME INCREASES are be- 21-25 CIP (Capital Improvement Program), be gradual.” sessions about the FY 21 budget. He then cause of the drop in fuel prices for City ve- which may be carried over multiple years. “Over the next three or four weeks, showed several slides detailing the City’s hicles, lower operating costs for buses since “By reducing [certain] projects in the CIP, do we expect the proposed tax rates to estimated FY 20 revenue decreases and the schools are closed, and capital construction we’re not eliminating them, just reserving stay the same, unless something dra- projected FY 21 budget shortfalls. projects that have either been completed or them,” he said. matic happens?” asked Councilman For example, said Stalzer, “For FY 20, the scaled back. So, said Stalzer, “It results in a Stalzer said that, “Because of COVID-19, Michael DeMarco. Stalzer replied yes. BPOL tax [Business, Professional and Occu- $131,000 FY 20 surplus, which will help bal- we’re holding expenditures in reserve until Councilman Sang Yi then said he pational License] will be reduced by about ance the FY 21 budget. we start seeing what our revenues will be. wants the Council to set its budget 30 percent, and the bank franchise tax will “I’m hoping things begin to recover after And this also applies to personnel raises.” priorities, and Stalzer said he wants to be reduced by about 15 percent. There’s less six months, but we don’t know – and that’s Freezing non-public-safety overtime is also do that, too, “with the help of [City] traffic, so fewer fines, Parks and Rec is shut why we have the review schedule,” he said. on the table. staff and others.” down [so no money is being made from can- “We estimate a $17.669 million shortfall for He further noted that, although he’s rec- Also during that meeting, resident celled events].” FY 21.” As a result, he’s recommending near- ommending a $200,000 cut to the City’s Douglas Stewart asked the Council “Less school aid is coming in, and we’re ly $3.5 million in cuts from the upcoming Renaissance Housing Corp. – which makes to defer making land-use decisions getting less income on our investments be- budget. small loans to residents to renovate their during the pandemic. He said such cause of the lowered interest rate,” he con- “Gradually, we’ll be able to bring the homes – this entity currently has $600,000 decisions are important, but “not es- tinued. “So we’re expecting an overall FY schools and Parks and Rec back online and in the bank that it can loan. sential to the continuity of govern- 20 loss of $4.632 million [for the last 3-1/2 collect fees again,” said Stalzer. “So we’ll ment.” months of this fiscal year] because of loss- hold $7,851,261 in reserve for these things. STALZER also recommended against dip- In response, City Attorney Brian Lub- es in business revenue and City operations, I also anticipate recommending that the ping into the City’s 12-percent fund bal- keman said, “It’s currently being hotly plus the elimination of the recommended 3-cent tax increase be put in play in FY 22.” ance. “It’s far less than many other juris- debated around the commonwealth. 3-cent real-estate tax increase.” In addition, he’d like the City to do short- dictions our size have,” he said. “We’re not We’re still wrestling with that.” www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Burke / Fairfax / Fairfax Station/Clifton/Lorton / Springfield v April 30 - May 6, 2020 v 3 News www.ConnectionNewspapers.com @BurkeConnection An independent, locally owned weekly newspaper delivered to homes and businesses. Published by Local Media Connection LLC 1606 King Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Free digital edition delivered to your email box. Go to connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe NEWS DEPARTMENT: [email protected] Workers prepare for pouring cement footings. Architect’s rendering illustrates Turning Point Suffragist Memorial plan before cost cutting changes. Kemal Kurspahic Editor ❖ 703-778-9414 [email protected] Andrea Worker Pandemic Levels Blow to Memorial Funding Contributing Writer [email protected] Suffragist Turning Point Memorial work style memorial will not be practical.