Coles District Newsletter SUPERVISOR YESLI VEGA

February 2021 12th Edition

Dear Neighbor,

January and February has been dominated by the vaccine rollout. While your Board of Supervisors is the level of government farthest away from the decision making process, please know that our office has been doing what we can to stay on top of the daily changing news about the distribution, vaccination sites, and the general process in Virginia and here in Prince William County. While Prince William County has distributed the second most vaccines in the Commonwealth (we are the second largest jurisdiction) we are still way behind the rest of the region in vaccination rates based on our population. As of today, you would have to drive down to King William County, nearly two hours away, to find a locality with a worse vaccination rate based on population.

Nobody seems to be taking responsibility for the local lag, but we’re told most of the blame falls at the state level. I recently tried pushing for a reconfiguration of the wait list numbers to help give county residents some expectation of where they’re at in line. As most of you know, random wait list numbers were assigned that provided no indication of where you stand. Unfortunately, the recent merger of the county’s data into the statewide database makes this near impossible. My office will continue to do what we can to help make this process most transparent for our residents.

In other news, the Board majority defied the wishes of the planning office, the planning commission, and most importantly, the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Prince William County residents by beginning to chip away at the rural crescent with their vote on the Preserve at Long Branch, on January 19th. Subsequent news stories and quotes from the majority have confirmed this is likely only the beginning, and was indeed the precedent setter we predicted that an approval would be.

Thank you for reading, and, as always, we welcome your feedback.

For Coles,

Yesli Vega /ColesDistrict

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February 2021 12th Edition

Table of Contents

How to sign up for a COVID-19 Vaccine ...... 4

How to sign up for COVID Vaccine (Cont.) ...... 5

How to sign up for COVID Vaccine (Cont.) ...... 6

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Numbers ...... 7

Attend the Prince William COVID-19 Vaccination Town Hall ...... 8

County COVID-19 Testing Locations ...... 9

Virginia Flu Numbers Nonexistent Compared to Years Past/Extended Lockdowns ...... 10

CDC Advises Those Who Get COVID-19 Vaccine/CDC Access to Vaccination and Reopening Schools ...... 11

Teachers Union Demands Vaccines Before Allowing/Reading Gap Widens ...... 12

Return To Learn Update ...... 13

PP Restarting! Important PPP Information ...... 14

Virginia Enacts First-in-The Nation Permanent COVID-19 Workplace Safety and Health Edicts ...... 15

Dem Majority Approves Housing Development in the Rural Crescent ...... 16

Board Approves Dar Al-Noor Mosque Expansion with Conditions ...... 17

Board Approves Dar Al-Noor Mosque Expansion with Conditions (Cont.) ...... 18

Census 2020 and Redistricting ...... 19

Lt. Mitch Nason Named President of PW Professional Fire Fighters/PWCS Firefighting Program ...... 20

Newsham Sworn-in as Fifth Police Chief for Prince William County ...... 21

PD Seeks Applicants for Cadet Program ...... 22

Homicide Investigation in Dumfries/Police Thank the Community for Supporting Polar Plunge ...... 23

County Fills New Equity and Inclusion Officer Position ...... 24

PWCS Superintendent Budget Projects $29M Increase in Spending/PWCS Deputy Superintendent ...... 25

Gainesville High School Renaming Fails Angering School Board Member ...... 26

C.D. Hylton High School Students Gather to Watch the Sunrise and Celebrate Their Senior Year ...... 27

Board Unanimously Approves Cattle ZTA/Supervisor Boddye Directive on Cows Passing Gas ...... 28

Animal Shelter Completion Delayed by Three Months/Prince William County Historical Lecture ...... 29

Public Transportation Ridership Down 85%-95% From Last Year/New Veterans Commission Approved . 30

Prince William Recent Economic Developments ...... 31

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February 2021 12th Edition

Table of Contents

Prince William County Announces $2.4 Billion in Intended Capital Investment and 1,531 New Jobs ...... 32

New Passport to Prince William Program Supports Area Businesses/Recreation Bags to Fight Social ...... 33

Four New Hotels/County Assistance for First Time Homebuyers/Board Creates 2040 Comp Plan ...... 34

PWC Parks Recreation and Tourism is Hiring Lifeguards/Parks, Recreation and Tourism Unveil ...... 35

Eco Park– Outdoor Discovery Trail Update ...... 36

Yard Waste Collection and Apartment Recycling Changes in 2021 ...... 37

Prince William County Litter Control Program/Prince William County Young Adult Survey ...... 38

New Library Opening Delayed/Prince William Public Libraries Digital Library ...... 39

Stafford Regional Airport Groundbreaking/ Meeting with the Girls of Scout Troop 4670 ...... 40

Supervisor Bailey Elected Vice-Chair/Board Legislative Update/Chair Wheeler Delivers 2021 State……… 41

February Holidays ...... 42

Upcoming Coles Land Use Cases ...... 43

February Board of Supervisors Meetings ...... 44

Board / Commission / Committee Meetings ...... 45

Contact Information: Board of Supervisors & School Board ...... 46

Contact Information: Supervisor Vega’s Citizen Appointments...... 47

Contact Information: Statewide Officials, State Senate & House of Delegates ...... 48

Contact Information: U.S. Senate / U.S. House / County Departments ...... 49

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February 2021 12th Edition

How to Sign Up for a COVID-19 Vaccine

Virginia Department of Health launches newest appointment system, more information released regarding vaccinations at CVS Pharmacy in Gainesville

On February 16th, the Virginia Department of Health launched Vaccinate.Virginia.gov. This new centralized distribution system allows individuals to sign up for an appointment and check their registration. Along with the launch of this new online system, the Virginia Department of Health has also created a centralized call center. To sign up for an appointment by phone or obtain more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, citizens can call 877-ASK-VDH-3 (877-275-8343) between 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM. Language translation is available, and TTY users can dial 7-1-1 for assistance. The PWHD Call Center will call those who are registered for their second dose within 7 days of their due date to schedule an appointment. If they are overdue for their second dose, or if it is within three days before they should receive their second dose, then they should call the Call Center (703-872-7759). Those who have previously pre-signed through the Prince William Health District have been automatically imported into the new system and do not need to register again. Your position on the Prince William Health District waitlist will not change as the date and time you filled out the form and your vaccination eligibility category will remain the same in this new system. In a statement, the Virginia Department of Health said it “may take several days for your name to appear in the centralized system”. Therefore, if you signed up previously your registration information may not be available immediately. Vaccine appointments will remain by appointment only. Those who have signed up are still unable to check their place in the queue other than using their waitlist number as a reference. The waitlist number does not correlate to when an individual will receive an appointment and is simply an ID number. Although the time and date individuals joined the wait list is a factor, the Health District is prioritizing those who meet more of the qualifications first. As of February 18th, the Health District has not yet vaccinated all those who meet the qualifications of Phase 1a. At the February 16th Board of County Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Vega requested that the waitlist numbers be reconfigured so that the number better reflects a resident’s actual place in line. Per the county, those who have received their first vaccine will receive the second vaccine within three to four weeks. You will be called and notified of the date, time, and location for your second dose by the health district within three weeks of your first shot, at latest. However, they say if you don’t receive a call within 25 days after your first shot to call the Prince William County Health District Call Center between 9:00am- 4:30pm, Monday-Sunday, at (703) 872-7759, Option 3 to schedule. The Virginia Department of Health has also created an online tool to determine if you are currently eligible to receive a vaccine. Please note that the details of future phases have not yet been released. Therefore, this site will only show you if you meet the qualifications of Phase 1.

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February 2021 12th Edition

How to Sign Up for a COVID-19 Vaccine (Cont.)

For reference, you can find a summary of who qualifies for each phase of vaccine distribution below with an update on where each group’s status here: Phase 1a:

• Healthcare Personnel

• Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities Phase 1b:

• Frontline essential workers

• People age 65+

• People age 16-64 with an underlying medical condition

• People living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and migrant labor camps The Board of County Supervisors have also learned more about the CVS location in Gainesville which is currently distributing vaccines. The Board was not given the opportunity to give input on this location. There are currently 36 CVS locations in Virginia which are conducting 100 vaccinations per day. CVS is part of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pharmacy Partnership program and is helping to supplement the Commonwealth’s vaccination efforts. Although the Virginia Department of Health attempted to have their waitlist communicate with the waitlist being used by CVS, they were unsuccessful. This means that CVS is using a separate, unconnected list from that being used by the Virginia Department of Health. Although availability is limited, those 65 and older can attempt to sign up for an appointment at CVS.com or by calling 1-800-SHOP-CVS. Please note that CVS asks that those who sign up for a vaccine at their pharmacy first sign up for a vaccine from the Virginia Department of Health.

The federal government is expected to begin their expanded distribution of vaccines to private pharmacies on February 25th. It is estimated private pharmacies in Virginia will begin administering 52,000 a week. CVS will administer their 26,000 doses a week, and other private pharmacies in will split another 26,000 doses. Other private pharmacies in Virginia include:

• Walmart

• Albertsons Companies, Inc.

• The Kroger Co.

• Walgreens

• Topco Associates, LLC (Giant Eagle, Save Mart Pharmacies, Wegmans…)

• CPESN USA, LLC

• And other independent pharmacies

Continued...

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February 2021 12th Edition

How to Sign Up for a COVID-19 Vaccine (Cont.)

Walmart has already set up a website for the purpose of scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Below is the list of Walmart locations which will begin administering the COVID-19 vaccine:

• Appomattox - 505 Oakville Road

• Fredericksburg - 10001 Southpoint Parkway

• King George - 16375 Merchant Lane

• Madison Heights - 197 Madison Heights Square

• Martinsville - 976 Commonwealth Boulevard

• Ruckersville - 135 Stoneridge Drive

• Stafford - 14 N Stafford Complex Center Stuart - 19265 Jeb Stuart Highway The Prince William Health District is currently working with private partners such as Safeway to assist with vaccinations of those on the waitlist. As of February 17th, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has administered almost 1.3 million vaccines. Veterans who already receive care at a VA facility and meet the CDC’s risk criteria may be eligible. The VA will contact those who are eligible when you can get a vaccine. To learn more about Veteran’s Affairs’ vaccine distribution plans, please click here.

Prince William County Public School teachers are receiving COVID-19 vaccines from Novant/UVA at the Prince William Medical Center. These clinics are separate from the Prince William Health District clinics. Private school teachers and day care providers are encouraged to contact their employer to receive a vaccine. For more information and resources regarding COVID-19, you can visit coronavirus.pwcgov.org

For other Frequently Asked Questions please visit https://coronavirus.pwcgov.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/02/PWC-Specific-Vaccine-FAQs-Feb.-19-2021.pdf

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Numbers

Prince William Lagging Behind Other Localities

Virginia is currently in Stage 1b of vaccine distribution, and approximately 50% of Virginia’s population is now eligible. Those who may receive a vaccine include people aged 65 years and older, people with high-risk medical conditions, and frontline workers. People living in correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and migrant labor camps are also eligible to receive a vaccine. In a press release from Governor Northam, he states “Virginia is not likely to meet the demand for Phase 1b until March or April.” To learn more details about the phases of COVID-19 vaccine distribution, you can visit the Virginia Department of Health website. The first COVID-19 was administered in Virginia on December 15th, 2020. As of February 23rd, there have been about 1,632,700 doses administered statewide. As both vaccines which have Emergency Use Authorization require two doses, this means that about 497,401 or 6.2% of Virginia’s population is fully vaccinated, with 1,125,299 or 13.3% receiving one dose. Virginia is currently vaccinating phases 1a and 1b. Approximately 50 percent of Virginia residents are now eligible to be vaccinated, which means it is going to take weeks or longer to complete Phase 1b, depending on the vaccine supply. On February 19th, the state vaccine director announced that Virginia’s weekly vaccine allocation will increase from 130,000 doses to about 161,000 doses. As the Prince William Health District is about 6.2% of the population of Virginia, we should be receiving about 10,000 doses a week if distribution is done on a true per capita basis. To view the most up to date COVID-19 vaccine data, please go to vdh.virginia.gov. The Virginia Department of Health has now established a central vaccine appointment sign up form, this being the third online system Prince William County residents have been directed to use since the start of vaccine distribution. When vaccines were only available COVID-19 Vaccinations by Locality to those 75 and older, using an online form was the only way that individuals were able to get on Doses Per the waitlist. However, the local Health District Locality Total Doses 100,000 and Virginia Department of Health have since opened call centers to assist those looking to schedule an appointment. Fauquier 12,855 18,049 The Virginia Department of Health is said to be Fairfax 191,587 16,696 distributing the vaccine on a per-capita basis to localities. However, according to the most recent Stafford 22,598 14,781 data on February 23rd, distribution of the COVID -19 vaccine in Prince William is last in Northern Loudoun 57,571 13,922 Virginia.

Prince William 59,950 12,746 The Board of County Supervisors has provided staff and other resources to assist the Prince Source: Virginia Department of Health, 23 February 2021 William Health District, including library staff to assist with the call center. However, vaccine allocation and distribution is ultimately managed by the Virginia Department of Health. Also, Virginia and all states rely on the federal government to distribute vaccine doses. At the February 9th Board of Supervisors meeting, County Executive Chris Martino said Prince William County had “quite a backlog that’s going to take us some time to work through.” At the same Board meeting, the county’s emergency management director Brian Misner attributed the inability to increase vaccinations on the limited supply of doses rather than a lack of resources. Currently, the Prince William Health District is administering about 5,000 shots a week but does not regularly update the public or Board of County Supervisors of this number.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Attend the Prince William COVID-19 Vaccination Town Hall

On Thursday, March 4, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Prince William Health District (PWHD) will host a virtual COVID-19 Vaccination Town Hall. Dr. Alison Ansher, director of the PWHD, and Dr. Fabian Sandoval, CEO and research director of the Emerson Clinical Research Institute, will share important information about the vaccines.

To submit questions in advance, send them to [email protected] by Tuesday, March 2.

To attend the virtual town hall, use this WebEx link: https://bit.ly/3dJH5XJ.

To learn more about the vaccine, visit the Prince William Health District Vaccine Page or the Prince William County Vaccine Page.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

County COVID-19 Testing Locations

Prince William County continues to conduct free COVID-19 testing events in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and private sector partners. Please note that testing is only available until the allocated test kits are depleted at the site or until the site’s closing time, whichever comes first. The Prince William Health District has reduced the number of testing locations to 7 per week due to decreased demand and weather logistical issues. There has been a 60 percent decrease in demand over the last month, however testing capacity in the county remains at 200 tests per day. For the most up-to-date list of free testing locations, please visit coronavirus.pwcgov.org/testing. For notifications on upcoming free testing events, please follow the Prince William Health District Facebook page. Below you can find a list of upcoming free COVID-19 testing events.

Tuesday Wednesday February 23rd February 24th

James S. Long Regional Park Grace Church Start Time - 11:00 AM Start Time - 9:00 AM End Time - 1:30 PM End Time - 1:00 PM 4603 James Madison Hwy. 1006 Williamstown Dr. Haymarket, VA 20169 Dumfries, VA 22026

Cloverdale Park Start Time - 4:00 PM End Time - 6:00 PM 15150 Cloverdale Rd. Dale City, VA 22193

Thursday Friday February 25th February 26th

Woodbridge Senior Center Splashdown Water Park Start Time - 10:00 AM Start Time - 2:00 PM End Time - 2:00 PM End Time - 6:00 PM 13850 Church Hill Rd. 7500 Ben Lomond Park Rd. Woodbridge, VA 22191 Manassas, VA 20109

The Virginia Department of Health maintains a map of all current COVID-19 testing sites in the Commonwealth. This is a list of private testing sites, and their inclusion in the list does not constitute endorsement by VDH. Please contact the location before visiting as each facility has different testing availability and requirements.

Talk to your doctor to determine if you require testing for COVID-19. Get medical attention right away if you have any health emergency. For more information on COVID-19 testing, please visit vdh.virginia.gov.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Virginia flu numbers Despite nonexistent compared Hospitalizations to years past Remaining This piece is from WDMV. To view the Low, Governor original piece visit localdmv.com. Extends Lockdowns For the past year, COVID-19 numbers have been reported

on daily, but the flu seems to have been forgotten about. During February of last year, flu infection rates in A February 12th report from UVA’s Biocomplexity Virginia were at their highest level, and this year they’re Institute stated that “Things are looking up” regarding nonexistent. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) COVID-19 in the Commonwealth. The report went on to said COVID mitigation strategies have slowed the spread say “Cases are dropping at their fastest rate since the of the flu, but why not COVID? pandemic began. Vaccine uptake is increasing. Hospitalizations and deaths are on a decline” “So the fact that we aren’t seeing flu while we’re seeing COVID is due to the fact that COVID was circulating well As of February 25th, the 7-day average for new COVID-19 before we were able to put the measures in place as much hospitalizations in Prince William was at 2 according to as we need to and just that it’s a little more transmissible the Virginia Department of Health. According to this from person to person,” said Em Stephens, respiratory same data, the 7-day average for new COVID-19 disease coordinator for VDH. hospitalizations was at 13 at the height of the COVID-19 crisis last June. The 7-day average for new COVID-19 VDH rates the flu in five different levels of activity. Since deaths in Prince William was at less than 1 according to October, they’ve reported no flu activity in Virginia. the most recent statistics. “We are seeing very little flu activity this season and we Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prince would normally expect to see significantly more activity William County has had 38,832 cases, meaning 8% of around this time of year…We’ve been at no activity for residents have contacted the virus. There have been 1,370 almost the entirety of the 2020-2021 season so far,” hospitalizations in the county, or about 0.3% of residents. expressed Stephens. The Virginia Department of Health has reported 358 Staying at home, wearing masks and washing hands has deaths from COVID-19 in Prince William County since kept flu numbers significantly lower compared to years early last year. past. Since the start of 2021, new COVID-19 cases have been on “We do expect that a lot of it is because the precaution a sharp decline in Virginia. The current 7-day positivity measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID rate is at 8.6%, in contrast to the high of 20.0% in April of have been successful in preventing flu as well,” stated last year. The 7-day moving average for new cases has Stephens. been cut by more than half and appears to continue to be trending downward. Despite this, on January 27th Although this information might seem like we’re in the Governor Northam moved to extended restrictions until clear, VDH said the flu season will continue throughout the end of February. These restrictions, imposed by the summer, with a new season beginning in the fall. executive decree, currently include a curfew from 12:00 AM to 5:00 AM and making illegal gatherings of more than 10 people. Along with this, capacity restrictions on - LocalDMV.com businesses and a mask mandate remain in place. You can read the full text of Governor Northam’s Executive Order 72 here.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

CDC Advises Those Who Get COVID-19 Vaccine Delay Other Vaccinations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that those who receive the COVID-19 dose should wait at least 14 days until receiving other vaccines. Other vaccines include those for the flu and shingles. Currently, the Prince William Health District does not administer a COVID-19 vaccine to anyone who received any vaccines within 14 days beforehand. The Prince William Health District said that if COVID- 19 vaccine recipients need an emergency vaccination less than 14 days after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine they may do so.

- Coles District Staff

CDC: “Access to vaccination should not be considered a condition for reopening schools”

“Schools should be prioritized for reopening and remaining open for in-person instruction”

On February 12th, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released their “Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Mitigation”. This document offers guidance for schools to mitigate the risks of COVID-19 as they begin to return students to in-person learning. This CDC guidance states that officials should consider giving priority to teachers in vaccine distribution. Teachers in Prince William County are part of “Phase 1b”, putting them in the same category as those over 65 and individuals with comorbidities. The guidance says that “access to vaccination should not be considered a condition for reopening schools for in-person instruction”. Although the experts encourage officials to offer vaccinations to teachers as soon as supply allows, they do not believe it is a necessity to get students back into the classroom. The guidance also states that “K–12 schools should be the last settings to close after all other mitigation measures in the community have been employed, and the first to reopen when they can do so safely”. It continues, saying “schools should be prioritized for reopening and remaining open for in-person instruction over nonessential businesses and activities.” Also included in the document are the CDC’s “Health Equity Considerations”. In this section, the guidance acknowledges the disparities that virtual learning has had on certain groups of students. The guidance says that “the absence of in-person educational options may disadvantage children from low-resourced communities, which may include large representation of racial and ethnic minority groups, English learners, and students with disabilities.” You can learn more about the CDC’s guidance for reopening our schools by viewing the CDC’s Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Teachers Unions Demand Vaccines Before Allowing Students to Return to Classrooms

Prince William Education Association Asks for Hazard Pay for Teachers

The Virginia Education Association (VEA), the union which represents teachers in the Commonwealth, said in a statement that they “call upon the Governor, school board, and school superintendents to keep all students and staff safe with virtual instruction until staff are vaccinated.”. This sentiment has been echoed locally as well. On January 19th, the Prince William Education Association (PWEA) began a social media campaign using the hashtag #WhereIsOurVaccine. Prince William County public school officials have said that there will be about 14,000 doses administered exclusively for teachers and school staff members in the month of February. According to the Virginia Department of Health, there are 11,978 people fully vaccinated in Prince William County. During his visit to a vaccine clinic for Prince William County Public School Teachers, Governor Northam stated that having all teachers vaccinated was “certainly not going to be criteria for opening up schools,” The Governor added that “if one looks at the data, the schools are some of the safest places for our children.” The PWEA has asked that middle and high school students remain fully virtual until the end of April, and that all in-person classes to revert to virtual learning until the end of March. When speaking to the School Board on February 3rd, the PWEA President Maggie Hansford expressed the union’s demand that all in person staff be given hazard pay. Although a proposal for hazard pay for teachers has been brough before other local school boards, the Prince William County School Board has not yet considered additional payments for in-person teachers.

- Coles District Staff

Reading gap widens in Prince William County Schools Disparities most pronounced amongst ethnic minority groups as result of school lockdown measures

For the full article from InsideNOVA, click here: https://www.insidenova.com/headlines/new-data-reading- gap-widens-in-prince-william-county-schools/article_d2e69816-56ef-11eb-bcec-af2d0fbeb5b6.html

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February 2021 12th Edition

Return to Learn Update

School Board Allows All Grades to Return to Hybrid In-Person by March 2nd

Since the start of the public school year last September, students who need special education services have been learning in-person for 4 days a week. Starting in December, students in grade pre-K through third grade have slowly been phased into hybrid in-person learning, except for parents who chose to keep their students fully virtual. On January 12th, the Prince William County School Board updated their plan for the return to in-person learning for students in fourth through twelfth grade. On February 17th, the decision to proceed with this plan was reaffirmed by the School Board despite protest from the superintendent and Prince William Education Association. Members Lisa Zargarpur (Coles), Jen Wall (Gainesville), Diane Raulston (Neabsco), Justin Wilk (Potomac), and Chairman Babur Lateef voted for the return. Members Adele Jackson (Brentsville), Lillie Jessie (Occoquan), and Loree Williams (Woodbridge) voted against. Career and Technology Education (CTE) students resumed Monday classes starting February 1st. All teachers who will be providing in-person instruction will report in-person to schools on February 22nd. Fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth grades will start hybrid in-person on February 25th. Seventh, eighth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grades will start hybrid in-person on March 2nd. The “house” system on hybrid in-person learning remains in place. Students in “House A” will learn in- person Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students in “House B” will learn in-person Wednesday’s and Fridays.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

All Virtual House A learns in House B learns in House A learns in House B learns in Learning -person -person -person -person

Planning for House B learns House A learns House B learns House A learns Teachers virtually virtually virtually virtually

House C learns virtually

Students in “House C” will learn 100% virtual without any in-person instruction. Every Monday continues to be dedicated to virtual learning for all students. You can find the “House” schedule below: All bell schedules, including for virtual-only students, will change starting February 23rd. All high schools will begin around 7:30 AM, middle schools around 8:15 AM, and elementary schools around 9:00 AM. You can view the full updated bell schedule by visiting pwcs.edu.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

PPP Restarting! Important PPP information

The following update is from Congressman Wittman. To sign up for email updates from Congressman Wittman, please click here.

Within the small business provisions of the COVID Relief Bill that was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020, Congress was able to restart and provide appropriate and targeted funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP, which provides forgivable loans, has been a lifeline for our nation’s small businesses during these challenging times. SBA will continue to provide updates on operations during the week of January 11, 2021. Additionally, SBA plans to dedicate specific times to process and assist the smallest PPP lenders with loan applications from eligible small businesses. Top-line Overview of First Draw PPP The Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of the Treasury have opened the PPP to small businesses that have not received a first draw PPP and the entities that are newly eligible such as 501(c)(6)s. The PPP loan portal system initially accepted First Draw PPP loan applications from participating CFIs, which include Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), Certified Development Companies (CDCs) and Microloan Intermediaries. Updated PPP Lender forms, guidance, and resources are available at www.sba.gov/ppp. On Jan. 13, 2021, participating CFIs may begin submitting application information to SBA for Second Draw PPP loans. A Second Draw PPP loan is for certain eligible borrowers that previously received a PPP loan, generally have 300 employees or less, and has suffered a 25% reduction in gross receipts. At least $15 billion is set aside for additional PPP lending by CFIs. A few days later, additional lenders will be able to submit First and Second draw PPP loan applications. SBA will continue to provide updates on systems operations during the week of Jan. 11, 2021. Additionally, SBA plans to dedicate specific times to process and assist the smallest PPP lenders with loan applications from eligible small businesses. Relaunch Overview The opening of the SBA loan system is designed to efficiently and effectively implement the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act and to ensure increased access to the PPP for minority-, underserved-, veteran- and women-owned small business concerns. SBA also is calling upon its lending partners to redouble their efforts to assist eligible borrowers in underserved and disadvantaged communities. Updated PPP Lender forms, guidance, and resources are available at www.sba.gov/ppp. I will continue to provide you updates as they become available. My office is standing by to help. Click here to contact my office now.

- Congressman Rob Wittman

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February 2021 12th Edition

Virginia Enacts First-in-the-Nation Permanent COVID-19 Workplace Safety and Health Edicts Amid Pandemic

Virginia’s permanent COVID-19 workplace safety and health rules take effect today, after Governor Northam approved the standard adopted by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry’s Safety and Health Codes Board last week. The standards mandate appropriate personal protective equipment, sanitation, social distancing, infectious disease preparedness and response plans, record keeping, training, and hazard communications in workplaces across the Commonwealth. “While the end of this pandemic is finally in sight, the virus is still spreading, including several highly contagious variants, and now is not the time to let up on preventative measures,” said Governor Northam. “I am grateful to the many businesses and organizations who have been with us throughout this process and continue to take the necessary steps to operate safely. These standards will reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure and protect the health and safety of Virginia workers, consumers, and communities as we move our Commonwealth forward together.”

In the absence of a federal standard, Virginia took action last year to create the nation’s first emergency temporary workplace safety and health requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The permanent standards align closely with the emergency temporary rules adopted in July and are intended to slow the transmission of COVID-19 and protect Virginia workers. The temporary standards were effective for six months and the Board worked to make permanent through the process defined in state law. These workplace safety requirements will remain effective throughout the pandemic. The Board will reconvene within 14 days of the expiration of Governor Northam’s COVID-19 emergency declaration to determine whether there is a continued need for the standard.

“No Virginia worker should have to weigh their family’s economic security against their physical safety,” said Chief Workforce Development Advisor Megan Healy. “These permanent standards provide workers with essential recourse if faced with this untenable decision while giving businesses a clear understanding of the steps they must take to maintain a safe working environment.”

In addition to requiring all public-facing employees to wear masks, the standards ensure ready access to hand sanitizer and the regular cleaning of common work spaces. Employers must train employees on COVID-19 safety and to develop infectious disease and preparedness response plans. The new permanent regulations include guidelines for returning to work and communicating about employees who test positive and potential exposures. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry will enforce the permanent standard.

After receiving a complaint, the Department works with the employer to be compliant with no further investigation. If serious concerns arise in the fact finding interviews or the Department receives multiple complaints, a formal investigation will be launched. The Department has received over 13,000 complaints around workplace safety due to COVID-19, with 100 needing full investigation due to serious concerns and 27 employers being cited.

“These scientifically based standards will help keep Virginia’s workers and their families safe during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Ray Davenport. “We look forward to working together with the business and labor communities to achieve compliance and safe workplaces across the Commonwealth.”

At least six other states have adopted comprehensive COVID-19 workplace safety standards in the months since Virginia’s first-in-the-nation emergency temporary standard went into effect. On January 21, President Biden signed an executive order directing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue guidance for employers on keeping workers safe and preventing COVID-19 exposure by March 15.

The final permanent standard can be found here. Infectious disease preparedness and response plan templates and training guidance are available at doli.virginia.gov. Workers who feel unsafe in their workplace can file a formal complaint with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration here.

- Governor Ralph Northam

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February 2021 12th Edition

Dem Majority Approves Housing Development in Rural Crescent

Development Removes 146 Acres from Rural Area for Three Times Allowed Density

On January 19th, along partisan lines, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved a comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning of the Preserve at Long Branch (formerly known as Mid-County Park and Estates) to place 99 homes on 146 buildable acres in the Rural Crescent between 234 and Bristow Road, bordering the Occoquan River. The partisan approval of the plan came despite a 6-1 recommended vote of denial from the Planning Commission, recommended denial by the Prince William County Planning Office, recommended denial from the a Prince William County School Board, opposition from local civic and conservation groups, and overwhelming opposition from Prince William County taxpayers and residents. Over 1,000 emails in opposition were received from county taxpayers and residents, representing an approximate 20:1 opposition to support ratio from current residents.

The vote in favor came after the request was most recently pulled by the applicant in October after Occoquan Supervisor, Kenny Boddye, stated that he could not support the project. Following the pulling of the item in October, the Prince William Times reported that “The move comes a day after Supervisor Kenny Boddye said he would not support the needed rezoning and comprehensive plan amendment, in part because it would remove land from the rural area without replacing it.” Boddye also publicly stated at Board chambers just weeks before the 2019 Occoquan Supervisor election that “I will say very clearly that I fully support preserving the Rural Crescsnt as it currently stands.” Boddye went on to win that election by only 322 votes out of nearly 18,000 cast. However, despite minimal changes to the plan since October, Supervisor Boddye reversed his pledges on the Rural Crescent and joined in with the Democrat majority in support of the incursion into the Rural Crescent despite the fact that it removed land from the rural area without replacing a single acre. Just a few weeks after voting to bust up the Rural Crescent for homes starting at $750,000+, Boddye told the Prince William Times, in an even more dramatic reversal, that the policy he supported throughout his 2019 campaign and as recently as late last year is now “a form of segregation.” In addition to the vote falling along partisan lines, it also fell along geographical lines as well with the Brentsville, Coles, and Gainesville District Supervisors (whose districts comprise the majority of the Rural Crescent) voting against and the four eastern end Supervisors (Neabsco, Occoquan, Potomac, Woodbridge) voting in favor, in addition to Chair Wheeler. The Potomac District does contain a portion of the Rural Crescent, though it is mainly encompassed by Marine Corps Base Quantico. During debate, the Potomac District Supervisor repeatedly asserted that she was a resident of the Rural Crescent, which was later disproven. The current Rural Crescent boundaries were formed in 1998 as a way to prevent urban sprawl and the subsequent impacts on worsening traffic, overcrowded schools, government services for current residents, and the environment, among other reasons. To date, it remains the county’s most successful land use policy in preventing such negative impacts. However, countless residents and Board members Vega, Candland, and Lawson expressed concern that this vote would set a precedent to bust open the Rural Crescent boundary for future high density development. Indeed, a subsequent article published in InsideNova on February 4th proved these concerns valid. The article, which can be found here, concluded with “But with Republicans in the board’s minority until the next county elections in 2023, the five Democratic supervisors will likely have the final say in making the first substantial changes to the area since the 1998 comprehensive plan.”

“When we do our comprehensive plan, we will make changes,” Wheeler said. “And I think everyone is aware of that.”

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Board Approves Dar Al-Noor Mosque Expansion with Conditions

On February 2nd, the Board of County Supervisors approved the SUP expansion request of the Dar Al-Noor Mosque on Hoadly Road. The request, which will allow the applicant to increase their current size from 12,000 square feet to 88,276 square feet, included an expanded prayer hall, administrative offices, multi purpose banquet hall, a youth and senior center, meeting rooms, play areas, and a medical clinic in addition to child care and a K-8 private school for up to 200 students. According to a Transportation analysis, the expansion will result in an increase in peak Friday traffic at the location from 1,761 car trips to 6,253. During the February 2nd meeting, which ended after 4am, those opposed to the expansion (mostly in the surrounding Illustration of Dar Al-Noor Mosque After Expansion neighborhoods) cited existing parking, traffic, and safety issues as their main reason for opposing the expansion. The majority in support of the expansion said they were attendees of the Mosque and did not believe the traffic impacts would be as bad as claimed by the surrounding residents. Opponents of the expansion were castigated as being “Islamophobic” or having “hidden agendas” as the reason for their opposition despite those in the surrounding neighborhoods repeatedly making it clear that their opposition had nothing to do with the applicant’s religious affiliation. Prior to the vote, Supervisor Vega used her “Supervisors Time” to ask those making such accusations of their fellow county residents to stop and elevate the discourse and to keep the dialogue based on the facts of the land use case as it pertained to the expansion and subsequent traffic issues. In response to the residents’ concerns, Supervisor Vega asked the applicant if they would be willing to come back for a separate, expedited SUP for the school and day care once the traffic from the increased prayer hall and medical clinic could be sufficiently managed. The applicant declined. Supervisor Vega then asked if they would be willing to reduce the size of the prayer hall or to increase the proposed parking to match the current prayer rug (seating) to parking spot ratio in an effort to mitigate congestion and/or neighborhood parking. After the applicant declined this request, Supervisor Vega asked if the applicant would be willing to hold off on applying for an occupancy permit for one year to allow the county time to secure funding for the warranted (per VDOT) traffic signal at Queens Chapel Road and Hoadly Road. After some deliberation amongst counsel, Dar Al-Noor agreed to the one-year delay. In addition to maintaining the conditions drafted by the planning commission and the one-year delay in obtaining the occupancy permit, Supervisor Vega had the “including, but not limited to” language changed in the use parameters to be better defined, and also worked with the applicant to continue to use portable speakers instead of permanently affixed speakers. (Note: the Presbyterian Church, now Masroor Mosque, next door, was prohibited from the use of outdoor speakers). The original conditions recommended by the planning commission included:

• A draft of a Parking Management Plan

• The parking management plan should be reviewed annually by the County Department of Transportation to make sure adequate parking remains onsite

Continued...

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February 2021 12th Edition

Board Approves Dar Al-Noor Mosque Expansion with Conditions (Cont.)

• A contribution by the applicant of up to $51,000 (6% of $850,000) for the construction of a traffic signal at Hoadly and Queens Chapel Roads’. Transportation estimates that 6% of Monday-Thursday traffic at that intersection will be caused by the school and daycare. The percentage of traffic on Friday’s as a result of the expansion was not taken into consideration as the county believes they can handle Friday traffic with (a minimum of six) county police officers. Monday-Thursday prayer hall traffic was not included. Said payment shall be made at the time of the issuance of an occupancy permit for the private school/daycare or at the time that PWCDOT and/or VDOT notifies the applicant that the installation of the signal has been approved by PWCDOT and/or VDOT and the remainder of the funds needed for for installation are of the traffic signal are available.

• A Traffic Management Plan shall be provided for special events

• A courtesy review conducted by the civic organization LOCCA/PELT at site plan review A minimum of six police officers, paid for by the applicant, shall be provided for traffic control during special events, or other times as deemed necessary by the Police Department One of the reasons why Supervisor Vega asked for a delayed SUP for the school/daycare at this location was due to to the Presbyterian Church (now Masroor Mosque) next door being prohibited from having a private school with stringent conditions placed on the daycare (up to 100 with a traffic signal and only 40 without). Additionally, the original Provisional Use Permit granted by the county to the applicant also prohibited the building of a school and daycare, likely due to the volume of traffic on Hoadly Road. The request to reduce the size of the prayer hall or increase the number of proposed parking spaces was to bring the prayer rug (seating) per parking spot ratio in alignment with what exists on location today (502 prayer rugs/330 parking spaces = 1.52 prayer rug to parking space ratio). While the applicant’s proposal met the minimum 3:1 required DCSM ratio, the current proposal represents a 50% increase in the current ratio to 2.28 - 781 parking spaces for 1,782 prayer rugs. Supervisor Vega believed this would have helped with the issue of offsite parking in the surrounding neighborhoods. Supervisor Vega also tried to push for a defined special event parking management plan to be in place prior to approval as a means to help prevent the current offsite, neighborhood parking issues from continuing, but the proposal was rebuffed. The dome of the Mosque will be allowed to be 60 feet high (10 feet higher than the Presbyterian Church/Masroor Mosque next door), and 80 feet for the spire (the same as the steeple next door). Because residents have inquired, the call to prayer will not be permitted over the loudspeakers and any sounds emanating from the speakers must not be heard beyond the applicant’s property. The school and daycare will have a combined maximum capacity of up to 200 students. The school will serve those in grades K-8 and will operate Monday-Thursday. Transportation has assured our office that queuing for the school will not block or stop traffic on Hoadly Road. Per the applicant, the medical clinic will be available solely for those without health insurance and operate only on the weekends, seeing 20-40 patients per day. Our office received inquiries about the number of changes per day on the sign. We have been told that the portion of code related to the number of allowable changes per day has recently been removed and is no longer applicable. Supervisor Vega is currently working with Transportation to secure funding for 94% of the cost of the traffic signal and in creating a greater line of sight for those exiting Lost Creek Road onto Hoadly Road. She will also be working with the Police Department and Transportation to ensure all parking management plans are defined, enforceable, and consistent with the approval of the expansion. In addition, she will push for it to be in writing that the police directing traffic always give deference to those in the Lost Creek and Bren Forest neighborhoods exiting onto Hoadly Road. According to the county, 52 of the last 53 applications submitted by religious institutions in the county have ultimately been approved. The one exception was the denial of the Grace Filipino Church application in the Coles District. Supervisor Vega thanks the applicant for agreeing to a one year period before obtaining an occupancy permit before a traffic light can be funded and/or installed.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Census 2020 and Redistricting

The Census Bureau has announced that the earliest date the 2020 Census data for congressional apportionment will be delivered to the president is March 6, 2021. Because of this delay, the statutory deadline for release of the US Census redistricting data may be delayed from the original date of April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021.

On January 12th, the Board received a briefing on the redistricting process in Prince William County. Here are the criteria set by the Commonwealth of Virginia in regards to redistricting:

• Election district populations shall be “as nearly equal as practicable.”

• Election district populations shall not exceed five percent less or five percent more than the ideal district population.

• Election districts shall not be drawn so as to lead to a retrogression in the position of racial minorities with respect to their effective exercise of the electoral franchise, as mandated by the Voting Rights Act.

• Election districts shall be compact and contiguous, with due regard to natural features and accessibility of voting places.

• Election district boundaries shall follow clearly observable boundaries.

• Election districts shall avoid splitting precincts.

The following are suggested, but not mandatory.

Amendable Criteria:

• Election district boundaries shall be politically fair.

• Election district boundaries shall preserve communities of interest, to the maximum extent possible.

• Election district boundaries shall recognize incumbency, to the maximum extent permissible under law and consistent with the other criteria.

For a link to the county’s presentation on redistricting please click here: https://eservice.pwcgov.org/documents/bocs/ agendas/2021/0119/7-B.pdf

As you’ll see, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors are responsible only for approving the magisterial supervisor districts located within Prince William County (Brentsville, Coles, Gainesville, Neabsco, Occoquan, Potomac, and Woodbridge). These districts are also used for representatives to the Prince William County School Board as well.

The BOCS can allow for county staff or an independent contractor to take the lead on the process before being presented to the Board for approval. Following the November 2020 statewide passage of Issue 1, the statewide bi-partisan redistricting commission (passed in Prince William County with over 60%), Supervisor Vega inquired if a similar commission could be used in Prince William County. Per state law, localities cannot create a similar commission. A bill was introduced in the legislature in 2019 to allow for the creation of local commissions, but was not passed.

Interestingly, as noted on pages 6 and 7, the majority of population growth in Prince William County over the last 20 years has occurred on the western end of the county, contrary to the public assertions of some members of the Board to justify more high density growth in the western end of the county. Based on the criteria above, most of the magisterial district boundaries should be moved further to the west.

The BOCS must adopt redistricting measures by December of 2021 by ordinance. A public hearing to provide feedback on the process and boundaries will be scheduled before then.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Lieutenant Mitch PWCS Firefighting Nason Named Program trains future President of PW first responders

Professional Fire Fighters Firefighting is one of the School Division’s newest Career and Technical Education (CTE) course offerings. The program is hosted at Unity Reed High School and allows students to earn Firefighter Prince William County fire fighter and paramedic, I and II certifications. Mitch Nason, has been named the President of the Prince William Professional Fire Fighters (Local “The Firefighting program is a demanding and 2598). Nason, who has been a firefighter and challenging hands-on class that will open up new paramedic with the county for the last 16 years, career opportunities to our students," shared takes over for Captain Paul Hebert who helmed the Supervisor of Career and Technical Education Doug organization for 14 years. Lieutenant Nason is Wright. currently assigned to Rescue 510 in Dale City and PWCS partners with the Prince William County Fire has served on various task groups and committees and Rescue System (PWC FRS) allowing students to over several years on the Fire and Rescue learn from professionals and use the latest state-of- Association and currently on the FRS’ strategic the-art equipment and experience the “real world” plan committee. In addition, he also served on the of firefighting science at the Prince William County Virginia Retirement System Board of Trustees for Public Safety Training Center in Nokesville. 12 years, ending my tenure as Chairman of the Board. PWC FRS Lieutenant Estee Warring is the fire cadet program coordinator. Warring was hired by the

PWC FRS in 2008 and has served on both a fire - Coles District Staff engine and medic unit. “I really thought I was the perfect fit to coordinate the program and teach the students because I can relate to them obtaining this kind of certification while in high school at the same time,” Warring explained.

- Prince William County Schools

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February 2021 12th Edition

Police Blotter

Newsham Sworn-in as Fifth Police Chief for Prince William County

On Feb. 1, 2021, Peter J. Newsham was sworn-in as Prince William County’s new police chief. In a small, private ceremony held at the Charlie T. Deane Station, Chief Newsham was joined by his wife as he recited the Oath of Office administered by the Honorable Jacqueline Smith, the Clerk of the Court for Prince William County. Newsham was named the new police chief by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in November 2020. Chief Newsham was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and grew up in Weymouth, Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the College of Holy Cross, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. He has attended numerous police executive trainings and seminars and is actively involved in the Major Cities Chief’s Association and the Police Executive Research Forum. Additionally, he has attended the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) training on Law and Society, and the ADL’s National Counter-Terrorism Seminar in Israel. In 1989, Chief Newsham joined the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., where he served in several operational assignments and leadership positions before being named Chief of Police in 2016. Newsham retired from the Metropolitan Police Department in January 2021. “I believe and fully expect Chief Newsham will build on the long tradition that we have here in Prince William County”, stated Christopher Martino, County Executive, Prince William County. “…a very strong Prince William County police force, a culture that’s been developed over the four prior chiefs and many people that have come through our police force.” Newsham will now lead the Prince William County Police Department as the fifth police chief since its inception in 1970. The Department has a budget of over $113 million and full-time staff comprising of close to 900 sworn and civilian members. Prince William County is the second largest county in the Commonwealth of Virginia with a diverse community of nearly 467,000 residents, stretching over 348 square miles. “To the residents of Prince William County, we cannot be successful without you”, said Peter Newsham, Police Chief, Prince William County. “I’m looking forward to meeting each of you and I pledge to you to work every day to continue developing the trust that is essential for us to be successful in our profession.”

- Prince William County Police Department

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February 2021 12th Edition

Police Blotter

PD Seeks Applicants for Cadet Program

The Police Department is looking for young men and women who want to serve their community – with honor and distinction – in the field of law enforcement. If this describes you or someone you know, apply from Feb. 1 to Feb. 17, 2021, for a paid position in the Prince William County Police Cadet Program.

The Police Cadet Program provides training and experience in the field of law enforcement to persons 18 to 20 years of age who have a desire to pursue a career with the Prince William County Police Department. At age 21, Cadets are considered for automatic transition to the Police Academy and become certified police officers upon graduation (all candidates must complete a psychological exam, physical fitness test and updated background prior to the Academy; failure to meet police officer eligibility will result in the end of the Cadet assignment). Minimum qualifications include:

• U.S. citizen

• 18-20 years of age

• High school diploma or equivalent

• Valid driver’s license

• Vision Correctable to 20/40 in worst eye, and 20/20 in best eye

• Hearing meets medical standards

• No felony convictions or serious misdemeanors

• Willing to sign a no-tobacco agreement

To apply for the Police Cadet Program, you must:

• Submit online application

• Receive conditional offer of employment

• Interview

• Polygraph

• Background Investigation

• Medical Exam

• Police Officer ride-along

• Interview with the Chief of Police, or designee

For more information, and to apply, please visit our website at https://www.joinpwcpd.org/cadet

- Prince William County Police Department

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February 2021 12th Edition

Police Blotter

Homicide Investigation in Dumfries

On February 7 at 6:18PM, officers responded to the 17100 block of Shell Cast Lp in Dumfries (22026) to investigate an initial 9-1-1 hang-up. When officers arrived, they located an unresponsive man inside a vehicle. The man was determined to have sustained a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. At this time, detectives from the Homicide Unit are actively investigating the incident to determine what led up to the shooting and are seeking to speak with anyone who has information as to what occurred. No arrest has been made in this incident. More information will be released when available. The investigation continues. Identified: The deceased was identified as Dominick Anthony Nicholas MOYE, 20, of Dumfries Anyone with information regarding this homicide is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department tipline at 703.792.7000 or submit a webtip to: www.pwcgov.org/policetip.

- Prince William County Police Department

Police Thank the Community for Supporting Polar Plunge 2021

The 2021 Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics Virginia was a success, with Team PWCPD raising more than $3,100 for the athletes of Special Olympics Virginia. The virtual event culminated Feb. 6, 2021. The Prince William County Police Department thanks the community for its support in raising money for Special Olympics Virginia, including participating virtually on Polar Plunge teams. The team’s total helped raise a statewide amount of more than $835,000 for the athletes of Special Olympics Virginia. Team PWCPD would also like to thank all the Department members and County residents who donated to the Polar Plunge. Here is to getting back to the beach next year! Money raised during the Polar Plunge benefits Special Olympics, an organization which is supported by law enforcement officers throughout the United States and in 45 countries. The Polar Plunge proceeds benefit Special Olympics, an organization which is supported by law enforcement officers throughout the United States and in 45 countries.

- Prince William County Police Department

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February 2021 12th Edition

County Fills New ‘Equity and Inclusion’ Officer position

Prince William County has hired Maria Burgos to serve in the new role of ‘Equity and Inclusion’ Officer. She previously served as the Supervisor of Global Learning & Culturally Responsive Instruction for Prince William County Public Schools. For a bit more on Ms. Burgos and her worldview please click here https://bluevirginia.us/2020/07/virginia- commission-on-african-american-history-education- member-maria-burgos-on-culturally-proficient-schools- racism-white-fragility-blackface-ralph-northam-etc to read portions of an interview she took part in last year with the blog “Blue Virginia.” According to the job posting, this new position offered a pay range of between $114,426-$190,710 per year.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

PWCS Superintendent Budget Projects $34M Increase in Spending

Despite 1,057 Fewer Students

On February 3rd, outgoing School Superintendent, Steve Walts, proposed a 2022 fiscal year budget of $1.33 billion, an increase of over $34 million, despite a projected decrease of 1,057 students from the previous year. The proposed budget projects a $13,408 per student cost, up from $12,641 in the current fiscal year. Since 2011, when the per pupil cost was $9,577, per pupil spending has increased by 40%. According to the PWCS budget summary, “The (School) Division has experienced substantial increases in populations that require far more support than the general education population. Three examples of these populations are economically disadvantaged students, students with special needs; and English language learners students. These students require more support which requires higher levels of funding.” The increase would also include a 2% “cost of living adjustment” for staff and a 2.8% step increase.

- Coles District Staff

PWCS Deputy Superintendent Also Leaving

Keith Imon, the Deputy Superintendent of Prince William County Schools, announced in January that he will be joining his longtime boss, Superintendent Steve Walts, in retirement following the conclusion of this school year. Imon accompanied Walts in coming to Prince William County from the Greece, New York School District in 2005. For twelve years he worked as an associate superintendent for communications and technology services before becoming Deputy Superintendent for the entire school district. Walts announced his retirement last year following a twitter scandal in which he engaged in after hours social media contact with underage students, in violation of school policy. Deputy Superintendent Keith Imon - Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Gainesville HS renaming fails, angering school board member

The Following Article About the Renaming of Gainesville High School Appeared in the January 12th Edition of Potomac Local

The effort to rename a school that has yet to open has failed, and the school board member pushing the idea dropped out of the meeting before it adjourned. Lillie Jessie represents the Occoquan District on the Prince William County School Board and has pushed to rename the school slated to open in Fall 2021 since October of last year. An email sent to constituents last month by her politically-active husband, Richard Jessie, states the school should not carry the Gainesville name. Gainesville is a populated area in western Prince William County. It was the name of an old railroad depot, on land donated by Thomas Brawner Gaines, a once-prominent landowner, and slaveholder. The School Board voted unanimously in July — Lillie Jessie included — choosing the name over the that of Ashley Guindon and Paul Ebert, a Prince William County cop who was shot and killed on her first day on the job in 2016, and the county’s top prosecutor from 1968 to 2019, respectively. Jessie had lobbied the School Board since October to get it to reconsider the name. When the board took up the matter during its January 6 meeting, which ran into the early morning hours of January 7, Jessie refused to discuss the case. She motioned the School Board to table the subject and to allow her to bring the issue back at the next School Board meeting. However, no one supported her. “I am very disappointed that you guys won’t let me present [at the next school board meeting] a minority issue because people are sleeping [at this hour], and they can’t hear what I have to say,” said Jessie. School Board Chair At-large Babur Lateef, who presided over the meeting, told her that the School Board was ready to vote on the issue. Despite this, and an explanation from legal counsel of the rules, policies, and procedures of the School Board, Jessie — who is now in her third term as an elected School Board member — vowed she would, somehow, get her case back onto the agenda of a later meeting. Afterward, Jessie said “goodnight” and signed off her computer, leaving most of the School Board members who attended the meeting at the county school’s headquarters staring at a blank screen where her face had been. While Jessie chose not to speak, several residents, including minorities, did talk to the School Board that night about renaming the high school. Sam Chism, a black man, urged it to move on and tackle “more pressing issues that we have.” “Will we rename Gainesville Middle School? Will we rename every street that’s out there? Will we rename Washington, D.C.? Where does it end?” asked Chism. “I was very pleased when the School Board named Gainesville High School,” said Carol Fox, who lives in the Gainesville area. “Much like Woodbridge or Brentsville, we were happy to have a high school named for our area.” Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta read a statement opposing the renaming. “There are numerous historical figures honored in an earlier time for things we would find unacceptable now… It’s in situations like this when I think the line should be drawn,” said Porta. “The school is not being named in Thomas Gaines’ honor. School is not attached to the long-dead and largely unknown Thomas Gaines.”

- Potomac Local

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February 2021 12th Edition

C.D. Hylton High School students gather to watch the sunrise and celebrate their senior year

C.D. Hylton High School celebrated the Class of 2021 with a senior sunrise event. This event has been a Hylton High tradition for the past few years. It is primarily a student- led event organized by the senior class officers. This year was challenging due to the pandemic. However, the class officers submitted a plan to the administration that included safety guidelines and social-distancing protocols. The class officers wanted to make sure that they could keep the same energy and spirit that they had last year. Many of the students who had not awakened before 8 a.m. in a long time, came out early to Hylton’s parking lot to watch the sunrise together. Most of the students had not seen their classmates and friends since March, so they were excited for the event. Students decorated their cars, danced to music provided by Assistant Principal Tony Switzer, and took pictures under a balloon arch. Enjoying this time together brought back a sense of community and comradery. Assistant Principal Betsy Campagna shared, “There was a great turnout. The event fostered a sense of hope, positivity, and social distanced togetherness for the Class of 2021.” Senior Class President Jackie Mitchell summed the event up by stating, "All of us coming together to take pictures, listen to music, and have fun with our classmates brought back that sense of community and spirit to Hylton. Taking pictures under the balloon arch, wearing our senior class shirts, and seeing decorated cars and posters made the event a memory that will last a lifetime. The pandemic can’t stop the class of 2021.”

- Prince William County Public Schools

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February 2021 12th Edition

Board Unanimously Approves Cattle ZTA

On February 2nd, the Board heard and unanimously approved a zoning text amendment to allow those with two acres or more to own cattle within the domestic fowl overlay district. Residents in these areas are permitted to have one cattle per acre after the first acre. Prior to this decision, only those living on parcels of 10 acres or more could own cattle. The ownership of horses in these areas on parcels of 2 acres or more was already permitted. Prior to this decision, residents on two acres in the domestic fowl overlay district were Almost 4,000 more semi-rural residential parcels in the Brentsville, Coles, Neabsco, and Occoquan Districts will now be allowed to have cattle on their property if they so choose. The county’s planning office says the new rule “provides increased flexibility in allowing the keeping of cattle on agricultural zoned land in areas of the county that have already been recognized for their rural characteristics.” Supervisor Vega inquired if this would prohibit neighborhoods from forming HOA’s should they not want to have cattle in their semi-rural residential neighborhoods. The answer from county staff was that an existing or future HOA could prohibit cattle in their neighborhoods or HOA jurisdictional area.

- Coles District Staff

Supervisor Boddye issues county taxpayer funded directive to study impact of cows passing gas

On February 2nd, following the unanimous passage of the Cattle Zoning Text Amendment which allowed for residents in certain parts of the county on two or more acres to own cattle, Supervisor Kenny Boddye issued a directive instructing county staff to look into the ‘environmental impacts’ of the Board’s just passed decision. In particular, if and how much the methane emanating from cow flatulence will impact the environment. Our office will keep you posted after your county staff comes back with their findings.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Animal Shelter Completion Delayed by Three Months

In February 9th, the Board received an update on the Animal Shelter and learned that due to “unforeseen conditions, such as unmarked utilities, weather, and changes in materials” that the target completion date of the shelter has been pushed back from October 28, 2021 to January 26, 2022. 34% of the original $11,136,925 contract has been to date, with current cost overruns of $29,142. In the last quarter the following items we worked on:

• Electrical conduits and plumbing

• Exterior and interior CMU walls Aerial Image of Animal Shelter Construction, January 14th • Structural steel laid

• Roofs and sheathing

• Interior door frames In the next quarter, roofing, siding, and interior will be addressed.

- Coles District Staff

Prince William County Historical Lecture Series Continues Virtually

Prince William County is bringing back its Annual Lecture Series, though it will be slightly different this year. The monthly lectures will be conducted virtually. Guests can sign up for these FREE lectures online. Registered participants will receive an email link prior to the start of the program. All programs are free though donations are welcome. For more information, visit pwcgov.org/history or call (703) 367-7872. Each lecture is from 7:30-8pm. This year’s topics cover a wide variety of Prince William County and American history, including: February 25: Marion Ransell Cohen, “The Story of Jennie Dean” March 25: John Hennessy, “An End to Innocence: The First Manassas Campaign” April 22: Dan Paterson, “James Longstreet After the Civil War: The Controversy Explained”

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

Public Transportation New Veterans Ridership Down 85%- Commission Approved 95% from Last Year by BOCS

During the February 9th Board Work Session on On February 12th, the Board of County Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution creating The Transportation, representatives from OmniRide Prince William County Veterans Commission. The and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) were on Commission was formed as advisory group to the hand to provide an update and answer questions Board to advocate for issues related to veterans of from the Board. In response to the COVID-19 the U.S. Armed Forces and their families in Prince pandemic, Supervisor Vega made an inquiry of how William County. much ridership for each service was down over this Prince William County is home to over 42,000 time last year. The answers were 85% for OmniRide veterans according to census bureau estimates. At and 95% for the VRE. When asked where they nearly 1/10 of our total population, Prince William expected ridership to be 16 months from now the has one of the largest veteran populations of any answer came back at 75%-85% of pre-pandemic county in the United States. levels for OmniRide and roughly 50% for VRE. OmniRide noted that they have not laid off any Supervisor Vega was pleased to nominate Marine employees in the last year despite the persistent Staff Sergeant, Tim Parrish, of Woodbridge as her appointee to the commission. Tim is a true drop in ridership in addition to strikes and threats American patriot with an impressive resume and a of strikes from some drivers. huge heart for serving his fellow service members. For FY2021, OmniRide received nearly $19 million For a link to the resolution creating the Veterans in PRTC subsidies, an increase of 11.9% from Commission please click here - https:// FY2020. Meanwhile, VRE received nearly $6 eservice.pwcgov.org/documents/bocs/ million in subsidies for FY2021, a 2.7% decrease agendas/2021/0112/11-G.pdf. from FY2020.

- Coles District Staff - Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

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February 2021 12th Edition

Prince William County Announces $2.4 Billion in Intended Capital Investment and 1,531 New Jobs from Economic Development Projects in 2020

Prince William County’s Department of Economic Development announced a year of record achievement in 2020 with the completion of 40 projects, expected to add $2.4 billion in capital investment and 1,531 new jobs to the county. With 29 new business attractions, 8 expansions of existing businesses and 3 business retentions, approximately 99% of the new jobs will be in a range of industry sectors targeted by the county, including life sciences and biotechnology, IT, data centers, advanced manufacturing, federal contracting and distribution. In rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department shifted focus to economic stabilization and recovery while simultaneously executing its planned work program. The county established a multipronged framework of grant and incentive programs to provide much-needed relief to its business community, particularly its small businesses and displaced workers. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors appropriated $16 million of CARES Act and economic development funds to establish the following programs:

• Capital Investment and Innovation Grant – provided funding up to $200,000 per business for 127 businesses that needed to make physical improvements to adhere to health and safety guidelines to operate safely or to make capital investments in innovative business models.

• Small Business Relief Micro-Grant – provided grant assistance totaling $4.7 million to 640 businesses that experienced a loss in revenues. Grants up to $50,000 were provided to qualified businesses.

• ELEVATE – provided no-cost employment assistance to 188 residents and 59 businesses in collaboration with Virginia Career Works.

• Construction and Renovation Permit Rebate – provided 13 businesses with assistance to begin new construction projects by offering rebates of up to $2,000 for permitting fees.

• Small Business Technical Assistance – provided business counseling to 57 small businesses that needed one-on-one technical assistance. Additionally, the county partnered with the Mason Small Business Development Center to provide enhanced technical services up to $10,000 per business in digital marketing and e-commerce, financial planning and IT services, to ensure business viability.

• IGNITE Grant – provided grants up to $50,000 for businesses and entrepreneurs who have a start-up idea or new business.

• FireUp Business Mentoring and Coaching – supported eligible small businesses by pairing them up with coaches and giving them one-on-one access to expertise in business strategy, marketing and finance. The Department also coordinated with the county’s Emergency Operations Center, the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and the Office of Tourism through its #PrinceWilliamStrong Pledge campaign to assist in the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to over 200 businesses to facilitate their safe re-opening and continued operation.

- Prince William County Department of Economic Development

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February 2021 12th Edition

New ‘Passport to Recreation Bags Prince William’ Provided to Fight Program Supports Social Isolation Area Businesses

The Prince William Area Agency on Aging has made strides since the beginning of the COVID-19 The Prince William County Office of Tourism, d/b/ pandemic to help the most vulnerable older adults a Visit Prince William, Virginia, today announced deal with this transition period. In addition to its ‘Passport To Prince William’, a new digital providing meals to those in need and a Virtual Senior Center to those with internet access, the passport with discounts to area shops, craft Agency has developed a recreation program to help beverage venues, attractions, restaurants, hotels, combat social isolation. and other businesses is now available for use. In late November, the Agency's Adult Day “Prince William County businesses need support to Healthcare (ADHC) and Senior Center Divisions, help drive their economic recovery,” stated Ann distributed recreation bags consisting of items that Marie Maher, Director of Tourism for Prince are designed to support mental, physical and social William County. “The Passport to Prince wellness. William program is a component of the County’s ongoing economic recovery effort with the goal of While adhering to social distancing guidelines, the encouraging residents and travelers to safely shop, ADHC Division hosted a drive through social dine, and play locally,” she added. experience in the parking lot of the Woodbridge Senior Center on Nov. 20. While the Senior Centers More than 85 Prince William County businesses are followed suit with participant pick-ups on-site, currently part of the ‘Passport To Prince William’. ADHC participants were invited to pick up a Additional businesses will be added as the program recreation bag and welcomed with signs made by evolves. The digital passport is free for both staff, hot cocoa and cookies. consumers and businesses to join and is supported by a ‘spend local’ advertising campaign to Each participant received an individualized encourage consumer spending in the County. recreation bag with items such as puzzles, virtual companion pets, exercise DVDs, word game packets Businesses interested in joining this free marketing and craft and watercolor painting packets for use opportunity may click here to sign up. with virtual videos staff created. Residents and travelers can find the ‘Passport to Recreation bags were distributed to hundreds of Prince William’ at www.PWCDeals.com senior residents across the County to help make this time a little brighter for the recipients. This was a one-time event that the ADHC and - Prince William County Economic Development Senior Center Divisions were pleased to host for the community.

- Prince William County Area Agency on Aging

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February 2021 12th Edition

Four New Hotels County Assistance for Investing in Tourism’s First Time Homebuyers Future

Prince William County’s Department of Housing & Community Development provides loans to assist Despite the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelmingly first time homebuyers down payments and closing impacting the travel and tourism industry, the costs. The First Time Homebuyers Program, also Prince William County Office of Tourism is pleased known at FTHB, is available to Prince William area to announce that several new hotels are investing in citizens whose income is at or below 80% of the the County's future. Newly opened hotels include area median income. Applications will be accepted the LaQuinta Inn & Suites in the Coles District and during open application periods, and funds will be the TownePlace Suites in the Occoquan District. reserved on a first-come first-served basis In addition, two hotels are currently under To learn more about eligibility requirements and construction in the Gainesville District. Once how to apply, please click here. If you need more completed, the County's total hotel room inventory information regarding the First-Time Homebuyer will reach nearly 5,000 rooms. (FTHB) Program contact Angie Bassette (703) 492- 2302 or e-mail [email protected]. Business, leisure and other visitors contributed over $692 million in spending power to Prince William - Coles District Staff County's economy in 2019. Tourism is vital to the County's economic recovery plans. To find a hotel in Prince William County, click here.

Board Creates 2040 - Prince William County Economic Development Comprehensive Plan Citizen Advisory Committee

On January 19th, the Board of County Supervisors created a citizen advisory committee to provide guidance on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan update, to include updates to Long-Range Land Use Plan, Mobility Plan, and other components remaining in the scope of work for the 2040 Comprehensive Plan update. In addition to eight citizen members, one nominated by each Supervisor, the committee will also contain the Planning Director, Transportation Director, and the Chairman of the Planning Commission

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

PWC Parks, Parks, Recreation and Recreation and Tourism Unveil Tourism Is Hiring Recreation Mapper Lifeguards for Summer 2021 In order to better inform the public on recreational opportunities in Prince William County, the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (DPRT) has developed an online application called Do you dream of a summer job where you can be the Recreation Mapper. Work on the application outdoors? Want to be part of an important team, began in earnest in the summer of 2020, with an attain leadership opportunities with a flexible initial public release in November 2020. The schedule and a great paycheck? Mapper takes geospatial data from parks and other Become a lifeguard this summer with Prince recreation sites in the County and displays it on an William County Parks, Recreation & Tourism easy to use map-based interface. The Recreation (DPRT)! As a lifeguard, learn valuable life skills, Mapper was built using ESRI's ArcGIS Online and develop leadership abilities that colleges and platform. future employers are looking for. DPRT is seeking Users are able to view the sites on a map and learn applicants who enjoy a fast-paced work more about the amenities and activities offered at environment, are responsible and have excellent each site. To offer a more wholistic view of all the communication skills. Safety of guests is their top great recreational opportunities in the County, sites priority. and information from Federal, State and local With eight aquatic facilities throughout the County entities were included. Robert Boyd, DPRT serving over 400,000 visitors annually, DPRT is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analyst, seven day a week operation that requires a flexible explains "The goal of the Recreation Portal is to work schedule. Shifts will range from early allow locals and visitors to discover all of the mornings, evenings, weekends and holidays. amazing opportunities for indoor and outdoor recreation that Prince William has to offer. Whether The Lifeguard Training Program is included free of citizens want to get in a workout, go on a hike, or charge to become a DPRT Lifeguard. just spend a day playing at the park, this tool will Apply online today! show users what's available and how to find it. I hope that the Mapper shows users the good times that are waiting just down the street." - Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Recreation Mapper is available at https://bit.ly/ DPRTrecportal. We would appreciate your feedback on the new Recreation Mapper app, and invite you to participate in the following short survey.

- Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism

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February 2021 12th Edition

Eco Park - Outdoor Discovery Trail Update

The final construction phase of the Outdoor Discovery Trail in the Prince William County Landfill buffer area is planned to start this spring. The trail begins near Colgan High School and Benton Middle School and features outdoor classrooms for students and community groups. The final leg of the trail will have several interesting features, including spurs leading to points of interest. The Buzz and Flutter Pollinator Meadow, which is home to honeybee hives, native bee hotels and raised beds made of repurposed materials such as pallets and out of service canoes from Prince William County Parks, Recreation and Tourism is the destination of one spur. Another trail spur will lead to a large rock outcrop that is perfect for viewing the constructed wetlands area. A wooden bridge across a small stream in the wetlands adds to the trail experience. Additionally, an observation platform will be built near the end of trail located in the shadow of the Route 234 water tower for a view of the wetlands and active landfill construction and operations. The landfill is home to wildlife such as deer, fox, and coyote; and visited by birds including eagles, hawks, turkey, and gulls. The trail project is a Buzz and Flutter Pollinator Meadow partnership between the Solid Waste Division and Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department and is expected to be completed before fall 2021. The Outdoor Discovery Trail and the Buzz and Flutter Pollinator Meadow are two components of the Landfill Eco-Park, a multifaceted project, which has many partners in the community. In addition to partners noted above, others include: Keep Prince William Beautiful; Bee’s in Schools, LLC; GMU’s Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center; Prince William County Schools; Prince William Conservation Alliance; Prince William County Horticulture Therapy Program-Friends of Horticulture; local scout troops; and volunteers. For additional information on the Landfill Eco-Park visit www.pwcgov.org/ecopark

- Prince William County Solid Waste Division

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February 2021 12th Edition

Yard Waste Collection and Apartment Recycling Changes in 2021

On Dec. 15, 2020, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors unanimously approved changes to Chapter 22 (Refuse) of the County Code. The key change is the mandatory separation and curbside collection of yard waste. The yard waste program is seasonal, running from March through December, but will not take effect until October 2021 to allow waste haulers time to equip and staff appropriately. Residents, businesses, apartments, landscapers, etc. are required to arrange for a separate collection of yard waste, leaves and brush. Once the program starts, residents may place yard waste in biodegradable paper yard waste bags, or a personal container labeled for “yard waste.” The collected yard waste is converted into a soil amendment product at the recently expanded Balls Ford Road Compost Facility versus landfilled. In addition to yard waste collection, residents will also have access to Christmas tree recycling during the first two weeks of January each year. Some of the benefits of a separate yard waste collection are:

• Diverts yard waste from the County landfill, which expands the landfill life by 10-15 years.

• Increases the County’s recycling rate.

• Improves the quality of the compost product.

• Provides more dependable collection of yard waste material. The new curbside collection requirements are:

• Once a week refuse.

• Once a week recycling.

• Once a week yard waste (March-December).

• Once a week Christmas tree pick up (First two weeks of January). (Note: These are minimum standards. Trash and recycling collection companies may choose to provide additional collection.) In 2021, the actual collection period is October 2021-December 2021, and Christmas tree collection is the first two weeks of January 2022. Yard waste collection will then resume in March 2022 for the full seasonal schedule. There is also an important change for recycling by apartment tenants. Apartment management must provide sufficient single stream recycling collection bins for tenants. This will make apartment tenants’ recycling opportunities consistent with other residential households in the County. Property managers are now required to provide tenants and employees with information about how to participate in the recycling program. Commercial and non-residential properties are also impacted by the recent code changes. While no changes were made to the existing requirement that all businesses and non-residential properties recycle the one material generated in the greatest quantities on an annual basis, business and non-residential properties will have to adhere to the new requirements to separate and compost yard waste. In addition, the annual due date for annual recycling reports has moved to Oct. 15 instead of Feb. 15. There are several other changes that will mainly affect businesses, but all the code changes were a result of County staff and representatives of the affected stakeholder groups meeting, discussing and deliberating the issues and the necessary changes over many months. The new refuse code and a synopsis of the changes are available on the Solid Waste webpage.

- Prince William County Solid Waste Division

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February 2021 12th Edition

Prince William County Litter Control Program

Since its inception in the fall of 1997, the Litter Crew continues to make significant contributions to improving the aesthetic character of the County to help keep Prince William a Community of Choice! The Litter Control Crews are an essential part of Neighborhood Services' efforts to help citizens maintain safe and clean communities. The Litter Crew works along roadways and at illegal dump sites to properly dispose of litter, trash and debris. Due to the size and the number of roads within Prince William, 15 major and 52 secondary roads are identified and scheduled for monthly maintenance. Route 234 and the Prince William Parkway are two of the major roads the Litter Crew maintains each month. Nearly 50-percent of the Litter Crew's time is invested into cleaning and maintaining these two roads due to the overwhelming amount of litter ever-present on them. Neighborhood Services relies on neighborhoods and community partners, such as Keep Prince William Beautiful, to help keep residential side streets and subdivisions free of litter. Neighborhoods can organize weekend clean-ups to help keep their communities clean and litter free. As scheduling allows, the Litter Crew may assist the clean-ups by removing the bags of collected trash and litter, typically the Monday following the event. It is through the support of the community's efforts to maintain their neighborhoods that the Litter Crew can focus on their assigned road schedule. Thank you for doing your part to help keep Prince William clean.

- Prince William County Neighborhood Services Division

Prince William County Young Adult Survey

Prince William County Community Services is asking individuals between the ages of 18-25 years to share their opinions about alcohol, prescription drug misuse and heroin use. The data collected is entirely anonymous and will only be used to help serve the community. No individual responses will be shared, and the information from the survey will be released in summary form only. Community Services asks that participants please answer all questions truthfully. All survey participants have the chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. You can learn more information and complete the survey by visiting this page: https:// www.surveymonkey.com/r/W67KPFN

- Prince William County Community Services

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February 2021 12th Edition

New Library Prince William Public Opening Delayed Libraries Digital Library The new Manassas City Library, located just outside

the Coles District at Wellington Station (next to the Giant on Dumfries Road) was scheduled to open to Are you looking to learn a new skill to help with the public on February 2nd. However, due to the professional development, finally figure out how to needed help with COVID-19 vaccine roll out staff knit that scarf for Aunt Rose or track your genealogy? Prince William Public Libraries (PWPL) has been reallocated to the assist with the call offers free access to thousands of digital resources centers. The county hopes to open the doors for the that are accessible from home, anytime, with a new state-of-the-art library sometime in March. library card via the Digital Library. To make choosing a digital library resource even Once open, the 6,000 square foot facility will easier, PWPL has added brief online tutorials that contain more than 15,000 materials, 12 computers are available on the Digital Library webpage. These for the public to access the web, and study rooms. tutorials—typically less than two minutes in Hours will be Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, with length— introduce Digital Library resources. curbside pickup available on these days from 11am- 4pm. On the Digital Library page, users will see a blue vertical tab on the righthand side of the screen,

"Digital Library Tutorials." Click that tab to begin. - Coles District Staff Users can select tutorials by category, or view all to see tutorials alphabetically. After viewing the video tutorial, users are free to click through the Digital Library without having to navigate through multiple tabs on the web browser. Users who do not have a library card, can sign up for a digital library card and get immediate access to the resources found on the Digital Library! Visit the PWPL webpage, and click on "Get a Library Card" to get started.

- Prince William County Public Libraries

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February 2021 12th Edition

Stafford Regional Airport Groundbreaking

On January 18th, the Stafford Regional Airport had a groundbreaking ceremony for the extension of its runway. After much anticipation, the airport was able to make this important project a reality. The construction will add 1,000 feet to the existing 5,000 foot runway, giving aircrafts the ability to fly non-stop to the West Coast and Europe. With this new extension, the airport hopes to attract more aircrafts and in turn offer more services that would generate additional revenue opportunities. The $11 million-dollar project will be funded in phases by the Federal Administration Authority, the Department of Aviation, the Regional Airport Authority, and from $5 million in CARES Act funding. 29% of the Stafford Airport’s funds come from Prince William County. It is regularly used Marine Corps Base Quantico and residents in the southern and eastern portions of Prince William County.

- Coles District Staff

Meeting with the Girls of Scout Troop 4670

On Monday, January 25th, I had the pleasure of participating in a zoom call Q&A with the ladies of Girl Scout Troop 4670 as a part of receiving their Democracy Badge. We discussed the role of local government and steps taken to become a county supervisor. The young ladies dedication to our country and community was inspiring and I very much enjoyed the time spent with them. The future of Prince William County looks bright with them leading the way!

- Supervisor Vega

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February 2021 12th Edition

Supervisor Bailey Board Receives Elected Vice-Chair, Legislative Update

Franklin continues role as Pro-Tem of On February 9th, the Board received a legislative Board update from our county liaison to Richmond, Glynn Loope. Several bills were discussed. To view the presentation, please click here. On January 12th the Board of County Supervisors chose Supervisor Andrea Bailey of the Potomac District as Vice-Chair, assuming the role provided - Coles District Staff in 2020 by Supervisor Victor Angry of Neabsco.

For Pro-Tem and at an attempt at bipartisan leadership, Supervisor Vega nominated Supervisor Pete Candland, the Board’s most senior member, to Chair Wheeler serve as Chairman Pro-Tem. This motion was denied along party lines. A second motion to Delivers 2021 renominate Supervisor Franklin as Chair Pro-Tem was then passed unanimously. State of the County Address - Coles District Staff To view the full text of the speech, please click here.

- Coles District Staff

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February 2021 12th Edition

February Holidays

Presidents’ Day (February 17th)

Black History Month

I was honored to join Supervisor Pete Candland in proclaiming February 2021 as Black History Month in Prince William County. You can find the proclamation at ColesDistrict.org/BlackHistoryMonth2021.

To view the county’s virtual Black History Month Program on “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity” please click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stshiPTtc0c&feature=youtu.be.

Finally, there’s still two more opportunities this month to visit the Historic Lucasville School, 10516 Godwin Drive, Saturday and Sunday, February 27th and 28th from 11:00am-4:00pm. Visit the reconstructed 19th century school used by the community of Lucasville. Learn surprising facts of African American history in Prince William County and throughout the Northern Virginia region. No more than five people will be allowed in the school at one time and masks are required.

The event is free and registration is not needed

- Supervisor Vega

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February 2021 12th Edition

Upcoming Coles Land Use Cases

Independent Hill Small Area Plan This Plan encompasses ±544 acres, is bisected by Rte. 234 (Dumfries Rd) and bounded by Colgan High School on the north, the PWC Landfill on the east, Independent Hill Dr. on the northwest. The mixed use development would add up 200 homes along with new business and industrial zonings. This includes clearing out 41 acres in the Rural Crescent buttressing the Prince William National Forest Park to potentially make way for a data center. Please click here to view the case under “Pending UPDATE: RECOMMENDED DENIAL BY PLANNING COMMISSION 5-3 (12/9). UPDATE: BOARD SCHEDULED (3/16)

Kline Farm Development

Located at the corner of Liberia Avenue & the Parkway to Buckhall Road (South/Southeast). Would rezone 92.19 acres from A-1 Agricultural to Planned Business District, Planned Mixed Residential, and Semi-Rural Residential Cluster to develop mixed residential, retail, commercial, office, and recreational uses. A mixture of up to 250 multi-family townhomes and single family detached residential dwellings surrounding a 145,000 square foot commercial center are being proposed.

Twenty-four acres would be devoted to a new school or parkland. In addition, the Comprehensive Plan would be amended for up to forty-nine acres, and a Special Use Permit needed for a CVS pharmacy with a drive through which would also be built. The development would add an additional 9,400 vehicle trips per day to area roads according to Stanley Martin Homes. Please click here to view the case under “Pending”. UPDATE: DEFERRED BY APPLICANT (11/17/20)

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February 2021 12th Edition

March Board of Supervisors Meetings

March 2nd 2:00 PM/7:30 PM Regular Meeting March 9th 2:00PM Work Session March 16th 2:00 PM/7:30 PM Regular Meeting

All Board of County Supervisors Meetings Are Broadcast Live: • Comcast: Channel 23 • Verizon: Channel 37 • County Website: pwcgov.org/bocs

Links To Watch Recent Board of Supervisors Meetings

February 2nd 2:00 PM/7:30 PM Regular Meeting February 9th 2:00 PM/7:30 PM Regular Meeting February 16th 2:00 PM/7:30 PM Regular Meeting

Future Planning Commission Meetings

March 3rd 7:00 PM Regular Meeting

March 17th 7:00 PM Regular Meeting

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February 2021 12th Edition Board / Commission / Committee Meetings Animal Advisory Committee Planning Commission February 16th, at 6:45 PM February 17th, McCoart Building, Room TBD Work Session at 6:00 PM Public Hearing at 7:00 PM McCoart Building, Board Chambers Architectural Review Board PRTC March 10th, at 7:00 PM February 11th, 7:00pm McCoart Building, Powells Creek Conference youtube.com/PRTCtransit Room https://www.pwcgov.org/government/ dept/planning/Pages/Planning- Commission.aspx Board of Zoning Appeals Racial & Social Justice Commission February 15th, at 2:00 PM March 18th, at 6:30 PM McCoart Building, Board Chambers Ferlazzo Auditorium

Community Services Board Regional Jail Board February 18th, at 6:30 PM March 17th, at 6:00 PM McCoart Building, Powell’s Creek ADC conference room Conference Room Historical Commission School Board February 9th, at 7:30 PM February 3rd, 8th, 17th, 24th, at 6:00 PM Development Services Building, Room 202 February 6th, at 10:00 AM A&B Watch at pwcstv.com Human Rights Commission Service Authority February 11th, at 7:30 PM February 11th, at 6:45pm McCoart Building, Board Chambers The Spittle Building

Library Board Social Services Advisory Board February 25th, at 6:30 PM February 16th, at 6:00 PM Library Administrative Support Center Sudley North Gov’t Center Chinn Library Northern VA Regional Commission Trails & Blueways Council February 25th, at 7:30 PM February 23rd, at 6:30 PM Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/u/abwvooKp0 WebEx Link: Join Meeting Here

Parks & Recreation Commission VRE Operations Board February 17th, at 7:00 PM February 19th, at 9:00 AM Helwig Park Administrative Building PRTC Boardroom

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February 2021 12th Edition Contact Information

Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega

(703) 792-4620 | [email protected] | [email protected]

Board of Supervisors

[email protected]

District Name Phone Email Address Chair At-Large Ann Wheeler (703) 792-4640 [email protected] Brentsville Jeanine Lawson (703) 792-6190 [email protected] Gainesville Pete Candland (703) 792-6195 [email protected] Neabsco Victor Angry (703) 792-4667 [email protected] Occoquan Kenny Boddye (703) 792-4643 [email protected] Potomac Andrea Bailey (703) 792-4645 [email protected] Woodbridge Margaret Franklin (703) 792-4646 [email protected]

School Board

District Name Phone Email Address Chair At-Large Babur Lateef (571) 353-6469 [email protected] Brentsville Adele Jackson (703) 791-8709 [email protected] Coles Lisa Zargarpur (703) 791-8709 [email protected] Gainesville Jennifer Wall (703) 791-8709 [email protected] Neabsco Diane Raulston (571) 251-3467 [email protected] Occoquan Lillie Jessie (571) 659-1636 [email protected] Potomac Justin Wilk (703) 791-8709 [email protected] Woodbridge Loree Williams (571) 242-8259 [email protected]

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Febraury 2021 12th Edition Contact Information

Supervisor Vega’s Citizen Appointments

Airport Authority, Stafford Regional Desi Arnaiz [email protected] Animal Advisory Committee Ron Crigger [email protected] Architectural Review Board Michael Garcia [email protected] Board of Equalization Willie Deutsch [email protected] Board of Zoning Appeals Davon Gray [email protected] Commission on Aging Chris Dorcsis [email protected] Community Services Board Pat Sowers [email protected] DCSM / Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee Steve Mitchell [email protected] Historical Commission John DePue [email protected] Historical Commission Erin Shockley [email protected] Housing Board Robert Gudz [email protected] Industrial Development Authority Cheryl Kenny [email protected] Lake Jackson Sanitary District Advisory Cmte Bill Berry [email protected] Lake Jackson Sanitary District Advisory Cmte Howard Smith [email protected] Lake Jackson Sanitary District Advisory Cmte Jason Curtis [email protected] Lake Jackson Sanitary District Advisory Cmte Michael Trentacoste [email protected] Lake Jackson Sanitary District Advisory Cmte Lois McPherson [email protected] Lake Jackson Sanitary District Advisory Cmte Rhonda Craighead [email protected] Lake Jackson Sanitary District Advisory Cmte Carol Charsky [email protected] Library Board Catherine Turner [email protected] Parks and Recreation Committee Jane Beyer [email protected] Persons with Disabilities Sarah Pitkin [email protected] Planning Commission Joe Fontanella [email protected] Trails and Blueways Council Michael DePue [email protected] Trails and Blueways Council Eric VanNortwick [email protected] Upper Occoquan Service Authority Board Nancy Vehrs [email protected] Arts Council Ron Crigger [email protected] Racial and Social Justice Commission Charles Haddow [email protected] Service Authority Paul O'Meara [email protected] Social Services Advisory Board Jacob Mosser [email protected] Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Group Harris Glasgow [email protected] Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Group Joseph Chisholm [email protected] Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Group James Gestrich [email protected] Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Group Mark Bonner [email protected] Solid Waste Citizens Advisory Group Dave Watjen [email protected] Strategic Plan Development Team Martin Jeter [email protected] Taxicab Review Board Ellen Miles [email protected] Weapons Control Committee Robert Gudz [email protected]

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Febraury 2021 12th Edition Contact Information

Statewide Officials

Governor Ralph Northam (804) 786-2211 | [email protected]

Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax (804) 786-2078 | [email protected]

Attorney General Mark Herring (804) 786-2071 | [email protected]

State Senate

Name Capitol Phone District Phone Email Address 13th John Bell (804) 698-7513 (571) 367-9080 [email protected] 28th Richard Stuart (804) 698-7528 (804) 493-8892 [email protected] 29th Jeremy McPike (804) 698-7529 (571) 316-0581 [email protected] 36th Scott Surovell (804) 698-7536 (571) 249-4484 [email protected] 39th George Barker (804) 698-7539 (703) 303-1426 [email protected]

House of Delegates

Name Capitol Phone District Phone Email Address 2nd OPEN N/A N/A N/A 13th Danica Roem (804) 698-1013 (571) 393-0242 [email protected] 31st Elizabeth Guzman (804) 698-1031 (571) 403-1213 [email protected] 40th Daniel Helmer (804) 698-1040 N/A [email protected] 50th Lee Carter (804) 698-1050 (571) 606-7299 [email protected] 51st Hala Ayala (804) 698-1051 N/A [email protected] 52nd Luke Torian (804) 698-1052 (703) 785-2224 [email protected] 87th Suhas Subramanyam (804) 698-1087 N/A [email protected]

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February 2021 12th Edition Contact Information

U.S. Senate

Name Capitol Phone District Phone Timothy Kaine (202) 224-4024 (703) 361-3192 Mark Warner (202) 224-2023 (703) 442-0670

U.S. House of Representatives

Name Capitol Phone District Phone 1st Robert Wittman (202) 225-4261 (540) 659-2734 10th Jennifer Wexton (202) 225-5136 (703) 234-3800 11th Gerry Connolly (202) 225-1492 (571) 408-4407

County Departments

Adult Detention Center (703) 792-6420 Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court (703) 792-6160 Area Agency on Aging (703) 792-6374 Management and Budget (703) 792-6720 Circuit Court (703) 792-6015 Neighborhood Services (703) 792-7018 Commonwealth's Attorney (703) 792-6050 Office of Elections (703) 792-6470 Community Services - Manssas (703) 792-7800 Parks and Recreation (703) 792-7060 Community Services - Woodbridge (703) 792-4900 Planning Office (703) 792-7615 County Attorney (703) 792-6620 Police Department (Non-Emergency) (703) 792-6500 Criminal Justice Services - Manassas (703) 792-6065 Prince William Health District (703) 792-7300 Criminal Justice Services - Woodbridge (703) 792-4984 Public Libraries (703) 792-6100 Development Services (703) 792-6930 Real Estate Assessments (703) 792-6780 Economic Development (703) 792-5500 Sheriff's Office (Non-Emergency) (703) 792-6070 Environmental Services (703) 792-7070 Social Services (703) 792-7500 Executive Management (703) 792-6600 Solid Waste Management (703) 792-6254 Fire and Rescue (Non-Emergency) (703) 792-6800 Taxpayer Services (703) 792-6710 General District Court (703) 792-6141 VDOT (800) 367-7623 Housing and Community Development (703) 792-7530 Virginia Cooperative Extension (703) 792-4371 Human Rights Commission (703) 792-4680 Zoning Office (703) 792-7615

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