April 2011 The Newsletter of the RamblerRamblerRose Hill Civic Association President’s Message In This Issue We’re Rewarding the Rose Hill Beauties Membership List ............................................. 4-6 While Trying to Clean Up the ‘Uglies’ Community Calendar ..........................................7 It’s time for the annual Rose Hill Beauty Rose Hill Business Directory .........................8-11 contest! Judges will be looking to reward those residents who keep their property looking great and therefore helping to upgrade the entire community. Winners will be announced in an If you would like be one of the judges, upcoming edition of the Rambler. Those who let us know. We’ll keep your participation are members of the Rose Hill Civic Association confidential. All violations will be reported in will receive signs designating their property as a the name of RHCA. If you have any questions, genuine Rose Hill Beauty. please contact the president or vice president. At the same time, we will be looking Please be aware that the wheels move slowly for rundown properties that are in violation after violations are reported as the County has a of Fairfax County laws and ordinances. Those process it must follow. Generally though, we have properties will be reported to the proper agency. been successful in cleaning up some of the blight If there is trash strewn about, grass not being cut, that has made our neighborhood look bad. Rose an inoperable or untagged automobile parked Hill is not a place for those who don’t care about on your property, it WILL be reported. And their neighbors or community. remember, County law prohibits parking on your front lawn. In Memorial You can help by making sure the judges don’t miss any Beauties or Uglies. Call or e-mail It is with great sadness that we report either the president or vice president with your the death of Terrie Dacales, former RHCA Vice nominations. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, President, long-time Rose Hill resident and but we are looking for well-kept houses and beloved Fairfax County teacher for 30 years. yards. Uglies should be easy to spot as they stick She had been ill for several years. When I took out like a sore thumb among all the beauties we over as RHCA president in March of 1999, it have here in Rose Hill. was with the condition that Terrie serve as Vice President. Even though she moved into a larger house nearby in order to care for her husband, Gus, who was bedridden with a stroke and died a few years later, Terrie’s roots remained in Rose No RHCA Meeting This Month Hill. She continued as Vice President until 2007 when Linda Nichols took over. Terrie touched RHCA Officers hundreds of youngster’s lives during her career President: Carl Sell, 703.971.4716, [email protected] as a teacher, including stints at nearby Clermont, Vice President: Linda Nichols, 703.971.0755, [email protected] Franconia and Groveton. She helped establish the Secretary: Beth Kohm, 703.338.4876, [email protected] Gifted and Talented curriculum and has received Treasurer: Carolyn Slenska, 703.922.4135, [email protected] numerous education and civic awards. Services Editor, The Rambler: Richard Downey, 703.625.7046, [email protected] were held last Tuesday. RHCA sent flowers. If Neighborhood Watch: Woody Betts, 703.971.0520, [email protected] you’d like to personally remember Terrie, send Webmaster: Jim Sapp, [email protected] a contribution to St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox RHCA, P.O. Box 10891, Alexandria, VA 22310 Church, 3149 Glen Carlyn Road, Falls Church, www.myRoseHill.com VA 22041, the American Heart Association, or the Alzheimer’s Association in her name. More about Terrie’s extraordinary contributions to her Continued on Page 2 President’s Message Continued From Page 1 community, county and country will be added to Rose Hill Reserve RHCA’s web site, myrosehill.com, at a later date. Stanley Martin Homes, builder of Rose Hill Reserve, has begun work to remove the material from the landslide on a portion of the County Budget for 2012 private property on the hill above Split Rock Road The Board of Supervisors has passed a and Haystack Road. In addition to the original budget resolution setting the tax rate at $1.07 major slide, several others have popped up and per hundred, two cents less than last year. need to be dealt with. Once the material has been County-wide the $1.07 rate will mean that tax removed, replacement soil will be used to fill the bills will remain basically the same as last year. holes. Interceptor drains also will be installed However, in Rose Hill the average bill will to collect the ground water on the hillside and decrease slightly. Why? Because the average channel it away in such a manner that it does assessment for Rose Hill properties decreased not cause future slides. As soon as the County slightly and the bill is based on the assessed approves its engineering plan, Stanley Martin value. The budget holds the line across the Board will install deep piers or caissons on the hillside with a slight increase for the schools. However, that are designed to hold back the soil to prevent the School Board did not get the total increase it future slides caused by the shifting of marine clay. requested. Neither school nor county employees Caissons already have been installed on the other will see an increase unless money can be found hillsides on the perimeter of the property. RHCA in the adopted budget. The Board of Supervisors has supported the use of these piers or caissons has asked the County Executive to search for from the beginning the process. While there is no additional savings so there can be some small full guarantee, they appear to be the best way to reward for county employees who have gone protect both existing and new homes from future without raises for three years. Hopefully, the slides. School Board will do the same. Having served on Supervisor McKay’s budget advisory committee, I am convinced there is adequate means within Franconia in the Civil War the current school allocation to reward our The program is all set for the Franconia teachers and other employees. Administrators in the Civil War program Saturday and Sunday are fairly compensated. One area of concern to May 14-15 at Lee District Park. It is part of the me is the large annual carryover (unspent funds) sesquicentennial of the Civil War and is sponsored the schools report each year. Seems to me that is by the Franconia Museum and the Fairfax County a good place to look for as a vehicle to reward Park Authority. RHCA is involved as a volunteer employees. organization providing free samples of food of the 1860s at noon on Saturday the 14th. The menu includes Brunswick Stew and corn bread. Beware of Solicitors Various RHCA members are making corn bread With spring come the door-to-door for the event. If you can help, call Linda Nichols solicitors. They try to sell you magazines, at 703-971-0755. The Brunswick Stew chef already furniture or who-knows-what-all. They promise has been lined up. The schedule of events for to refurbish your driveway, put on a new roof, the two days is printed in this month’s Rambler. paint your house, and so on. They ask for a down Admission for kids 14 and under is FREE. Ages payment, do a little work and say they’ll be back. 15-18 and seniors 62 and older are admitted for But they never are, unless it’s to rob you when $2.50. All others cost $5 with one admission good you aren’t there. If their deal sounds too good to for each of the two days. The show is chock full be true, it usually is. Ask if they can show you a of information, artifacts and music. President Fairfax County license. If they can’t, call the police Lincoln, portrayed by Dan Storck, will be there non-emergency number at 703-691-2131. both Saturday and Sunday. Confederate General Never, ever allow a solicitor access to your D.H. Hill will preach a Civil War era sermon home. Don’t share any information about yourself on Sunday. And, of course, the Gray Ghost, or your neighbors. Of course, all of this does not John Singleton Mosby, will be lurking about. apply to neighbors who are seeking donations to Noted local author Don Hakenson will tell of worthy area organizations or schools. various Mosby raids and skirmishes on each of — 2 — Continued on Page 3 President’s Message Continued From Page 2 the two days. You’ll learn about Union troop members will be recognized individually as encampments, food and farms, famous houses they join or renew their membership. If your and area churches in other short presentations. name isn’t on the list, either let us know we’ve There weren’t any major events here during made a mistake or send your check to RHCA the Civil War, but the collection of things that at Box 10891, Franconia, VA 22310. At this happened here will amaze you. point, fewer than 30 percent of the residences in the community can claim membership. They will get first attention when they need RHCA’s Wegman’s Update support. Unlike communities with Homeowner’s The site plan that will allow construction to Associations with mandatory dues and rules, we begin at the new Wegman’s grocery and specialty are a VOLUNTEER organization and depend store at the corner of Beulah Street and Telegraph on the generosity of our members to help Rose Road either has or is about to be approved by Hill remain an attractive and friendly place to Fairfax County.