Ashburn District Newsletter - February 2013

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

One of Loudoun’s many strengths is our rural economy.  With over 140,000 acres of active farm land, there is no other county in the Washington region that can boast the breadth of thriving economic sectors like wineries, breweries, farm to table restaurants, consumer supported agriculture, small farms and the like.  We do not have to hop on a plane to Napa to enjoy great wines and gorgeous countryside.  Loudoun’s wine industry is one of the most mature in the state, and we are just beginning to grow our micro brewing trade.  Since the passage of a Virginia Senate Bill (April, 2012) which allows breweries to sell their beer on-premise, six new nano-breweries, brewpubs and/or tasting rooms have opened or plan to open. Couple this with our already booming wine market and a recipe for success is brewing.

Take a moment to enjoy the treasures that lie within our borders as Loudoun’s diversity is unparalleled and part of what makes Loudoun County such a great place to live, work and play. Be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter in order to peruse the sidebar for news and information about unique cultural experiences and our new spotlight business section which will highlight a different business every month.

Warmest regards,

Ralph

BUDGET

Tim Hemstreet, County Administrator, presented the Board with a proposed plan for Fiscal Year 2014 which totals about $1.8 billion in appropriations for the county and the school system.  If approved, this would mean the tax rate would stay the same but households would pay more as assessments are higher.  However, it is my hope that we can continue to make fiscally smart decisions to streamline the county and  school board budgets so that we can decrease the tax burden.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with a Den of Webelos from Cub Scout Pack 1154 and I used this graphic to demonstrate where our money goes.  Fifty-four cents of every dollar is spent on the school operating budget and another 11 cents (11 of the 21 cents of the CIP/Debt Services) is spent on building our schools, it is imperative that we ensure the money is spent wisely while still maintaining the quality of our education system.

Members of the public are invited to provide comments on the proposed Fiscal Year 2014 (FY 14) budget.  The final opportunity to speak before the Board of Supervisors is this Saturday, 02 March 2013, 9:00a.m.-12:00p.m. (Limited to 90 speakers).  This Public Hearing will be held at the Loudoun County Public Schools Administration Building, 21000 Education Court  in Ashburn.  

TRANSPORTATION UPDATES

 Goose Creek Village Park & Ride Lot Now Open

Goose Creek Village is a brand new 80 space park & ride lot located near the southwest corner of the intersection of Sycolin Road and Belmont Ridge Road.  Limited service from the Goose Creek Village park & ride lot to the West Falls Church Metro station is now running. 

 Waxpool Road/Faulkner Parkway to Unbridled

• Including new traffic signal at Ashburn Village Boulevard & Waxpool Road

Over the course of my tenure as Supervisor I have been diligently working to prioritize key choke points in the Ashburn area.  I am pleased that this intersection is moving forward as county staff has prepared the Invitation for Bid (IFB) and it has been sent to VDOT for approval and construction should begin by August. 

 OTHER BOARD NEWS

 ACTION REPORTS

The Board’s 6 February BOS Business Meeting and Public Input Session, the 13 February BOS Business Meeting and the 20 February BOS Public Hearing Action Reports have been posted on my Facebook page.

  CALENDAR UPDATES

The Board of Supervisors will hold their regular business meetings on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, beginning at 4:00 p.m., with public input beginning at 6:00 p.m. The Board’s monthly public hearing will be on the second Wednesday of the month, beginning at 6:00 p.m.  Therefore, the Board schedule for March is as follows:

06 March  4:00 p.m. BOS General Business Meeting (with public input as early as 6:00)

13 March  6:00 p.m. BOS Public Hearing

 20 March  4.00 p.m. BOS General Business Meeting (with public input as early as 6:00)

 Our Vision

By honoring its rich heritage as well as embracing the robust opportunities of a new day, Loudoun County maintains the high quality of life it has achieved, shapes a future that represents the best of both worlds, and creates a place where its residents are proud to live, work, and play.