Broad Run Newsletter - September 2012

Dear Neighbors,

At the Board meeting on Tuesday night, we had a presentation on the results of the 2012 Community Survey conducted by the University of Virginia.  The results are very interesting and you can see the survey here survey.  Ninety-four percent of survey respondents said overall quality of life in Loudoun County is ‘excellent’ or ‘good.’  We are privileged to live in such a great community.  According to the survey, the top challenge facing the County (by far) is transportation.  This confirms the results from last year’s Ashburn Community Outreach and what I heard during the campaign last fall.  To keep our high quality of life, we must be bold in solving Loudoun’s transportation issues.  This will continue to be my top priority on the Board. 

Also at Tuesday night’s meeting, the Board voted 5-3-1 (one abstention) to deny OpenBand’s franchise application.  I want to thank all my neighbors in Southern Walk for their continued efforts on this issue and coming to speak before the Board multiple times.  I want to also especially thank my colleagues, Chairman York, Supervisor Higgins and Supervisor Reid for helping Supervisor Buona and I stand up for the community.  I will still be working towards finding a long-term solution so this issue can be resolved favorably for the community.

When Metrorail passed in July, the Board agreed to a framework on how to fund the project.  The centerpiece of the framework was the ‘service tax district’ which I proposed, that included commercial properties and planned new developments around the stations but excluded current residential neighborhoods like Broadlands and the Regency.  Since July there have been a few minor technical changes to adjust for parcel boundaries and that ensure all transit related zoning is included.  The Board has moved forward with this tax district and will be holding a public hearing in October to officially adopt the ordinance.  This is the only tax district proposal on the table and there are no plans to bring back any ‘circle’ districts that include residential neighborhoods.  To see a map of the tax district, click here Tax District Map.

In addition to work on the tax district, I have been continuing to work to lower the cost of the project.  During the first meeting in September, at my request, the Board directed county staff to apply for federal Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loans to finance our capital portion of the Metrorail project.  If these loans are approved, they could significantly lower the long-term cost of the project.  We are also taking actions to try and limit the increase in tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.  In the Board’s 2013 Virginia General Assembly legislative program, we endorsed legislation that would put the Commonwealth of Virginia’s moral obligation behind the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) toll revenue bonds which are being used to finance the project.  If this action were to occur, it could potentially cut the rise in tolls by one-third.  I strongly believe both the federal government and the state government need to step up and fund more of this vital transportation project.

The Board is continuing to work towards delivering more efficient services to citizens and businesses in the County.  The Board passed an initiative proposed by Supervisor Matt Letourneau that will inventory the county and school athletic fields to ensure they are being used at maximum capacity.  The initiative also directs county staff to make sure there are restroom facilities at athletic fields during sports seasons.  On the Economic Development Committee, we are working to implement a ‘Business Assistance Team’ which will streamline staff assistance for commercial applications and help cut through red tape.  This will help Loudoun continue to become more business-friendly with the goal of increasing the commercial tax base.

As always, please feel free to call me at 703-771-5088 or email me at shawn.williams@loudoun.gov.  Enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

Sincerely,

Shawn Williams
Broad Run Supervisor

Transportation Project Spotlight

Ashburn Village Boulevard/Waxpool Road Intersection

I have heard from many of you about the four way stop at Ashburn Village Boulevard and Waxpool Road, which is a traffic mess.  There is a project underway by the County (as the result of road proffers from two developments being built in the area) to make Waxpool Road four lanes from Ashburn Road to the Verizon campus and install a traffic signal with proper turn lanes at Ashburn Village Boulevard. 

The project is currently in right of way and easement acquisition and this process has taken a little bit longer than expected. I have been working closely with the County Attorney’s office on this process and I expect to finish that in the next month or two.  The Office of Transportation expects a contactor in place by the beginning of the year and construction should begin first thing in the spring of 2013.  I have made clear to county staff this is a very high priority road improvement.

Community Events

Ashburn Volunteer Fire & Rescue Pancake Breakfast:  The next monthly breakfast will be from 8:00 a.m. to noon on Sunday, October 7th at Station 6 on Ashburn Road.  For more information, including cost, please click here.

Loudoun County Symphony:  The Loudoun Symphony is pleased to announce the beginning of its 22^nd season.  The season starts with a unique concert commemorating the 200^th anniversary of the War of 1812, when Leesburg served as a temporary capitol of the United States.   The concert, titled “1812 An American Celebration”, will be on September 23, 2012 at 4:00 pm at Ida Lee Park, Leesburg, VA.  The festival will feature an outdoor performance by the entire Loudoun Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Mark Allen McCoy. The concert will unite the past with the present with special guest speakers, and a stirring and memorable program of music including such beloved works as the Star Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, Fanfare for the Common Man and a narrated rendition of Liberty for All. The highlight of the concert will be a performance of the 1812 Overture, Tchaikovsky’s moving and powerful ode to patriotism.  For more information, go to http://1812concert.org.  Gates open at 2:00 pm and a fife and drum corps will welcome attendees as they arrive.  At 3:00 pm there will be a Special Performance by The West Point Alumni Glee Club.  

Dulles Plane Pull:  The annual Dulles Plane Pull marked its 20^th anniversary this year on September 22^nd.  I took part in a team to raise money for Special Olympics of Virginia. AGC Pull Plane Team Lead, Mara Bauserman, says:  Ask Gina & Company is "Pulling Together" for Virginia Special Olympics.  We roped in an ALL-STAR team that is going to attempt to pull a FedEx plane on the runway of Dulles Airport this September 22nd at the 20th annual Dulles Day Festival and Plane Pull for Special Olympics Virginia. In order for me and my team to take on this challenge I must first reach my fundraising goal. With your help I will be taking my place on the rope and showing the Special Olympics Virginia athletes that I am pulling for them in no time!

Show your support for AGC and our Team which includes: 

• Cerphe, DJ for ecoplanetradio.com
• Francesca Reilly, Miss Loudoun County Fair 2012
• Shawn Williams, Loudoun County Supervisor, Broad Run District
• Jaspen Boothe, Founder of Final Salute, Inc
• Fetch, mascot for the Loudoun Hounds
• Sean Glennon, former VT QB
• Andrew Tufano, musician and being featured at Hard Rock Cafe's PinkJams
• And more to come....

Donating through this secure site (http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/ask-gina/2012dullesdayfestivalandplanepull) is the easiest and most efficient way to contribute to our fundraising efforts. Your support is greatly appreciated—and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might be interested in making a donation as well!

Your donation will assist Special Olympics Virginia in reaching our total fundraising goal of over $100,000! With your help, I hope to surpass my own fundraising goal of $2500 and join other adrenaline junkies as we participate in one of the heaviest fundraisers around. It’ll be an extreme adventure that we hope will generate extreme impact for Special Olympics Virginia!

The Patriot Project:  The Patriot Project has a mission to honor the Loudoun County participants in the Revolutionary War and to inform citizens today about the significant events and people of that era.   To complete that mission, the Patriot Project board of directors is planning to construct a memorial statue on the courthouse grounds in downtown Leesburg. The cost to construct this statue will be financed by private donations. 

Gary Clemens, of the advisory board, writes: “When I learned about the Patriot Project's purpose and thought about all of memorial statues that honor the veterans from Loudoun who served in our country's major wars, I realized it is time to erect a memorial statue to the veterans who fought to create our great nation.   It's time to build a statue to remind our citizens of the sacrifices of our very first veterans.  It's time to memorialize the courage, faith and leadership of our nations' first soldiers.  It's time to properly and sufficiently honor the original patriots who fought against tyranny and pursued democracy.  

The Patriot Project board needs $160,000 to complete the fundraising necessary to begin construction.   I am reaching out to leaders in our community to ask them to join me and other members of the advisory board to conduct outreach and help raise the balance of funds needed to begin construction.”

I have decided to join this cause, and as such will serve on the advisory committee.  The advisory board is hosting a fundraising event in mid-November around Veteran's Day in Leesburg and we will be asking business leaders, community leaders and patriots to attend to learn more about the Patriot Project and to ask those attending the event to invest in the Patriot Project.  To read more about it, click here www.thepatriotproject.org.