BVSCA Newsletter September 2000
Contents:September 26 Meeting Agenda
Please refer to the newsletter for a summary of agenda items. Also, note the new location for our September meeting below.
7:00 pm Executive Committee Meeting
BVSCA dues paying members may participate as observers in meetings of the BVSCA Executive Committee. On September 26, BVSCA will be meeting in the community room of the Ballston Park Condominiums at 1050 N. Stuart St. behind The Nature Conservancy. We are grateful to Ballston Park Condominiums for offering space to us. However, please be advised that there is limited on-street parking available.
A Bonding Experience
Shall Arlington County contract a debt and issue its general obligation bonds in the maximum amount of $42,612,500 to finance, together with other available funds, the costs of various capital projects and land for Arlington County public school and community purposes? Shall Arlington County contract a debt and issue its general obligation bonds in the maximum amount of $7,210,000 to finance, together with other available funds, the costs of constructing and equipping Fire Station #5 and the constructing and equipping of Phase II of George Mason University's building? On November 7, Arlington County voters will be asked to decide the outcome of these two bond referenda, in addition to three others that would allocate funding for parks, capital projects, and water/sewer improvements. Come to the September 26 meeting to hear a representative from the School Board present details of the school bond to our members. Dr. Stanley Taylor of George Mason University will be available to discuss the proposed $5 million bond for the Phase II expansion of GMU following the school bond discussion.
Put It In Park
At the September 26 meeting, Dr. Stanley Taylor will be available to discuss the online parking survey available for students attending GMU's Arlington Campus. The outcome of this survey will facilitate GMU's efforts to develop a parking plan. The parking plan should entail expanded on site and off site parking for GMU's anticipated enrollment of 10,000 students plus faculty and staff at expanded capacity.
Switching to a different kind of park, in August the County Board approved BVSCA's request for Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee (NCAC) funding for improvements to Hayes Park. Theresa Smith, BVSCA's NCAC representative, sponsored our first project in over ten years. Kudos go out to Theresa and county NCAC staff for their efforts.
Paper and Plastic and Glass, Oh My!
At its August meeting, the County Board approved a use permit for the construction of an expanded recycling center at 3900 N. 5th Rd. with support from BVSCA, Ashton Heights Civic Association, and the Planning Commission. County staff met with neighborhood representatives on September 14 to review the landscape plan and tentative parking arrangement for tour buses on the site. Construction of the site will commence in late September. Staff would like to open the center on November 15, which is "America Recycles Day."
Miscellaneous News Items
Virginia Square Sector Plan Review. The ad hoc committee completed an initial draft of an updated Virginia Square Sector Plan and presented this draft plan to county staff. If you are interested in learning more about the plan, please contact Ed Rea, at 703-528-1224.
Neighborhood News. The Civic Federation now has a mail server and internet domain. For updates on what's happening in Arlington neighborhoods, visit the Arlington Neighborhood News Exchange at www.civfed.org. If you have articles to post, contact them at anne@civfed.org .
Happy Birthday. In 2001, Arlington County will commemorate its 200 year anniversary. The Arlington Bicentennial Celebration Task Force has been formed to plan, coordinate and promote celebratory events. For more info call 703-527-6622. Additionally, the Arlington-Fairfax Jewish Congregation celebrates its 60th anniversary this month. For a list of events, call 703-979-4466.
How's Your Constitution? There will be two constitutional
amendments on the ballot this November: hunting rights and
lottery profits for education. Proposed Amendments to the
Virginia Constitution:
Question 1: Shall the Constitution of Virginia be amended to
provide for a Lottery Proceeds Fund and the distribution of net
lottery revenues to the localities to spend for public education
purposes?
Question 2: Shall the Constitution of Virginia be amended by adding a provision concerning the right of the people to hunt, fish, and harvest game?
Listserv. BVSCA members are cordially invited to subscribe to the BVSCA listserv. The listserv is a good way to receive periodic updates on issues of neighborhood interest. To subscribe, send an email message to the list coordinator, William P. Jackson, Jr. (Bill), at wpj@translaw.com advising that you would like to join. Include your name and post office address in your message along with the email address(es) from which you will be sending messages. When you are added to the list, you will receive a "Welcome" message with details regarding how to use the listserv. Remember that a message sent by a BVSCA listserv member to BVSCA-L@rootsweb.com will be relayed automatically to all listserv members. To prevent senders of unsolicited commercial email from using our list for unauthorized purposes, only listserv members may send messages to the mailing list from a subscribed address. So, if you use more than one email address, include all of your addresses.
Editor's Prerogative
At the May meeting, Michael Chircop was elected president for the '00-'01 BVSCA membership year. A complete list of officers is posted on the last page of this newsletter. Additionally, members voted to hold six meetings per year. Members agreed that the meetings for the '00-'01 membership year will be held in September, November, January, March, May, and June. A newsletter will be distributed prior to each meeting detailing the meeting location and agenda items to be discussed. Thanks to the hard work of Treasurer Jeff Green, BVSCA is now registered with the State of Virginia, as a non-profit organization for purposes of solicitation. Most importantly, please renew your annual dues. Come join us on September 26 to launch a new membership year.
DeAndra Beck
Newsletter Editor
How to Join the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association or Renew Your Membership
All individual persons who are residents of the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association's area or who in their individual capacity own residential property located therein, shall be eligible for membership in the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association. For the purposes of this organization, the boundaries of the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association are Kirkwood Road on the east, Glebe Road on the west, Wilson Boulevard on the south, and the I-66 right of way on the north.
If interested in joining the Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association, please complete the BVSCA Membership Application Form below and send your application and dues to Jeffrey Green, Treasurer, Ballston-Virginia Square Civic Association, at the address below.
Dues are payable when first joining and are renewable each year on or before the annual anniversary of that date. New members and members who have not paid their dues within the three preceding Association years must pay their dues 30 days before they receive voting privileges. Former members who have been members in good standing within any of the three immediately preceding Association years may be reinstated as voting members by paying their dues for that year.
All members of the Association are volunteers. Dues are used to help fund the Association's activities and sponsored events. Please join the Association today, or renew your dues paid membership. Visit us at (http://www.bvsca.org)
Michael Chircop, President
P.O. Box 1434, Arlington, VA 22210 703-525-9518, Ext. 1
Ben Axleroad, Vice President
David Ryan, Secretary
Jeffrey Green, Treasurer
1050 N. Taylor St., #502, 22201 703-276-2723
Theresa Smith, NCAC Representative
DeAndra Beck, Alt. NCAC Representative
Dennis Burr
Ken Hughes
Tom Sawner
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Mail to: Mr. Jeffrey Green
Treasurer, BVSCA
1050 N. Taylor St. #502
Arlington, VA 22201
Please make checks payable to BVSCA.