Fairfax Commission Criticizes City’s Water Rates

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

September 21, 2011

The Fairfax County Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) has issued a report that is highly critical of Falls Church City’s water rate structure.   The report calls on the County to fix rates and charges for water service so that no Fairfax customer of the City’s system will be charged rates and charges that exceed those of Fairfax Water, unless the City demonstrates the need for higher rates and charges to the County’s satisfaction.

The report also recommends that the County establish Fairfax Water as the exclusive water service provider for all new development and redevelopment in Fairfax County.  It cites Section 15.2-2111 of the Virginia Code as the authority in both cases.

City Councilman Lawrence Webb, a member of the Falls Church Public Utilities Commission, said the report appears to be a political document.

“That’s disappointing,” said Webb.  “Where is the Commission’s research into water rates of other water systems in Fairfax County, all of which have raised water rates in recent years?   Where is the Commission’s research into Fairfax County’s own sewer rates, which have gone up 80% since 2005, a rate of growth ten times higher than City of Falls Church’s water rates?”

Webb added that the report raises questions about the Commission’s independence.

“Certain Fairfax County Board members have been very outspoken that they want to take over the City’s Water Utility,” he said.  ”A professional and objective consumer commission should not be involved in raw politics.  We had hoped that Fairfax County would move away from this litigious, confrontational approach after its water refund cases were summarily dismissed in Fairfax County Circuit Court last month.”

On April 25 the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized the CPC to undertake a comprehensive review of the City’s water rate making practices.  The measure was introduced via a motion by Supervisor Linda Smyth (Providence).  The motion was approved by voice vote.

Smyth asked the Commission to determine the basis for Falls Church’s rates; whether it was in compliance with the rate making principles established by the Board in May 2010; the nature, location, and cost of any capital improvements made over the past five years and how those improvements were funded;, and the location and cost of projected improvements.

The Board’s action followed the City Council’s initial discussion of a rate increase, which was unanimously approved on September 12.  The 8% increase, which will take effect on October 1, will add from $2.00 to $7.00 to the average customer’s quarterly bill, based on usage.  Over 90% of the system’s customers reside in Fairfax County.

The complete CPC report is available here.

SATURDAY: 10/29: Tree Planting Events

Come out and plant trees on Saturday, October 29 at 8:30 a.m. and Saturday, November 5 at 8:30 a.m.  Contact Seth Heminway at heminway.seth@gmail.com for locations, which will be announced later. Able-bodied volunteers are needed.  On planting days, wear boots or heavy shoes and gloves, and bring a shovel if you’ve got one.  Extra tools are available, and light refreshments will be provided.  The Neighborhood Tree Program is a partnership between the City of Falls Church, the Village Preservation and Improvement Society, and volunteers to help restore and maintain a healthy tree canopy in the City by raising funds to purchase trees, educating residents, and using contributed labor to reduce costs.  Native shade trees are planted within 15 feet of the curb.  See http://www.vpis.org/trees for more detail.

City Reports Revenue Gains for FY 2011, Increased Fund Balance

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

September 20, 2011

Falls Church CFO Richard La Condre advised the City Council yesterday evening that revenues for FY 2011 (July 2010 – June 2011) exceded estimates by $2.2 million.  He attributed the gain to increases in sales tax revenues, business licenses, and personal property and real estate taxes.

The higher revenues, combined with lower than anticipated expenses and unexpended grants, result in an increase of the City’s fund balance from by $4.1 million to $6.759 million.  The new balance is 10.2% of revenues.  The City’s goal is to raise the fund balance to its policy level of 12%.

La Condre said that he is cautiously optimistic, but that the surplus doesn’t necessarily translate into an economic turnaround.  The CFO estimated that inter-jurisdictional costs soon would increase 5% and contractor and utility costs 3%.

City Manager Wyatt Shields said that puts Falls Church in a “solid position” for the current fiscal year, but that FY 2013 is more uncertain.  He recommended devoting the gains to fund balance restoration.

Five Wards or Three?

The Council continued its discussion of a propsed ordinance that would reduce the number of voting wards from five to three.  Registrar David Bjerke and Board chair Margarette Shovlin briefed on the proposal, which was introduced at the September 6 work session.

The plan would close the Scout House (Ward 3) and the American Legion Hall (Ward 5) and leave the remaining wards with nearly equal numbers of registered voters.  Mr. Bjerke noted that since his staff is limited it would be more efficient to manage three wards, especially in case of an emergency, such as the recent earthquake on primary day.

While Thomas Jefferson School (Ward 1), Oakwood Apartments (Ward 2), and the Community Center (Ward 4) have good climate control, the Scout House does not, making it difficult for officials working a 16 hour day.  The building is also small, which sometimes forces voters to wait in lines outside the building.

Vice Mayor Dave Snyder said that he would like the public to receive more information on the proposal and recommended holding a town hall meeting before any action is taken.  Mayor Nader Baroukh and Councilwoman Robin Gardner concurred.  The mayor said that managing fewer wards makes sense, but stressed the need for a comprehensive implementation plan.

The City currently has 8,500 registered voters.  Virginia Code allows up to 5,000 in a single ward.  Ms. Shovlin said that around 3,700 Falls Church voters would be affected if the plan is approved.

Motorcycles May be Coming to FCPD

Police Chief Harry Reitze briefed the Council on a proposed ordinance that would allow the use of police-seized assets to purchase a motorcycle, a storage shed, and necessary equipment. The motorcycle would be used for traffic enforcement and calming and emergency response.  A second motorcycle may be obtained through a federal grant.

In response to a councilman’s question the chief said that the motorcycles used by the Sheriff Department are owned by individual deputies, so they cannot not be shared with the police.

Fiscal Policy Changes

The Council discussed a proposal that would update the City’s fiscal policies.  The most significant change calls for maintaining an unassigned fund balance of 17% of expenditures.  The proposal also recommends establishing capital reserves for the General Fund and the Water Fund.

A total of $10.5 million would be required for the reserves, $7.5 million for the General Fund, at the rate of $1 million per year beginning in FY 2013, and $3 million for the Water Fund in FY 2016.

Mr. Shields said that the objective is to move away from the happenstance of funding the Capital Improvements Program based on the status of the fund balance.  Mr. Snyder countered that he was concerned that the reserves would be built up only to be raided for something else.

Crime Report for September 13 – 19

By FALLS CHURCH POLICE DEPARTMENT

September 20, 2011

NOTE: This report is not a definitive list of all criminal activity and is subject to change upon investigation.

Larceny from Building, 201 N. Washington St. (Kaiser Permanente).  On Sept. 13, victim reported unknown suspect(s) stole a large dismantled stainless steel cage from a loading dock sometime between Sept. 9 and Sept. 12.

Larceny from Building, 6763 Wilson Blvd. (Planet Fitness).  On Sept. 13, unknown suspect(s) stole personal property from three victims by cutting the locks on their lockers sometime between 6 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.

Public Drunkenness, 1000 block W. Broad St.  On Sept. 13, a Falls Church man was arrested for Public Drunkenness.

Possession of False ID, 200 block Douglas Ave.  On Sept. 15, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver was wanted in both Fairfax and Arlington Counties for Failure to Appear in Court.  The driver also had a fictitious driver’s license in his possession.  A 22 year old Alexandria man was arrested for Possession of False ID.

Driving Under the Influence, 7100 block Leesburg Pike.  On Sept. 15, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 23 year old Fairfax man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.

Graffiti, 200 and 300 blocks N. Cherry St.  On Sept. 15, graffiti was found on the street with white spray painted lettering and drawings.

Driving Under the Influence and Refusal to Submit to Blood or Breath Test, 6700 block Wilson Blvd.  On Sept. 16, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  The driver, a 25 year old College Park, MD man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Refusal to Submit to Blood or Breath Test.

Larceny of Vehicle Parts and Destruction of Property, 1101 W. Broad St. (FC Auto).  On Sept. 16, unknown suspect(s) cut a convertible’s top and stole several of its parts sometime overnight.

Stolen Vehicle, 1101 W. Broad St. (FC Auto).  On Sept. 16, unknown suspect(s) stole a black 2007 Honda S2000 convertible sometime overnight.  Vehicle was recovered in Montgomery County, MD on September 17.

Larceny from Building, 400 block S. Maple Ave.  Sometime between September 8 and 16, unknown suspect(s) cut a chain linking two unsecured bicycles in a parking garage and took one of the bikes.

Graffiti, 300 block Sycamore St.  On Sept. 16, graffiti was found on trash left for pick up.

Graffiti, 6609 Wilson Blvd. (Vietnam Supermarket).  On Sept. 16, graffiti was found on a wall with black marker lettering.

Graffiti, 400 Roosevelt Blvd. (Shurgard Self-Storage).  On Sept. 16, graffiti was found on a wall with black marker lettering.

Urinating In Public, 6757 Wilson Blvd. (Eden Center).  On Sept. 17, a 36 year old Falls Church man, was arrested for Urinating in Public.

Drug Violation, 400 block S Maple Ave.  On Sept. 17, an officer conducted a traffic stop for a motor vehicle violation.  A 21 year old Woodbridge man and a 19 year old Occoquan man, were arrested for Possession of Marijuana.  A 19 year old Lorton woman was arrested for Underage Possession of Alcohol.

Smoking Violations, 6757 Wilson Blvd. (Hoa Vien Quan).  On Sept. 18, a 36 year old Silver Spring man, was arrested for Smoking in a Non-Smoking Area.

Public Drunkenness and Drinking In Public, 6700 block Wilson Blvd.  On Sept. 18, a 42 year old Alexandria man, was arrested for Public Drunkenness and Drinking In Public.

Driving Under the Influence, 6800 block Wilson Blvd.  On September 18, en-route to assist with another call, the officer observed a vehicle with severe front end damage and deployed airbags resting by a damaged guard rail.  A 24 year old Bethesda man, was arrested for Driving under the Influence.

Driving Under the Influence, 300 block E. Broad St.  On Sept. 18, an officer stopped a car being driven with a flat tire.  A 28 year old Falls Church man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence and Refusal.

Larceny – Theft From Building, 300 block Lincoln Ave.  Unknown suspect(s) took victim’s personal property sometime between mid-June and Sept. 18.

Driving Under the Influence, 7100 block Leesburg Pike.  On Sept. 19, a 30 year old Sterling man, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.  An unidentified passenger was arrested for Appearing Drunk in Public.

Michael Gardner Trial Delayed Until January 2012

By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF

September 19, 2011

The trial of Michael Gardner has been delayed until January 23, 2012, according to a report by Channel 7 News.   The continuance was granted this morning in Arlington Circuit Court.

Gardner was scheduled to face a jury trial beginning on October 3 for felony sexual abuse charges involving three young girls.  Last month the Court granted a prosecution motion to try the charges together, rather than separately.

Gardner is accused of aggravated sexual battery and object sexual penetration.  The events allegedly occured on the night of June 18, when two of the girls attended a slumber party at the Gardner family home, and on the night of June 16, when the third girl slept over at the house.

Gardner was arrested by Falls Church City police on June 22 and released the following day on $50,000 bond.  He was indicted by the Grand Jury on July 18.

Charles “Chip” Hailey, 69, Dedicated City Volunteer

By FALLS CHURCH OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

September 19, 2011

Charles “Chip” Hailey passed away Friday night.  He was a long-time City resident and volunteer, one of the founders of the Falls Church Cable TV access board, and son of a former mayor.  For many years he provided audio and technical assistance for many City Recreation and Parks programs, school programs, and City employee programs.

Mr. Haley was very dedicated to the City’s cable television station and its programming.  He was a life-long member of the Cable TV Access Board and helped with many cable TV productions, including GMHS graduations; Rec and Parks dance recitals, and many more.

He gladly shared his knowledge, expertise and experience in audio and video with many members of City and school staff, students and citizen-access TV producers.  Chip Haley was single but leaves many friends in the City and schools.

FOOD: Summer Food Gifts and Fall Homework

BY KATHLEEN NIXON
Falls Church Times Staff
September 16, 2011

 

Now that summer vacation is over and fall is in full swing, I am reminded of the essay we were asked to write the first day back to school: what did you do over your summer vacation? I remember being in a daze and struggling for what to share, let alone what I had learned.

My summer food adventures were interesting as we continued to explore and appreciate local, seasonal food. We are fortunate that local seasonal food is now more the norm.  With a stop in Montreal, eating locally and seasonally took a new twist as the French truly know how to eat. Yet, I don’t know French that well and I ended up tasting some new items.  Beef cheeks were on many menus and I ended up eating them a lot because of my poor understanding of French. I really enjoyed them as they tasted much like pot roast or short rib and was always served with a wonderful sauce.

But besides being introduced to new parts of the cow, I came to realize that there were three food lessons I learned to really appreciate over the summer:

The best salad: One of the pleasures of summer is the ready to eat vegetables and fruit. Most don’t need anything other than a simple wash. A squeeze of lime on watermelon, and it is ready to go. Slice a few tomatoes, add mozzarella and a sprig of basil- lunch is served. For our home, a Lebanese inspired salad is a staple that we can enjoy through early fall.  Tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and mint tossed with olive oil, apple cider vinegar with salt and pepper. The salad can be made days in advance and keeps in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

The best way to eat: A meal is an event in most cultures and our French Canadians friends reminded us of this. Dinner took three hours at best. Each course was just enough food to savor the taste but not to fill up. There was time between courses to visit with friends and sip wine. No rushing , no texting. The French believe that the meal is appreciated for its gastronomic appeal, not its calorie counting. Our family learned to further enjoy our meals rather than look at them as sustenance.

The best gift: Over the last year, we have expended considerable resources to expanding our home food production. Apricots, peaches, pears, figs, kiwis, melons and corn complement the greens, tomatoes, peppers, and root vegetables. We were wiped out. Apricots and peaches were decimated by an insect; pears and kiwis were gobbled up by squirrels and like many of us anything that was within 24 inches of the ground were destroyed in one fashion or another by “creatures” of various species.  What was left was scorched by the high heat in mid-July. We learned a new appreciation for the food brought to the market by farmers by knowing firsthand the trials and tribulations of food production.

With the fall equinox next week, we will see changes in the local produce and many new items on local restaurant menus.  We will herald root vegetables, squashes and cool greens. Not only can we enjoy these items in the market, many like kale and chard can still be planted in the garden and harvested throughout the fall into the winter. Kale loves cold weather and even tastes sweeter after it has been touched by frost. Kale will also withstand snow and you can harvest it until March.

My homework this fall season is to learn more recipes with butternut squash as this seems to be the only thing that survived in our garden besides potatoes and pumpkins. I look forward to trying this recipe for Butternut Squash Lasagna or finding a new Butternut Squash soup recipe.

Remember the Taste of Falls Church is this Saturday, September 17^th from 10am to 4pm.

Eden Center Raid Controversy Continues;
Charges Against Four Suspects Dismissed, One Acquitted

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

September 15, 2011

The controversy over last month’s raid at the Eden Center continued yesterday as a group of protesters congregated outside Falls Church City Hall.  Inside, misdemeanor gambling charges against four defendants were dismissed by the prosecutor in General District Court after a fifth defendant was acquitted.

The protesters stood between American and South Vietnamese flags and behind a banner proclaiming “We Demand Equal Rights in Falls Church.”  Yesterday’s demonstration followed Monday evening’s City Council session during which Vietnamese-American business leaders and Eden Center patrons voiced their concerns over the conduct of Falls Church police during the August 11 raid and on other recent occasions.

The raid, organized and executed by the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, of which FCPD is a member, confiscated over $1 million in cash and 70 gambling devices valued at $200,000.  Police served felony search warrants at thirteen Eden Center restaurants and arrested nineteen people for various misdemeanor offenses, including gambling, fireworks, and ABC violations.

One suspect has since pleaded guilty to illegal gambling.  The remaining defendants have court dates either in October or November.

No felony arrests were made, but Task Force officials stated that several were pending.  The Task Force commander, Lt. Dan Hess of  Prince William County, said that the activity was controlled by a primarily Vietnamese-American gang known as the Dragon family, whose activities had “paralyzed the Eden Center community.”

Speakers at Monday’s meeting saw the action in a different light.  Several insisted that they had never heard of the Dragon gang and charged that subsequent media accounts of the raid had created a false and negative image of the Eden Center, resulting in a decline in business.

Attorney Due H. Tran called for increasing the dialogue between the Council and Center businesses and recommended community policing.  Other speakers cited incidents unrelated to the raid as examples of “over-policing” and alleged that the police did not have a good working relationship with the business owners and the Vietnamese community even before the raid.

During the meeting Mayor Nader Baroukh and other Council members declined comment on the raid and the ongoing investigation.  He said that the City was ready to meet with Eden Center officials to discuss matters such as tensions with the police.

The mayor said later that the Council and the City look forward to continuing their good relationship with Eden Center businesses. “The Center is an important part of the Falls Church community and we welcome the opportunity for more dialogue and cooperation,” said Mr. Baroukh.  “In addition, public safety for residents and visitors will continue to be a high priority at the Eden Center and throughout Falls Church.”

In a statement released yesterday evening, Falls Church City Chief of Police Harry Reitze said that his department is committed to providing a safe environment for all who live, work or visit.

“FCPD has practiced Community Policing at the Eden Center since its founding, with placement of an on-site field office and foot patrols which strengthens information sharing,” he said.  “FCPD has a long-standing, sound relationship with the Eden Center, and has been asked on occasion to increase it patrols and to enforce violations of smoking, gambling and other activities.”

The chief added that FCPD has been asked many times by businesses and Eden Center management to ban people from the Center who may violate the law.  ”FCPD will continue to work with the Eden Center management and business owners to maintain a safe and welcoming environment,” he concluded.

A tape of Monday’s Council session is available here. The speakers’ comments concerning the Eden Center begin at 00.23.20.

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