FRIDAY 12/3: Promenade Dancing and Etiquette Class Registration Closes

6th & 7th Grade Students Are Invited: Promenade Dancing Class

Don’t miss the December 3rd deadline to enroll your 6th or 7th grader in the Promenade Dancing and Etiquette Class! Sponsored by the Victorian Society of Falls Church, and run by parent volunteers, the class is now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 Season. The class offers a unique opportunity for Falls Church area girls and boys in 6th and 7th grades to learn dance steps and manners while Read more

Council Briefed on Drop in City Pension Fund

By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff

December 1, 2010

Monday evening’s Council work session focused primarily on the status of Falls Church’s pension funds.  Connie Rydberg, a pension actuary and chair of the Retirement Board, reported that as of  July 1, 2010, the plans are funded at 76%, a drop of four points over the preceding year.  The City’s situation is hardly unique.  Senator Whipple advised the Council last week that the Virginia Retirement System, which covers Falls Church teachers, also is underfunded.

Currently, city hall employees contribute 1.6% of their salaries to the fund and police officers allocate 2.2%.  Ms. Rydberg stated that Board members favor increasing contribution rates over any reductions in either plan’s anticipated benefits.  This could result in increasing the respective employee contribution rates to 5% and 7% in the near future.   

The Board projects pension contributions to increase substantially over the next several years, from the current $2.3 million to $3.3 million in FY 2012 to $5.6 million by FY 2016.  The estimates assume a 7.5% rate of return on investments.

The Board’s memorandum of November 29 requests that the Council confirm the following guidelines for the Board’s coming review of the plans:

>  No change in the benefit formula for current employees.
>  Consider changes to contribution requirements for current employees.
>  Potentially consider a different formula for employees hired on or after July 1, 2011.
>  Consider changes for contribution requirements for future employees.
>  Potentially consider a defined contribution benefit (i.e. 457 or 401k plan) for future employees.

Mayor Nader Baroukh recommended that the City attorney determine if it was legally permissible to change the current formula.  The mayor also asked for additional analyses and information on how other jurisdictions are coping with underfunding.   

Efficiency Study  –  City Manager Wyatt Shields advised that three bids have been received for a study on City operations and possible consolidation of services.  Although the city manager noted that approval of the contract does not require a vote of the Council, Mr. Baroukh felt that some discussion was necessary.  The mayor recommended that both the City/School Board liaison group and the Council’s Government Operations Committee review the proposals.  

Area planning and actuarial studies also have been proposed, however no funds are currently budgetted for either of those analyses or the efficiency study.  Mr. Shields expressed skepticism that the City could afford all three during the current fiscal year.   

Closed Session  –  The meeting concluded with a closed session on zoning matters.

The Council will hold another work session next Monday, December 6 and its final meeting of 2010 on Monday, December 10.

Crime Report for November 23 – 29

By FALLS CHURCH POLICE DEPARTMENT

December 1, 2010

Noise Code Violation, 6619 Wilson Blvd (New Moon Restaurant), Nov 23, 6:10 AM,.  A 34 year old Triangle man was cited for a Noise Code Violation (loud noise before 7:00 AM).

Drug-Narcotic Violation, 100 blk E Broad St, Nov 23, 11:10 PM.  A 19 year old Arlington man and a 22 year old Alexandria man were arrested for Possession of Marijuana.

Urinating in Public, 6757 Wilson Blvd (Eden Center), Nov 24, 1:17 AM, Hong V. Huynh.  A 43 year old Gaithersburg, MD man was arrested for Urinating in Public.

Smoking in a Non-Designated Area, 6763 Wilson Blvd (Eden Center), Nov 25, 6:52 PM.  A 41 year old Annandale man was cited for Smoking in a Non-Designated Area.

Driving Under The Influence, 900 blk W Broad St, Nov 26, 12:19 AM.  A 26 year old Falls Church man was arrested for Driving Under The Influence.

Driving Under The Influence, 900 blk W Broad St, Nov 27, 12:44 AM.  A 33 year old Springfield woman was arrested for Driving Under The Influence.

Larceny-Theft from Building, 540 S Washington St (International Motors), Nov 27, 11:02 AM, unknown suspect(s) cut the padlock on a shed and removed a leaf blower. On the night of Nov 25 unknown suspect(s) removed a set of four tires and wheels from a fenced area beside the shed by cutting the padlock.

Driving Under The Influence, 6245 Wilson Blvd, Nov 27, 6:56 PM.  A 16 year old of the City of Falls Church was arrested for Driving Under The Influence.

Liquor Law Violations, 6245 Wilson Blvd, Nov 27, 6:56 PM.  A 15 year old and a 16 year old of the City of Falls Church were arrested for Underage Possession of Alcohol.

Larceny From Vehicle, 200 blk Cleave Dr, Nov 28, 2:32 PM, unknown suspect(s) took a camera from the center console of a vehicle. There were no signs of forced entry.

Destruction of Property, 444 W Broad St (parking garage), Nov 28, between 5:00 PM and 10:28 PM, a vehicle’s driver front side window was smashed by unknown suspect(s). Nothing was taken.

Kidnapping/Abduction, 400 blk W Broad St, Nov 28, 8:30 PM, following a domestic altercation, a 22 year old Fairfax man was arrested for Abduction and Assault.

Armed Robbery, 6623 Wilson Blvd (Seven Corners Shell), Nov 29, 8:59 PM, suspect entered business, confronted an employee, produced a black semi-automatic handgun and removed cash from a register.  Suspect described as a male, possibly Asian, approximately 5`7″-5`10″, 180-220 pounds wearing what appeared to be a grey vest with a faded design on the back, over top of a black hooded sweatshirt, jeans and black shoes.

Ruby Bolster, 86, Active in City Affairs For Over 50 Years

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SPECIAL TO THE FALLS CHURCH TIMES

December 1, 2010

Ruby Bolster, active city resident for over 50 years, passed away November 23 after a brief hospital stay. She was 86.

A gathering of family and friends will take place Wednesday, December 8, from 4-8 p.m. at Cherry Hill Farm House, 312 Park Avenue.

Ruby Skoog grew up in Minneapolis and there met and married her husband, Mel Bolster, after meeting on a blind date.  They moved to Washington so that Mel could work at the State Department.  They later moved to the City of Falls Church in 1958.  She worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, Federal Water Council, and DeVol Funeral Home in Washington.

Ruby created her place in Falls Church by joining and actively supporting many organizations and helping to create organizations to support her causes.  She first  joined  the League of Women Voters.  She and her long time friend Mildred Pope and others worked together to ensure the preservation of Cherry Hill Farm House and helped to create the Friends of Cherry Hill.

In 2005 Ruby and her husband Mel were recognized and honored by the Village Preservation and Improvement Society with the “Spirit of Falls Church Award” for their lifetime of commitment to the improvement of the fabric of the community.   She and her husband were among a half dozen that organized the force of the citizenry to help save the historic Lawton House that was threatened with destruction.  From that, the re-founding of VPIS occurred in 1965.

Through the years, Ruby was also an active member in the City of Falls Church Historical Commission,  Falls Church Garden Club, American Scandinavian Society, and Drott Lodge, as well as the Falls Church Presbyterian Church, Mary Styles Library Book Club, Celebration Center for Spiritual Living, Antique Arts, the Victorian Society, and the Citizens for a Better City.

She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Laurie Bolster (and Lyn Iannazzo) of Falls Church, and Jeff Bolster (and Terri) and two grandchildren, Victor and Hannah of Manassas. Her husband died in 2005, and her son Mark died at age 17 in 1972 from an automobile accident.

A memorial service and interment are planned for spring 2011.

December at the Library

By FALLS CHUCH TIMES STAFF

Local author Tom Hafer will discuss and read from his recently published children’s book, The Lemonade Crash.  Saturday, December 4, 11:00 am.  For ages 8 and up. No reservation required. For more info, please visit the Youth Services Desk or call 703-248-5034.

December book discussions feature Homer and Langley: A Novel by E.L. Doctorow on Thursday, December 2, 7:30 pm, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley on Tuesday, December 14, 7:00 pm.  

Winter Break programs include the Blue Sky Puppets, Wednesday, December 29, 7:00 pm, and Drop-in Craft, Thursday, December 30, 10:00 am.

Details on all December programs are available in the Library’s Newsletter.