Friday, December 14, 2012
Garvey will be sworn in to office in ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey will be sworn in to her first full four-year term at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the County Board Room on the third floor of 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Garvey, who put forth an exhaustive effort this week to defeat or delay the approval of a new funding mechanism for major transportation projects, took office in late March. She filled the unexpired term of Barbara Favola, who is now a state senator, and ran for office in November on a platform that included opposing the Columbia Pike streetcar. After a barrage of questions Monday, Garvey told her colleagues allowing the county to use the Virginia Public-Private Transportation Act would mean Arlington was "one vote away" from awarding a contract for the …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Arlington County Board adopts rules that allow public-private partnerships to finance major transportation projects.
The Arlington County Board on Monday adopted guidelines that will allow public-private partnerships to help finance major transportation projects, like the Columbia Pike streetcar, after an unusually heated discussion. Board member Libby Garvey, who was elected in November to her first full four-year term partially on a platform that included opposing the streetcar, fought an uphill battle all night. She fought — with question after question, after question, after question. For about three hours, the board dissected the Virginia Public-Private Transportation Act and pages of new or amended county procurement guidelines. Garvey insisted that the guidelines did not include enough public safeguards — that the new policy would allow a large …
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Opinion based on 'notoriously complex' state law.
Arlington County Board member Chris Zimmerman's consulting job with a subsidiary of a global company that works with the county does not constitute to a conflict of interest or appearance of conflict, according to County Attorney Stephen MacIssac. MacIssac put the opinion in a memo responding to questions raised this week by Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey. Thursday, Garvey released a series of emails in which she expressed concern over the county adopting guidelines based on the state's Public-Private Transportation Act, or PPTA, which the board will decide following a public hearing Monday. Specifically, Garvey is concerned with the lack of public safeguards in the law and with Zimmerman's involvement in the process. Adoption …
Chairwoman Mary Hynes announced resolution on Saturday. It will be discussed Monday in conjunction with public-private partnerships.
The Arlington County Board on Monday will consider a new transparency measure in an attempt to squash recent allegations that one of its member's employment creates a conflict of interest or appearance of a conflict. The resolution, announced in a statement Saturday by Chairwoman Mary Hynes and board members Walter Tejada and Jay Fisette, would complement the county's likely adoption of guidelines for public-private partnerships to fund major transportation projects. It is in direct response to board member Libby Garvey's release this week of a series of emails where she expressed concern about the new guidelines — specifically, about public safeguards and about board member Chris Zimmerman's involvement in the decision-making process. …
Friday, December 7, 2012
Newest board member also questions public safeguards in public-private partnership guidelines.
Arlington County Board member Libby Garvey is working on two fronts to delay a vote on what's potentially a key funding mechanism for the Columbia Pike streetcar and other major projects. Garvey on Thursday released a number of emails in which she expresses concern about the board's planned adoption of guidelines that would allow public-private partnerships for the development of transportation facilities. Garvey wants fellow board member Chris Zimmerman — a leading proponent of the streetcar — to recuse himself from the matter to avoid a conflict of interest or, just as damning, the appearance of a conflict. "This is NOT about the streetcar for me, but about transparency and ensuring competition on large capital projects," Garvey stated …
Monday, November 19, 2012
Board divided on best way to fund affordable housing commitment.
The Arlington County Board this weekend authorized a mixture to spending cuts and tax increases to close a projected budget gap of up to $50 million for the local government and school system next year. It's the beginning of a long budget process, one that showed elected officials might already be divided on how to best realize the county's commitment to preserving affordable housing. Board members approved their budget guidance to County Manager Barbara Donnellan on Saturday with a 3-2 vote. Vice Chairman Walter Tejada and board member Chris Zimmerman voted against the direction after failing to push through stronger commitments to preserving affordable housing. Chairwoman Mary Hynes said she wouldn't rule out additional investments in …
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Funding for projects contingent on voter approval next month.
The Arlington County Board on Tuesday unanimously approved $2.7 million for several projects under the Neighborhood Conservation Program. The money — much of which will only be available if voters approve issuing bonds on Nov. 6 — will fund four new projects and provide additional funding for five ongoing projects. If the ballot measure fails, the projects will not be funded. They include: More than $747,000 will pay for four streetlight projects and improvements to the Virginia Highlands Sprayground. At board Chairwoman Mary Hynes' request, county staff delivered a lengthy presentation about the types of streetlights Arlington is using — LED lights that are replacing old high-pressure sodium lights. The new lights are more energy …
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Officials formally marked the completion of a $6 million bridge replacement project on Glebe Road over Arlington Boulevard on Wednesday.
Virginia Department of Transportation and Arlington County officials on Wednesday formally celebrated the completion of a $6 million bridge replacement on Glebe Road over Arlington Boulevard. The entire bridge, about 100 feet long, was replaced over a 15-month construction window. The new bridge is 27 feet wider, according to VDOT. The state agency worked with the county and community to implement improvements such as: "All of this is an enormous enhancement to the way this community works," Arlington County Board Chairwoman Mary Hynes said. In March 2009, concrete fell from the bridge into a travel lane on Arlington Boulevard. Nick Roper, VDOT district bridge engineer, said he was answering phones all morning in Richmond the day that …
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
The renovation of Buchanan Gardens Apartments cost about $32.4 million.
Affordable housing advocates celebrated the completed renovation of Buchanan Gardens Apartments on Monday, a $32.4 million project that will serve as a home to 111 families. The Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing bought the property, just north of Columbia Pike in the Barcroft neighborhood, in 2009. Renovation was phased in, and about 70 percent of the former tenants returned. "They're beautiful," said resident Kelvin Flores, 27, who lives at the apartment complex with his family. "It's a lot better than it was before." The housing partnership renovated and furnished a single unit to show residents before the larger renovation began in order to make the transition easier, said partnership president Nina Janopaul. The partnership …
Friday, December 2, 2011
At the flip of a giant switch, the Rosslyn skyline lights up for the holidays.
Thursday night, people gathered to kick off the holiday season in Rosslyn at Light Up Rosslyn. Music from the Beltway Brass Quintet and Snowday set the festive mood as people mingled, ate chili and drank hot chocolate from nearby Santa Fe Cafe and cookies and cider provided by Monday Properties. The evening was hosted by NewsChannel 8 Anchor Morris Jones. At 6:30 p.m., Arlington County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman flipped the oversized light switch with the help of Rosslyn Business Improvement District President Peter Greenwald; the BID's executive director, Cecilia Cassidy; Kathy Sibert, executive director of the Arlington Street People's Assistance Network, or A-SPAN; and Artisphere Executive Director Jose Ortiz. Light Up Rosslyn also …
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9:47 am on Friday, December 14, 2012
"Arlington Way"? Tell me more. I thought the Arlington Way was to cram special interest legislation down the throats of protesting citizens. This is just one more example of legislating to suit monied benefactors. more ›