Saturday, December 8, 2012
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. …
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Saturday, December 8, 2012
Right when you think animals voices are not being heard, a chairwoman steps up! Arlington County Board Chairwoman Mary Hughes Hynes has issued a proclamation recognizing the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, the Humane Society of the United States, and Arlington residents for working together to improve the treatment of animals, including farm animals in the food industry. This is great news for animal activists! I’m encouraged that the Arlington County Board issued a proclamation last week that calls upon Arlingtonians "to use their power as consumers to seek changes in our local food supply." Pork producers currently cram most mother pigs in tiny cages called gestation crates, which are so small that the pigs can’t even turn around. …
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Streetcars cost up to $4 million each; buses, up to $800,000.
The Arlington County Board spent two hours Tuesday night receiving information and asking questions about mostly highly technical considerations of the planned Columbia Pike streetcar. They talked about the potential length of the streetcar — or cars, as Arlington is in line to buy 20-plus — their width, how low their floors will be to the ground, how close they can go to the curb and how different types of streetcars make right turns. The conversation, at one point, turned into how many inches the county would gain or lose at so-called "super stops" — stations along Columbia Pike where a streetcar and bus can pick up and drop off people — based on different streetcar dimensions. Arlington County Transportation Director Dennis Leach later …
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 …
Friday, November 16, 2012
Board later this month will likely give the county more flexibility in designing and building major capital projects like the Columbia Pike streetcar.
Arlington County likely will update its purchasing guidelines later this month to allow, in part, for more flexibility in the decision-making and planning processes that will lead to a streetcar system along Columbia Pike. Board members held a three-hour work session Thursday night at Arlington Central Library with transit officials from Salt Lake City, Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul, along with representatives of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, the procurement agency for the city of Ottawa, Canada, and a Montreal-based private contractor. "They're giving us information, different mechanisms on how to put this together," County Manager Barbara Donnellan told Patch. "We really can learn from their experiences." They …
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 …
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Initiative designed to promote civic engagement.
Arlington County Board Chairwoman Mary Hynes spent time at the fair this weekend talking about the PLACE initiative. PLACE — an acronym that stands for Participation Leadership and Civic Engagement — is designed to further civic engagement. Next month, the county will begin to heavily promote "PLACE space," which Hynes described as a virtual town square. Remember to stop by and see Patch at Booth G24 — the swag is going fast! More from the Arlington County Fair: VIDEO: Arlingtones Barbershop Chorus at the Fair PHOTOS: Friday at the Fair Go for a Spin: The Arlington County Fair (Clarendon Cycles) Arlington County Fair Opening Ceremony
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Capital Improvement Plan includes more money for paving, though much less than what has been recommended.
The Arlington County Board is likely to approve increasing the amount of tax dollars spent each year on paving and maintaining roads, though that increase falls short of what’s needed to substantially improve the overall condition of streets here. The county’s street paving program is a relatively small part of the 10-year, $2.45 billion Capital Improvement Plan elected officials are expected to approve Saturday. The plan, which is updated every two years, sets aside money for major projects like a proposed Columbia Pike streetcar and a new year-round homeless services center. Arlington County maintains 974 miles of streets, nearly two-thirds of them in neighborhoods. Pavement conditions are assessed based on ride quality, cracking, …
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Board Chairman Mary Hynes delivered the "State of the County" address on Tuesday.
Arlington County is a "strong," "economically vibrant" and "safe" community, according to County Board Chairwoman Mary Hynes. Hynes delivered the keynote "State of the County" address Tuesday morning at the Doubletree Hotel in Crystal City. The Arlington Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Arlington hosted the 11th annual joint breakfast event. Hynes touched on the county's low crime rate, high achieving public schools and booming business sector. "If cranes are any measure of economic wealth…we’re doing pretty darn well," she said. Three challenges the county faces, she said, are the "changing nature and role of the federal government," natural disaster and terrorism theats, and population growth. Smart planning will help mitigate these …
James Thorne
7:31 am on Thursday, December 6, 2012
There are other ways to help economic development along Columbia Pike than to create an expensive transit system based on 1800s technology. It seems they want to turn Arlington into Mr. Roger's neighborhood, complete with trolley. Keep fighting the good fight, Libby. more ›