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TextBraddock District Community Corner
Upcoming Community Town Halls Scheduled in Braddock
- George Mason University Community Forum: Kings Park Library, January 26, 7:30 p.m.
- Burke Centre Parkway Community Meeting: Terra Centre ES, February 7, 7:30 p.m.
- Leadership Institute: Kings Park Library, February 26, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Braddock District Council Budget Meeting: Kings Park Library, March 9, 7:30 p.m.
- Budget Town Hall: March 14, Robinson SS Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.
- Joint Budget Town Hall with Springfield Supervisor’s Office: West Springfield HS Cafeteria, March 23, 7:30 p.m.
- Community Environmental Leadership Institute, May 7, time and location to be determined (details in next month’s Beacon).
George Mason University Community Forum Scheduled: University Mall, Mason Transportation Planning on Agenda
Interested residents of the Braddock District, the city of Fairfax and
surrounding areas are most welcome to attend the next George Mason
University Community Forum, scheduled for January 26, 2011, at 7:30 PM in
the large meeting room of the Kings Park Library, 9002 Burke Lake Road.
The Braddock District, city of Fairfax and George Mason University last
year decided to combine their community outreach meetings, as issues of
interest to one group are generally of interest to all residents who live
in the areas surrounding the university.
The Forum now meets three times per year, and the last two meetings have
been held at the Fairfax City Hall. However, in the future, meetings will
alternate between city and county locations. The agenda for the January
meeting will include information on the renovation plans for the
University Mall shopping center, as well as George Mason University’s
long range transportation planning. Other topics will be covered, as
well.
Supervisor Cook hopes that you will be able to make the time to attend
this meeting. If you have other concerns and questions regarding George
Mason University, please let us know, as this is an ideal time to bring
them to the attention of the community as a whole. We look forward to
seeing you on January 26.
Support Group Forming for Parents with Deployed Children
In the Braddock District and throughout Fairfax County, many residents
currently are or have served in the military. While this may lead us to
believe that a cohesive support infrastructure exists for all those with
family in the military, there are many whose only connection may be a
child who has chosen to serve. Parents of sons and daughters who are
overseas often do not have the necessary support network to deal with the
emotional and psychological stress associated with their loved one being
in harm’s way. Many of these parents may also need support in
understanding and navigating the military system.
In response to this need, the Department of Neighborhood and Community
Services has partnered with the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program and
Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Area to create a support group
for parents who have children who are currently deployed or who have been
deployed.
The support group will be led by Gail Ledford from the department of
Administration for Human Services, Tilly Blanding from the department of
Neighborhood and Community Services and Ann Sharp a senior staff
assistant for Supervisor Cook. Gail has a son who served during the Gulf
War and Somalia. Tilly has a son who is currently deployed to
Afghanistan, and Ann has a son who has recently served in both Iraq and
Afghanistan. Parents of service members currently deployed are invited,
but also it is important that parents of military members that have
returned from deployment know that they are most welcome also. It is you
who understand and have experienced what these other parents are going
through now.
The first meeting will take place on Thursday, January 27, 2010 from 7
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Brion’s Grille. Dessert and Coffee will be served.
For more information about the program please contact Tilly Blanding at
(703) 324-5252.
Supervisor Cook to Host Meeting on Safety along Burke Centre
Parkway
Members from the Burke Centre Conservancy community in Burke have come
to Supervisor Cook twice over the past 18 months to bring to his
attention concerns they have with safety for pedestrians and motorists
living, walking and riding along the Burke Centre Parkway (BCP).
In response, Supervisor Cook is sponsoring a Community Meeting on Monday
February 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Terra Centre Elementary School to discuss
ideas related to improving safety along the BCP.
Representatives from the Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia
Department of Motor Vehicles, Fairfax County Department of Transportation
and the Fairfax County Police Department will be in attendance.
All members of the community are invited to attend.
Is There a Hoarder in Your Community?
Recent articles on the discovery of an Annandale residence where over
100 cats were removed by Animal Control officers, have prompted questions
about what, exactly, constitutes hoarding.
Hoarding is the excessive collection and retention of newspapers, trash,
unopened sale items, clothing, paper, rotting food and, as the Annandale
case demonstrates, even cats. Conditions in the home of a hoarder can
become so extreme that all available space from floor to ceiling may be
occupied and the day-to-day activities of the home’s occupants are
impeded.
Hoarders become emotionally attached to everything. They are unable to
distinguish trash from treasures. Hoarding “feels right” to the hoarder,
in spite of health and safety consequences. While more prevalent among
older adults, hoarding is not limited to any age, race, gender or
nationality. Hoarders can be of any educational or socio-economic level
and are unaware that their living circumstances pose a danger to
themselves and to others. They are also unable to change these unsafe
conditions on their own. Based on national statistics, it has been
estimated that Fairfax County could have as many as 3,500 cases of
hoarding.
Animal Hoarding
While less prevalent, animal hoarding poses a serious health threat
to the resident, the community and the animals being kept. Animal
overpopulation in a home leads to unhealthy waste accumulation,
starvation, disease and animal death. Decomposing remains also adds to
the unhealthy environment. Typically, an animal hoarder is unaware of the
filth and odor actually present in and around the home, and insists the
animals are being cared for appropriately.
Signs of Hoarding
•Extreme collection and storage of items in the home and in the
yard.
•Accumulation of combustible materials (newspapers, magazines and
rubbish).
•Blocked exits (doors/windows).
•Narrow pathways in the home.
•Rat and/or insect infestations.
•Rotting food and/or used food containers.
•Human and/or animal waste.
•Long-term neglect of home maintenance.
•Non-working utilities, such as heat, running water, sewer and
refrigeration.
If you believe that a resident of your community may be hoarding, please report your concern to the Department of Code Compliance: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/code/hoarding or call 703-324-1300.
BNN: Long-Term Financial Outlook for Fairfax County
On this month’s edition of Braddock Neighborhood News, Supervisor Cook
invited Deputy County Executive Ed Long to discuss aspects of the
County’s budget process and share his knowledge on the long-term
challenges and opportunities facing the county.
Over the past several years, falling real estate assessments and a
recessionary economy have produced financial challenges for both county
residents and county government.
But, while times are difficult, the county can manage the impact of
these challenges on taxpayers by considering the longer-term impact of
its budgetary decisions – and preparing more effectively to meet the
challenges yet to come. Looking to the future, our County government
needs to consider additional means of savings and long-term planning –
and use the lessons of the current recession to help soften the impact of
the next recession on county tax payers as well as on those most in need
of the county’s services.
To learn more, you can tune in to BNN at 5 p.m. on Fridays and Sundays
or 7 p.m. on Wednesdays this month on Channel 16. You can also watch this
month’s edition online at
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cable/channel16/asx/supervisor_cook.asx.
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