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Introduction to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

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County Government Structure

Responsibilities of the Board of Supervisors

Meetings

Special Accommodations

Public Hearings

Public Comment

Cablecasts

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Sample BOS Meeting Schedule

 

County Government Structure

Fairfax County has an elected Board of Supervisors consisting of nine members elected by district, plus a chairman elected at-large. The law requires that districts be of approximately equal population and that the supervisors (other than the chairman) be residents and qualified voters of their districts and be elected only by voters living in those districts. All voters in the county may vote for the chairman. The Board elects the vice chairman annually from among its members at its first meeting in January. Board members are elected for four-year terms. There is no legal limit to the number of terms a member can serve.

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Responsibilities of the Board

The Board establishes county government policy, passes resolutions and ordinances (within the limits of its authority established by the Virginia General Assembly), approves the budget, sets local tax rates, approves land use plans and makes appointments to various positions. These actions are taken in open meetings, which residents are encouraged to attend. All discussions are held in public, with the exception of issues exempt by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, such as legal or personnel issues.

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Meetings

Board meetings are open to the public and conducted according to the Board's Rules of Procedure based on Robert’s Rules of Order. The chairman presides at Board meetings and has all the rights and duties of other Board members including one vote, but does not have independent executive authority or a legislative veto.

The Board usually meets two Mondays per month in the Board Auditorium in the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. Residents can view and download Board meeting agendas and summaries of Board actions. The public can also subscribe to "Weekly Agenda", a weekly newsletter that contains links to meeting agendas for the Board of Supervisors, Board of Zoning Appeals and Planning Commission, plus the summary of Board actions.

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Special Accommodations

The auditorium is accessible to people with disabilities. In addition to being wheelchair accessible, it also has an audio-enhancement system with multiple receivers that is available for use by people with hearing impairments. Requests for these receivers should be made in advance by calling the Building Management Office, 703-324-2055, TTY 711.

Upon request to cable staff, captioning will be shown on the auditorium projection screen visible to all attending. In addition, sign language interpreters are available when requested five days in advance. For more information on accessibility, call 703-324-2055, TTY 711.

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Public Hearings

To speak at a public hearing before the Board, you are encouraged to register in advance with the Office of the Clerk to the Board at 703-324-3151, TTY 703-324-3903. Related documents are usually available at public libraries and the Office of the Clerk. Lists of scheduled speakers for specific public hearings are posted inside the Board Auditorium.

  • If you are speaking on your own behalf or speaking for your neighborhood or civic association, you are given three minutes;
  • If you are speaking for an organization whose membership represents an entire supervisory district, you have five minutes;
  • If you are speaking for a Board-recognized countywide organization, you have 10 minutes.

When you begin your presentation to the Board, you must state your name and address for the record. If you wish to distribute copies of your statement to the Board, staff and the media, please bring 15 copies with you. It is recommended that you use one-inch margins and 12-point type with no more than 25 single-spaced lines on a page. Charts and graphs are most readable when produced with a type size of at least 14 points. The chart or graph should be printed on an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet of paper using a horizontal format. If these standards are met, the entire page will be readable when projected. The Board Auditorium is equipped with a variety of audiovisual equipment you may use. Arrangements must be made in advance with the clerk’s office for use of the equipment.

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Public Comment

Residents can contact the chairman or their supervisors at district offices by calling or writing anytime, but they can address the Board as a whole during public comment time. Public comment time is scheduled bimonthly, generally as the last public hearing of the day at a regularly scheduled board meeting. Residents and businesses of Fairfax County are encouraged to present their views on issues of concern. The Board will hear public comment on any issue except issues under litigation, issues that have been scheduled for public hearing before the Board, and personnel matters and/or comments regarding individuals. Each speaker must register in advance and has up to three minutes. A maximum of 10 speakers will be heard. Speakers may address the Board only once during a six-month period. For more information and to register, call the Office of the Clerk to the Board at 703-324-3151, TTY 703-324-3903.

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Cablecasts

Monday Board meetings are shown live on Fairfax County’s cable Channel 16, and can also be seen live via the Internet at www.fairfaxcounty.gov. A replay of the morning session is aired Tuesday at 8 p.m. and a replay of the entire meeting is aired at 10 a.m. on each Saturday following the Monday meeting. The Board meeting agenda is shown at 8 p.m. on the Friday and Sunday preceding each Monday meeting. It is also aired on the morning of the meeting, beginning at 8 a.m.

Channel 16 broadcasts of Board meetings are closed-captioned and viewers will be able to see the captions on the live broadcasts and the replays. Call 703-324-5930, TTY 711, to purchase tapes of the meetings, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dtcs/channel16/vstream.htm to view meetings over the Internet from the past three months.

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Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Jan. 1, 2008 - Dec. 31, 2011

 

Sample BOS Meeting Schedule

9:30 a.m. -- Presentations
During this section of the meeting, the Board recognizes outstanding citizens, organizations or events.

10 a.m. -- Special Reports
These do not occur at every meeting, but may include an annual report by a Citizen Board, Authority or Commission, a special report by county staff, etc.

10:30 a.m. -- County Executive
The county executive or staff presents items before the Board for its consideration, action or information. A copy of the county executive’s items is provided for the public in a notebook just inside of the Board Auditorium off the lobby entrance. Copies of the land use cases are available in the same location after the lunch break.

11 a.m. -- Board Matters
Board members are each given time to discuss issues of concern to them.

1 p.m. -- Break/Closed Session

3 p.m. -- Public Hearings
Public hearings usually begin at 3 p.m. and are held all afternoon on issues such as land use and zoning applications, proposed permit parking districts, etc. Public hearings may extend into the evening.

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Last Modified: 2/13/2008 14:44:59

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