Camps & SchoolsPage 6

online at www.connectionnewspapers.com April 25-May 1, 2018

Opi

nio

n, Pag

e 12

v

Enter

tai

nm

ent, Pag

e 8 v

C

lass

ified

s, P

age

10Photo b

y M

ercia

Hobs

on/T

he

Connec

tio

n

Lakeport Dock Expected To be a Community GemNews, Page 7

South Lakes Junior Elected to School BoardNews, Page 4

Meet the Farmers at the Reston Farmers Market

News, Page 3

It’s 8 a.m. Reston Farmers Market Managers Fran and John Lovaas ring the official bell announcing the opening of the Reston Farmers Market on the

first day of the 2018 season, Saturday, April 21.

2 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 ❖ 3www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

NewsReston Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic

703-778-9414 or reston@connectionnewspapers.com

By Mercia Hobson

The Connection

It’s a little after 1:45 a.m., Saturdaymorning, April 21. Dawn won’t breakfor almost six hours but one of thevendors for the Reston Farmers Mar-

ket, Valentine Miller of Valentine’s Bakery& Meats in Orange, Va., is up and ready togo. He has to get his coolers and bins offresh top quality natural meats and home-made baked goods from the family homebusiness onto his truck. The meats are allnatural with no growth hormones, steroidsor antibiotics. The family’s fresh homemadebaked turnovers, pies, sweet bread and cof-fee cakes take special care, as Miller’s wife,Carletta baked them on Friday.

THREE AND A HALF HOURS and sev-enty-seven miles later, Miller pulls his truckinto the Fairfax County Farmers Market atLake Anne Village, 11401 North ShoreDrive, Reston. Miller will be here every Sat-urday, April through December operatinghis stall, 8 a.m.- noon, except Sept. 22 whenthe market will be closed for theMulti-cultural Festival.

Miller is one of the 31 vendors atthe 2018 Reston Market. Like theother vendors, he has only a shorttime to set up his tables and prod-ucts and be ready for shoppers atone of the largest farmers marketsin Fairfax County.

According to the Fairfax CountyPark Authority website, the marketsare strictly producer-only, meaningthat all of the farmers and produc-ers may only sell what they raise ontheir farms or make from scratch.They are encouraged to use localingredients in the creation of theirproducts as much as possible. Allfarmers and producers come fromwithin a 125-mile radius of FairfaxCounty.

Betsy Herbst of Misty MeadowsFarm in Smithsburg, Md. pulls intothe parking lot a little after 6 a.m.The temperature is 43 degrees.

“Just wish it would warm up a bit,she says. “So glad the farmers mar-ket finally started.” Hess was up at3:30 that morning packing the van.Misty Meadows will be at three markets thismorning. The one Reston, one in Burke andanother that is not part of the Fairfax Countymarkets.

“Three markets sounded like a good idea,in hindsight,” Herbst says. Allen Hess is withHerbst. Hess adds: “We’ve got it down to ascience. We know what we are doing, how,when and where.”

“And we can do this in under 15 minutes,”chimes in Herbst.

The seller for today’s market is Maria

Miller. Miller talks while seated in theheated van and filling out the price board.“It’s nice to come to the same market inReston. I have been here for three years.The people are so friendly.”

Mark Glascock is another vendor at theReston market. It is now a little after 7.Glascock is setting up his tents and tables.As he works, Glascock tells that he and hiswife Lauren run Glascock Produce out ofBerkeley Springs, W.Va. “This is my life,”Glascock says. “I was up at 3 a.m. I love all

my farmers markets, but the Reston Farm-ers Market has been mine since it opened. Iload three trucks every Friday.”

An interesting question comes up. Howare the farmers producing the produce? Ithas been a cold spring, yet here in thedawn’s light table after table overflow withfresh produce, greens, flowers, and herbs.

Unloading her produce is Wanda Catlett,co-owner with her husband Jose, of J & WValley View Farm of Westmoreland County.Catlett offers the answer.

“We started seeding the beginning of Feb-ruary in the three greenhouses. They are20 by 100 feet. Then we planted the toma-toes, squash, and cukes in black mulch plas-tic, directly in the soil using a mulch layer.The black plastic helps with weed control,warms the soil and there’s no need for her-bicides. We may lose a few plants becauseof the cold. But we have 10,000 tomatoplants out there.”

Not everyone at the market is a farmer.Nate Gulnac is a teacher and works week-ends, April through November for ToigoOrchards in Shippensburg, Penn. “The fam-ily took a chance on me when I was in col-

lege. I really enjoy the family,” saysGulnac. At the end of May, I’m ex-hausted from teaching … It’s niceto be outside again and I get to eatsome fresh produce.”

A NEW VENDOR at the RestonMarket is Katey Wietor, owner ofGood Omen Farm. “This is my firstday at the market,“ Wietor says. “Iwas up at 4:30, as I live an houraway.” On the table in front ofWeitor are canning jars full of smallvibrant-colored cut flowers, artisti-cally designed and packets of herbs.Weitor grows her flowers and herbsin tunnels, plastic covered green-house-like structures close to theground. She leases two acres insouthern Fauquier County. As for theherbs, Weitor says it’s important toconsume them. “Herbs completeyour diet. Eating well isn’t just aboutfruits and vegetables. It includesherbs in your diet.”

Another new vendor at the RestonMarket is Gwyn Whittaker, owner ofGreenFare Organic Café in Herndon.She offers organic, whole plant

meals prepared oil-free and with no addedsalt. They are ready to eat. GreenFare val-ues seasonal and local produce and preparesall the food in their kitchen.

By now, the clock ticks toward 8 a.m. It’salmost the official start time for the RestonFarmers Market. John and Fran Lovaas,market managers, hold the bell. At exactly8, John rings it with a passion and then evena greater passion.

The Reston Farmers Market opens for its20th season.

Meet the Farmers at the Reston Farmers MarketThe 2018 RestonFarmers Marketopens.

Market Vendors78 Acres, Kiwi Kuisine, Arnest Seafood, LoKL

Gourmet, Baguette Republic, Misty Meadow FarmCreamery, Blue Ridge Dairy, Mt. Olympus Farm,Breezy Meadows Farms, Nitro’s Ice Cream,Cavanna Pasta, Penn Farm, Caprikorn Farms,Potomac Vegetable Farms, Colonial Kettle Corn,Reid’s Orchard, Farm at Sunnyside, Smith FamilyFarm, Fresh Crunch, Spring Valley Farm/Orchard,Glascocks Produce, Stallard Road Farms, Grace’sPastries, Toigo Orchards, GreenFare Organic Café,Valentines Bakery & Meats, Good Omen Farm,Glascocks Produce, Virginia Vistas Greenhouse(May-July) (shares space with Noshy), J & W Val-ley View Farm, and Zaynas Delight.

Trucks and vans pull into Lake Anne Village parking lot at 11401 NorthShore Drive, Reston well before dawn on the first day of the RestonFarmers Market, Saturday, April 21, 2018.

Betsy Herbert, staff at Misty MeadowsFarm, fills in the signboard for theReston Farmers Market as she sits in theheated van. “Just wish it would warm upa bit,” she says.

Caitlin Lundquist is an employee ofGlascock’s Farm. She helps owner MarkGlascock get the produce tent out of thetruck. “This is the best. The only thingbetter than shopping is working at thefarmers market,” says Lundquist.

Pho

to

s by M

ercia H

obso

n/T

he C

on

nectio

n

4 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Select yourproducts from

our MobileShowroomand Design

CenterFully Insured &

Class A LicensedSince 1999

Free Estimates703-214-8384

From Now to WOW in 5 Days Guarantee

Visit our website: www.twopoorteachers.com

Home of the $6,850 Bathroom Remodel

TWO POOR TEACHERSKitchen and Bathroom Remodeling

10% downnothing until the jobis complete for the

past 17 years

10% downnothing until the jobis complete for the

past 17 years

Benjamin (Bennie)Tignor, a junior atSouth Lakes HighSchool, has been

elected by the countywide StudentAdvisory Council (SAC) to serve aone-year term as stu-dent representative tothe Fairfax CountySchool Board, begin-ning July 1.

Tignor will partici-pate in School Boardmeetings as a nonvot-ing member, fillingthe position currentlyheld by NiharikaVattikonda, a seniorat TJHSST. He will bethe 48th student rep-resentative to theSchool Board.

According to Fairfax CountyPublic Schools newsletter —Tignor says he hopes to use hisposition to facilitate “a two-wayflow of information, not only fromstudent to Board, but from Boardto student. This ensures that stu-dents understand that there arerepresentatives who hear theirvoices, and although they may belimited by budget or policy restric-tions, are working to improve theaverage student’s life.

“Maintaining the student voiceand ensuring it is heard is crucialto fostering the high academicstandards, healthy and ethicallives, and responsibility the SchoolBoard aims to inspire within thestudent body,” he adds. “I feel it ismy duty, as a member of theFairfax County student body, toproject the voices of my peers tothose who can interpret and takeinitiative on their behalf. At times,students feel that individuallytheir voice does not have an im-pact … I would be able to ensurethese voices are heard.”

HE LISTS four main issues as pri-orities for the School Board, in-cluding: school safety in responseto school shootings, schoolworkload and pressure toward In-ternational Baccalaureate (IB) andAdvanced Placement (AP) diplo-mas, the ability of students topresent feedback on issues thatdirectly impact the student body,and methods of teaching and per-sonal learning within advancedcourses.

Tignor says he wants to advo-cate for new methods of learningthat will accommodate all of theways students learn while allow-ing for “a broader expression oflearning styles” in the classroom.

As an advocate for project-basedlearning, he has spoken in favorof a broader use of project-basedlearning both to FCPS instruc-tional personnel and at a regionalproject-based learning conference,

saying that it “allowsthe individual to ex-press his or hermethod of learning inthe best way that suitsthem, incentivizinginnovation and thefreedom to enjoywhat you produce asa student.”

Tignor believes hiswork in leadershippositions at SouthLakes and the initia-tive he has taken in

these positions have prepared himto serve as the Student Represen-tative to the School Board. Hecurrently serves as president of theGerman Honor Society and, in hisleadership class, helped increaseparticipation in the school’s char-acter education program (Schol-arship, Ownership, Awareness,and Respect) by 220 percent inless than half a semester. He alsohelped design and execute theTerraset Workshop, which was re-cently recognized by the VirginiaStudent Councils Association.

AT SOUTH LAKES, Tignor hastaken honors courses in algebra,biology, English, world history andgeography, U.S. and Virginia gov-ernment; IB courses in chemistry,math, history of the Americas,English literature, biology, physics,and German; and classes in Ger-man, orchestra, leadership, andstem engineering. He has been onthe All A Honor Roll from 2015-17, and is a varsity lacrosse player.

Tignor is also a member of theNational Honor Society and theInteract (Rotary) Club. He tookfirst place in the Biomedical Engi-neering category of the RegionalScience Fair this year for his entry,The Effects of Concentrations ofImmobilized Enzymes on the Rateof Enzymatic Activity, which alsowon a first place award from theU.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeSociety. He has earned GoldAwards on the National GermanExamination for the past threeyears, and served internships atthe BMW M division design stu-dio and Brainlab Headquarters,both in Munich. Tignor mentorsthird and sixth grade students atTerraset Elementary every week,and formerly volunteered at Fry-ing Pan Park.

Benjamin(Bennie) Tignor,

Pho

to

co

urtesy o

f FC

PS

South Lakes JuniorElected to School Board

News

Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 ❖ 5www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

State Delegate (D-36)

The Commonwealth of Vir-ginia made a significantstep last week in setting

the record straight on the settle-ment of the land area now knownas Virginia by dedicating a memo-rial to the earliest Virginians on thegrounds of the State Capitol inRichmond. Too often discussionsabout the settlement of Virginiastart with English settlers landingat Jamestown in 1607.

While that event is most impor-tant, it should not overshadow thefact that indigenous people livedin the region for 12,000 to 17,000years before that depending on thearcheologists with whom youspeak. How they got here is alsodiscussion as to whether it was anorthern route through what isnow Alaska or east from Europe.

Their population at the time theEnglish arrived is estimated to beabout 50,000. They had a systemof governance built around 30tribes in a confederation under thePowhatan paramount chiefdom.They had a system of agriculture,held religious beliefs built aroundnature, and were good stewardsof the environment.

During two periods of historyVirginia Indians were almost oblit-erated. The English settlersbrought diseases against which theindigenous people were not im-mune and superior weapons thatkilled or drove off the Indians. In1924 with the passage of the Ra-cial Integrity Act in Virginia, Indi-ans were no longer recognized.That law made you either whiteor if you had one drop or more of“colored” blood you were non-white. Current day Virginia Indi-ans have great difficulty tracingtheir lineage because of this lawthat did not recognize their ances-tors.

After a couple decades of studyand advocacy the federal govern-ment on Jan. 29, 2018 officiallyrecognized seven Indian tribesalong with an additional fourtribes that had been recognized bythe state. Only two of the tribes,the Pamunkey and Mattaponi,have retained reservation lands as-signed by treaties made with thecolonists.

Last week Governor RalphNortham led the ceremony on thegrounds of the State Capitol dedi-cating Mantle, the Virginia IndianTribute monument. The nameMantle is taken from the deerskindecorated with beads and shellsthat Chief Powhatan wore aroundhis shoulders. The monument islike a labyrinth viewed by the

many Indians as a sacred symbol.It is shaped like a nautilus, a grow-ing symbol of strength. The areais naturally landscaped with ameditation area and infinity pool.Learn more at http://indiantr ibute .v i rg in ia .gov/monument.html. The General As-sembly held a successful Recon-vened Session last week in whichthe Governor’s vetoes were sus-

tained. The Special Session inwhich the General Assembly con-tinues to work on a budget for thenext two years has not adjourned.A budget that includes a plan forMedicaid expansion for personswho cannot afford health care islikely to be completed in the nextcouple of weeks. Significantprogress is being made on a veryimportant step for all Virginians.

Commentary

Recognizing the Natives of Virginia

6 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Camps & Schools

By Marilyn Campbell

One of the great pleasures ofsummer is going to camp.From kayaking and rockclimbing to horseback riding

and sailing, camp is a place where lifelongmemories are created. A recent study by thenon-profit, global policy think tank RANDCorporation shows that voluntary summerprograms like camp have a significant, posi-tive impact on low-income students duringa time when they fall behind their wealthierpeers both academically and socially.

Katie Crump, a case manager at InterfaithWorks, a non-profit organization dedicatedto helping the poor and underserved, saysthat the luxury of summer camp ofteneludes those who need it most.

“The opportunity of attending a real sum-mer camp is a big thing for them. Unfortu-nately, this experience can be unattainabledue to the high cost and finding transpor-tation among other things,” said Crump.“Attending summer camp affords kids a spe-cial and important experience that’s all theirown. It allows kids to be kids, somethingthat is particularly vital for low-income chil-dren who are often forced to deal with theburdens of adulthood at a young age.”

Despite the cost of summer camp, keep-ing children engaged during the stretch oftime between June and August when schoolis not in session is a critical part of their

development, says Jerome Short, Ph.D.,associate professor of psychology at GeorgeMason University.

“Summer camps give opportunities forchildren to develop social, emotional, cog-nitive, and behavioral skills,” he said. “Someresearch shows that higher [socioeconomicstatus] children increase academic and be-havioral skills over the summer and lower[socioeconomic status] children lose skillsover the summer. Research shows that lower[socioeconomic status] children benefitfrom learning social and behavioral skillsin different settings with new peers andchallenges to apply their skills.”

Even with limited resources, summercamps can still be accessible, says TomRosenberg, president and CEO of the Ameri-can Camp Association (ACA). “There is acamp for every budget,” he said “[Most]ACA-accredited camps provide some formof scholarship assistance. Reach out to thecamp directly to ask about specific finan-cial aid and scholarship options.”

The RAND study also showed that eventhough low-income students can lose up totwo months of math and reading skills over

the summer, high-quality summer programscan bridge that gap. Science, Technology,Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)camps are an example of programs that canbe effective, but possibly unaffordable forsome families.

Wolftrap and Colvin Run elementaryschools in Fairfax County will be the site ofa non-profit STEM camp called Camp In-vention. Organized by the National Inven-tors Hall of Fame (NIHF), the hands-on pro-gram is designed for children in kindergar-ten through sixth grade. Through activitieslike building robots and designing gadgets,campers get a sense of what it’s like to be aphysicist or engineer.

“The program has sponsors that providefunding that’s used to helpunderrepresented kids attend the camps,”said Ken Torisky, spokesman for NationalInventors Hall of Fame. “The money is dis-tributed to students by the school district.”

Options for financial assistance for sum-mer camp run the gamut from discounts fordependents of those serving in the militaryto camp funding offered by churches, syna-gogues, and civic organizations. “I wouldsuggest to parents that they look into theirchild being sponsored by a local businessto attend a camp or look into payment planoptions at a camp that they are interestedin attending,” advised Stacie Gottlieb, di-rector, Bullis Summer and Extended Day

Programs in Potomac, Md.While Bullis does not offer financial as-

sistance for summer camp, Gottlieb saysthat there are discounts for early registra-tion and registering for multiple weeks ofcamp.

Parents should check to see if a camp par-ticipates in U.S. government assistance pro-grams, particularly those with income eli-gibility requirements, like Title XX, advisesRosenberg. While it might be too late forthis summer, he encourages parents to ex-plore Dependent Care Flexible SpendingAccounts and a Child and Dependent Caretax credit through the FSA Feds website:https://www.fsafeds.com/.

“I generally think lower income childrenbenefit when they have access to the sameopportunities as upper-income children andalso gain cultural skills and knowledge im-portant to upward mobility when they haveopportunity to interact with upper-incomekids,” said Amy L. Best, Ph.D., professor andchair, Department of Sociology and Anthro-pology at George Mason University. “I alsothink upper-income kids gain mightily whenthey have genuine interactions with kidsfrom other class backgrounds. Becauseempathy, cross cultural understanding, andan ability to work in diverse groups are skillsthat this new century demands, having op-portunities to hone those skills are of valuefor all involved.”

MoreCAMP INVENTIONhttp://campinvention.org/

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCEhttps://www.fsafeds.com/

Affording Summer Camp For families with a limited budget,paying for camp can be a challenge.

Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 ❖ 7www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

News

See New Dock, Page 9

By Mercia Hobson

The Connection

Paul Renard, Lakeport Cluster BoardVice President and Chair of the DockOversight Committee agreed to an

interview and site walk on Friday, April 20,2018, for the new Lakeport Dock Project.Renard’s first words were to credit all thepeople who came together and shared theirtalents, skills and time to help make theproject a new reality. Renard emphasizedthe credit goes to them. Without everyone,the Lakeport Dock Project and repairs to thenearby bulkhead, would not be where theyare today.

“The project should hopefully beginwithin the next two weeks,” said Renard.

Nearly three years of hard work, commu-nity involvement and input produced a de-sign and engineering specifications for abeautiful and safe boat dock, one with rock-solid stability and long-term life expectancy.Renard explained there would also be afloating dock that would make launching

small boats easier and safer.

THE REASON behind the project, the dockdemolition and construction of a new dockas well as fixing a failing retaining wall be-tween Lake Thoreau and a hillside, issimple. Wind, water and sun may make thescenery and the Lakeport Cluster commu-nity a great place to live, but the elementsdeteriorate wooden structures.

A close inspection of the dock revealedamong other failures, splintered and rottedwood, popped nails, pilings not driven farenough into the ground or rock below thewater, and deck framing not resting on thepilings.

The high drop from the dock down to thewater to launch a boat appeared to makethe maneuver difficult and possibly unsafe.Farther down the dock, the retaining wallbetween Lake Thoreau and a hillside wasfailing. Walking back down the long dock,the lighting on the adjacent path was bro-ken, vandalized. Renard reported other

Photo provided by Lakeport Cluster Association

Design drawing of the new Lakeport dock, shorter in length than the oldone and having a floating dock to launch smaller boats safely.

Newly Constructed Lakeport DockExpected to be a Community GemIt takes a community to build a dock.

The current dock and bulkhead exhibit deterioration.

Pho

to

by M

ercia H

obso

n/T

he C

on

nectio

n

8 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

The Greater Reston Arts Cen-ter (GRACE) is presenting MikeCloud: Figure Studies featuringBrooklyn-based artists MikeCloud on view April 28–July 7.This is the first time Cloud’swork has been shown in thegreater D.C. area.

Figure Studies addresses howwe read symbols, shapes, faces,and history. The exhibition in-cludes the artist’s critically ac-claimed series of Leibovitz Or-ange collages, a selection of pa-per quilts, and painting.

The title refers to the artisticexercise of creating preparatorydrawings, often using live mod-els, to most exactly portray thehuman form. The exhibition isorganized around Cloud’s ver-sion of a prevalent scene in Re-naissance history painting, TheRape of the Sabine Women,entitled Cycle and Stable(2015). He does not follow inthe tradition of history paintingper se with his depiction. In-stead, he insists on his subjectthrough written language.

Cloud asks us to question ourassumptions and look at the

way we look. For the LeibovitzOrange collages, 26 of whichare included in this exhibition,and Paper Quilts Cloud minedAnnie Leibovitz’s photographsfor moments he could dissectand repurpose to question sub-jective systems of perception.He plays with ideas of celebrityand recognition in a poignantpresentation of humanity.

His work is held in privateand public collections includingThe Bronx Museum, New York;Lincoln Center, New York; andthe Metropolitan Museum ofArt.

Upcoming events include:Artist Talk — April 28, 4 p.m.;free and open to the public,Greater Reston Arts Center;Opening reception — April 28,5–7 p.m.; free and open to thepublic, Greater Reston ArtsCenter; Creative Responses —May 31: Presenter TBD; June28: Tim Doud — 7 p.m.; freeand open to the public, GreaterReston Arts Center. Galleryhours: Tues–Sat, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.For more information visitrestonarts.org

Body Builder, Paper Quilt

‘Mike Cloud; Figure Studies’at Greater Reston Arts Center

Submit entertainment announcementsat www.connectionnewspapers.com/Cal-endar/. The deadline is noon on Friday.Photos/artwork encouraged.

ONGOINGMuscle Up Mondays. 6:30 p.m. Meets

Mondays, May through October, atPavilion at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. Freefitness classes presented by CRUNCHFitness-Reston group instructors. (Noclass on Memorial Day, May 28.) Call571-267-5000 or visitcrunchreston.com Facebook.com/CrunchReston.

Rebels, Masters, and Scoundrels:The Art of Star Wars. ThroughApril 29 at ArtInsights, Reston TownCenter, Reston. New art by LucasFilmconcept artist Bill Silvers and rareimages by movie campaign artistJohn Alvin will be on exhibit and forsale. Call 703-478-0778. Visitwww.artinsights.com.

Mr. Knick Knack! 10:30-11:15 a.m.May through October. At RestonTown Center Pavilion. Freeperformances of heart-centeredmusic for children. No performanceson Memorial Day, Labor Day, orColumbus Day. Visitwww.restontowncenter.com/events.

Pet Supplies Drive. Through May 4,collection bins in building lobbies atReston Town Center has teamed upwith GoodDogz.org of Reston tocollect supplies for organizationstreating pets in need. Items such asdog beds, blankets, toys, groomingproducts, leashes, and crates can bedonated in building lobby collectionbins. Visit gooddogz.org.

Exhibit: This and That. Through May7, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at The Artists’Undertaking Gallery, 309 Mill St. inHistoric Occoquan. “This and That.”an features copper work by AnneJordan of Fairfax; oil paintings bySteve Myles of Reston; and turnedwood by Greg Wandless of Fairfax.Meet the artists, Saturday, April 14,1-5 p.m. Call 703-494-0584 or visitwww.theartistsundertaking.com.

“Thoroughly Modern Millie.”Through May 12 at RestonCommunity Center’s CenterStage,2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston.Performance Dates are April 20, 21,27, 28, 29*, May 4, 5, 6*, 11, 12,2018. Curtain time is 8 p.m. exceptfor April 29 and May 6 which arematinees with a 2 p.m. curtain. Costis $27/adults; $23 students/seniors.Visit restonplayers.org.

Craig Moran: Spaced Out. ThroughMay 29 at GRACE at Signature,11850 Freedom Drive, Reston. AD.C.-based painter known for hisboldly patterned canvases, Moran’snewest body of work is a whirl-windof exuberant colors and energeticshapes, evoking elements of thenatural world and portraiture in adynamic flattened space. Call 703-471-9242 or visitwww.restonarts.org.

Reston Concerts on the Town.7:30-10 p.m. Saturdays, Junethrough August. At Reston TownCenter Pavilion, 11900 Market St.Music genres from around the nationperformed by live bands. Bring lawnchairs or picnic blankets. Free. Rainor shine. Alcohol permitted atrestaurants only. Visitwww.restontowncenter.com/concerts.

Reston Farmers Market. OpenSaturdays, through Dec. 1, 8 a.m.-noon at 1609 Washington Plaza N.,Reston. Fairfax County ParkAuthority markets are strictlyproducer-only meaning that vendorsmust grow or make from scratcheverything they bring to market. Call703-642-0128 or visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets.

p.m. If interested, emailskeduman@aol.com for more.

WEDNESDAY/APRIL 25Book Sale. 5-8 p.m. at Reston Library,

11925 Bowman Towne Drive,Reston. Reston Friends MembersNight. From the latest popular titlesand classic favorites to the rare andunexpected fiction and non-fiction.The Reston Friends have somethingfor everyone. Members only. Visitwww.restonlibraryfriends.com.

THURSDAY/APRIL 26Classical Piano Concert. 2:15 p.m.

at Reston Community Center HuntersWoods CenterStage, 2310 Colts NeckRoad, Reston. Dr. Linda A. Monson,

director of the School of Music at theCollege of Visual and Performing Artsat George Mason University, willperform selections from the classicalrepertoire. Visit the website atolli.gmu.edu or call 703-503-3384.

FRIDAY/APRIL 27Harried Americans RoadShow. 7-9

p.m. at Cafe Montmartre, 1625Washington Plaza N., Reston. Thefeatured artist for this month’s showis Argentinian guitarist/composer,Cristian Perez. Tickets are $10 andmay be purchased online atharriedamericans.com or at the door.Or call 571-308-8637.

Amphibians After Dark. 7 p.m. atLake Fairfax Park in Reston. Cost is$6/$8. (7-Adult) Assist parknaturalists with a calling amphibiansurvey. Learn how to identify frogsand toads by their calls as we explorepools and ponds. Children must beaccompanied by a registered adult.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov.

SATURDAY/APRIL 28Fairfax Run for the Children. 8 a.m.

at Fairfax County CourthouseComplex, 4110 Chain Bridge Road,Fairfax. Join Fairfax Court AppointedSpecial Advocates (CASA) for the 8thAnnual 8K and 3K races. Thesuperhero-themed race attractsnearly 1,000 runners and walkers,250 volunteers, and raises almost$85,000 each year to support FairfaxCASA’s advocacy work with abusedand neglected children in thecommunity. Participants can enjoythe after race celebration, includingsuperhero meet and greets, a DJ, freefood, face painting, kids’ crafts, photobooth, and more. Visitwww.fairfaxrunforthechildren.com/.

Independent Bookstore Day. Starts10:30 a.m. at Scrawl Books at RestonTown Center, 19111 Freedom Drive,Reston. Ann Marie Stephens will readfrom her best-selling books, “CyMakes a Friend” and “Scuba Dog.”Visit www.scrawlbooks.com.

Scout & Molly’s Anniversary Party.12-6 p.m. at 11944 Market St.,Reston. Join them for cake, gifts withpurchases, and surprises. In honor ofanniversary, customers will receive10 percent off all purchases theentire weekend. Call 571-526-4185or visitwww.reston.scoutandmollys.com.

Creative Dance CenterPerformance. 3 p.m. at RestonTown Center’s Fountain Square.Enjoy a free dance presentation withCreative Dance Center’s PerformanceTroupe, ages 7-15, celebrating theexcitement of Broadway musicals.Visit www.cdcdance.com.

Delaney’s Book Drive. 4-5 p.m. at1713 Ascot Way, Reston. A recordnumber of kids are growing up inlow-income households and manypublic schools lack the funding andresources to provide basic necessities,like books for their students. Helpvolunteers collect 2,000 used or newbooks for children in need. Visitwww.barberafoundation.org/events/delaneys-book-drive-1.

Mike Cloud at GRACE - OpeningReception. 5-7 p.m. at GreaterReston Arts Center, 12001 MarketSt., #103, Reston. Cloud works withcollage, paint, language, and foundimagery to question canonical ideasthat have become widely accepted asnon-metaphorical truths. Show runsApril 28 through July 7. Visitwww.restonarts.org or call 703-471-9242.

SUNDAY/APRIL 29PRR Mighty Mile Race. 8 a.m. at

Reston Town Center, Reston.Sponsored by Potomac RiverRunning, a fun-filled 1-mile race justfor kids, specifically designed forages 6-14. Register atwww.prraces.com/mightymile. Call703-689-0999 or visitwww.prraces.com.

Strings on the Promenade - HarpPerformances. 3-4 p.m. at ThePromenade at Reston Town Center.Enjoy harp music on Sundays inApril, featuring Carmen Robinsonplaying tunes for all ages: Celtic,rock, R&B and popular theme songs.Free. Visitwww.restontowncenter.com.

MONDAY/APRIL 30Women’s Training Program. 6:30-8

p.m. at South Lakes High School,11400 South Lakes Drive, Reston.Reston Runners Women’s TrainingProgram will help walkers, runnersand those in between improve their

fitness. Presentations on injuryprevention, proper form, personalsafety, and workouts withenthusiastic coaches. Contact MollyBarrie at wtp@restonrunners.org orvisit the websitewww.RestonRunners.org.

TUESDAY/MAY 1Mother’s Day Pottery. 9:30-11:30

a.m. at Reston Community Center,2310 Colts Neck Road, Reston. Forages 2-5. Paint a special mug formom to enjoy any day of the year.Visitwww.restoncommunitycenter.com orcall 703-476-4500.

TUESDAY, MAY 2Pajamarama. 7 p.m. at Reston

Regional Library, 11925 BowmanTowne Dr., Reston. Come, wear yourPJs, bring a favorite stuffed animaland join Busia Bear for favoritebedtime stories. All ages are welcometo attend this preschool familystorytime. All ages. No registrationrequired. Call 703-689-2700.

FRIDAY/MAY 4TGIF: Free Fridays. 5-7 p.m. at

GRACE, Greater Reston Arts Center,12001 Market St., #103, Reston.Creative Fun at GRACE. Visitwww.restoncommunitycenter.com orcall 703-476-4500.

Baby & Me (Yoga). 10:30 a.m. atReston Regional Library, 11925Bowman Towne Dr., Reston. Bringyour baby and you will both reapbenefits from this nurturing yogaworkshop designed for the two ofyou. Age 6 weeks to 15 months withadult. Register beginning April 20.Call 703-689-2700.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY/MAY 4-6Cinco De Mayo. At ArtInsights, 11921

Freedom Drive, Reston. A portion ofall limited-edition art and framingsales will go to animal rescuecharities. Call 703-478-0778 or visitartinsights.com.

SATURDAY/MAY 5Native Plant Sale. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at

Runnymeade Park, 195 HerndonPkwy., Herndon. Vendors for the saleare Watermark Woods and Nature ByDesign. The event is sponsored byFriends of Runnymede Park. Visitwww.frpweb.org.

SING! Books with Miss Emily.10:30 a.m. at Reston RegionalLibrary, 11925 Bowman Towne Dr.,Reston. Join Miss Emily for singingstorytime with illustrated songs.Cosponsored by the Friends of theReston Regional Library. Age 2-5with adult. No registration required.Call 703-689-2700.

Pet Fiesta! Exhibition and PetAdoption. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at RestonTown Center Pavillion. Super petadoption, paws-itively fun petcontests and fashion show, exhibitorsof pet resources, pet rescue and non-profit groups. Presented by andbenefiting GoodDogz.org. All on-leash pets welcome. Free admission,rain or shine. Visit the websitepetfiesta.org.

HHS Band Benefit Concert. 6 p.m.at Herndon Town Green, 777 LynnSt., Herndon. Hosting NormandyKick-Off Celebration. Features liveperformances by “The 5:55” andmore. Support their trip to Normandyto represent the USA at the 75thAnniv of D-Day. Donations acceptedat entrance andwww.herndonband.org/normandy.

SUNDAY/MAY 6March for Babies. 8 a.m. registration;

9 a.m. walk. at Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. Supportthe March of Dimes for the health ofall moms and babies with a 3-milewalk, then celebrate the efforts withlunch, DJ, and family fun. Call 571-257-2305 or visitmarchforbabies.com.

Entertainment

Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 ❖ 9www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

lostdogandcatrescue.org

lost (adj): 1. unable to findthe way. 2. not appreciatedor understood. 3. no longer

owned or known

AdoptDonate

VolunteerVolunteers needed for

adoption events,fostering,

transportation,adoption center

caretaking and more.

Phone: 703-471-77851398 Concord Point Lane • Reston, VA 20194

Have fun while exploring artwith First Marks Art Studio

First Marks Art Studio Full Day Summer Camps

Exploring drawing, painting,sculptures, pastels, water color,

Camp Dates:· July 9th- 13th, Ages 6-9 yrs

· July 16th-20th, Ages 8-11 yrs

· July 23rd- 27th, Ages 9-12 yrs

· July 30th- Aug 3rd, Ages 11-14 yrs

10%SiblingDiscount

News

Erosion and invasive plants compro-mise a split of land that abuts thecurrent dock. Bio-logs will be in-stalled to stop the erosion and inva-sive plants removed. The new dockwill be sited away from the land.

From Page 7

Pho

to

by M

ercia H

obso

n/T

he C

on

nectio

n

New Dock

bollards had deteriorated. He acknowl-edged there was a dark corner on thelakeside path without any lighting. At thevery end of the dock, water cut under aneroded wedge of land.

Renard shared that all concerns would beaddressed in the project with new construc-tion completed or remediation. Renard saidthat in the design plans, the old dock wouldbe demolished. The new structure wouldinclude a floating platform for launchingsmaller boats more safely and comfortably.Renard said almost all the old pilings wouldbe removed and new pilings driven to a sig-nificantly deeper depth.

An underground crushed stone barrierand silt screen would be built along theshore to protect the new dock and the lake,Renard said. The bollards would be replacedand the new one(s) installed in the darkarea.

As for the eroded split of land that abut-ted the dock, bio-logs would be placed thereto change the slope and reduce erosion. In-vasive species would be removed and newplantings brought in to improve the waterquality. “Much of this work will be done bycommunity volunteers,” said Renard.

RENARD said that they began the processof designing the new dock and selecting a

contractor over three years ago. About fourmonths ago, the Reston Design ReviewBoard approved the design. Two monthsago, a Virginia Class A contractor was se-lected and placed under contract. Theproject is currently in the permit approvalprocess with Fairfax County. Renard com-mented the process is “taking longer thanexpected since the County is treating thedock as a commercial structure because itis being constructed by an HOA rather thanan individual.”

10 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

By Mercia Hobson

The Connection

The Virginia Department ofTransportation held apublic information meet-

ing on Monday, April 16, at ForestEdge Elementary School in Restonabout plans to improve safety andoperations on the one-lane HunterMill Road bridge over Colvin Run.

In the project overview providedat the meeting, VDOT stated thepurpose of the project is to “re-place the weight-restricted one-lane Hunter Mill Road Bridge overColvin Run with a two-lane bridgeto improve safety and operations.”

The improvements would “ex-pand the bridge to two lanes withfour-foot side shoulders, includinga new concrete bridge deck andabutments.”

VDOT wants citizens to knowthey can still provide written com-ments by submitting them by April26, to Brian Morrison, P.E., VirginiaDepartment of Transportation,

4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA22030, or emailmeetingcomments@VDOT.virginia.gov.Reference “Hunter Mill Road overColvin Run” in the subject line.

Citizens can review the projectinformation at the VDOT projectwebsite, www.virginiadot.org/

VDOT Wants to Hear from YouSubmit written comments regarding theHunter Mill Bridge over Colvin Run.

Image of Route 674 (Hunter Mill Road) over Colvin Runas seen in materials provided to the public at therecent VDOT Public Information Meeting.

Screen

sho

t pho

to

V

DO

T m

aterials

projects, or during business hoursat VDOT’s Northern Virginia Dis-trict Office at 4975 Alliance Drivein Fairfax.

Call ahead at 703-259-2606 orTTY/TDD 711 to ensure appropri-ate personnel are available to an-swer questions.

Reston Association’s CFO andacting CEO, Robert Wood, hasannounced his resignation. Woodaccepted a job at a national non-profit organization in Washing-ton, D.C. His last day at RA wasFriday, April 20.

“Robert has been very instru-mental in implementing much-needed changes to internal controls, policies andprocedures at Reston Association,” said RA Vice Presi-dent, Sridhar Ganesan. “Financial reporting and bud-geting have also seen very strong improvement dur-ing his tenure as CFO.” Larry Butler, the association’ssenior director of Land Use and Planning, will takeover as acting CEO while the Board of Directors con-tinues its search for a permanent chief executive.Butler has served in various roles at RA, includingdirector of Parks and Recreation.

“We thank Robert for his service to Reston Asso-

ciation and wish him well in his new opportunity,”said RA Board President, David Bobzien. “The asso-ciation will be in good hands with Larry Butler asacting CEO. His wealth of institutional knowledge iswell suited for his new role.”

“I look forward to leading RA during this impor-tant transition for the organization,” said Butler. “Mypriority is to assist the board and staff in the searchfor both a new CEO and CFO, and to continue thegreat service our members expect.”

“I would like to thank the board, RA staff andmembers of the community for their support duringmy time in Reston,” said Wood. “Reston is a specialplace and I appreciate the opportunity given to meto have worked at the association.”

Former CEO, Cate Fulkerson, left her position atRA in February. The board then appointed Wood toserve as acting CEO while a search began forFulkerson’s replacement. Wood has been with theassociation since April 2015.

Wood Leaving RA for New Job;Butler Named Acting CEO

Larry Butler

Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 ❖ 11www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

Kenny Lourie is an Advertising Representative forThe Potomac Almanac & The Connection Newspapers.

By KENNETH B. LOURIE

Not that deadlines don’t happen in thenewspaper business; of course they do, everyTuesday for us weeklies. But when combinedwith my usual post-chemotherapy malaise, itis a bit more challenging. More so when thedeadline is tightened up due to the nature ofhitting and occasionally missing in-house com-munications, which is also not unreasonablegiven the multiple demands multi taskingimposes.

Compounding this task even more is thatuntil I’m back to semi post-chemo normal, inthe interim, I am not eating too much, notsleeping well, have low energy (related to theprevious two deficiencies), my hands areshaky, my balance is off and I’m having somedifficulty focusing. It’s a good thing I’m sittingat a desk while attempting to write this col-umn because operating any heavy machinerywould definitely be out of the question. WhatI need to do is mind my own business.

Business which at the moment involvesfending off my buff-colored male cat, Chino,as he angles to sit on my writing pad as I movehim from left to right – and then right to leftsince he won’t take “Chino, move!” for adirective. But if I know anything, other thanwhat to expect post chemo, I also know whatto expect from Chino – or any of the othercats we manage: independence, as any fellowcat owner knows. Unlike a “true and loyaldog,” a cat, generally speaking, is not inclinedto respond to your commands, well, too manyof them, anyway. Nor are they likely torespond to any physical discipline and/orpushing/pulling/redirecting. Invariably, if youpush, they pull. If you pull, they push.

How Chino knows I’m not feeling well andon an unanticipated and abbreviated dead-line, I’ll never know. But rather than leave meto it, he’ll interfere every way possible: nuz-zling, nudging, leaning, rubbing, meowing,moving about and plopping down when allelse fails. If you love cats as we do, this is theircharm. If you don’t love them and their antics,I can see how this kind of behavior can bevery frustrating.

I mean, with all this activity, it’s difficult tothink about what I’m supposed to be doingwhen I’m so busy preventing things from get-ting done. I imagine Chino thinks he’s doingme a favor, being so affectionate and so in theway. Maybe he thinks he’s contributing to thecreative process by sitting in the middle of mywriting pad? In a way, maybe he is. He’s forc-ing me to concentrate. Moreover, he’s forcingme to focus on this most immediate taskwhich, at the moment, has me fending him offwith my left wrist while I’m scribbling prosewith my right hand. Oddly enough, it mightbe working as I’m three-quarters finished withthis column which 30 minutes ago was aweekend task until it became a today/Tuesdaytask.

Now if I didn’t have a CT scan and lowerabdomen MRI scheduled for Wednesday, I’dhave a bit more time to sort out the details ofwriting this column. Unfortunately, post-chemo, mid-newspaper deadline and pre-scan is a triple threat which sometimes canimpose its will. A ‘will’ which I take personallyso I will persevere and complete this columnwith one final paragraph now that Chino hasleft my desk and likely ended up on someunoccupied couch to sleep; he’s had a bigday.

All kidding aside, if there’s one behavior Ineed more than any other during these dead-line triple threats, it’s companionship. Becauseof Chino and our other four cats: Andrew,Sloane, Biscuit and Twinkle, I am never aloneand always have someone to talk to who,occasionally talks back. Not that we under-stand one another, but it’s giving and getting,and it’s loving and affecting – me and my can-cer; and everything in between.

You MeanTomorrowTuesday?

Submit civic/community announcements atConnectionNewspapers.com/Calendar. Photos andartwork welcome. Deadline is Thursday at noon, atleast two weeks before event.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDVolunteers Needed for Northern Virginia

Fine Arts Festival. At Reston Town Center,11900 Market St., Reston. Greater Reston ArtCenter’s (GRACE’s) largest annual fundraiser.May 18-20. Draws up to 30,000 visitors. Over500 volunteers are needed. Volunteers performa variety of roles including setting up with thelogistics crew, welcoming and booth sitting forparticipating artists as part of the ArtistHospitality entourage, welcoming visitors andaccepting donations for GRACE as a FestivalAmbassador, or helping young artists with theircreations in the Family Art Park. Visitrestonarts.org/fineartsfestival.

The Herndon High School PTSA is in need of atreasurer, but anyone interested in serving onthe board is welcome. The HHS PTSA works toprovide connections between students, teacherand parents. They offer mini-grants to teachers,scholarships and achievement awards tostudents as well as appreciation events for staff.Email HerndonHSPTSA.Treasurer@gmail.com

STEM Professionals Needed. Help assist K-12STEM teachers as part of the AmericanAssociation for the Advancement of Science’sSTEM Volunteer Program, stemvolunteers.org,during the 2018-19 school year. In the 2017-18school year, there are 85 volunteers in sixNorthern Virginia school districts. Contact DonRea at 571-551- 2488, or donaldrea@aol.com.

Volunteer Adult Mentors Needed. Help assistthe Department of Family Services’ BeFriendA-Child mentoring program. Mentors provideopportunities for companionship, guidance andsupport to children who have been abused andneglected, or are at risk of abuse and neglect.Contact Ibrahim Khalil atIbrahim.khalil@fairfaxcounty.gov or 703-324-4547.

PARENTS HELPING PARENTSParent Support Partners, a service of the

Healthy Minds Fairfax initiative, are all parentswho have received training and are qualitied tooffer education, support and assistance at nocost to families or caregivers. They providereliable information that families can use indecision-making and are familiar with servicesand resources that can help families in distress.Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/healthymindsfairfax or www.nami-northernvirginia.org/parent-peer-support.html.

SATURDAY/APRIL 28A Community Conversation about the

Opioid Crisis. 1-5 p.m. at Epiphany EpiscopalChurch, 3301 Hidden Meadow Drive, Herndon.For students in 7th-12th grades and theirparents. Register at epiphanyes.org/occc. Visitwww.fairfaxcounty.gov/community-services-board/news/2018/battling-opioid-crisis.

SATURDAY/MAY 5Free Sober Rides. Saturday, May 5, 7 p.m.

through Sunday, May, 6, 4 a.m. Area residents,21 and older, may download Lyft to theirphones, then enter a code in the app’s “Promo”section to receive a no cost (up to $15) safe ridehome. WRAP’s SoberRide promo code will beposted at 5 p.m. on May 5 onwww.SoberRide.com. The SoberRide code isvalid for the first 1,500 Lyft users who enter it.

THURSDAY/MAY 10Open House and Public Hearing. 5:30 p.m. at

NVTA Office, 3040 Williams Drive, Suite 200,Fairfax. The Northern Virginia TransportationAuthority has released 60 candidate projects andrelated information for its inaugural FY 2018-2023 Six Year Program for public comment. Theopen house will start at 5:30 p.m. and the publichearing will commence following a 7 p.m.presentation on the six year program. Pre-registration is open for those who would like tospeak at the public hearing. Pre-register to speakin one of three ways: e-mail:TheAuthority@TheNoVaAuthority.org; phone:703-642-4652 or in person on May 10, 2018from 5:30-7 p.m. Visitwww.TheNoVaAuthority.org.

Reston’s Early Advertising. 7 p.m. at RestonCommunity Center, Lake Anne, Jo Ann RoseGallery. Chris Rooney will present a talk on theprint advertising campaigns of Reston during itsfirst decade and how they relate to the creativerevolution of Madison Avenue in the 1960s. Fordetails, visit https://www.restonmuseum.org/programs.

Bulletin

12 ❖ Reston Connection ❖ April 25 - May 1, 2018 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

www.ConnectionNewspapers.com

@RestonConnect

An independent, locally owned weeklynewspaper delivered

to homes and businesses.Published by

Local Media Connection LLC

1606 King StreetAlexandria, Virginia 22314

Free digital edition delivered toyour email box. Go to

connectionnewspapers.com/subscribe

NEWS DEPARTMENT:reston@connectionnewspapers.com

Kemal Kurspahic Editor ❖ 703-778-9414

kemal@connectionnewspapers.com

Mercia HobsonCommunity Reporter

mhobson@connectionnewspapers.com

Andrea WorkerContributing Writer

aworker@connectionnewspapers.com

Jean CardProduction Editor

jcard@connectionnewspapers.com

ADVERTISING:For advertising information

sales@connectionnewspapers.com703-778-9431

Debbie FunkDisplay Advertising/National Sales

703-778-9444debfunk@connectionnewspapers.com

David GriffinMarketing Assistant

703-778-9431dgriffin@connectionnewspapers.com

Classified & EmploymentAdvertising703-778-9431

Editor & PublisherMary Kimm

mkimm@connectionnewspapers.com@MaryKimm

Executive Vice PresidentJerry Vernon

703-549-0004jvernon@connectionnewspapers.com

Editor in ChiefSteven Mauren

Managing EditorKemal Kurspahic

Art/Design:Laurence Foong, John Heinly,

Ali KhalighProduction Manager:

Geovani Flores

CIRCULATIONcirculation@connectionnewspapers.com

RestonOpinion

By Sharon Bulova

Chairman, Fairfax

County Board of

Supervisors

During today’s[April 24]Board of Sup e r v i s o r s

Meeting, the Board markedup the FY2019 AdvertisedBudget by a vote of 8-2. Formal adoption ofthe budget will take place on May 1. I wouldlike to share with you my remarks prior to ourvote this morning:

The process for adopting the County Budgetevery year is all about community engagement.Fiscal Year 2019 is no exception, with BudgetForums and Town Hall Meetings hosted in eachof our nine Districts, Budget Committee meet-ings (which included our partners on theSchool Board), and three days of public hear-ings on the Advertised Budget earlier this

month. Since February, our offices have re-ceived hundreds, if not thousands, of letters,e-mail messages, phone calls and personal vis-its from our constituents.

The Budget “mood” this year was harmonic,thanks to an Advertised Budget that I believehit all of the right notes.

The Budget that we are about to “Mark-Up,”or amend, is based on a tax rate of $1.15. Thepackage:

❖ Fully funds the School Board’s request,bringing teachers’ salaries into competitivealignment with our sister jurisdictions in theregion;

❖ Overall support for our school system isincreased by $91.49 million or 4.22 percentover Fiscal Year 2018, with 52.8 percent of ourGeneral Fund Budget going to schools;

❖ Fully funds compensation for our Countyemployees with a 2.25 percent Market RateAdjustment, Performance, Merit and Longev-ity increases;

❖ Includes funding for Fairfax First, Gang

Proposed Budget Hit All the Right Notes“While this Mark-Up package includes a 2 cent increase in the realestate tax rate, an increase of $241 on the average annual tax bill, Ibelieve the additional revenue is an important investment neededto shore up the foundation on which our quality of life rests.”

SharonBulova

Prevention, the expansion of Diversion Firstand Opportunity Neighborhoods, additionalslots for Early Childhood programs, and fund-ing to address the Opioid Crisis;

❖ Provides an increase in funding for Metro(pending a long-term solution), VRE and ourConnector Bus System.

While this Mark-Up package includes a 2 centincrease in the real estate tax rate, an increaseof $241 on the average annual tax bill, I be-lieve the additional revenue is an importantinvestment needed to shore up the foundationon which our quality of life rests. I want tothank Budget Committee Chairman Jeff McKayfor his excellent work bringing this Mark-UpPackage to the Board today, along with Bud-get Guidance that addresses issues discussedduring budget deliberations with each of ourcolleagues. Adoption of a Budget every year re-quires the good faith collaboration of each mem-ber or our Board and I appreciate everyone’swillingness to come together on a Budget pro-cess that moves Fairfax County forward.

By John Lovaas

Reston Impact Producer/Host

What is going on atthe Reston Asso-ciation? There is alot of confusion in

the community as a result of therecent turmoil following changesat the top among both professionalstaff and the Board of Directors.From here, it appears that the or-ganization is on the right trackwith a couple of moves and criti-cally needed internal reforms dur-ing the presidency of SherriHebert. Further progress willhinge on filling key positions andon the performance of new peoplein the organization.

Here’s what I mean.The first key personnel change

was the removal of CEO CateFulkerson, who couldn’t recoverfrom the disaster of the Tetra/LakeHouse acquisition and rehab andthe deterioration of managementand financial systems during thattime.

Also, the Board moved forwardto hire a broad-gauged in-houseattorney (Anthony Champ) at areasonable 6-figure salary, pre-sumably to replace RA’s highpriced band of external lawyers.In my view, RA has way overspenton outside legal services — to the

tune of $700,000 -800,000 range peryear, and has little toshow for it.

The Board mustfinish the job. Itshould unload theexternal attorneyswho amount to glori-fied debt collec-tors and sketchyland-use legalservices.

Now that Sherri has steppedaside as President, new PresidentDavid Bobzien, himself an attor-ney (former Fairfax County Attor-ney), needs to lead in wielding ascalpel, better an axe, in this area.

The just announced departure ofChief Financial Officer RobertWoods, a change set in motionbefore the CEO’s removal, is ablow. Woods is an experienced,skilled CFO and was a vital cog inthe financial system reform.

Fortunately, Sridhar Ganesan,now Board Vice President, hassimilar strengths and can help fillin until a new CFO is broughtaboard.

It was Ganesan who engineeredboth RA’s historic assessment re-duction and paying off of the LakeHouse debt.

The restructuring of a weak Fis-cal Committee now led by Board

member/ TreasurerEric Carr furtherstrengthens financialmanagement. The re-location of VictoriaWhite, the HuntersWoods Board rep, wasalso a blow to re-forms. The Board

needs to movequickly to fillthat vacancywith a quality

replacement.Overall, the Board majority that

emerged just over one year agohas made substantial progress inrepairing the failed financial andadministrative management ofRA. Besides the progress in restor-ing financial controls and gettingout from under the Tetra/LakeHouse debt overhang, the Hebert-led Board has moved to regular-ize RA’s contracting procedures.These procedures worked effi-ciently back when I served on theBoard, but failed completely dur-ing the Tetra acquisition and re-hab period. Hopefully, now we willsee competitive bidding restoredas the absolute norm it once was.The Board has also instituted aconstructive Whistleblower policy,a step toward restored transpar-ency.

Not everything is moving so

smoothly however.The long-delayed process of

adopting straightforward ethicspolicies and procedures startedunder the prior Board is still hungup in the new Board. The lack ofan effective conflict of interest re-porting became a real problem inthe last few years.

The new Board majority vowedto complete and install a newstraightforward policy with teeth.This still has not been completed.Progress in this area will be onemore test to see if Mr. Bobzien cancontinue the forward movementbegun a year ago.

The other keys to reforming andreinvigorating Reston Associationbesides the performance of a newPresident and replacement of Mr.Woods and Ms. White will be theperformance of newly electedBoard members Andy Sigle (1 yearAt-Large seat) and Ven Iyer (At-Large). Andy is an experiencedcandidate and has served oneBoard term previously while Venis brand new and still learning theropes.

All in all, I am optimistic the newRA team will be successful in re-storing management and financialsystems and improving efficiencyand cost reductions! We will re-turn to this subject in the monthsahead.

Reston Association-Two Steps Forward

Independent Progressive