Programs from GCA Meetings
This page includes a summary and/or the material presented at the programs which are part of the Glencarlyn Citizens' Association regular monthly meetings.
We begin the meetings programs with the program, promptly at 7:30.
Its OK if you would like to join us for the program and leave before other business is discussed.
March 2009 Meeting - County Budget and Reduction of Glencarlyn Libary to Three Days
November 2008 Meeting - Green Living
October 2008 Meeting - Dominion Power
March 2009 GCA Program - Arlington’s Budget Update to Info from Village View
We will have two guests at the our March 2nd GCA meeting.
The first will be Richard Stephenson, Arlington’s Budget Director, who will discuss the proposed Arlington County budget for FY 2010. The budget was released on February 21, after the Village View went to press. One of the proposed reductions is reducing hours at the Glencarlyn Library. See below for added details on budget proposal.
Our second guest will be Diane Kresh, Director of the Arlington County Libraries. She will discuss the reductions for the library and is looking for community input on how best to implement it.
The program starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and will last about 40 minutes including questions. Location: Carlin Hall - 5711 4th St. South.
County Manager Proposes Smaller Budget for FY 2010 (Expanded Version)
$23.3 million in reductions proposed
ARLINGTON, Va. -- County Manager Ron Carlee proposed a $929.5 million fiscal year (FY) 2010 budget at the February 21, 2009 County Board meeting,=2 0a decrease of almost $12 million (1.3 percent) below the FY 2009 revised budget. Arlington's real estate values bucked area and national trends by increasing 0.4%...
To read the full version of this release on the Arlington County website, go here: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/Communications/PressReleases/68808.aspx
(New Information)
The $9.1 million in reductions include a number of service cuts such as: Opening Glencarlyn, Cherrydale, and Aurora Highland libraries only three days/week; Reducing service on two ART routes; Reducing hours at community centers; Closing Ellipse Art Center; Reducing park maintenance; Merging Madison adult day center programs into Walter Reed adult day center.
The proposed budget increases the base rea l estate tax rate by 3.2 percent, by $.027 from $.838 to $.865 per $100 of assessed value. With the 2.02 percent reduction in the assessed value of the average single-family residence from $530,800 to $520,100, the average single-family residential tax bill will increase by about $51, or 1.1%, in CY 2009.
There will be increases in various fees for services and permits such as: Increase the water/sewer rate $.66 per thousand gallons from $10.54 to $11.20, motor vehicle license fee by $1 to $25 per year, preschool, camps, sports leagues, and fitness memberships.
November 2008 Meeting - Green Living
Presentation on Arlington County's Residential Green Building and Energy Conservation Program PDF format - includes a lot on construction, remodeling and other green improvements.
Helen F. Reinecke-Wilt, AICP, LEED AP
Green Home Choice Program Manager
Arlington County Department of Environmental Services
(703) 228-4792
hreinecke-wilt@arlingtonva.us
The last pages of the presentation list 30 Ways to Conserve Energy and Water and Improve Air Quality in Your Home
Link to Arlington County's Green Buildings Program
or go to www.arlingtonva.us Select link for Departments - select Environmental Services - Select Topic Green buildings
________________________________________________________________________________________
Presentation ACE Green Living Challenge 2008 PDF format - focus on day to day green living
Elenor Hodges, Executive Director
Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment
3308 S. Stafford St.
Arlington, VA 22206
703-228-6427
elenor@arlingtonenvironment.org
There is a lot of very helpful information at the ACE website www.arlingtonenvironment.org
The link which covers a number of the topics discussed at the meeting is ACE Resources for Green Living
Link to ACE info on Reducing Junk Mail
To see how green you are living go to the ACE Green Living Pledge for single family and townhouses,
________________________________________________________________________________________
This spring Arlington will be allowing all plastics 1-7 to be placed in the recycling bins. In the mean time, the recycle drop off centers will accept all plastics 1-7. The center are 530 North Quincy St and Columbia Pike and South Four Mile Run.
Link to Arlington County's Recycling Program
October 2008 Meeting - Dominion Power
The October meeting featured two representatives from Dominion Virginia Power, Deborah Johnson, a customer service manager and Vic Atwall a reliability engineer. Among other things, they discussed the interruptions of electrical power in the Glencarlyn area, in particular the June 4th and June 16th storms. Each of these storms caused loss of power to half of the 150,000 homes in the Arlington / Alexandria service area. Restoration of power to all of Glencarlyn took considerably longer after the June 4th storm because of the number of trees down in the neighborhood during that storm. They also showed us a diagram of the power grid in Glencarlyn. Below, and on the web, is a map of how the main lines where the electricity flows from the substation north of Glencarlyn, down Carlin Springs Road (CSR) and then branches into the neighborhood. You will note that the feeder line on 4th street east of CSR powers much of Glencarlyn. There are numerous fuses along line and each branch, but the if there is a break in the line (or fuse outage) between you home and the power station, you will have not power. You can also see that you could not have power, but your neighbor behind you could.
Our guests also discussed the order of restoration of power after an outage, where critical infrastructure circuits get top priority. These power lines bring electricity to hospitals, water pumping stations, police and fire departments and other emergency facility locations. The next priority is to restore power to the greatest number of customers in the shortest amount of time. In general, this is major lines to substations and then to main neighborhood feeds, assuming that fallen trees or other debris allow access. Next are the neighborhood feeds and then last individual homes. They acknowledged that there have been a number of discussions with Arlington County since the June storm related to more effectively managing the restoration of power, particularly in the removal of trees.
Dominion does NOT provide priority to residences where there are persons with medical needs which require power. They will take information to alert you of possible outages, but that is the extent. Remember if you see downed lines, assume that they are live. Always report hazardous or emergency situations by phone to 1-888-667-3000. Be sure to let them know the location where you lost power, and is houses near you have power. At this stage, Dominion power company does not have the capability to monitor which areas have lost power remotely, so call and let them know.
