I write to share with you that Arlington County has moved into Phase 2 of vaccine eligibility and distribution; to invite you to tomorrow's County Board meeting at 3 pm when we will hear a report on implementing the recommendations of the Police Practices Group and an update on the Police Chief search; and provide you with a short advance preview of the budget based on the work session last Thursday.
Go to vaccinate.virginia.gov to pre-register and look for an appointment.
Arlington County has moved into Phase 2 of vaccine distribution: all Virginians and thus all Arlingtonians are eligible to for a dose of vaccine. Everyone 16+ now has a choice of whether to pre-register with the state and wait for a health department invitation over the next few weeks or to seek an appointment with a pharmacy, FEMA-supported clinic, hospital or health system clinic, or other provider.
Arlington County is working hard to get you vaccinated as soon as possible--we obtained 2,000 more doses for this week than originally expected, leading to a total of approximately 8,500. Invitations went out Friday to about 8500 people, most of them eligible in Phase 2. Invitations are being sent in the order that people pre-registered, and the county is up to about the end of the first week in March on that list. The full Phase 2 pre-registration list comprised 30,000 as of Friday, so we are making progress but it will still take several weeks and perhaps up to 2 months to schedule and get a first dose for everyone in Arlington who wants to be vaccinated.
In the wake of last summer's protests following the murder of George Floyd, Arlington stood up a Police Practice Group. The Group reported with the following recommendations: https://departments.arlingtonva.us/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/02/ArlingtonPolicePracticeGroup.Subcommittee.Report..FINAL_.2.15.21.pdf and the County Manager is going to provide an update to the Board on them tomorrow starting at 3 pm. He will also provide an update on the police chief search. Please join us tomorrow at 3 pm for this session as the steps forward we will take are consistent with the ideals we share.
Finally, we held our last budget work session last Thursday. Progress on our shared priorities: COVID contingent funding of $17.5 million will include approximately $5 million for eviction prevention, funding for hunger response, funding for a small business grant program. Also, over $17 million for the AHIF program, more than $1.4 million in additional funding for housing grants above the Manager's recommendation, funding for Sunday voting at least twice in the fall, equity analysis in budgeting, over $300K for electric vehicles, language on a climate change lead to assist the Manager, full funding of the Arlington Public Schools request for one time funding for summer school incentives for teachers, and one time opening of new schools, among other items. Final adoption is tomorrow.
More to come on the budget and this past Saturday's meeting later this week. If you need to reach me, email me at [email protected] or [email protected] as my mattforArlington email is not working.
