|
Friends,
I write to report on the July Board Meetings held the 13th and the 16th; to update you on the flooding and stormwater, action on the Columbia Pike bus stations, and the work I am seeking to do to serve you and engage with you to serve Arlington.
|
|
|
|
Arlington Cares Event: the individuals standing and some 400 others each volunteered for more than 100 hours in Arlington. I was so moved by the #ArlingtonCares event this week.
|
|
The biggest issue we have been facing is flood recovery. I emailed more often than usual this month because of the damage and urgency I saw. I am very pleased to share that through facebook, we raised $600 in 5 hours to serve families in affordable housing units displaced by the flooding. It was a small, focused ask, but it made a difference to them and it was a sign of hope. Thank you to all who helped.
The County's response also involves stormwater. I have been engaging with County staff on this, even as they are working on clean up. The solutions are not all easy, as a work session from last October shows, but the County Board must and will act--once we have cleaned up from the storms, which took a lot of work over the past 3 weeks.
|
|
|
|
This is a picture from a resident at 14th Street North in Westover. Yes, that car was totaled. I met with a young Cornell student, her mom and dad. They lost this car and more than $50K in the flooding.
|
|
|
More broadly, our facebook supporters also helped raise $76K of $100K for the Westover shops, funding for Ser Restraurant and funding for Westover residents. (Let me know if you have other ideas for neighborhoods in need.) None of this takes the place of the systemic actions we must take on stormwater and the County's request for FEMA funding, which I supported in a resolution passed on Saturday, July 13th. I must also be honest that the County cannot pay for the significant majority of damage done to private property as the cost would be too great and the precedent concerning.
Nonetheless, the County does have a central role in our stormwater system and that is where I am focusing my efforts. I will also be interested in the other steps we may be able to take such as, perhaps, no-interest loan partnerships, which I am seeking to learn more about. I feel personal responsibility as well, so, the most important thing I think you can do directly right now that I know of is contribute to get the Westover neighbors fund from $14K closer to the $50K that we need as a whole. Businesses matter. People really matter. I have seen the homes of those who would benefit from this. Please click on the "Pitch in..." button above to help.
|
|
|
|
I did have a little just plain fun time this month: hosted the Arlington Young Democrats for a their summer shindig. I love the energy and commitment this group of individuals brings to my life. Win in November!
|
|
|
The Board approved funding for the Columbia Pike bus stations at this month's meetings. I said many times last year that when the Board cancelled the street car, we made promises to improve bus service on the Pike. This vote helped keep that commitment. Yes, the cost was not cheap: total of 412K per stop for 4 stops, but that includes the concrete to sustain the pavement under the bus stops and infrastructure that I found to be worthwhile on the whole. I am mindful of concerns, but felt on balance this the right step to take. I also am mindful that we need to invest in our stormwater system to serve all our residents.
|
|
|
The other actions by the Board included approval of Arts grants, which many of you mentioned last year. I was proud to support these small but important incentives. We purchased open space land next to Fort Scott Park as well. The commericial vacancy rate fell to 16.6% which is another drop that will help us with budget priorities. We also approved Vision Zero which is a plan to get us to zero pedestrian deaths or accidents in Arlington. I am very proud of each of these steps.
|
|
I have also been working to get up to speed on the Mental Health Docket, an issue important to many of you and to me personally. The Docket in Arlington would be applicable to misdemeanors, and felonies that could be reduced to misdemeanors. Judge O'Brien, along with Department of Human Services staff has been working on it in earnest for over a year and a half, with an additional 10 plus years of work on this issue as a whole. Arlington's Circuit Court submits the application and has significant jurisdiction, though, I believe not sole authority. The County provides funding, so I believe we have a role.
The primary issue here is whether the Docket will apply only post plea, pre-plea, or both. I worked to support making the County Board room the place for a hearing last week, though this was NOT a County Board hearing as the Judges and County staff have been working most on this and have primary jurisdiction. Since then, I have been following up and the issues are not easy. As the only attorney on the Board, I feel a particular responsibility to make sure there is transparency, work to understand all the issues, and to offer solutions in addition to the concerns many have identified. Although the best steps are not all clear and the issues need to be better understood, I believe that at a minimum there must be additional steps over the coming month into September so that we can better understand how best to implement a mental health docket in Arlington.
I will work on the above issues along with affordable housing, schools, hunger, and the community energy plan, among others, over the coming month. I also am taking my first vacation of over a week in two years.
Because of you, I continue to serve with a full heart.
Matt
|
|
|
|
