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Description
County Board chairman Jay Fisette's New Year's address delivered at the Arlington County Board's Organizational Meeting of Jan. 3 2017.
A
Hi
welcome.
Thank
you
all
for
joining
us.
I
want
to
say
a
quick
first
thanks
to
two
special
people
up
here
in
the
front
my
mother
is
in
town
for
the
holidays.
It
wasn't
pre-planned
but
she's
here
raise
your
hand.
Thank
you
for
coming
mom
and
my
husband
Bob
rose,
and
who
is
just
you
know
my
best
friend,
so
thank
you
both
for
being
here
and
I
know.
There
are
some
other
special
people
in
the
audience.
Nancy
Van
Doren
has
been
acknowledged
that
share
the
school
board.
A
I
believe
James
lander
has
joined
us
from
the
school
board,
whereas
James
did
I
see
him
come
there.
He
is
and
I
know
several
other
school
board.
Members,
for
example,
told
us
they
either
have
another
community
meeting
tonight
or
are
recuperating
from
some
from
a
cold.
So
thank
you
all
for
being
here
and
I
see
a
lot
of
friends
and
county
staff
in
the
room
too.
So
thanks
for
joining
us.
A
First,
thanks
to
my
County
Board
colleagues,
for
your
support,
I'm
honored
to
work
with
you
and
service
to
our
community
and
look
forward
to
collaborating
truly
with
each
of
you
to
meet.
Arlington's
needs
and
make
our
community
even
better
in
2017,
and
our
team
includes
our
highly
skilled
and
experienced
county
manager,
county
attorney
and
clerk.
So
a
mark,
steve
and
hope
you
guys
are
great.
Thank
you.
We
truly
appreciate
all
you
do
and
behind
you,
the
employees
of
this
county,
that
make
us
all
look
good
every
day.
A
It's
said
that
the
only
constant
in
life
is
change,
but
the
pace
and
impacts
have
changed
very
greatly.
This
year
is
likely
to
bring
dramatic
unsettling
changes
in
our
national
government
and
on
the
international
scene.
Arlington
will
feel
some
effects,
but
will
respond,
as
we
have
before
in
times
of
turbulence
and
periods
of
more
gradual
change,
with
sensible
actions
inspired
by
our
shared
community
vision
and
shaped
through
thoughtful
dialogue
and
open
debate.
A
So
what
makes
us?
What
are
the
metrics?
How
do
we
know
we're
healthy?
First,
let's
recognize
how
fortunate
we
are
in
our
location
next
to
the
nation's
capitol
in
our
income
and
education
levels
and
most
of
all
in
our
community
values
and
tradition
of
strong,
open
government
and
engage
citizens.
Arlington
continues
to
excel
in
the
provision
of
core
government
services.
Public
safety,
education,
transportation
and
basic
social
services,
our
crime
rate
continues
to
decline.
Our
streets
are
safe.
We
hire
educated
public
safety
officers,
we
train
them
well.
In
our
community,
oriented
policing
model
works.
A
Our
public
schools
are
outstanding,
as
we've
always
recognized
that
high
quality
public
education
is
an
investment
in
our
future,
and
our
transportation
system
and
staff
are
second
to
none
in
the
country.
Of
course,
we
are
not
perfect
yet
in
our
last
survey
of
residents
overall,
satisfaction
with
the
quality
of
local
government
services
remained
at
eighty-nine
percent
32
percentage
points
above
the
national
average.
A
Our
smart
growth
planning
is
a
national
model
that
relies
on
transit
and
thoughtful
land-use
planning,
as
our
prime
engines
of
redevelopment.
As
a
result,
our
tax
base
is
well
balanced
between
commercial
and
residential
properties.
Our
tax
rate
is
among
the
lowest
in
the
region
and
our
triple
triple
a
bond
rating
reflects
strong
fiscal
management
or
small,
yet
smart
ground
zero
for
the
creative
class.
Our
two
point:
eight
percent
unemployment-
remains
the
lowest
in
Virginia
well
below
four
point:
six
percent
nationally
and
by
the
way
four
point:
six
percent
Thank
You
President
Obama.
A
It
was
nine
or
ten
when
he
took
office.
So
what
are
the
keys?
What
are
the
rest?
What's
the
recipe
for
a
success
for
things
that
I
want
to
speak
to
briefly,
have
a
vision
and
plan
for
the
long
term,
engage
our
community
partner
and
leverage
and
then
commit
to
act
so
a
little
on
each
of
these.
You
know
what
they
say:
vision
without
action
is
a
daydream.
A
Action
without
a
vision
is
a
nightmare.
Arlington
is
guided
by
a
shared
vision,
built
on
progress
of
values,
and
then
we
plan
we
plan
and
we
plan
anyone
can
plan
for
tomorrow.
Few
find
the
political
will
and
community
support
to
develop
plans
for
the
long
term
as
we
do,
and
our
dynamic
community
will
demand
even
more
creativity
and
future
planning
efforts
to
respond
to
population
growth,
changes
in
office
markets
and
the
nature
of
work
and
the
pressures
to
provide
more
community
facilities
and
amenities
in
our
very
small
space.
A
Second,
we
engage
we
meet.
We
discuss,
we
debate
a
lot,
a
lot
a
lot.
We
are
always
open
to
new
ideas
and
constructive
engagement,
yet
can't
be
held
hostage
to
efforts
to
delay
distract
or
undermine.
I
firmly
believe
that
trying
to
forge
a
broad
understanding
and
consensus
on
a
path
forward
is
worth
the
time
and
energies
involved,
because
it
improves
the
decision
and
builds
trust.
We
have
launched
ambitious
planning
efforts,
lee
highway
four
mile
run
valley,
and
we
must
press
forward
with
true
premium
transit
along
columbia,
pike
in
these
and
other
initiatives.
A
We
should
look
to
combine
the
wisdom
of
the
veteran
activists
with
fresh
perspectives
and
youthful
ideas
and
bring
ever
more
diverse
interests
and
voices
to
the
table.
Third
thing
is
partnering
and
leveraging.
We
can't
do
it
as
local
governments
ourselves
all
the
time
beyond
our
citizens.
We
turn
to
the
state.
We
turn
to
the
federal
government,
the
private
sector,
the
nonprofit
sector
and
we
partner
to
do
good
things.
We
leverage
their
talents
and
their
funds
and
for
we
commit
to
act,
we
don't
just
talk.
A
We
do
what
we
say:
we're
going
to
do
the
plans,
don't
just
sit
on
the
shelf,
they
inform
policy
and
budget
decisions,
and
then
we
must
monitor
and
track
outcomes
and
make
mid-course
Corrections
as
necessary,
so
2017.
What
is
our
job
to
listen
and
lead
to
ensure
arlington
continues
to
move
forward
and
does
not
get
stuck
or
stagnate.
We
should
always
work
to
streamline
processes,
to
improve
the
predictability
and
equity
of
services
and
make
all
county
agencies
fully
responsive
to
residents
and
businesses,
questions
and
needs.
A
Continuous
improvement.
You've
heard
that
term
and
our
customer
service
needs
to
be
part
of
the
DNA
of
our
organization,
and
it
includes
harnessing
technology
adapting
to
the
sharing
economy
and
even
better
communication
and
notification
tools.
So
specifically,
some
of
the
largest
challenges
and
those
that
I
personally
intend
to
focus
on
in
2017
are
the
following:
six:
the
need
for
facilities,
including
schools,
within
the
constraints
of
limited
land,
strengthening
our
economic
competitiveness,
housing,
affordability,
environmental
sustainability,
metro
and
staying
true
to
our
vision
and
our
values.
So
let
me
speak
briefly
to
each
of
these
on
facilities.
A
We
continue
to
work
well
really.
Well,
in
fact,
with
our
elected
school
board,
colleagues,
we
must
continue
as
partners
in
local
government
sharing
fiscal
resources,
facilities
and
land
we're
all
in
it
together,
because
we
all
need
fire
stations.
We
all
need
bus
storage
facilities,
parks,
schools
and
more
the
2015
award-winning
community
facility
study.
Thank
you,
Mary
Hines,
former
county
board
member,
provided
us
with
a
strong
framework
for
refreshing,
the
Arlington
way
and
making
siting
and
capital
investment
decisions
with
better
community
input.
A
Upfront
actions
earlier
today
by
this
board
keep
us
moving
forward
in
implementing
the
recommendations
of
the
community
facility
study.
We
appointed
members
of
joint
facility
Advisory
Commission,
which
will
get
to
work
immediately.
We
also
adopted
a
charge
for
the
newly
created
advisory
committee
on
transportation
choices
and
I
said
before
our
staff
are
very
excited
to
work
together
in
that
effort
to
create
safe,
healthy
transportation
choices,
as
our
schools
grow.
A
Second
item
is
economic
competitiveness.
A
commercial
vacancy
vacancy
rate
has
recently
dipped
below
twenty
percent,
though
this
is
still
much
higher
than
our
historic
averages.
We
have
had
some
strong
winds
and
attracting
and
retaining
businesses.
Yet
we
must
continue
to
make
progress
in
branding
Arlington
as
a
hub
for
the
innovation
economy
and
marketing
our
assets
aggressively.
A
A
We
have
an
outstanding
transportation
system
and
strong
amenities
got
a
lot
going
working
right
for
us
third
issue.
Affordable
housing
has
become
a
bellwether
issue
that
expresses
the
soul
of
our
community.
We
are
victims
of
our
own
success
as
far
more
people
want
to
live
here
than
we
have
homes
to
fill.
The
average
home
price
is
six
hundred
and
three
thousand
dollars
and
we
lost
13,500
market
rate,
affordable
units
between
2000
and
2013.
In
furtherance
of
the
recently
adopted,
affordable
housing
master
plan,
we
will
review
and
update
our
accessory
dwelling
unit
ordinance.
A
A
We
adopted
a
plan
after
three
years
of
collaboration
among
all
County
stakeholders,
and
we
have
implemented
policies
and
programs
to
achieve
our
targets.
Nearly
two-thirds
of
our
community's
carbon
emissions
are
from
buildings,
while
county
and
school
buildings
have
seen
an
overall
twenty
three
percent
reduction
in
energy
use.
Carbon
emissions
more
needs
to
be
done
in
2017.
New
public
buildings
should
strive
to
the
net
zero
standard
set
by
our
own
discovery.
A
School
at
least
three
public
buildings
should
host
large
solar
arrays
through
private
power,
purchase
agreements
and
Arlington
should
be
the
first
locality
in
Virginia
to
establish
a
program
to
assist
commercial
property
owners
in
financing
energy
retrofits.
It's
called
pace
programs,
the
fifth
item,
ensuring
the
success
of
LaMotta,
the
Washington
Metropolitan
Area,
Transit,
Authority
Metro.
A
This
is
the
top
priority
for
the
region
and
will
require
all
our
attention
in
2017.
The
regional
rail
system
is
the
backbone
of
our
transportation
network
and
our
economy.
Eighty-Four
percent
eighty-four
percent
of
office
development
in
the
pipeline
today
in
the
region
is
within
a
quarter.
Mile
of
a
metro
station
mamada
under
strong
new
leadership,
has
taken
bold
steps
to
address
the
system,
safety
and
reliability
as
the
only
large
rail
system
in
the
United
States.
A
Without
a
dedicated
funding
source,
we
must
help
our
region
find
a
sustainable
path
forward
and
we
are
able
I
led
by
our
colleague,
Christian
Dorsey.
In
that
regard.
This
is
a
pass/fail
test
for
our
region,
yet
maybe
our
most
significant
task
in
2017.
The
final
one
I
mentioned
will
be
to
advance
our
values,
our
vision
and
our
community
ethic.
A
As
we
can
collectively
grapple
with
the
broader
uncertainties
and
threats
to
social
and
environmental
programs
into
individual
liberties
anticipated
with
the
incoming
federal
administration,
while
many
of
us
have
embraced
the
newly
coined
disruptive
innovations,
the
latest
presidential
election
was
a
little
more
than
we
bargained
for
no
longer
can
we
rely
on
the
federal
government
to
guide
and
support
us
with
allegiance
to
shared
purposes
and
our
common
humanity.
It
is
becoming
all
too
clear
that
local
governments
will
be
called
upon
to
lead.
A
Communities
like
Arlington
can
serve
as
a
model
for
how
progressive
social
values
and
policies
can
work
in
tandem
with
conservative
and
responsible
fiscal
policies,
Arlington
must
continue
to
stand
by
our
convictions
and
pursue
our
aspirations.
Our
ability
to
think
big
and
spirit
and
deed
has
distinguished
us,
and
it
should
still
while
we
should
diligently
strive
to
provide
core
services
even
better.
We
should
not
be
limited
to
that
out
of
fear
or
defensive
pneus.
A
A
Arlington
must
look
after
the
most
vulnerable
among
us,
whether
in
the
dawn
of
life.
This
may
be
familiar
to
you.
The
twilight
of
life
or
the
shadows
of
life.
Our
senior
citizens
and
persons
with
disabilities
should
be
cherished
nurtured
and
supported,
and
homelessness
and
affordable
housing
shall
remain
a
priority.
A
A
Civility
and
accountability
are
important,
as
a
former
Jo
auditor
I
hate
to
waste
anything
and
look
forward
to
continued
work
with
our
new
County
Board
auditor
to
find
savings
and
improve
program,
performance
and,
finally,
Arlington
must
continue
to
treat
our
foreign-born
residents
with
the
respect
and
human
dignity
they
deserve.
Our
young
dreamers
deserve
special
attention
and
protection.
I
want
to
reassure
Arlen,
Tony
ins
of
all
stripes,
Hughes
and
homelands
that
Arlington
will
remain
a
welcoming
and
safe
community.
A
We
value
diversity
and
embrace
people's
differences
as
a
source
of
this
community's
strength.
In
conclusion,
the
Washington
Post
recently
referenced
our
common
humanity
as
the
guiding
principle,
the
glue
that
keeps
our
democracy
on
track.
We
have
such
a
common
humanity
right
here.
Arlington
will
continue
to
drive
to
create
a
more
sustainable,
equitable
and
a
healthy
community,
a
community
that
works
and
we'll
do
it
together.
So
thank
you
very
much
and
happy
new
year
k.