►
From YouTube: County Board Wrap-Up: February 2019
Description
ATV's monthly conversation with County Board members on the major issues discussed at February's Board meeting.
February's Topics:
1. FY 2020 Proposed Budget/Advertised Tax Rate
2. Child Care Initiative
3. American Legion-APAH Site Plan, AHIF Loan
4. Mosaic Park construction contract
A
Hello
and
welcome
to
County
Board
wrap-up
I'm,
your
host
Cara
O'donnell
and
we'll
be
talking
today
with
Arlington
County,
Board,
Chair,
Christian
Dorsey,
as
well
as
our
newest
board
member
Matt
differente
about
actions
the
board
took
at
its
February
meeting
and
what
those
actions
mean
for
you,
your
neighborhood
and
our
community
Christian
Matt
welcome
to
county
board
wrap-up.
Let's
dive
right
in
the
manager
presented
the
budget
for
the
fiscal
year
2020.
B
We're
in
a
much
better
place
care
than
we
were
last
November
when
the
manager
started.
Looking
at
preliminary
projections
for
what
the
2020
budget
would
be
at
that
time,
he
was
looking
at
potentially
as
high
as
a
thirty
five
million
dollar
gap,
and
we
didn't
even
know
what
we
were
going
to
get
from
Arlington
Public
Schools.
So
we
were
looking
at
a
really
realistic
scenario
where
we
would
have
to
substantially
cut
County
services
the
things
that
we
all
care
about
that
make
Arlington
function
well,
fortunately,
those
doomsday
scenarios
have
not
materialized.
B
We've
had
better
than
expected
revenue
growth,
primarily
due
to
the
strength
of
the
commercial
sector,
which
we
haven't
been
able
to
say
in
Arlington
for
a
few
years,
and
so
the
manager
was
able
to
put
together
a
budget
that
adhere
to
the
guidance
that
he
got
from.
The
board
last
fall
to
provide
for
the
services
that
we
value
and
that
we
care
about
with
a
possible
raising
of
the
tax
rate
to
accommodate
new
school
programs
that
are
going
to
be
coming
online.
B
A
B
So
the
manager
introduced
his
budget
to
the
world
on
February,
21st
and
then
48
hours
later
we
had
to
advertise
a
tax
rate,
so
the
board
decided
that
we
would
give
ourselves
maximum
flexibility
to
truly
have
a
budget
process
where
we
could
hear
from
the
community
about
their
priorities
and
values,
including
the
public
schools
which
have
not
yet
released
their
budget.
So
we
wanted
to
make
sure
that
we
were
able
to
accommodate
all
particular
needs.
A
C
I'm
fully
hoping
for
that
sort
of
back
and
forth
and
I
think
it's
necessary
I
think
you're
mentioned
Metro
is
a
key
variable
that
we
didn't
quite
have
and
I
think
the
schools
was
a
shared
concern
of
the
entire
board
as
well.
You
want
to
make
sure
you
can
make
the
investments
that
are
necessary,
but
also
bring
down
that
that
tax
rate
so
I
think
it's
really
important
for
folks
to
understand
the
process
here
that
you
said
and
you
advertise
early
and
then
you
have
the
full
discussion
that
is
so
important.
A
B
You
know
no
Amazon
employees
have
set
up
shop
in
Arlington
as
of
yet
and
because
they're
build
out
and
build
out
is
gradual.
We're
really
not
expecting
to
see
any
of
that
impact
on
our
budgets
in
terms
of
positive
revenues
until
fiscal
year
2022.
But
that
said,
a
part
of
the
reason.
This
gap
narrowed
significantly
was
due
to
unexpected
strength
in
the
commercial
real
estate
market.
B
So
we're
already
seeing
some
positive
economic
revenue
signs,
which
are
good
news
for
the
community,
and
you
know
I
recognize
whenever
you
advertise
a
tax
rate
increase,
which
means
more
money
from
people,
that's
something
that
we
don't
do
lightly
for
some
people,
I'm
sure
they're
able
to
accommodate
this
easily
within
their
own
household
budgets
and
for
other
people.
It's
going
to
be
a
Green.
A
B
B
We
do
have
these
work
sessions
which
we'll
be
having
I
think
about
twelve
or
so
over
the
next
two
months
and
those
are
ones
that
the
public
can
participate
in,
but
they
can
learn
more
about
different
department
priorities
within
the
budget
and
then
we
also
have
an
April
second
budget
hearing
where
people
can
come
and
testify
on
budget
items
and
then
in
April.
Fourth
hearing
on
the
tax
rate,
where
people
can
come
and
testify
on
that
and.
C
I
think
there's,
of
course,
the
usual
mechanisms,
there's
open
door
Mondays
and
already
this
morning,
I
had
a
call
with
a
resident
who
had
some
concerns
and
wanted
to
talk
about
the
budget
and
I.
Think
all
of
us
are
open
to
those
conversations
and
in
fact,
look
forward
to
them.
That's
part
of
why
we
want.
We
had
this
period
of
conversations,
so
we
can
hear
everybody's
input
and
then
balance
and
try
and
make
the
best
decisions
for
the
community
as
oh,
no.
A
We'll
be
discussing
this
in
both
March
and
April,
as
we
continue
through
the
process,
but
for
now,
let's
move
on
I
know
the
board
took
some
actions
this
month
on
the
childcare
initiative,
which
is
something
we've
talked
about
for
a
little
while
now,
let's
take
a
step
back
there,
let's
remind
our
viewers.
What
this
initiative
is
looking
to
accomplish,
why
it's
needed
that
kind
of
thing
well,.
C
There's
there's
I've
been
thrilled
to
as
we've
come
on
the
board
to
see
all
the
work
that
my
colleagues
had
done
on
this,
and
certainly
crystal
and
and
Christian
have
done
a
lot
of
work,
but
a
accessibility
and
affordability.
There
are
two
key
issues
and
if
you
look
just
in
the
analysis
that
we
heard
in
the
last
board
meeting
and
over
the
past
month,
Arlington's
costs
are
higher
and
there
are
fewer
slots
available
than
many
of
the
surrounding
communities,
so
I
really
think
and
I
think
Libby
Garvey
mentioned.
C
This
is
sort
of
a
textbook
example
of
the
way
that
things
can
work
it
when
stakeholders
engage
when
the
board
leads
just
to
having
come
together
and
I
am
you
know
this
is
the
first
part
of
a
two-step
process.
It
was
just
the
request
to
advertise
this
time,
but
I
did
think
it
was
a
good
step
forward
and
you've
been
working
on
it
for
some
time.
Yeah.
B
You
know
we
have
this
initiative,
that's
divided
into
different
phases,
so
this
first
phase
was
really
to
look
at
what
are
the
statutory
barriers
that
actually
prevent
more
childcare
slots
becoming
available?
I
mean
you
know
we're
trying
to
get
at
this
issue
of
supply,
and
you
know
I'm
happy
to
say
that
we
were
able
to
uncover
lots
of
potential
capacity
to
add
more
childcare
slots
in
Arlington,
which
will
help
alleviate
the
waiting
lists
and
people
being
shut
out
should
also
will
help
affordability.
B
B
People
who
are
lowest
income
are
obviously
most
affected,
but
we
see
this
reverberate
even
to
higher
income
families
and
and
what
we
see
are
dynamics
where
a
parent
has
to
be
out
of
the
labor
force,
even
though
they
would
like
to
be
in
the
labor
force,
because
childcare
is
so
expensive
and
if
we
can,
we
can
help
with
that.
In
any
way
we
can
unlock
greater
potential
for
for
families
and
for
the
community.
Okay,.
A
C
Know
that's
my
sense
of
you
know,
with
the
specifics
we'll
at
our
next
board
meeting
will
be
taking
up
and
finishing
the
process
with
respect
to
phase
one
but
phase
two
I
believe
is
later
this
year.
You
know
I
think
these
are.
These
can
be
small
adjustments
in
zoning
that
can
that
can
change
from
nine
to
twelve
students,
for
example,
who
can
attend
a
child
care
facility,
but
those
are
very
real
and
I
think
what
you
articulated
christian
is
sort
of,
and
libby
has
described
it
too.
C
A
Welcome
back
I'm,
Kara,
O'donnell,
host
of
County
Board
wrap-up
and
with
me
today
our
County
Board
Chair
Christian
Dorsey,
as
well
as
board
member
Matt
differente,
giving
us
a
little
bit
of
insight
into
the
key
decisions
the
County
Board
took
at
its
February
meeting.
Now,
let's
talk
about
the
American
Legion
site.
Now
the
American
Legion
has
been
on
Washington
Boulevard
for
years.
70.
B
A
B
Know
the
great
thing
is
in
Arlington,
we
always
are
figuring
out
how
to
efficiently
use
our
our
land,
our
limited
land,
it's
our
most
valuable
commodity.
So
in
order
to
make
everything
fit
and
to
actually
create
new
opportunities,
we've
got
to
get
creative
and
I
have
to
say
that
the
American
Legion
and
their
development
partner,
the
Arlington
partnership
for
affordable
housing,
came
up
with
a
great
concept
to
ensure
that
the
Legion
could
continue
to
serve
America's
veterans.
They
had
an
aging
facility
that
would
require
reinvestment
in
order
to
work.
B
That's
a
that's
a
big
lift
for
them,
so
they
brought
in
a
development
partner
who
could
envision
and
create
a
place
for
the
Legion
to
continue,
while
providing
160
units
of,
in
this
case,
affordable
housing,
half
of
which
is
going
to
have
a
veteran's
preference
so
that
we
can
serve
America's
low
in
lower-income
veterans,
people
who
have
given
so
much
to
us
who
we
found
an
innovative
way
to
give
back
to
them.
The
gift
of
an
affordable
home.
Now.
C
C
A
B
There's
actually
been
a
lot
of
public
process
leading
up
to
it
so
before
we
even
got
to
the
position
of
having
a
concrete
proposal
for
what
the
building
should
look
like
and
how
it
should
operate.
We
went
through
what
we
call
a
glup
study
process,
a
general
land
use
study
process
where
we
looked
at
the
entire
site
that
surrounds
the
American
Legion
development
parcel,
which
also
includes
the
YMCA
as
well
as
some
other.
You
know
commercial
strip,
office,
buildings
or
retail
stores,
and
we
looked
at
well.
B
B
This
proposal
for
the
Legion
site,
which
very
much
comported
with
the
plan,
which
is
a
good
thing,
so
the
community
had
already
had
a
chance
to
work
through
many
of
the
big
issues
and
now
this
process,
which
included
I,
think
three
meetings
with
the
community
looking
intensely
at
the
design
and
where
things
would
fit
and
flow,
and
the
surrounding
Street
Network
took
it,
took
a
little
bit
of
time
but
relatively
relatively
smooth,
and
from
this
point
it's
just
a
matter
of
construction
and
we'll
probably
see
this
building
come
online.
A
couple
of
years
from
now.
B
A
C
Sure
did
we
got
input
and
and
I
think
there's
a
real
commitment
to
work
with
the
community
to
seek
to
address
as
many
of
those
concerns
as
possible.
I
also
think
you
know
it's
just
important
to
kind
of
remember
two
components
of
the
project.
One
is
there's
a
lot
of
leveraging
that
is
going
on
we're
putting
in
some
funding,
but
we're
also
seeking
you
know,
they'll
be
funding.
C
That
is
for
this
project
that
will
come
from
the
state
and
then
I
think
it's
important
and
to
just
remember
that
to
prevent
homelessness
serving
that
low-income
households
and
families
that
are
about
have
a
little
more
than
to
be
directly
at
risk
of
homelessness,
but
are
close,
is
something
that
we
have
to
do
so.
I
think
that's
key.
Okay,.
A
B
Those
community
stakeholders
was
really
important
because
there's
some
ways
in
which
this
is
a
much
better
development
than
maybe
it
would
have
been
otherwise.
So
the
location
of
the
garage
where
people
are
going
to
enter
the
building
was
shifted
in
order
to
make
sure
it
was
complementary
to
the
existing
neighborhood
and
then
even
as
cars
exit
that
garage
the
provision
of
a
fence
so
that
headlight
glare
doesn't
actually
shine
into
people's
homes.
B
A
landscaping
plan
that's
going
to
provide
an
appropriate
buffer
between
you
know,
a
single
single
dwelling
use
and
a
multi-family
use
with
Legion
activity
on
the
ground
floor.
There
are
lots
of
ways
in
which
this
has
been
enhanced
and
I.
Think
it's
going
to
be
a
really
harmonious
project
once
it's
all
complete.
A
B
Or
even
thought
about
it,
but
we
are.
We
are
moving
forward
now
with
the
resources
available,
most
of
which
don't
even
come
from
public
funds,
but
come
from
a
transfer
of
development
rights
to
do
a
really
interesting
park.
That's
got
traditional
playground
features,
but
lots
of
casual
use
features
that
will,
as
we
discussed
on
Tuesday
night,
which
will
include
possibilities
for
habitats
for
pollinators
that
are.
B
C
C
B
B
So
you
know
we
we
talk
about
density,
a
lot
in
Arlington
and
sometimes
if
someone
doesn't
build
up
to
their
fullest
allowable
density,
they
still
have
value
in
their
property
and
if
they
commit
not
to
wanting
to
use
that
in
perpetuity,
we
can
transfer
that
density
to
other
appropriate
sites
where
people
may
not
necessarily
have
earned
the
amount
of
density.
They
might
need
to
make
something
work,
but
it's
still
appropriate
with
the
general
plans
for
that
level
of
density
to
to
be
in
place.
B
So
that's
a
tool
that
that
allows
for
actually
real
investments
to
be
made,
and
this
was
a
case
where
the
sale
of
density
rights
enabled
us
to
have
this
park.
That's
going
to
be
available
for
the
wider
bossed
Boston
community,
a
place
where
you
know
you
can't
have
enough
green
space.
So
this
is
a
welcome
addition.
Yeah.
B
C
Story
is
you
know,
this
is
a
lot
of
private
sector
funding.
That
is
an
is
essentially
being
able
to
help
us
here
and
then
there's
also
the
component
that
there
was
some
tweaking
to
bring
this
a
little
down
in
terms
of
the
cost.
And
then
it's
you
know
it's
a
project
in
a
part
of
the
county
where
we
definitely
need
more
parks
and
open
space,
so
as
I
managed
to
find
a
half-hour
a
couple
of
weeks
ago
to
drive
and
see
the
property.
A
We
will
end
it
on
that
note,
and
that
brings
us
to
the
end
of
another
county
board
wrap-up.
Thank
you,
Christian
and
match
for
joining
us
and
walking
us
through
some
of
the
many
items
that
came
before
the
board
at
this
month's
meeting
next
month.
The
board
will
be
considering
the
Amazon
incentives
package
and
a
host
of
other
issues.
Remember
all
of
the
county
board.
Meetings
are
open
to
the
public
and
live
streamed
and
archived
on
our
website.