Phase two of the Silver Line will officially open on Nov. 15, Metro announced today (Oct. 31).
The long-delayed, 11.4-mile extension will bring six stations through Loudoun County. An opening date has been anticipated for months.
The announcement of the date comes after a kerfuffle between Metro and the Washington Metropolitan Safety Commission on safety approvals and related logistics. Earlier this month, Metro officials said the announcement of opening day was hung up by lack of trains needed to service the project.
The extension starts from the Wiehle-Reston East Metro Station through Loudoun County.
The new stations are located in Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn.
All of the stations — except the station in Reston Town Center and Dulles International Airport — will have commuter parking.
Metro’s Trip Planner will provide updated travel times to and from the six new stations.
A business that’s strictly dedicated to the art of stretching celebrated its grand opening last week in Reston.
Stretch Zone, which describes itself as the world’s first and largest stretching franchise, has opened at North Point Village Center. It’s located at 1468 North Point Village Drive and is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
The “Stretch Zone Method” aims to address flexibility through neurological lens, according to the company’s website.
Here’s more from the company:
This is achieved by dealing with the muscle’s nervous tension (“tonus”) to reach an optimal active range of motion. The goal is not to make a person more “flexible” or “elastic,” but rather enable you to move more functionally by re-establishing a more ideal resting muscle tone. By re-educating the associated nerve-muscle reflex, the Stretch Zone Method® leads to movement becoming easier and more efficient. Customers can sign up for 30-minute practitioner-led stretching sessions.
“The owners chose Reston as a location as they continue to look for strategic spaces around the Virginia area that have a high population density and a terrific sense of community,” a spokesperson for the company told FFXnow.
The roughly 1,000-square-foot studio in Reston celebrated its grand opening last Friday (Oct. 28). Founder Jorden Gold started the business in Miami in 2004 after he saw his grandfather lose mobility to diabetes, and it now has locations around the country.
Nutley Street Roundabout to Open in Vienna — “Beginning during the early morning hours on or about Monday, October 31, the first of two roundabouts on Nutley Street at I-66 will open to traffic as part of the redesigned I-66/Nutley Street Interchange. Drivers traveling to northbound Nutley Street from I-66 East will enter and proceed around the roundabout to go north on Nutley Street.” [VDOT]
Former Commonwealth’s Attorney Dies — “Former Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert F. Horan Jr., who prosecuted virtually every high-profile criminal case in Virginia’s largest county for 40 years — from the ‘Roy Rogers murders’ in 1976, to the abduction of 5-year-old Melissa Brannen in 1991, to the D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo in 2003 — died Friday at his home in the Clifton area. He was 90.” [The Washington Post]
Republican Nominee Chosen for 35th District — “Monique Baroudi will be the GOP nominee taking on Democratic nominee Holly Seibold in the Jan. 10 special election to fill the unexpired term of Del. Mark Keam (D), who resigned in September to accept a job in the Biden administration.” [Sun Gazette/Inside NoVA]
County Dems Call Herndon Sample Ballots “Misleading” — “Calling themselves ‘Herndon Democrats,’ a political action committee unaffiliated with the Fairfax County Democratic Committee is distributing ‘misleading’ sample ballots, according to the Fairfax County Democratic Committee. The sample ballots distributed by the Herndon Democrats PAC are inaccurately indicating a Democratic Party endorsement in the nonpartisan Town of Herndon elections on Nov. 8” [Patch]
Anti-Crime Labels on Car Parts See Results — “There’s some progress to report in Fairfax County’s battle against the theft of catalytic converters — a valuable, yet easy-to-remove part in a car’s emissions system…Police had made arrests since the effort launched in June to engrave identifying information onto the devices.” [WTOP]
Reston Town Center Tower Set for Sale — “Real estate giant Boston Properties Inc. (NYSE:BXP) has a contract to sell The Avant, a luxury multifamily tower at Reston Town Center it built nearly a decade ago, for $141 million…Boston Properties would sell the residential component of the building but continue to own the 26,000-square-foot ground-floor retail component.” [Washington Business Journal]
Police Issue Tickets in Annandale — “Officers from our Motor Squad participated in a Pedestrian High Visibility Enforcement campaign in the Greater Annandale area yesterday…While over 285 tickets were issued, we need your help! Remember to slow down, avoid distractions while walking and driving, and pay extra attention at intersections.” [FCPD/Facebook]
It’s Monday — Possible light rain in the evening and overnight. High of 64 and low of 52. Sunrise at 7:36 am and sunset at 6:11 pm. [Weather.gov]
The demolition of vacated Lake Anne Fellowship House will begin in the first week of November, according to Reston Association.
The work will continue through January of next year of the former fellowship house.
“Residents of the area are advised to be very vigilant while outside the Lake Anne Fellowship building. During this work, there will be additional noise and higher traffic in the area,” RA wrote in its weekly newsletter distribution to the community.
In anticipation of the planned demolition, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department has been using the vacated building — which was previously home to more than 300 older adult residents — as a training location for local fire departments.
The affordable housing nonprofit Enterprise Community Development plans to redevelop the fellowship house after demolition takes place sometime next year.
Over the summer, residents of the fellowship house moved into a brand-new residence across the street, leaving behind the 1970s building that was one of the first high rises and the first affordable senior housing property in Reston.
The new Lake Anne House — located at 11444 North Shore Drive — is a $86 million project spearheaded by ECD and Fellowship Square Foundation.
Live Fairfax is a bi-weekly column exploring Fairfax County. This recurring column is sponsored and written by Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney Associates. Questions? Reach Sharmane at 813-504-4479.
There is so much Halloween fun for all ages this weekend around Fairfax. Here are a few we recommend checking out!
Citylight Fall Festival (October 29) — All-Free Family Festival with Trunk or Treat, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, photo booth, crafts, and so much more. Pumpkin bowling anyone? You definitely don’t want to miss apple cider, kettle corn and doughnuts!
SUP, Witches? Coven Paddle (October 30) — Calling all witches and warlocks. Join us for a flashmob SUP paddle across Lake Anne on Halloween Eve. Wiccan attire is highly encouraged. The coven departs the Lakeside Cluster dock at 2 p.m.
Mosaic Spooktacular (October 30) — From store to store stop by for trick or treating! Shop around FestFarm Farmers Market and get your face painted at the Bienna Singing Princesses glamour tent.
Boo at the Zoo (October 30) — Join Roer’s Zoofari in costume for a fun-filled Halloween! Zookeepers will have Halloween themed enrichment sessions with our animals and creepy crawlies!
Great Falls Spooktacular (October 31) — Dress up the entire family and head to the Village Centre Green and Great Falls Shopping Center to trick-or-treat with their foundation sponsors, local merchants, and community organizations in a safe environment. There’s even a pet parade and costume contest!
Explore Fairfax with Sharmane Medaris of McEnearney.
Sharmane Medaris | Live Fairfax | www.soldbysharmane.com | [email protected] | @soldbysharmane | 813-504-4479 | 374 Maple Avenue Suite 202, Vienna, VA 22180
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Wegmans will officially open its Reston location on Feb 1. at 9 a.m, the grocer announced today.
The 85,000-square-foot store, which is located at the new Halley Rise development at the intersection of Reston Parkway and Sunrise Valley Drive, will include a cafe, coffee shop and The Burger Bar.
“While our opening is still a few months away, we have already met many great applicants and are excited to continue building our team,” wrote Reston Store Manager Katie Sullivan in a statement. “Wegmans is known for being one of the best places to work because we offer opportunities for advancement, flexible scheduling, and competitive pay and benefits packages.”
It’s expected to employ more than 400 people. Currently, a hiring effort is underway for nearly 200 open positions. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply online before the event.
An in-person hiring event is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at The Edmund apartments (2025 Fulton Place).
The grocery store is on the ground floor of The Edmund.
County Prosecutor Often Sough Suspects’ Detention — “Fairfax County’s top prosecutor, who has faced criticism for practices some view as too lenient, released data Wednesday showing that his office recommended people accused of violent crimes be denied bail at 76 percent of hearings but that judges did so only about half the time.” [The Washington Post]
Gummies Linked to Sickness at Fairfax County School — “At least seven students at Liberty Middle School in Fairfax County, Virginia, reported feeling ill after apparently eating Delta 8 THC gummies, the principal of the school said in a letter to families.” [NBC 4]
County School Enrollment Up — “Enrollment in Virginia’s largest school system has increased for the first time since the pandemic, but the number of students attending classes still isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels.” [WTOP]
Nonprofit Kicks Off Gift Campaign — “Britepaths is seeking donations from the community to provide meals and gifts to 265 families across Fairfax County during the upcoming holiday season as part of the Fairfax-based nonprofit’s Holiday Program.” [Reston Patch]
It’s Friday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 57 and low of 42. Sunrise at 7:33 am and sunset at 6:14 pm. [Weather.gov]
The county has officially okayed a new and improved Taco Bell in Reston.
At this week’s Board of Supervisors meeting, officials unanimously gave the green light to demolish the existing Taco Bell on Roger Bacon Drive just off Wiehle Avenue and replace it with a modern version with an additional drive-thru lane. At just over 2,700 square feet, the restaurant will also be slightly larger than the previous iteration.
The go-ahead came on the heels of recommendations from both the staff and the county’s Planning Commission last month.
The Taco Bell that sits there now was first built in the 1980s, according to a presentation made by the applicant at the meeting earlier this week.
Franchise owner Summerwood Corporation bought the site last August with the intention of updating the fast-food restaurant. Aesthetically, it does not align with Taco Bell’s current branding and it’s not conducive to traffic best practices.
It’s in what the county terms a “fast food park” with Taco Bell, McDonald’s, and Pupatella (which used to be a Pizza Hut) all sharing various exits and entrance points. To locals, that block was known as “McTacoHut.”
Concerns were brought up over the summer by the Reston Planning Commission about increased traffic and back-ups that an additional drive-thru lane might bring to that block in Reston.
The report and presentation provided to both the Planning Commission in September and the one made to the Board of Supervisors earlier this week looked to alleviate some of those concerns.
A formal traffic study was conducted that showed that Taco Bell currently contributes about a quarter of the traffic along that section of Roger Beacon Drive during the peak lunchtime rush. It’s estimated that a new modern building and a second drive-thru lane will lead to an increase of about 5% in traffic.
Summerwood is also in discussions with the McDonald’s next door, which shares a one-way drive aisle with Taco Bell, about making it two-ways which could help with traffic flow. Plus, increased signage is being planned which might assist motorists.
An additional drive-thru lane will decrease back-ups by increasing queue capacity to 19 cars, per the applicant.
“This is due to customers increasingly using the drive-thru instead of parking and entering the facility,” said Matt Roberts of Bean Kinney & Korman, on behalf of the applicant. “This is not a new phenomenon that was basically accelerated during the pandemic.”
About 79% of peak-hour transactions are currently happening through the existing, single-lane drive-thru, he also noted.
The new Taco Bell will also have 23 parking spots, “sufficient” bicycle parking, electric vehicle charging stations, LED silver certification, a rainwater garden, and a 12-seat outdoor cafe.
31% of the site will be open space as well, about double what’s required by the county.
With the project now approved by the county, FFXnow has reached out to Summerwood Corporation about a timeline in terms of demolition and construction but has yet to hear back as of publication.
Town of Herndon officials are mulling the town’s first rebranding effort in ten years.
The move — last discussed at a Herndon Town Council meeting earlier this month — comes as phase two of the Silver Line opens by Thanksgiving.
The rebranding package characterized the town as a “next generation small town.”
Mayor Sheila Olem said the placemaking nature of the new Herndon Metro Station provides an opportunity for the town to position itself as a rivaling area to others in the Commonwealth.
“With Metro coming in, it’s the perfect time,” Olem said at the Oct. 19 meeting.
Anne Curtis, the town’s director of communications, said distilling the town’d “distinctive attributes” was key in developing its brand strategy.
Curtis offered the following brand positioning statement:
A next generation small town pulses on the edge of Fairfax County. Turn off the highway and find yourself in a place that welcomes innovators, risk-takers, history seekers and family-keepers. This is where the roots of history help to grow the ideas of tomorrow.
The town’s logo also emphasizes “on” in the visualization of Herndon, with the font connecting “o” to “n.”
But council members concurred that more discussion and research is needed before any changes occur. The proposal was presented in response to the council’s strategy initiatives planning meeting earlier this year.
Vice Mayor Cesar del Aguila suggested that the brand strategy move out of relying on the town’s reputation as a small town.
“There are dollars out there to be had that we should position ourselves to grab,” del Aguila said, noting that the town must put itself on the regional map and move out of a “small town charm mentality.”
The town launched a brand identity development effort in 2012. Consultant Trialogue Studio worked with the town to launch the strategy.
In the most recent effort, the town held five focus groups, more than 20 interviews with key community and corporate leaders, and launched an online survey that yielded 400 responses.
From that effort, town features like “great location, “small town” and “Hispanic,” were salient.
Staff will continue to work on the proposal. A visualization exercise is planned for early next year.
Early Voting Sites Open Today — “Fairfax County will open an additional 13 early voting sites starting Thursday, Oct. 27. In total, there will be 16 voting locations available across the county until the last day to vote early on Nov. 5 at 5 p.m. Early voting began last month starting with three sites open.” [Fairfax County Government]
COVID-19 Vaccine Centers Scale Back Hours — “With COVID-19 vaccines now widely available at pharmacies, urgent care centers and medical providers throughout the community, clinics located at the Government Center and Hyland South County Center are scheduled to scale back their hours of operation. Starting the week of Nov. 7, both vaccination sites will be open for three days each week.” [Fairfax County Government]
Drug Take Back Day Returns — Residents are encouraged to dispose of unused, unwanted and expired medications at the county’s annual Drug Take Back Day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Several drop-off locations are available throughout the county. [Fairfax County Government]
Survey to Help Develop Park Planning Strategy — “The Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) is developing a Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Access Strategy known as PROSA. The PROSA Strategy will provide a framework for equitable access to the park system and will be completed in 2023. Park officials believe the new plan will provide a pathway toward improved park access and a balance of recreational experiences.” [Fairfax County Government]
Company Sells Reston HQ for New Home — “Future Business Leaders of America is leaving its home of 30 years. The organization has sold its former 10,000-square-foot headquarters at 1912 Association Drive in Reston for $4.125 million, and is moving to a lease of an undisclosed size in nearby RTC West.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Thursday — Clear throughout the day. High of 61 and low of 52. Sunrise at 7:32 am and sunset at 6:15 pm. [Weather.gov]
A plan to increase tolls on the Dulles Toll Road and eliminate the option to pay by cash is barreling towards approval next month.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is expected to vote on the toll increase at a Nov. 16 meeting, a spokesperson told FFXnow.
At a meeting late last week, a board committee unanimously approved both proposals. Tolls would generally rise from $3.25 to $4 at the main line plaza and from $1.50 to $2 on ramps. Similar increases are proposed for vehicles with three or more axles.
The change would go into effect after a public comment period closed earlier this year.
The next toll increase is expected in 2028 while the last toll increase happened in 2019.
Staff noted that so me residents opposed the use of tolls for additional costs associated with the Silver Line and the Dulles Metrorail Project.
“While many of the comments oppose the current allocation of responsibility for funding construction of the Dulles Metrorail Project, that allocation reflects policy decisions and agreements made at the federal, state and regional level over many years,” staff wrote in a statement.
The board will also consider collecting an administrative fee for vehicles that choose the pay-by-plate payment option. The fee — $1.60 per transaction– is not intended to generate any revenue.
The move comes after MWAA transitions from cash payments and moves towards payment via E-ZPass and mobile applications. Residents will have 30 days to pay the toll.
If approved, both proposals would go into effect on Jan. 1.
As the county officially approves paying an additional $40 million to finish the Silver Line Phase II, fare evasion continues to irk supervisors.
At yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, the county followed through on the transportation committee’s recommendation last month to pay an additional $40.25 million to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) for the completion of the Silver Line Phase II.
As noted at the Sept. transportation committee meeting, the board didn’t have much choice in the matter. In July, MWAA agreed to increase the budget for the extension by $250 million which will be largely shouldered by Dulles Toll Road users. Because the original project agreement calls for Fairfax County to pay about 16% of the overage, the county owed an additional $40.25 million.
Last month, Board Chair Jeff McKay expressed his frustration about paying even more money for the much-delayed project but noted that it was a “requirement” and the county didn’t have the flexibility to not pay it “without significant negative consequences.”
At yesterday’s meeting, though, McKay struck a slightly different tone by focusing on the Silver Line Phase II’s potential to be a “game-changer” for the region.
“We can’t understate the importance of this project to the long-term success of Fairfax County,” McKay said. “It’s a major milestone.”
There remains no set date for when the line will be ready for riders, though Metro confirmed to FFXnow yesterday that it’s on track to open by Thanksgiving with the go-ahead to add more trains.
The supervisors also took a few moments at this week’s meeting to discuss Metro’s plans to stop fare evasion. Earlier this month, Metro announced it was ramping up enforcement and will be testing new station fare gates that are more difficult to jump over.
Metro estimates that fare evasion has cost the agency about $40 million this year, or nearly a quarter of its budget gap.
Several supervisors noted that they were pleased there was finally movement on better enforcement of fare evasion. Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn said there are certainly “equity issues” when it comes to enforcement, but “it has to be a level playing field.”
However, Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust called fare evasion the “least of [Metro’s] challenges” in terms of securing long-term funding for a system that could be facing a $500 million funding gap next year.
“They need a plan that goes way beyond [dealing] with fare evasion,” said Foust.
A Dive into the World’s Data Center Capital — “Most people don’t give data centers a second thought — or even know what they are — until one affects their lives. In Northern Virginia, though, a lot of people do a lot of thinking about data centers.” [WTOP]
County Seeks Proposals for Land Use — “Fairfax County is now accepting nominations or proposals for land-use changes within the county to give people a more hands-on approach to shaping land use. ccording to a news release, the site-specific plan amendment process allows people to propose a land use change in the county’s comprehensive plan.” [Inside NOVA]
Reston Steakhouse to Open Nov.1 — “Renowned chef and restauranteur Steve DiFillippo’s will be celebrating the debut of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse at Reston Station with a grand opening event on Monday, Nov. 1.” [Patch]
New FCPS Superintendent Fields Questions — “Michelle Reid, the new superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, met with students and families Wednesday night at the McLean Community Center where she took questions on a variety of school-related topics, including planned renovations at McLean High School.” [Patch]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 67 and low of 58. Sunrise at 7:31 am and sunset at 6:17 pm. [Weather.gov]
Phase II of the Silver Line is still on track for opening by Thanksgiving, according to a Metro spokesperson.
The news comes after a key hang-up for the opening of nearly 11-mile extension — the need for more trains — was resolved today (Tuesday) after the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission announced its approval of Metro’s plan to bring back more its 7000-series trains.
Metro’s General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke welcome the approval of its plan — although an exact opening date still remains elusive. Last week, Metro announced it hoped to open in time for Thanksgiving travel.
“With this approval and close collaboration on the Silver Line extension safety report, Metro will be able to set an opening date in the near future,” Clarke wrote in a statement.
Several safety issues and approvals are still needed.
In a statement last week, Metro said it was awaiting the WMSC’s approval of its return to service plan and disagreed with the commission’s methodology to determine the safety of the trains. At the time, Metro anticipated opening in time for Thanksgiving travel.
In an Oct. 17 letter to Metro, WMSC’s deputy CEO and Sharmila Samarsinghe said that its previous plan was not supported by “available safety information.” Those issues have now been largely resolved.
But the WMSC still needs to complete its concurrence of the project. Metro is still working through a number of open items to obtain WMSC’s concurrence the project, a WMSC spokesperson said.
Final approvals from the Federal Transit Administration are also needed.
More from WMSC on the technicalities of the approval to the overall return to service plan, after the jump:
The plan includes specific data collection and analysis related to vehicles and vehicle-track interaction including continued use of the Metrorail Vehicle and Track Working Group established under the September 2, 2022 plan revision to address engineering recommendations and suggestions previously identified by Metrorail, any additional information from the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) derailment investigation, and other Metrorail data including known wheel migration. This step is followed by future phases that would, if supported by the available data, include the use of cars with low tonnage axles on all lines, followed by an adjustment of the back-to-back and journal bearing inspection interval for all 7000 Series cars from after every four consecutive service days to every seven days.
The mitigations in the revised plan reflect currently known data including that wheel migration has been identified on more than 80 7000 Series axles since 2017 (including through the current inspection procedure); that those trains in passenger use under Metrorail’s May 19 and subsequent Return to Service Plans to this point were selected from a specific group of 7000 Series cars; that Metrorail has generally not run cars with low press tonnage axles in non-passenger service to any significant degree for the last six months; that available information continues to suggest there are multiple contributing factors to this wheel migration on 7000 Series cars, including factors that could differ across similar elements of the Metrorail system; and that wheel migration remains under investigation.
Metrorail will continue adjustments that have been made to referenced documents, training, and inspection-related systems that reflect lessons learned and implementation challenges that have been identified due to the WMSC’s ongoing oversight.
The Fairfax County School Board passed a resolution on inclusive education at its meeting Thursday (Oct. 20), leaving aside an earlier version that included references to social justice, equity and antiracism.
The 7-4 vote came with much back and forth about topics including board procedure and the resolution’s timeline.
The four members who voted against the amended resolution — Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson, Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren and members-at-large Abrar Omeish and Karen Keys-Gamarra — had expressed support for its original iteration. Providence District Representative Karl Frisch was not at the meeting.
As passed, the resolution affirms the county’s support for teachers and administrators when it comes to “inclusive curriculum and instruction.” The resolution is symbolic and does not change county policy.
“….the School Board commits to protect and support teachers and administrators as they deliver FCPS-approved curriculum and classroom resources that are inclusive, and meet the high aspirations of our students, families, and the Fairfax County community.”
Amendments also left out a reference to “recent events” that have “caused many FCPS educators and school-based administrators to fear that implementing these necessary curricular improvements could lead to personal or professional harm,” according to the text of the original resolution.
Anderson, who introduced the original resolution, said the amended version would not adequately support teachers and cited the removal of the words truth, antiracist, equity and justice as among the reasons she would not support it.
“There are some essential components that are missing from the version being provided that I just cannot support not including in this kind of resolution,” she said.
The school board’s student representative, Michele Togbe, opposed the amendments.
“Amending it to the weak and hollow statements and words, where originally it was strong and clear, it doesn’t make sense to me, and I don’t see the progress that can be made by going forward with it,” Togbe said.
Dranesville District Representative Elaine Tholen, who brought the amendment with Braddock District Representative Megan McLaughlin, said she believed the amended version was “more inclusive of our board member views and less divisive for our broad community.”
Tholen added that she thought the message of support for educators should have been conveyed with “a simple statement,” but maintained the resolution format.
While the resolution is symbolic, the board has a controversial issues policy that outlines guidelines for administrators, teachers and students dealing with controversial topics. That policy, mentioned in the amended resolution, has been discussed at multiple governance committee meetings this calendar year, according to minutes from those meetings.
After the revision passed, several people spoke about the resolution during the community participation portion of the meeting. These included representatives from Free and Antiracist Minds (FAM) and the Fairfax County Council PTA, two of the many advocacy organizations Anderson said had been involved with the original resolution.
The amended resolution “was a great way of not having to vote no but also completely undermining the substance of the actual message,” said Kweli Zukeri, representing FAM. FAM called the vote a “craven display of systemic racism” in an Oct. 21 press release.
In a video testimony, Kara Danner, a member of the FCCPTA’s executive board, said the organization supported the original resolution for the sake of students’ mental health.
Other speakers accused the board of having political motivations and questioned its priorities.
Board chair and member-at-large Rachna Sizemore Heizer said she was glad to have the resolution to support teachers, but looked ahead before adjourning the meeting.
“At the end of the day I’m excited to get into budget season and looking at our strategic plan, because that’s really where we show our values,” she said.
