With Christmas just around the corner, many government offices and services will be closed for the remainder of the week, as employees take Thursday and Friday off for the holiday.

Fairfax County government offices will officially close at noon on Thursday (Dec. 24), and they will be closed for the entirety of Christmas Day.

All county parks and recreation facilities, including golf courses and RECenters, will be closed on Christmas.

However, all RECenters will be open until noon on Christmas Eve, and other facility hours vary that day depending on the specific location.

Reston Association offices, including the Central Services Facility and the Nature House will be closed Wednesday through Friday. No RA news will be distributed on Friday.

Fairfax County libraries will close at 1 p.m. on Thursday for the holiday weekend.

The Town of Herndon is also implementing a new trash and recycling collection schedule through the beginning of the New Year. Government offices in the town will also run on an abridged schedule. Offices will close at noon on Thursday and remain closed on Friday and Jan. 1.

Fairfax County will not provide any trash and recycling collection services on Christmas Day. Customers who typically have their waste collected on Fridays will instead get service on Saturday (Dec. 26). In addition, the county’s recycling and disposal centers at the I-66 Transfer Station (4618 West Ox Rd.) and the I-95 Landfill Complex (9850 Furnace Rd.) will close at 1 p.m. on Dec. 24 and stay closed throughout Dec. 25.

For transit users, Fairfax Connector will operate on Christmas Day according to its Sunday service schedule. Information about specific routes can be found here.

With students on winter break since Monday (Dec. 21), Fairfax County Public Schools has put its meal distribution services on hold starting today through Jan. 1. Yesterday, FCPS offered four days of breakfast and lunch to students who picked up meals at bus stops, and students who used Grab & Go locations or meal kits sites received 14-day meal kits.

Bus route meal distributions will resume on Jan. 4, while distribution at Grab & Go locations and meal kits sites will return on Jan. 5 and 6, respectively.

Photo via Reston Farm Market website

Kids from the area can check out Reston Association’s fleet of big truck at the organization’s annual “Totally Trucks” event in August.

This year’s fun is set for Friday, August 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Central Services Facility. Kids will receive a “Totally Trucks” construction helmet.

A horn-free hour for some trucks will take place between 8:30-9:30 p.m.

The event costs $2 of children between ages two and 12.

File photo

With just more than half of the capital projects completed this year, the Reston Association is already looking ahead to ones for next year.

Senior Capital Projects Operations Manager Chris Schumaker highlighted some of the “key” projects slated for 2019 in a Reston Association video.

Originally developed in 1965, the Hook Road Recreation Area will see architectural and engineering changes. The area, which has remained largely unchanged since tennis and baseball amenities were added in 1973, was identified for major revitalization in 2016 after a review of facility enhancements approved by RA’s Board of Directors.

Bathroom renovations are slated for Lake Newport Pool (11601 Lake Newport Road).

A dredging project will begin for Lake Audubon. Residents were warned in September to avoid the lake after a harmful algae bloom was spotted. The bloom, called Microcystis, can produce toxins that are lethal for livestock, fish, and people. Some toxins have been linked to liver cancer.

Nestled in the woods, the Walker Nature Education Center will receive accessibility improvements.

A little more than half of Reston’s capital projects were finished this year, Schumaker told RA’s board at a meeting last Thursday (Dec. 13).

Finished ones included renovating the Pony Barn, located at the corner of Steeplechase Drive and Triple Crown Road, to include an ADA-accessible parking lot, bathroom and pathway, along with adding concrete flooring to the pavilion and grill station. The project also included a new drainage system and playground.

The Central Services Facility at 12250 Sunset Hills Road had a “major transformation” with new energy efficient windows, a new HVAC and bathroom facilities and improvements for accessibility and security. The building had not been updated since it was built in 1982, Schumaker said.

Dredging was completed for Lake Thoreau this year. “Removing the sediment helps improve the overall health of the lake for many years to come,” Schumaker said.

Some of this year’s projects nearing completion include new flooring, paint, fixtures and lighting in the Glade Room at 11550 Glade Drive and tree removal along the dam at Butler Pond at 1145 Water Pointe Lane.

Photos via Reston Association/YouTube

Columbus Day, a federal holiday that is also a workday for some, is on Monday. Here’s a look at what is open and what is closed for the holiday.

Fairfax County government offices and public schools are closed. Local libraries will also be closed on Monday. No in-person absentee voting will be offered at the Fairfax County Government Center. Reston Association offices, including the Walker Nature Center and Central Services Facility, will also be closed in observance of the holiday.

Reston Community Center Hunters Woods and Lake Anne are open, but check if your individual class or event is scheduled. Fairfax County parks and RECenter are also open.

Meanwhile, Metro will run on a Saturday schedule and Metrobus will operate on a modified Saturday schedule. MetroAccess and paratransit services will operate on a regular schedule.

Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Reston Association’s Central Services Facility staff have removed trees at Glade Tennis Courts (11550 Glade Drive) in order to prevent future damage.

During a March windstorm, two large pine trees fell onto the tennis court, damaging the clay court, court lights and perimeter fencing, according to Ali Khatibi, the manager of the Central Services Facility.

After inspections, arborists determined standing and pine trees posed a threat to public safety. Trees were removed from the court.

On March 2, RA estimated windstorm cleanup could take at least one month. Arborists continue to remove trees from pathways.

“We appreciate your patience during this process,” Khatibi said in a Reston Today video. 

Photo via Reston Association/YouTube

Winter Sky Stargazing on Friday — Join the Walker Nature Center  from 7-8:30 p.m. to learn more about the stars and folklore associated with celestial objects. Individuals, families and couples are welcome. Children must accompanied by a registered adult.  [Reston Association]

Central Services Facility Renovations Continue — In a recent Reston Today video, Garrett Skinner, Reston Association’s director of capital improvement planning and projects, provides an update about renovations to the facility on 12250 Sunset Hills Road. The warehouse facility will be completed by late July. [Reston Today via YouTube]

Reston-based Company Pays $1.7 Million to Settle Overcharged Government Contract — Accenture, which is located in Reston, alerted the government that overcharges were caused by unauthorized purchases of copy toner “surreptitiously” made by a subcontractor on the contract, according to a statement. [U.S. Dept. of Justice]

Flickr pool photo via vantagehill

Environmental testing of Reston Association’s Central Services Facility found the building, which is slated for major renovations, contained asbestos, prompting RA to use $45,000 in unspent, approved dollars to remove the substance prior to demolition.

RA’s Board of Directors will consider the request at a meeting on Thursday. According to the board’s agenda packet, lab results taken throughout the building were positive for asbestos in floor tiles, pipe insulation, sink undercoating, skylights and exterior pipe tar. The cost of the project will cover abatement, air cleaning and follow-up air testing.

“Before full demolition can begin and to ensure the safety of work crews as well as RA staff, an asbestos abatement procedure must be completed,” according to the packet.

The renovation of the Central Services Facility is one of five capital projects put on hold for most of the year. Plans to renovate the 35-year-old building on 12250 Sunset Hills Road have been suggested for nearly three years. The facility is responsible for maintenance and care of Reston’s facilities, including pavilions, community buildings, garden plots and pathways.

The renovation of Reston Association’s Central Services Facility will begin this month, according to a video posted to RA’s video channel this week.

Plans to renovate 35-year-old building on 12250 Sunset Hills Road have been suggested for nearly three years. The facility is responsible for maintenance and care of Reston’s facilities, including pavilions, community buildings, garden plots and pathways. will begin this month.

Mike McNamara, RA’s deputy director of maintenance said construction is expected to last through March of next year. Upgrades are necessary as the facility must manage workforce increases, changes in the scope of work and more staff.

McNamara also said renovations will not impact the facility’s current operations.

“There will be contractors on site but services to the members will definitely not be impacted. Every job and every service that we provide will continue throughout the renovation,” he said.

The project was put on hold in June 2016 when RA’s Board of Directors put the project on pause. In December, the board approved releasing funds to allow staff to estimate the cost of the project. In February this year, the board released an additional $200,000 to begin the architecture and engineering phase of the project.

The project will include the following upgrades:

• bathroom in warehouse building for environmental staff
• additional exit and ADA accessibility for warehouse office area
• replace all windows in main building
• add to bathroom capacity in main building to meet volume needs
• address leaking roof
• improve reception area for staff and RA members
• provide HVAC system for shop area
• install security system
• upgrade LAN connectivity
• provide adequate workspaces
• provide modular training space

Giving his first full report to the Reston Association Board of Directors (video), treasurer and At-Large director Sridhar Ganesan broke down the figures for the first half of 2017.

Among the figures shared by Ganesan was $16.7 million in year-to-date revenue, 86 percent of which ($14.4 million) is from assessments. That number is up from $16.0 million at the same time last year, a change Ganesan attributed to an increased assessment rate from 2016.

One budget item that isn’t bringing in as much money as expected, Ganesan reported, is the Lake House. The facility has brought in about $80,000 as of the end of June, only slightly more than half of what was projected ($150,000).

“As I understand, it’s really because of scheduling conflicts, in terms of programs versus corporate and other rentals,” Ganesan said. “They’re still working through the scheduling issues, but you are going to see this difference flowing throughout the year.”

The Lake House, purchased by RA in 2015 for $2.65 million, is rented out for activities including weddings, corporate functions, retreats, workshops and conferences.

Lake House expenses as of the end of June have been about $126,000, Ganesan said.

“Part of the reason is going to be that a lot of those costs are on a fixed basis, so you really can’t pull them back even if you’re having some revenue challenges,” he said.

RA CEO Cate Fulkerson said programming changes are being considered for next year.

“The current programming hasn’t changed yet [but] we are reflecting some different programming as we go into 2018,” she said. “So there will be some decision points for the Board there, but we’ve adjusted based on our experience in the first six months.”

Later in Thursday’s meeting, a pair of capital projects advanced.

The Board approved the release $1.35 million in remaining project funds for the Central Services Facility renovation, which had been put on hold last year until the controversial Lake House purchase was independently reviewed. In addition, the Board voted to form a Hook Road Recreation Area working group, which will explore ways to enhance the facility within budget constraints set by the Board.

At its meeting Thursday, the Reston Association Board of Directors unanimously approved the release of just over $200,000 in funds previously allocated to the Central Services Facility renovation, to begin the architecture and engineering phase of the project.

According to Garrett Skinner, RA’s capital projects director, the funds will be used to develop detailed design and construction plans, further “value engineer” the project for cost savings, prepare permit application documents, receive detailed construction bids, and prepare the report for the Board of Directors to consider for the project’s next phase.

The project was put on hold in June 2016 when the board recommended such large-scale projects be paused until the Tetra/Lake House independent review was conducted. The board approved in December the release of funds to have staff work with project managers on an updated estimate of project cost.

Before the project was placed on hold, $87,000 was expended in the planning and design phase.

The project will include upgrades to the facility’s main building, shop area and warehouse:

• bathroom in warehouse building for environmental staff
• additional exit and ADA accessibility for warehouse office area
• replace all windows in main building
• add to bathroom capacity in main building to meet volume needs
• address leaking roof
• improve reception area for staff and RA members
• provide HVAC system for shop area
• install security system
• upgrade LAN connectivity
• provide adequate workspaces
• provide modular training space

RA staff says the cost of the project may increase by about 10 percent because it has been on hold, owed to increased demand for construction in the Dulles Corridor and greater Washington region. Skinner said at Thursday’s meeting that staff is “working hard” to try to stay within the projected cost of the renovation, which had been set at $1,553,185.

The Reston Association Board of Directors will consider Thursday releasing $200,000 in funds allocated to the Central Services Facility renovation, which staff says is needed to get the process moving before costs increase further.

Garrett Skinner, RA’s capital projects director, will address the board at its meeting this week on the status of the project. It was put on hold in June when the board recommended such large-scale projects be paused until the Tetra/Lake House independent review was conducted. The remainder of funds allocated in 2016 for the project was carried forward to the 2017 budget.

Costs of the Central Services project, primarily in construction, have increased by about 10 percent because of the delay, according to RA staff. According to notes provided to the board in their agenda packet:

“With the increased demand for construction observed in the Dulles Corridor and greater Washington region, staff is concerned that pricing for labor and materials will continue to increase and requests the Board’s permission to lift the hold on the Architecture and Engineering Project Phase in order to secure AE consultant services to develop detailed construction drawings and permitting documentation needed to officially bid out the construction phase of the project and obtain detailed cost estimates for the Implementation & Construction Phase.”

At the meeting, the board will be asked to “move to release $200,831 of the total $1,553,185 remaining balance for the Central Services Facility renovation project to fund Architecture & Engineering so that the Board can consider Construction Estimates by the end of Q2 2017,” according to the agenda packet.

The budget for consultants on the project includes about $47,000 for architectural work, $50,000 for engineering and $95,000 for project management.

Other items on the agenda for Thursday evening’s meeting include the following:

• A “Proposal for Modified Ad Valorem Assessment Policy” will be presented by At-Large Director Ray Wedell. The proposed policy would replace the current flat-rate assessment for RA members with a formula that Wedell says would be “more fair and equitable to members.”
• The Lake Newport soccer field project, proposed by Reston Soccer, will be available for discussion by members and the board. (In an email to concerned citizens Tuesday, CEO Cate Fulkerson said the RA Board of Directors will not take the project to referendum this spring; however, time will be allowed Thursday for comment because of input recently received from the community.)
• A Conflict of Interest complaint against Director Eve Thompson, filed by Ed Abbott, will be considered.
• The fiscal ramifications of the Reston Transportation Funding Plan to RA itself will be discussed.
• A public hearing will be held on the potential RA membership of the Sunrise Square cluster.
• The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee will present its 2017 Work Plan.
• The Environmental Advisory Committee will present its pedestrian lighting recommendations.
• The 2018-19 budget development calendar will be proposed.

The Reston Association Board of Directors will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at RA Headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive).

Chart showing Central Services Facility renovation consulting costs via Reston Association