Voting in the 2022 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 1. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online. All races are uncontested, but a 10-percent quorum must be met.

Featured here is Irwin Flashman, who is running for Lake Anne/Tall Oaks District Director With the exception of minor formatting edits, profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. 

How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?

My wife and I moved to Reston in 2009.  I had lived in Puerto Rico for forty years and we were looking for a place to live following my retirement.  We took several trips to the Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia area.  One of my friends mentioned Reston to us.  We visited and were attracted by its environment, its lovely treed setting and wooded areas, its trails, lakes and streams.  The availability of many facilities in the area and its proximity to Washington, D.C. were clear pluses.  

What inspired you to run for the board? 

In 2013, the RA Board proposed trading RA land for other land that would be useless to it.  I went before the Board and explained in detail my reasons for opposing the proposal.  The Board did not change its mind.  Since then, I have followed the Board’s and several committees’ activities closely.  I served on the Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) for 9 years, 6 of them as its Vice Chair.  I have also supported candidates running for the Board.  This time, some friends urged me to run for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks seat and thus become a full participant.  I agreed that by being on the Board I could do more than by commenting at its meetings for three minutes.

What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston and what do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?

The preservation and enhancement of Reston’s environment is paramount, especially in the face of the existential challenge presented by climate change.  It is well past time for Reston to take the environment and climate change fully into account as it considers its actions.  Additionally, RA needs to minimize its contribution to climate change by becoming energy conservation conscious and avoiding the production of CO2.  Among other things, RA can plan to convert its fleet of vehicles to electric vehicles over the next few years.  Of course, the preservation of the open space is an essential part of this approach, not only of RA land, but also the land of the two golf courses that have been dedicated as such since the inception of Reston.

Another point of concern is the protection of RA’s interests in the Reston Comprehensive Plan, whose draft revision is currently being finished up and will be placed before the public for comment.  Due recognition of RA’s contribution to recreational facilities and amenities, including its trails, should be given in the Plan.  New developments already constructed and to be constructed, especially in the TSA, should be encouraged to join RA and participate fully as members.  Additionally, the County should provide that some portion of the proffers from developers should be granted to RA for the continued maintenance and creation of adequate facilities which are and will be used by the residents of these new housing units.  The growth contemplated for Reston should be accompanied by adequate and timely infrastructure to meet the increasing demands from that growth.  At the same time, the characteristics which make Reston Reston should be preserved.

The third issue is the need for greater transparency from the Board.  RA is a membership organization.  Its obligations are to protect and enhance the value of real property covered under the Deed, as well as to maintain it, the recreational facilities and common areas for the benefit and use primarily of its members, and to promote the peace, health, comfort, safety and general welfare of its members.  To do so, the Board needs to have consistent and meaningful two way communication with the RA membership.  The Board has done this at a basic level, but on some matters, it has been less than open.  It can improve its transparency by keeping the membership timely apprised of not only the good things it does, but also of the issues which arise and present problems.           

I want to work with other members of the Board to address these concerns in meaningful ways for the benefit of the membership.

How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?

During my service on the EAC, it evolved into a group with expertise in many areas.  This resulted in the creation of the Reston Association State of the Environment Report (RASER) and the later inclusion in it of an initially separate report on Climate Change.  The report examines impacts on Reston, and ways to reduce its contribution to and enhance its resilience to climate change.  This experience and knowledge will assist me making things happen regarding the first item of concern noted above.  I have over many years closely followed the Board’s and some of the committees’ work and am aware of how things get done or not.  I have been on other membership corporation boards.  Communication is a basic element of getting things done.  I am aware of the importance of good clear communication, not only with Board members, but also with the RA members.  I will listen to the members from my district and keep their concerns in mind while looking for solutions to the issues they may bring to the fore.   

Photo via Reston Association

Voting in the 2022 Reston Association Board of Directors election will run from March 1 through April 1. This week, we will begin posting profiles on each of the candidates. The complete election schedule is available online. All races are uncontested, but a 10 percent quorum must be met.

Featured here is Glenn Small, who is running for an at-large seat. The profiles are in a Q-and-A format. With the exception of minor formatting edits, profiles are published in unedited form. Each candidate had an opportunity to answer the same questions in their own words. 

How long have you lived in Reston? What brought you here?
I have lived in Reston since 2007, the year my wife and I got married and bought a home here. My wife grew up in Reston and teaches at South Lakes High School. Even before we bought our home, we enjoyed the pools, tennis courts and trails of Reston.

What inspired you to run for the board? (Note: If you are currently on the board or have held a previous position on the board, emphasize why you are running again). 

I suppose the idea for running and potentially serving on the RA Board had been brewing for some time, with just the thought that the RA Board has a tough job with many new and ongoing challenges and serving on the Board is a way of giving back to this great community. I decided to run after seeing that it looked like there was a need for qualified candidates this election cycle.

What are three of the biggest concerns you have for Reston?

My concerns align with my goals which include: 1) Understanding the fiscal challenges of RA and working to help address them, such as aging infrastructure; 2) Promoting outreach and transparency to our membership, seeking to engage and involve more of our members in using and benefiting from RA and Reston but also in serving the community; 3) Identifying ways to protect recreational and open space.

If elected, I will bring an experienced, common-sense approach, first seeking to understand more deeply how RA operates, and then identifying ways to be helpful while respecting others and looking for ways to involve and include the most perspectives to help drive us to better decisions and better plans that will serve all of us.

What do you hope to accomplish by being on the board?

My overall goal is to get immersed in the board to understand more specifically what the current and future challenges are and then to be a voice for helping to address those challenges. The more we involve people and a diversity of perspectives in our problem-solving approaches, the better and more sustainable will be our solutions. That’s the kind of mindset and approach I would bring to serving on the board.

How will your personal or professional experience help you in your role with RA?

As a consulting executive and business owner, I work with non-profit universities and colleges to help them achieve transformational change in rethinking and reimplementing systems and processes to serve their constituents. As an RA Board member, I would bring the skills and perspectives of improving operations and identifying and resolving our toughest challenges, keeping our members’ interests top of mind. My approach will be active and engaged, always seeking to understand and address our members concerns.

Photo via Glenn Small

All three open seats for Reston Association’s Board of Directors are uncontested races this year. The month-long election for the organization’s nine-member board will be held next month.

Despite the lack of competition in the races, RA requires a 10 percent quorum to validate election results.

Glenn Small is running for an at-large director position. Irwin Flashman is running for the Lake Anne/Tall Oaks district director while Laurie Dodd is running for the North Point district director. All three positions are for a three-year term.

Dodd, who has lived in Reston for 26 years, has served on a variety of boards and community organizations, including Reston Community Center and the Reston Swim Team Association. She also ran unsuccessfully for Hunter Mill District Supervisor in 2019. Professionally, she is a child advocate attorney.

Her top goals include fiscal responsibility, member engagement and environmental sustainability.

“I hope to use my commitment to the community, ability to work with a wide range of people, and optimism to bring Reston Association forward while upholding our quality of life,” Dodd wrote in a candidate statement submitted to RA.

Flashman moved to Reston after launching serving at an environmental law practice in Puerto Rico. He was recognized as volunteer of the year in the 55+ category by RA.  He hopes to prioritize board transparency, increased community with members, environmental issues and fiscal responsibility.

“The board should be upfront with the membership. It is the members’ money,” Flashman wrote in a statement.

Small, a former journalist and current consulting executive, said he works with nonprofit universities and colleges to achieve transformational change. His goals include understanding RA’s fiscal challenges, promoting outreach for RA’s members and identifying ways to protect recreational and open space.

“If elected, I believe I would bring an experienced, common-sense approach, first seeking to understand more deeply how RA operates, and then identifying ways to be helpful while respecting others and looking for ways to involve and include the most perspectives to help drive us to better decisions and better plans that will serve all of us.” Small wrote in a statement.

An online ballot will be posted on RA’s website at 5 p.m. on March 1. Members can also submit mail-in ballots.

Consulting firm Baker Tilly has been conducting a nationwide search for Reston Association’s next CEO, advertising the position with an annual salary as potentially in the mid-$200,000s.

The recreational services organization has been using an interim CEO following the resignation of Hank Lynch in September.

Lynch, hired in 2018, left for a position as CEO with the San Francisco-based nonprofit WildAid, which seeks to protect wildlife.

To help with finding his replacement, the board approved creating a search committee in August with four then-yet-to-be-named members. But following advice from Baker Tilly, the Chicago-headquartered firm hired by RA, the board rescinded that motion in December, RA communications director Mike Leone wrote in an email.

The position has been marketed with a recruitment brochure that describes the position, community and organization. Baker Tilly created it, RA staff and the board of directors provided input, and the board ultimately approved it, the organization says.

A job posting listed the deadline to apply as Monday, Jan. 10.

Meanwhile, Baker Tilly is looking for feedback from RA members about what they would want in the next CEO. An online survey is available through Jan. 21 at 5 p.m.

“Survey results will be compiled and shared with the RA Board of Directors,” the survey says. “The Board of Directors will consider this information in the evaluation and selection of top candidates and in structuring a competitive interview process.”

The eight-question survey asks for information such as what experience and expertise the board should prioritize in making its selection, what leadership qualities the candidate should have and what areas should the next CEO be prepared to address, such as environmental issues, board governance, establishing community partnerships, engaging members and financial sustainability.

Based on members’ preferences, Baker Tilly will screen applicants and forward selected candidates to the board for consideration — as an interview schedule will be set up.

Arrests Made in Online Predator Sting — Ten men have been arrested in sting operations intended to identify predators who use the Internet to exploit children. The arrests were made since Dec. 23. [Sun Gazette]

Reston Association to Hold Special Meeting — The association’s Board of Directors will meet with its information technology committee on Jan. 5 to discuss IT-related matters. The meeting takes place via Zoom and starts at 6:30 p.m. [RA]

Local Organizations Given Funding for Afghan Resettlement — The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia has awarded $60,000 in grants to six local organizations to help resettle Afghans. Awardees include Herndon-Reston FISH, Inc. and the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia. [The Connection]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Reston Association‘s Board of Directors has approved its 2022 budget and an increased yearly assessment fee.

During the board’s Nov. 18 meeting, it approved a 2022 budget of $19,833,717 and an increase of the annual assessment from $718 to $740.

The decision came after public hearings on Oct. 13 and Nov. 10 to discuss the budget, and a board approved motion on Oct. 28 to defer Barton Hill tennis court upgrades to the 2023 budget. The initial proposed assessment fee increase was for 6% to $764.

The motions approved by the board included the reallocation of $195,667 earmarked for the Lake Newport tennis project to the Reserve, Repair and Replacement Fund, and the reallocation of $435,000 in positive variances from previous capital budgets to the 2022-2023 capital budget. The board also approved utilizing $500,000 of existing operating funds to fund the 2022-2023 capital budget.

Several personnel moves are included in the budget’s coverage. Those include two new positions, the director of environmental resources and a capital projects manager.

The budget also includes a 3.5% performance-based merit increase which was approved during a Nov. 10 special meeting of the board. About two-thirds of the operating costs are personnel, and merit increases were frozen this year. However, acting CEO Larry Butler previously suggested that the merit increases would help retain RA staff.

The board identified several key drivers in non-personnel costs as well. Included was an approximate $100,000 increase due to inflation across building materials and supplies, and an increase in accounting services due to anticipated higher credit card expenses.

There is an expected reduction of printing and advertising costs due to greater utilization of digital media for communications, and election expenses are also dropping as costs are not expected to be as high.

A couple of notable projects lined up for 2022 include the Lake Thoreau Pool renovations and the beginning the refurbishment of Shadowood Pool.

All Adults Eligible for Booster Shot — Any adult who received a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least six months earlier is eligible to receive a booster dose. The recommendations come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded the eligibility criteria for both vaccines. [Fairfax County Government]

Reston Board Adopts New Budget — Reston Association’s Board of Directors has approved a $19.8 million budget for 2022. The assessment was set at $740. [RA]

Local Ways to Give This Holiday Season — Local residents can embrace the spirit of giving this holiday season by donating toys, clothes, gift cards, and more. Options in the county include toys for tots by the fire and rescue department and the Reston Winter Coat Closet. [Fairfax County Government]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

A fee for new property purchases in Reston could increase from $311 to $353.

Reston Association’s Board of Directors is slated to vote on the matter this Thursday (Nov. 18) at a regular meeting. It involves the so-called “Transfer Fee,” a one-time cost paid by a person buying a property.

The fee can be credited to a property owner’s annual assessment fee if certain conditions are met, where the homebuyer is a Reston Association resident buying a new property and selling their current one.

RA projects the change would generate an additional $45,000 in revenue next year.

It comes as the association prepares to pass its upcoming budget, which has proposed an increase in its annual assessment from $718 to $735. The board could approve that change, too, during the Nov. 18 meeting.

The fee was created in 2006, and RA staff recommended the change as the association sought to reduce the proposed assessment fee increase for the upcoming year.

The Reston Association could increase a yearly assessment fee from $718 by 2.3% or $17.

The increase is in a third budget draft that the association’s board of directors is considering amid a public hearing at 7 tonight. The board could approve the final budget and 2022 assessment at its Nov. 18 regular meeting next week.

The board has been working on the 2022-2023 budget and the association’s annual capital projects. Acting CEO Larry Butler has called for a 3% performance-based merit increase as well as raising salaries for dozens of workers based on a 2019 study to the bottom of their pay ranges. Most of those affected staff would make less than $60,000 with the changes. The third draft also calls for creating two new positions: a senior environmental position and a capital projects manager. The latest proposal also removes three new positions that were being considered.

Around two-thirds of the service organization’s operating costs are personnel, and Butler has suggested that merit increases, which were freezed this year, would help retain the organization staff consisting of around 100 full-timers. High-profile departures affecting its CEO and directors of information technology and human resources have occurred in recent months.

On top of those salary changes and staffing issues, a line item for assessment revenue contains some nuances. For 2021, RA’s 21,230 units is generating around $15.2 million. With a potential assessment fee of $735 and the association identifying 21,350 units for 2022, the yearly assessment revenue would generate just under $15.7 million. But instead of using that figure, budget drafts have listed over $17 million in assessment revenue for 2022.

RA staff said the upcoming budget proposes the use of operating surplus from 2020 and 2021 for the 2022 assessment as well as funds from canceled or reassigned capital projects.

“Fundamentally we are utilizing resources already received from the membership to keep the assessment lower,” RA staff told Reston Now.

The third draft also calls for pushing the Barton Hill tennis renovation and lighting project to 2023 but has planning/engineering money for the project in 2022. The Glade clay tennis renovation project was moved from 2023 to 2022.

Capital project costs also include $1.75 million for Lake Thoreau pool in 2022 and $1.3 million for Shadowood pool in 2023.

Plans to replace Shadowood pool with a different use or new facility are officially out the door.

A community survey found that most residents want Reston Association to upgrade and renovate the aging pool, which has been closed because major repairs are needed.

“The general conclusion is that the community wants to keep the pool,” said committee  member John Farrell.

A resounding 77 percent of the survey’s 467 respondents said they want the pool to reopen as or with renovations. Respondents also want RA to clean up the pool — debris and pine needs often float at the surface — and improve its curb appeal. Other options for improvements include ensuring there’s enough area for shade and sun and adding lap lanes.

At a board meeting last week, RA’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion directing staff to begin preliminary engineering and feasibility studies for the renovation project.

A tentative completion date for the renovation project was set for the summer of 2023. Board member Caren Anton cautioned that this date was an estimate.

In September, RA courted public input on the future of the pool and recreation area. The pool is one of four pools that are on the bill for repurposing because of low usage.

The board and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee have also discussed the issue. Board members lauded parks and recreation staff for what they said was extensive outreach.

Outreach was conducted by volunteers and staff, not data analysis or professional researchers.

The discussion follows a long-anticipated evaluation of RA’s recreational facilities. The study by the Recreational Facility Work Group found a major increase in funding is needed to address capital improvement work at decades-old facilities.

A motion by board member Sarah Selvaraj-D’souza directing staff to move the project forward was unanimously approved by the board Thursday.

RA has been sitting on the funds in order to ensure adequate opportunity for community feedback was afforded, said acting CEO Larry Butler.

Selvaraj-D’souza noted that money has already been allocated in the 2021 budget and also wrapped into current budget talks.

“Just a repair will not really hold us through,” she said.

Early last month, Larry Butler took over as the acting chief executive operator of the Reston Association (RA) after Hank Lynch resigned from the position.

Butler, a long-time employee of RA, was formerly the chief operating officer nd actually was the acting CEO once before, prior to the hiring of Lynch in 2018.

All of this is to say that Butler understands RA and the challenges that come with running one of the largest community associations in the country.

It’s also a complicated time for RA, with the organization in the midst of budget season, possibly increasing assessments, cutting capital projects, and still dealing with the effects of the pandemic.

Reston Now spoke with Butler via phone last week to discuss assessments, community engagement, pools, budget, and a timeline for hiring a new permanent CEO.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Reston Now (RN): Since you took over as acting CEO in early September, what’s been taking most of your time? What have been the challenges so far? 

Larry Butler: What’s taking the most time is working through the budget process, which is always time consuming. The key part there is trying to get a [grasp] from the broader community on what the priorities are for the coming year. There’s obviously a lot of opinions on what those priorities should be and how we fund those priorities. 

RN: And what have you heard from the community so far? 

LB: Not as much as we would have liked. I would have thought we have had more people participating in the September board meeting. We’ve had listening and work sessions… and very, very few members are jumping on that. 

We do a pretty good job of getting information out there. One person [told me] maybe that means people are okay with the job that RA is doing in the community. Maybe that leads to some apathy, at least regarding the budget. 

RN: In terms of the budget, an assessment increase is being considered. Why is that and is there any way to avoid it? 

LB: We are a staff-driven organization, a service organization. Whether that is our central service facility, taking care of all of our myriad facilities throughout the community, or our programing staff and intelligence, we are staff-driven. What I’ve put into the budget draft is a 3% merit pool increase because there was no merit increase in 2021. I feel strongly that’s a very important thing. It’s a very difficult job market right now. 

Insurance costs are also going up, that’s something we must absolutely pay for. There’ll be three new positions as well. We’re going to be adding into the next budget draft a senior environmental position at the RA Board’s direction. We are currently operating without three of our senior leadership team. We don’t have a CEO, our IT director resigned, and October 20 is the last day for our director of Human Resources. There’s also inflation. 

One of our considerations to help offset these costs and increasing assessments… is looking at our fiscal position in terms of the repair and replacement fund as well as some operating surplus going forward in 2022, as well as possibly 2023. 

RN: If assessments do increase, how does that impact the affordability of living in Reston? There’s been some discussion about working with the Friends of Reston on providing help to those who can’t afford the assessments. 

LB: We haven’t fully fleshed out how that could work yet. It’s a difficult situation because when one buys into or even rents in Reston, it’s contractual in nature. We don’t have the ability in our governing documents to afford relief. We’ll have more discussion about it, certainly with the Friends of Reston. The difficulty there too is that there’s limited funding there as well. We may be able to assist a handful of people, but not hundreds. 

RN: There’s been a lot of talk about capital improvement projects, renovations, and possibly “repurposing” of pools. Where is the discussion currently at with that and how is a decision made on that? 

LB: In terms of big projects, we are not in much different position than in years past. But, sure, none have been like Lake Thoreau Pool, which is much more complicated because it’s next to a lake… that will be the biggest capital project we’ve ever done in terms of cost. 

In terms of smaller projects on pools and tennis courts, what we are finding now is that it makes more sense if you are going to go spend a [few] hundred thousands of dollars on a pool, that might be a time to rethink the shape. Or could it be something else? I think we’ve done a really good job of managing that and managing the expectations. 

Anytime you bring up the notion of closing recreation facilities, whether it’s a pool or a tennis court, you get a lot of input. Those four pools [being considered for repurposing] have historically really low usage, but cost is the same to maintain and repair. We’ve heard a lot from those [communities] around those four pools. It’s really about starting a conversation about what’s possible.

In the end, if that conversation leads to we would like our pool exactly the way it is, so be it. That’s what we will program for and budget for. It was really just to get that conversation on the table. 

RN: What’s the status update on the process of finding a new permanent CEO? 

We are finalizing the contract with the search firm. Hopefully, that will be done [soon]. The search firm will be putting together a profile based upon input from the RA board… like what skill sets, traits, and experiences are wanted. Then, we will kick it off in earnest. 

There’s not an established timeline, at least not until the board meets with the search firm. Typically, a search like this could take four to five months. 

RN: Any last thoughts you’d like to share? 

LB: We have public hearings on the budget coming up on October 13 and November 10. It would be great to have people come out and share their thoughts. 

We know people are so busy and they get most engaged when something impacts them really close to their homes, like the pool discussion, but talking about the more nebulous things that don’t impact them exactly where they live, it’s harder for them to get excited about that. 

Following COVID-19’s effects on the wedding industry, Reston Association expects its Lake House amenity — a venue especially geared toward wedding events — will become more of a destination spot in coming years.

The community building — like other wedding and event venues — had revenue “significantly impacted” in 2020 but could bring in over $135,000 this year, according to the association. But it comes after RA has sunk millions of dollars into the property.

A wedding expo on Nov. 7 looks to feature the venue as well as vendors in the greater Washington area that offer entertainment, catering, bridal fashions, photography and cakes.

“The Wedding Expo is an opportunity to showcase The Lake House to not only Reston Association members but also others from the DMV looking to book their wedding or celebration at a beautiful lake view venue,” RA spokesperson Mike Leone said in a statement.

No new capital expenditures are planning in upcoming years, according to a capital projects plan; a dock could be added, but there are currently no plans to do so, Leone also stated.

RA projects operating revenues to increase to $185,000 in 2022 and $195,000 in 2023, according to a budget draft, while the association seeks to reduce costs to around $39,100 and $40,600 for those years.

The capital projects plan, which was presented last month and runs from 2022-2026, notes the following:

The Lake House, which was built in 1983, purchased by RA in 2015, and then renovated in 2015, facilitates as a community rental building for RA. The 3.47-acre property … is located immediately adjacent to Lake Newport and offers lakeside views to members and guests. It is ideally suited for small to mid-sized weddings and celebrations, corporate functions, workshops, conferences, and private functions with a capacity size of 145 people. … Future plans for this facility include the addition of a dock extending from the covered deck into Lake Newport, an event tent, and a dedicated public address system.

The facility has drawn controversy throughout the years after the association bought it for $2.6 million in 2015 and repairs were three times more than expected, leading to an independent review of the asset.

The RA Board of Director could pursue the dock addition in upcoming budgets, though, including the current budget.

A first public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Wednesday, followed by meetings on the process throughout October before a second public hearing on Nov. 10.

The board is slated to approved the budget and set the assessment for 2022 on Nov. 18.

Reston Association is considering a plan to improve the tennis courts at Barton Hill. Built in 1985, the courts suffer from major cracks along the concrete. In 2000, a proposal to cover and light the four unlit courts never materialized.

Since then, RA repaired and color-coated the courts in 2011 and 2017. The board is considering either a soft or hardcover for the court, lighting, and additional improvements.

At a Sept. 23 board meeting, staff presented two options — a single-phase option where all the work would be completed at one time — and a two-phase option in which lightning and court improvements would be followed by a cover five years later.

Chris Schumaker, RA’s capital projects director, recommended the association’s Board of Directors at a recent board meeting favor the single-phase option, which he said was cheaper and caused less disruption for users. Costs for covers linger between $1.4 to 2 million while installing lights and a refurbished court would cost between $720,000 and $895,000.

A recent geotechnical study on the courts found that the courts have been overplayed with asphalt several times in the past — creating upwards of four layers and resulting in reflective cracking.

RA is currently in the thick of developing its 2022 budget, which could include a six percent increase next year’s assessment. Discussions on the budget are currently underway and a draft budget is expected to be released by Oct. 4.

Covers would allow the courts to have extended seasonal play, but not year-round.

Next year, Reston Association plans to continue the rehaul of Lake Thoreau pool. In 2023, the organization plans to renovate Shadowood pool — pending input from the community and the board. The cost of that project is expected to hover around $1.3 million in addition to $575,000 for the renovation of the Glade tennis courts.

Construction of Lake Thoreau’s pool is expected to begin in November after the board approves a construction contract in October, according to meeting materials from a Sept. 23 board meeting.

Reston Association’s IT director has resigned, an IT committee has no chair and the organization has been working for over a year to upgrade its website.

It comes after Ven Iyer, a former RA board member, raised concerns about information technology issues, noting issues in March that included an email breach of former RA CEO Hank Lynch resulting in a loss of $187,000.

Clara William took on the role in September 2019, but RA spokesman Mike Leone said she resigned last month.

The organization temporarily took down its website in July 2020 and has been using a platform called Squarespace, a website builder that doesn’t require coding. A DropBox — a popular file hosting service — is used to house meeting materials for the public.

“We upgraded the website in July 2020, and it currently resides on SquareSpace,” Leone said in a statement. “It is secure and no member data is housed on that platform so there are no security concerns.”

In late February, the board agreed to have staff create a report by its next board meeting about all IT incidents in the past two years that resulted in the loss of “data, money or website capacity,” costs associated with the incidents and more. The motion said it would be released to members at the earliest date possible.

The board again reviewed the issue in executive session during a June 24 regular meeting, referred “the matter of the website to the IT Committee for review and recommendation” and instructed the association’s CEO to have “staff answer all Board questions” by Aug. 18.

Staff has completed the document but it’s not being made available to the public. Leone said it’s an internal document that addresses website capability and security. It wasn’t immediately clear whether dues-paying RA residents will have access to it. Leone said the IT committee will have access to the questions when they officially meet.

According to RA, it hopes to launch a new website sometime in 2022 but a timeline won’t be set until the IT committee meets.

Meanwhile, Lynch resigned in August. Larry Butler has since been named acting CEO as the search for a permanent CEO continues.

Reston Association Board Names Acting CEO — The Board of Directors named COO Larry Butler as the organization’s acting CEO last night (Thursday) in preparation for current head Hank Lynch’s resignation effective Sept. 3. Butler also served in the position when RA conducted its last CEO search in 2018. Lynch’s permanent successor will be chosen by a committee created by the board. [RA]

Pedestrian Deaths Worry Fairfax County — Route 1 has become a focal point of concerns about traffic safety in Fairfax County, which has recorded 10 pedestrian deaths in the past seven months. The police department launched a campaign this summer urging drivers in the Reston area to slow down, especially at two intersections around Reston Town Center. [NBC4]

Second Union Backs School Vaccine Mandate — The Fairfax Education Association, which represents Fairfax County Public School teachers and staff, joined the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers in supporting the idea of a vaccine requirement for FCPS employees. The union also supports universal masking and called on the school system to extend its Family Medical Leave Act paid sick leave policy through Dec. 31. [FEA]

Car Seat Inspection Event Tomorrow — “Safety matters! Our Traffic Safety Section is hosting a car seat inspection and install event on Saturday, August 21 at 1421 Wiehle Avenue in Reston from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Inspections and installations are on a first come, first serve basis.” [Fairfax County Police Department/Twitter]