Monday marks the first of two public hearings by the Reston Association on the 2017 budget and assessment rate. The RA Board is proposing assessments of $698 per member household, which would be an increase of $41 above this year’s rate.

The second meeting will take place on Nov. 17, and the board is expected to set the 2017 budget and member assessment rate that night.

Capital improvements have been a major budget issue for the association recently.

A handful of residents spoke out at the Oct. 19 RA meeting about their dissatisfaction with how the board has managed funds in the Reserve, Repair and Replacement account, used for capital improvements. The board reported that night that the account has more than $6 million in it, yet many projects around the neighborhood have gone uncompleted.

For example, recent renovations of the Tetra building ran more than $430,000 over budget, bringing the final total to roughly three times what the RA had expected. Because of that overrun, several things — including the proposed rebuilding of the Pony Barn picnic pavilion, staff raises and additional hires — were put on hold.

One proposed solution to these problems is the creation of a new Capital Department within the RA. The board said it would hire a full-time director for the new office, as well as reassign two RA employees to work there. The Capital Department  would help ensure projects get completed in a timely manner, on budget, according to the RA.

In addition to the hiring of a Capital Department director –a position which Board members said would carry an annual salary of $84,000 — the RA said other staffing needs for 2017 include a land use assistant (with a $98,000 salary); a general ledger accountant (with a $82,000 salary); the promotion of someone to capital projects administration coordinator (a $36,000 pay increase); and the hiring of many seasonal employees ($181,000 in salaries).

The board also hopes to give current employees a total of $233,000 in merit raises.

Monday’s meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at RA headquarters (12001 Sunrise Valley Drive).

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Reston Association board members are touting it as a one-stop shop that will allow residents to buy passes, sign up for community events like summer camps, and more, all in one convenient place.

WebTrac, RA’s new online registration system, is expected to fully launch in January, but board members are encouraging residents to create their online accounts now and familiarize themselves with the new site, ahead of the launch.

WebTrac is separate from the association’s main website, www.reston.org, where many residents like to pay assessment fees and access disclosure documents. Residents will need to create a separate account to utilize WebTrac.

“Signing up now will enable you to purchase items as soon as they become available, starting in January 2017. In the meantime, you can browse the site to become familiar with how it works,” RA says on its website.

The RA board approved $201,000 at the beginning of this year to upgrade to the WebTrac system. Read More

Reston Association hopes to start the process soon for for two artificial turf soccer fields — paid for by Reston Soccer — to be installed at RA’s Lake Newport Soccer fields.

The implementation of the estimated $2.4 million plan depends on many factors, including a member referendum under RA bylaws.

According to the Reston Deed, if the Board of Directors wishes to make a single capital addition, alteration or improvement to the Common Area that costs more than $369,000, there must be a referendum. A 10 percent turnout is necessary for a quorum, with 51 percent of those votes needed to pass the referendum.

The RA Board will vote at its meeting Thursday on a timeline that includes:

• Gathering input from RA groups, including the Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, Environmental Advisory Committee, Design Review Board (21 day Notice Requirements to adjacent neighbors/cluster apply to DRB information session) and Fiscal Committee this fall/winter. The groups will report their opinions to RA by January. The Fiscal Committee will also formulate a five-year cost analysis.
• The Board Operations Committee will draft non-Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will form the basis of a 20-year agreement between Reston Association and Reston Soccer Association regarding the use and maintenance of the synthetic turf fields.
• RA will hold public hearings on the proposed referendum question, fact sheet and MOU in mid-January and February.
• In late February, the board would decide whether to move forward with a member referendum. The referendum would take place in March and close April 3.

Reston Soccer first approached RA about the partnership in July. Reston Soccer President Robert Anguizola said the sports group is not looking for RA money for the project.

“In a referendum, we would ask  ‘Does community want this amenity? Yes or No. If the answer is yes, then we would go fundraise,” he said. “What we would ask, if we donate the money, then we want promise we can use it. You would end up having surplus time [to rent it for] other uses and sports.”

Lake Newport is the most suitable place in Reston on which to build the turf fields, Anguizola has said. Virginia laws prohibit a public-private partnership on a Fairfax County Park Authority field (such as at Lake Fairfax Park or at Baron Cameron Park) with special requests for usage. Also, Lake Newport is the only RA field complex with two fields, as well as space for other potential amenities such as the clubhouse or a tot lot.

Adding turf and lights would add 191 extra field hours (assuming lights could be on until 8:30 p.m.) per season, plus an additional 550 hours in what is now the offseason, said Anguizola.

Anguizola says the organization would use organic material and not tire crumb rubber for the turf surface.

The RA Board was receptive to the idea at previous meetings.

The Reston Association Board of Directors is considering member assessments of $698 for 2017. That’s an increase of $41 from 2016.

However, that is not necessarily the amount the board will agree on later this year. The amount cannot be higher, and in fact, may be lower. RA will hold public budget meetings on Nov. 7 and 17, where members are encouraged to speak out.

The board will set the 2017 budget at the Nov. 17 meeting.

The 2016 assessments could have been more than $700. However, the board found a $1 million surplus in operating fund reserves, which kept the annual bill lower.

At a special RA meeting on Wednesday, the board discussed putting less than the recommended $2.9 million in the Reserve, Repair and Replacement Fund this year.

While the balance in the RRRF is above $6 million, that is because only a small number of projects have been recently completed. The projects, particularly repairs to the Lake Anne Dam, will need to happen soon, and RA needs the full amount of money in RRRF, the board decided.

The board opted to fund the RRRF by choosing to use money from both assessment revenues ($2.3 million) and surplus operating cash $550,000.

Overall, RA says it need $14.7 million to fully fund the community’s and the association’s needs in 2017. RA says it needs more than $300,000 for staff raises and new staff positions that were on hold while it dealt with the overrun for the Tetra/Lake House property in 2016.

Because the board has identified capital projects procedures as an area that needs to be improved, a proposal to form a Capital Department was presented Thursday, with various options for staffing and internal promotions. The board approved the request to hire a Capital Department director.

CEO Cate Fulkerson also said two current RA employees would be reassigned to the new department, which will be charged with ensuring projects are done on time and within budget.

The board heard from a few members during the public comment session Wednesday. Read More

Reston Association is seeking to add back in 2017 more than $335,000 in staffing positions that were put on hold as the association paid back the Lake House overrun this year.

The Reston Association will discuss this and other needs for the 2017 budget at a special meeting Wednesday at RA, 12001 Sunrise Valley Dr. The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. and will include a member comment period.

RA is seeking to hire a land use assistant ($98,000 annual salary) and a geenral ledger accountant ($82,000); promote someone to capital projects administration coordinator ($36,000); and hire many seasonal employees ($181,000).

It also wants to promote a staff member to capital projects administrative manager ($84,000) and give current employees a total of $233,000 in merit raises, according to RA documents.

RA is estimating it will need $14.7 for the 2017 budget. The RA Fiscal Committee is recommending the Reserve, Repair and Replacement fund receive $2.9 million in funding, even though RA Treasurer Dannielle LaRosa recently pointed out the balance in the RRRF account has grown to more than $6 million in the last year. Meanwhile, RA has been spending just about $2 million annually on RRRF projects.

The RRRF is funded with a combination of assessment money, surplus cash and investment income. It must maintain a balance of $3.1 million, according to RA bylaws.

The board has the option to accept the fiscal committees recommendation or fund the RRRF at a lower amount.

Funding the RRRF with various sources will increase assessments in a variety of ways (see accompanying chart).

RA assessments were $657 per household in 2016. That amount was offset by an extra $1 million moved from operating fund reserves. RA members have been getting a service level as if they paid $705 in 2016, La Rosa said at RA’s September meeting.

RA assessments could top the $700 mark — which would be a $70 increase since since 2014 — depending on what the directors keep as budget needs.

See more information about budget needs on the meeting agenda.

Chart: RA

Bozzuto’s plan to more than double the size of St. Johns Wood apartments will not go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission later this month.

The plan — which has received heavy criticism from nearby North Reston residents — will turn the 250 units in nine garden-style buildings into 467 units and 46 townhouses. They will be rental units.

That’s scaled down from the starting point for 625 units in 2014 and then 511 units and 51 townhouses in an amended plan earlier this year.

The public hearing, scheduled for Oct. 26, has been moved at Bozzuto’s request to a date TBD, according to the planning committee agenda. This will give Bozzuto more time to tweak the plan and respond to citizen concerns.

Some of the complaints from residents: poor design; too much development too far from the future Reston Town Center Metro station; traffic on Center Harbor and North Village Drive; and parking on side streets.

St. Johns Wood is in a wooded, residential area across from North Point Village Center.

Bozzuto reps have said the complex at Reston Parkway, North Village Road and Center Harbor Road was identified for high density as far back as when Reston was first planned in 1964.

Meanwhile, Reston Association’s Board of Directors has sent a letter to Bozzuto detailing its concerns about the redevelopment plans. RA president Ellen Graves says the St. Johns Wood application “does not conform to the site-specific, detailed and unambiguous recommendations of the Reston Master Plan.”

RA does not have approval capabilities of the application. It can take a stance, but the decision ultimately comes from the Fairfax County Planning Commission and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

See the entire RA document below.

FINAL 092816 RA Letter Regarding St Johns Wood Application (1) by Karen Goldberg Goff on Scribd

Reston Association has started work on a stream restoration project that will ease erosion and fix exposed sewage pipes in the area behind Cedar Cove cluster.

In the summer of 2015, one of the exposed pipes leaked sewage into Lake Audubon. A quick fix stopped the spill, but RA has since advocated for Fairfax County money since part of the problem is being caused by runoff from South Lakes High School, which sits uphill and across South Lakes Drive from Cedar Cove.

RA says Fairfax County will provide the money for the project, which will cost about $1 million.

Years of runoff have caused eight sewer lines to be exposed, which some residents called an environmental disaster waiting to happen.

Spray paint and flagging tape are now in place marking various points within the stream.

This week, the county’s Watershed Projects Implementation Branch will begin drilling. A drill rig will be brought in between 2242 and 2244 Cedar Cove Court and drive along the tree line (avoiding backyards) to each of the locations to be tested.

A different method of testing is also expected to occur at some points on the Wakerobin Lane side of the creek, officials said.

Want more information? There will be a project kick-off meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. at South Lakes High School, room 150.

Project engineers, along with other officials and Reston Association representatives, will be in attendance.

Photos: Erosion has left pipes exposed near Lake Audubon/Credit: Reston Association.

While the calendar has not even flipped to October, it’s time to think Halloween.

Tickets for Reston Association’s annual Halloween House & Trick or Teat Trail — geared toward young children — go on sale Monday, Oct. 3.

This event usually sells quickly. So if you want to attend plan on buying tickets early next week.

Here is what you need to know:

RA dresses up the Walker Nature Center (11450 Glade Dr.) for non-scary Halloween fun for kids ages 3 to 10. The event is rain or shine. Come in costume!

Tickets: $10/person.

Click on the dates below to get to the online ticket site starting Monday.

Friday, Oct. 28, 6-7:15 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 28, 7:30-8:45 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29, 6-7:15 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29, 7:30-8:45 p.m.

For more information, call 703-476-9689 or email [email protected].

There is a good chance that Reston Association assessments could top $700 annually in 2017.

RA Treasurer Dannielle LaRosa presented some of the financial realities to board members at their regular meeting Thursday. The board spends September and October looking at next year’s budget needs before setting next year’s assessment in November.

LaRosa reminded board members that RA members paid $657 in 2016, however, that amount was offset by a $1 million surplus moved over from operating fund reserves. RA members have been getting a service level as if they paid $705 in 2016, she said.

LaRosa warned last fall that the $1 million would not be available in 2017, so the board needed to be prepared to possibly set a large jump in the 2017 assessment amount.

“Our members are used to paying $657,” she said. “I personally wouldn’t feel right having a $712 starting point [for 2017 assessments].”

LaRosa also said assessments rose at a $25-a-year rate from 2008 to 2014, which added to both the cash surplus as well as a marked increase in the Reserve, Repair and Replacement Fund.

From 2011 to 2013, the RRRF was about $4 million, she showed the directors in a graph. That was an amount recommended by a reserve study that looked at RA’s needs for an aging infrastructure.

There is now $6 million in there — heading for $7 million in 2017. At the same time, RA has been spending a little more than $2 million annually on those RRRF projects. Read More

An analysis by advocacy group Reston 2020 says Reston Association will spend $1 million on the Lake House this year.

The Lake House — formerly Tetra — has been hit with financial difficulties since it was purchased for $2.6 million — about twice its assessed value — in 2015. RA showed a cost overrun of $430,000 last spring, due in part to a six-figure expected rentback from former owner/tenant Tetra that did not happen.

Exterior renovations to turn the building from offices to a community use building for afterschool care, meetings and events, also cost way more than anticipated.

RA CEO Cate Fulkerson will outline the Lake House financial outlook at tonight’s regular RA Board meeting. The board is also expected to pick an outside firm to conduct an independent audit of the Lake House cost overrun.

According to RA documents and Reston 2020’s analysis, RA will spend in 2016:

• $700,000 on renovation of the interior and exterior of the Tetra building.
• More than $107,000 on operating expenses, some $95,000 comprises employee-related expenses.
• Mortgage payments that will total nearly $184,000 this year.

RA numbers show it is now bringing in money as afterschool care began this month and it is booked for many events.

Total revenues were $3,677 in August, but are expected to jump to $31,000 this month and grow each month, according to RA’s spreadsheet.

But Reston 2020 compares the numbers with the original estimates in RA’s 2015 Tetra purchase fact sheet to show the ground it must make up, including:

• 2015 estimate that operating expenses would be $45,011 in 2016.  RA’s latest report puts operating expenses at $107,303–more than double RA’s “fact sheet” projection.
• No program expenses because RA anticipated that the building would be leased back to Tetra developers through 2016.  Now RA anticipates $107,303 in operating/programming expenses for this year.
•  2016 overhead expenses, including “existence cost” expenses and loan costs, were expected to reach $228,623 in the fact sheet. They are now projected to grow slightly to $247,072 this year.

Read more on Reston 2020’s blog.

The Reston Association Board of Directors will vote on Thursday on hiring Mediaworld Ventures LLC to conduct the independent review of the Lake House overrun.

A committee of citizens and RA Board members voted 4-3 last week to choose Mediaworld, a Reston-based company that will use Reston Association members to conduct the review. The price is right: Mediaworld is charging RA just $1 for the investigation.

The Board decided at previous meetings that the review needed to be done by professionals, but also warned that the review may cost into the six figures if paying the going rate.

After renovations at Lake House (formerly the Tetra Building) were found to be nearly triple what RA initially estimated, RA moved $430,000 from its operating budget to cover the deficit.

The money has since been replaced, says RA CEO Cate Fulkerson.

However, RA organized a panel to choose a professional firm to “review of the processes and internal controls that were followed across the organization in handling all decision-making, governance, administrative and financial aspects of the Association’s purchase, including the referendum, planned use, and renovation of Tetra (now known as the Lake House property), that have led to cost overruns and revenue shortfalls.” Read More

Looking for a place to throw a party? An offsite work meeting? Reston Association wants you to consider the newly refurbished Lake House, formerly the Tetra Building.

RA is holding two open houses this weekend to show off the renovations of the 33-year-old former Reston Visitors Center.

After a member referendum in the spring of 2015, RA purchased the 3,128-sqaure-foot building on the shores of Lake Newport for $2.6 million. It then spent more than $600,000, which was about $430,000 more than budgeted, for the renovations and to turn the building from an office space, which it was for the last 13 years, into a community use building.

RA has since replaced the money for the overrun in its operating fund, and is about to hire an independent consultant to audit the overrun to see how it occurred.

Meanwhile, RA is actively marketing the space and eager to start earning income from it.

Here is what is happening this weekend:

Saturday, Sept. 17, from 12-4 p.m. — On Saturday, hors d’oeuvres and light refreshments will be provided by Cafesano. The facility will be set up by Let’s Party! so that visitors can envision a baby shower or wedding reception. Flowers will be provided by Joy & Co.

Sunday, Sept. 18, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. — The Lake House open house will focus on promoting RA’s programming. The facility will showcase RA’s new Fit Kids After-School program and other wellness classes. Morning brunch will be made available by Extravagant Affairs.

Special open house offers will include waiving the regular food and beverage fee (a $125 savings) to anyone reserving an event date within one week of the open house.

Door prizes include: Complimentary “drop-in day” to RA’s Fit Kids After-School program and a complimentary session to a RA wellness class.

Contact Member Services at [email protected] or 703-435-6530 for more information about The Lake House.

Land use, zoning and future Reston redevelopment projects — including Bozzuto’s proposal to double the size of St. Johns Wood Apartments — are all on the agenda for a special meeting of the Reston Association Board of Directors on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

This is an important time for RA as many redevelopment proposals are before the Fairfax County Planning Commission and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. While RA’s Board has no final say in the plans, the board can wield influence as new residents will, in most cases, be RA members.

Says the Sept. 14 special meeting agenda:

The purposes of this Special Meeting are to provide the RA Board and members with an update and status regarding various Land Use/zoning matters affecting the Reston community and an opportunity for the Board to discuss those matters, including but not limited to:

The County’s and Reston Association’s Land Use/zoning application Review and community input processes;

Current and anticipated Land Use/zoning applications in Reston and, – A draft RA DRB policy related to member notification when the RA Design Review Board receives requests for courtesy review and/or DRB covenant required review of applications related to Fairfax County land use/zoning application projects.

The agenda includes:

Discussion of current & anticipated Land Use/Zoning Applications in Reston (John McBride, Esq., Odin Feldman Pittleman, RA’s land use attorney) Read More

This is an op-ed by Reston resident Ed Abbott. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

In the next week or so, a Reston Association committee will select a consultant to review and evaluate the purchase and overrun expenses related to the Tetra office property, now known as the Lake House. The consultant will review, analyze and make recommendations to the Board on processes to prevent the recurrence of such a fiasco.

One of the steps in the consultant’s review will be to wade through the public record. The record is extensive and includes documents on the RA and Fairfax County websites as well articles in Reston Now and the Connection.

As the record shows, RA made numerous mistakes over the course of about two years. It is useful to enumerate those mistakes to remind everyone what a dismal job RA did in purchasing and managing the Tetra renovation. It might also provide some guidance to RA’s independent review consultant.

Let’s start with the $2.6 million price paid for the property. In reality, paid for two properties; one real and the other hypothetical. The real was the building as an office. That cost $1.3 million. The hypothetical, a restaurant, would cost an additional $1.35 million. The prices were based on a January 2015 appraisal for the property. RA requested that the appraiser include the restaurant. Read More