county government | ARLnow.com

Duplicate Real Estate Assessments Sent Due to Error

Published February 9, 2012 at 2:45PM

Assessor Tommy Rice explains that there were errors in some addresses, and unit numbers were erroneously omitted on some envelopes. Although the postal service managed to get some of the mailings to the correct recipients, not all made it to their destinations. Therefore, second notices with complete addresses were sent to all affected property owners. The actual assessments were not altered.

Blame apparently lies with the software used by the county’s print shop. Arlington will be recovering the costs of the duplicate mailings from the software vendor.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published February 7, 2012 at 8:00AM

General Assembly Votes to Lift Gun Purchase Limit — The Virginia General Assembly has voted to lift the state’s limit of one gun purchase per month. The limit, which has been in place since 1993, was intended to reduce gun trafficking and gun-related crimes. Sen. Janet Howell (D), who represents part of Arlington, said lifting the limit could turn Virginia into a “gun-runners’ paradise.” [Washington Post]

Arlington’s Triple-AAA Rating Reaffirmed — Arlington has once again received a top AAA rating from each of the three major bond rating agencies. “With these ratings, the County will be able to continue making critical capital investments at the lowest possible cost to residents and businesses,” said County Manager Barbara Donnellan. [Arlington County]

News

Plea Expected in County Fair Embezzlement Case

By ARLnow.com

Published January 24, 2012 at 9:30AM

Denise Marshall Roller, 48, is facing 11 felony charges including embezzlement, forgery and conducting unlawful financial transactions. The Fredericksburg, Va. resident worked as the fair’s event manager between 2005 and 2011, under a Memorandum of Understanding between Arlington County (her employer) and the nonprofit that runs the fair.

According to court records, Marshall Roller is expected to enter a plea in Arlington County Circuit Court on Tuesday, Jan. 31. She was indicted by a grand jury in September and was originally slated to stand trial on Monday, Jan. 23.

News

Arlington Property Values on the Rise

By Katie Pyzyk

Published January 20, 2012 at 1:30PM

Commercial property experienced significant growth, increasing by 13.5 percent. That puts the commercial tax base at its highest level ever, accounting for 49% of the county’s real estate tax base.

“Our commercial properties are in strong demand, particularly apartment and office buildings,” Arlington County Manager Barbara Donnellan said in a statement. “This is our second year of economic recovery — very good news for our community.”

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published January 5, 2012 at 8:15AM | Updated January 6, 2012 at 11:17AM

Arlington Seeks Contractor to ‘Dump Bodies’ — Updated on 1/6/12 — This article has been corrected. Earlier: Among the “just in case” categories of contracting work for which Arlington County is seeking potential applicants is corpse handling. Listed under the heading “Dump Bodies,” the job would be awarded in the event of a disaster involving mass casualties. [Washington Business Journal]

Local Dems to Require Loyalty Oath, Too — The Republican Party of Virginia has been facing some scrutiny over its plan to require voters in the upcoming Republican presidential primary to sign a “loyalty oath.” Arlington Democrats, however, are planning to require something very similar for participants in their upcoming County Board caucuses. Caucus voters will be required to sign a statement pledging their support for the eventual Democratic County Board nominee. [Ode Street Tribune]

News

Board Approves Courthouse Building Purchase, Amid Homeless Shelter Controversy

By ARLnow.com

Published December 14, 2011 at 3:45PM | Updated December 14, 2011 at 4:07PM

Arlington first publicly proposed the purchase of 2020 14th Street N. last month, saying that the building would help the county consolidate overflow office space, would facilitate the redevelopment of the Courthouse area, and would serve as the site of a long-desired comprehensive homeless service center. The homeless shelter would take up two floors of the seven-story building, which the county has valued at $25.5 million, and would replace the current emergency winter homeless shelter, located two blocks away.

Most of the several dozen people who spoke at last night’s marathon county board meeting stated their support for a year-round shelter. But the speakers were split between those who voiced support for 2020 14th Street being the site of that homeless shelter and a very vocal group — largely residents of the Woodbury Heights condominium, located next to the proposed shelter — who spoke out against it.

News

Condo Owners, Homeless Advocates Face Off Over Shelter Plan

By ARLnow.com

Published December 8, 2011 at 3:25PM

Residents of the Woodbury Heights building (1301 N. Courthouse Road) have been distributing flyers (pictured), emailing officials and calling media outlets with a litany of concerns over the plan. Chief among them: worries about safety, property values and neighborhood “charm.”

“I work long hours, which often means I am in this area when it is dark,” said one female resident, in a letter to County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman. “I would feel considerably less safe with the shelter’s entrance so close to what is in essence the front door of my home.”

News

County Says Finances Strong, Despite Negative Outlook

By ARLnow.com

Published December 8, 2011 at 12:18PM

Arlington maintained its prime Aaa investment rating from Moody’s, but the firm argued that the county’s close connection with the federal government makes the future of its finances a bit uncertain.

“Today’s actions are based on an expanded evaluation of the exposure each municipality has to the U.S. government, including economic sensitivity to federal spending reductions, dependence on federal transfers and exposure to capital markets disruptions,” Moody’s Managing Director Naomi Richman said in a press release. “Issuers with outlooks that remain negative are viewed as having greater exposure to potential cuts in federal employment and federal spending.”

Weather

County Debuts New Winter Weather Web Portal

By ARLnow.com

Published December 7, 2011 at 1:01PM

The website offers one-stop shopping for residents seeking more information on winter weather preparations, winter weather safety tips, road condition and snow plowing updates, and answers to snow removal ordinance questions. The site also links to the county’s snow issue reporting page.

One of the new features introduced with the new portal is a “snow phase system,” which will designate how far along the county is in its snow clearing efforts after a storm. The page will indicate whether the county is in Phase 1, 2, 3, or 4.

News

EXCLUSIVE: Former County Fair Manager Charged With Embezzlement

By ARLnow.com

Published December 7, 2011 at 8:15AM

Denise Marshall Roller, 47, has been charged with four felony counts of embezzling from the non-profit Arlington County Fair, Inc., one felony count of embezzling public funds, two felony counts of forgery and four felony counts of conducting unlawful financial transactions. She was indicted by a grand jury in September and released on a $5,000 bond in October, according to court documents. She’s scheduled to face trial on Jan. 23, 2012.

Marshall Roller, a resident of Fredericksburg, Va., had worked as the county fair’s event manager since at least 2005. A county employee since August 2003, Marshall Roller worked for the fair under a Memorandum of Understanding between the county and the non-profit that organizes the fair, said county and fair officials. Before being hired by the county, Marshall Roller helped to organize the annual Taste of Arlington event in Ballston.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published December 5, 2011 at 8:41AM

Worries Over Proposed Constitutional Amendment — A proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution, intended to strengthen protections against local government usage of eminent domain authority, could complicate plans for the Columbia Pike streetcar project. County officials also worry that the amendment could force the county to pay businesses restitution for lost business due to street repairs, snow plowing or even police activity. [Sun Gazette]

H-B Woodlawn Students Protest Parent Plan — H-B Woodlawn secondary program students, who famously create their own courses and spend much of their school time unsupervised, are up in arms over a plan to allow their parents to monitor their academic achievements (or failings) more carefully. [Washington Post]

News

Proposed Building Purchase Would Allow Year-Round Homeless Shelter

By ARLnow.com

Published November 22, 2011 at 11:29AM | Updated November 22, 2011 at 11:51AM

The purchase of the $25.5 million, 70,000 square foot building will allow the county to achieve several significant goals.

Two stories of the building would likely be devoted to a new, year-round shelter for homeless adults. The “comprehensive homeless services center” will replace the current Emergency Winter Shelter on 15th Street N. in Courthouse, which is only open during cold weather months.