Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or [email protected].
It’s only Tuesday and my own kids are already bored this week and so am I.
Here are some ideas to help keep kids busy for the rest of winter break. They all involve getting out of the house and spending money. There are always museums, walks and playdates if you’re looking for something free!
You’ll want to get tickets ahead of time for both of these!
- Indoor play places: Scramble, Jolly Yolly, Launch, Flight, Hyper Kidz, and Sky Zone
- For older kids: Top Golf (half price today, Dec. 27), Dave and Buster’s (half priced on Wednesdays), Zava Zone, Summit Ropes, SkateQuest, Fairfax Ice (or plenty of outdoor ice rinks too), movie theaters (Icon at the Boro is half price today, Dec. 27), Bowlero (the Falls Church location is less glitz and glam but you can also show up and try to get a lane without a reservation for the old school bowling feel)
If you’re looking for a long adventure, what about the Baltimore Aquarium or a drive through Shenandoah?
Wishing you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!
The preceding sponsored post was also published on FFXnow.com
Empower founder and CEO Joshua Sear is the kind of ride-share passenger who likes to talk to his drivers.
It was through those casual conversations that he came up with an idea in 2018 for an app that would offer a viable alternative to the country’s top ride-hailing services — Uber and Lyft — by letting drivers keep all the money they make in exchange for a subscription fee.
“Consistently, they were saying how they weren’t able to make a living, particularly full-time or near full-time drivers, and then, also…they felt voiceless, like they weren’t heard, that they didn’t feel like they were a customer,” Sear told FFXnow in a recent interview. “…The rider is the customer for Uber and Lyft, and the more I thought about, I started to wonder, ‘Well, what would it look like if drivers were customers?’”
Since launching service in the D.C. region two years ago, the McLean-based startup has supported over 2.5 million rides given by about 10,000 drivers, who have collectively earned more than $40 million, Sear says.
Once touted as better-paying options than taxis, both Uber and Lyft have been dogged by questions about driver pay for years, even after the former paid $20 million to settle federal claims that it was misleading drivers in 2017.
Reports indicate that drivers only receive about half of what riders pay and that the companies take a bigger chunk of fares than the 20 to 25% advertised, discrepancies that have persisted despite soaring prices and led drivers in Denver to strike last month.
Where those ride-sharing companies take a portion of each fare, which is calculated based on trip length and duration, demand and other factors, Empower charges drivers a flat subscription rate for use of its app and other services, including customer support for both driver and rider complaints, according to Sear.
Though the company provides recommended rates, drivers set their own fares and keep everything that riders pay, an approach that Sear says has proven appealing to both parties.
“We do a lot of surveys and get feedback from both riders and drivers, and our surveys as to why do you use Empower for riders, the second most prevalent answer is because drivers get 100% of the fare,” Sear said, adding that the top answer is that the rides are generally less expensive.
He says Empower also aims to provide more transparency to drivers, who can see pick-up and drop-off locations and the rate for each ride before they choose to accept it, and more options for riders, who can “favorite” drivers and limit matches to drivers of the same gender.
A former lawyer with experience in both business and politics, Sear has been a longtime resident of the D.C. area, but he decided to introduce Empower first in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, seeking a mid-sized city with a college that could provide a reliable base for riders.
One week later, though, COVID-19 arrived, and the target audience of college students left the city. Still, the platform found some customers in frontline workers unable to stay at home, and those initial months provided enough data to suggest the concept could work in a larger market.
“We kind of figured, hey, maybe the dynamic is flipped, and it may actually now make more sense to be in a city that has a bunch of public transportation, but that isn’t going to be used as much because of Covid,” Sear said.
Empower launched in the D.C. area in October 2020, and its drivers are now providing about 4,000 to 5,000 rides a day, according to Sear. While demand has been heaviest in downtown D.C., the company is seeing growth in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs, including Silver Springs, Arlington and Alexandria.
Sear says they’re starting to see more demand in the Tysons area and hope to also get more traction in Reston.
The startup’s rise hasn’t been obstacle-free, however. According to a press release, a woman filed a class action lawsuit against Empower earlier this month alleging that the business is violating D.C. law by not providing or requiring insurance for its drivers and not conducting background checks.
Noting that the company hasn’t been served any legal papers yet, Sear told FFXnow that Empower does require background checks for drivers and confirms that they have up-to-date auto insurance, though it doesn’t provide any coverage.
Because the business model means Empower is selling its software to drivers, rather than the actual ride-sharing services, the risk in crashes falls on the individual drivers, not the company, he argues.
“It’s without merit, it’s defamatory,” Sear said of the lawsuit. “We intend not to sue the complainant, but to sue the law firm frankly for defamation, for publishing something in a press release that any reasonable diligence would’ve determined is just absolutely false and is defamatory.”
While Empower currently refers drivers to brokers if they’re looking to expand or change their coverage, it could potentially provide insurance and other services, such as tax or accounting assistance, directly in the future. It’s also working to expand into new areas and in its established markets, including New York, where it launched last year.
“We want to be able to provide a comprehensive suite of support and services that helps [drivers] be independent, sole proprietors that have control of their own financial future,” Sear said.
Don’t Dump Your Christmas Tree in a Park — “The Fairfax County Park Authority is asking the public to respect both common courtesy and the law, and not dump disused Christmas trees on county parkland…All licensed trash collectors in Fairfax County are required to collect and recycle live Christmas trees less than 8 feet tall that have been separately set out…during the first two weeks of January.” [Sun Gazette]
Springfield House Fire Displaces 11 — A gas water heater contributed to a fire at a house in the 6300 block of Abilene Street in the Springfield area on Dec. 8, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department says. The blaze displaced 11 people, injured one, and caused approximately $175,000 in damages. [FCFRD]
Fertility Clinic Coming to Annandale — “Mate Fertility, a Los Angeles company, has teamed up with Annandale OB-GYN — which has offices in McLean, Annandale, Alexandria and Falls Church — to bring its model to Fairfax County, starting with a new lab at 2810 Old Lee Highway.” [Washington Business Journal]
Tysons Apartment Community Purchased — “Avalon Park Crest…has changed hands for nearly $146 million. Bethesda-based Combined Properties Inc. bought the 354-unit, 364,000-square-foot mid-rise at 8250 Westpark Drive from AvalonBay Communities Inc…Redevelopment doesn’t appear to be in the cards, Avalon Park Crest having been built only a decade ago. But Combined looks forward to ‘future opportunities to creatively enhance the property,’ Hill said.” [Washington Business Journal]
Tractor-Trailer Catches Fire on Beltway — “A tractor-trailer burst into flames Friday afternoon on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County, Virginia, the Virginia Department of Transportation confirmed. Lanes were closed off, causing major backup near the incident.” [ABC7]
Firefighters Visit Inova Hospital for Holidays — “We had very special visitors ‘drop-in’ to Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital [on Dec. 21] to spread holiday cheer! Thank you to @ffxfirerescue for bringing Santa and his elves, as well as their good friend Elsa, to visit the kids at our hospital.” [Inova/Twitter]
Thefts Reported in Vienna — “Vienna Police have received reports of stolen mail from a mailbox and theft of AirPods from a vehicle in the latest weekly crime report. The mail theft happened at the mailbox at the Vienna Post Office, 200 Lawyers Road NW. According to police, someone pried open the mailbox and stole the mail between 5 p.m. on Dec. 13 and 7 a.m. on Dec. 14.” [Patch]
Vienna Band Looking for Musicians — “The Vienna Community Band will resume rehearsals on Jan. 8 after a holiday break, with efforts culminating in the band’s next concert, slated for March 12. ‘We are recruiting enthusiastic new musicians in all sections,’ band leaders said. ‘We are especially looking for flutes, clarinets, saxophones, bassoons, oboes and tubas.'” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Tuesday — Clear throughout the day. High of 36 and low of 23. Sunrise at 7:27 am and sunset at 4:54 pm. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County’s plan to develop Ruckstahl Park in Idylwood with new amenities came into clearer focus this month.
Building off a 2015 master plan, the Fairfax County Park Authority board approved a scope for the approximately $2 million project at its final 2022 meeting on Dec. 14, the agency announced on Wednesday (Dec. 21).
Staff recommended that the 7.2-acre site at 2445 Idylwood Road get a picnic pavilion, an open play area, an accessible loop trail, a nature-themed playground, a “fitness cluster” and vehicle access and parking improvements. The project will also fund invasive species management efforts at the park.
“This is a valuable parcel inside the Beltway that came to us at an exceptional bargain,” Ken Quincy, the board’s Providence District representative, said. “The community has been very energetic and engaged throughout the process of defining the vision for the future. We’re very excited to move this project forward.”
Located just north of I-66, the parcels that make up Ruckstahl Park were previously occupied by a residential farm owned by Dr. Lillian Ruckstahl, who gave the land to the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust in her will when she died in 2008.
The park authority acquired the property from the NVCT for $250,000 in 2011. The transfer established a conservation easement that prohibits athletic fields, among other conditions, according to the master plan.
Noting that it’s “increasingly rare” to find land suitable for a public park in Idylwood, the master plan envisioned Ruckstahl as a mostly neighborhood-serving park designed to “preserve a sense of the open landscape” and provide “low impact community recreation opportunities.”
The conceptual development plan shows a trail looping around the park with exits onto Dunford Drive and Idylwood Road. Placed to accommodate a potential, future widening of Idylwood Road, the trail could be connected to nearby Idylwood Park and the Washington & Old Dominion Trail with additional pedestrian and bicycle facilities, the plan says.
The proposed vehicular amenities include a new parking lot with up to 20 spaces. Access would be provided off Idylwood Road in the same location as the former residential driveway.
The plan also calls for an existing field to be retained as an open space for recreation and community gatherings, an educational nature playground for kids, a picnic area or outdoor classroom, benches and other furnishings, and intepretive signs about the site’s environment or history.
Well before Ruckstahl moved in during the 1950s, the land had been part of a plantation called “The Mount” that lasted from the mid-1700s to around 1900, when it was broken up and sold off for smaller farms in the Civil War’s wake, according to the FCPA.
The property also became one of the county’s first formally recorded archaeological sites in the 1960s after archaeologists found artifacts dating back to the Archaic Period, though the master plan says “little can be gleaned from the records about how the site was used.”
Funded by the county’s 2020 park bond, developing Ruckstahl Park could produce $7,000 in annual revenue for the park authority, while costing $4,000 a year to maintain with an estimated lifetime cost of $1 million after 20 years.
The FCPA says permitting will begin in “the first part” of 2023, and construction could start in the first quarter of 2024.
Beware Hypothermia From Freezing Weather — “The National Weather Service forecast calls for overnight lows Friday and Saturday night reaching well below freezing. High temperatures this weekend are not expected to rise above 26 degrees, and wind could be a factor as well.” [Fairfax County Emergency Information]
No Lane Closures This Holiday — “With the holidays hopping and the new year around the corner, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)…will suspend most highway work zones and lift most lane closures on interstates and other major roads in Virginia for: Christmas, from noon Friday, Dec. 23 until noon Tuesday, Dec. 27 [and] New Year’s, from noon Friday, Dec. 30 until noon Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.” [VDOT]
Burke Man Indicted for Child Porn — “A Fairfax County, Virginia, man arrested in October has been formally indicted on eight felony counts related to child pornography. The defendant, 25-year-old Dominick Baldi, of Burke, has pleaded not guilty and will go on trial in the beginning of March.” [WTOP]
Ceremonial Army Horses Coming to Lorton — “The horses that help transport military service members to their final resting place at Arlington National Cemetery will soon find a temporary home just off Gunston Road in Lorton. On Dec. 15, the U.S. Army and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that the Caisson Platoon horses…will be housed at the Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area on a rotational basis through December 2027.” [On the MoVe]
Vienna Brings Message From Santa to Kids — “Children who celebrate Christmas can hear a very special message from Jolly ole Saint Nick by calling 703-255-6333…Children can listen for the sounds of sleigh bells and other last-minute activities as Santa explains how teamwork, Mrs. Claus and the elves helped him stay on schedule this holiday season. Santa’s message will…remain on the line through Dec. 25, 2022.” [Town of Vienna]
New Firefighters Graduate — “The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department on Dec. 16 welcomed its 21 newest members at its 155th Recruit School Graduation, held at the McLean Community Center’s Alden Theatre…The department now has more than 1,400 uniformed personnel assigned to 39 fire stations.” [Sun Gazette]
Herndon Contractor Shares Hiring Plans — “Herndon government contractor Serco Inc. plans to hire 120 new workers in 2023 and up to 200 total over the next two years after winning a five-year contract from the Naval Air Systems Command to support the Department of Defense’s F-35 program.” [Washington Business Journal]
McLean Blood Drive Coming Before New Year’s Eve — “As the region’s blood supplies remain extremely low due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the McLean Volunteer Fire Department is teaming up with Inova Blood Donor Services to hold a blood drive on Friday, Dec. 30. The Inova bloodmobile will be located in the fire department’s lower parking lot, with access from Lowell Avenue in McLean.” [Patch]
It’s Friday — Rain (with a chance of 1-2 in. of snow) in the morning. High of 51 and low of 15. Sunrise at 7:26 am and sunset at 4:52 pm. [Weather.gov]
Seven incumbent delegates have confirmed to FFXnow that they are gearing up to run in 2023, the first election since redistricting.
With all 100 Virginia House of Delegate seats up for a vote next November, a number of incumbents representing parts of Fairfax County — all Democrats — have started making plans to run for reelection in the recently redrawn districts, including:
- Irene Shin in District 8
- Karrie Delaney in District 9
- David Bulova in District 11
- Vivan Watts in District 14
- Paul Krizek in District 16
- Kathy Tran in District 18
- Eileen Filler-Corn in District 18
In addition, Del. Marcus Simon announced his reelection campaign for District 13 last week in a Falls Church News-Press column. While both Shin and Delaney told FFXnow they plan to run, they said formal announcements will come early next year.
The redistricting process, which drew new electoral lines based on population changes over the past 10 years, has shaken up at least a few races.
Most notably, both Filler-Corn and Tran have committed to running in the redrawn District 18, which encompasses a large portion of Springfield to the county border in Occoquan. It’s made up of residents from four previous districts, including ones that the delegates each previously represented.
With both being Democrats, they’ll have to face each other in a June primary to earn the Democratic nomination for the November general election.
In October, Tran announced on social media that she will seek reelection “to fight for our rights and build a more just and equitable future for all of our kids.”
I’m excited to announce my campaign in the new 18th House district!
I’m proud to live in the heart of the district, raise my kids here & already represent so much of the community. I’m running to fight for our rights & build a more just & equitable future for all of our kids. pic.twitter.com/Id0rC3akCH
— Kathy Tran (@KathyKLTran) October 6, 2022
A spokesperson for Filler-Corn, the former House speaker, told FFXnow in an email that she plans on “running in the district where she lives, which is HD18.”
Earlier this year, Filler-Corn was ousted as the minority leader by her colleagues in a private vote. Tran has not said if she voted for or against Filler-Corn.
FFXnow asked them about running against one another in the primary, but neither has responded as of publication.
That isn’t the only district where incumbents may be pitted against one another in a primary in about six months from now.
While Simon has already announced his reelection bid in District 13, which includes Merrifield through Falls Church City and to the border with Arlington, longtime Del. Kaye Kory told FFXnow by email that she has not made a decision yet on running.
“Right now, I am focused on preparing legislation for the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session in Richmond,” she wrote. “Since the filing deadline is not until April 2023, I will have plenty of time to act following adjournment.”
In District 6, which covers Great Falls and McLean, Delegates Kathleen Murphy and Richard “Rip” Sullivan would potentially face each other as well. So far, neither has announced their candidacy or respond to FFXnow’s inquiries as of publication.
Del. Ken Plum (D), whose 40-year tenure representing Reston and other portions of the county makes him the longest-serving member of the House, told FFXnow by phone that he’s still considering whether to run again in District 7.
“I’m getting through these legislative sessions and will make a decision, probably, in February,” Plum said. “I haven’t really decided yet.”
He told Reston Now last year that he had “no such plans currently” to retire.
Redistricting also created three open seats, including districts 15 and 19, which both have portions of the county.
In District 15, which covers Burke to the county line, Springfield District school board representative Laura Jane Cohen declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination back in November.
At least two Democratic candidates — Woodbridge residents Rozia “J.R.” Henson and Mayka Little — will vie to represent District 19, which is mostly in Prince William County. It is 39% Fairfax County constituents, concentrated in Lorton and the southern portion of Richmond Highway.
It’s a bit more complicated in District 12, which covers Vienna, Oakton, Dunn Loring, most of Tysons, and Fair Oaks. Back in September, delegate Mark Keam resigned to work in President Joe Biden’s administration, triggering a special election under the old boundaries prior to last year’s redistricting.
In October, nonprofit leader Holly Seibold won the Democratic nomination over Providence District school board member Karl Frisch by just 67 votes. Later that month, Monique Baroudi secured the Republican nomination.
Early voting has already started, with the special election set for Jan. 10. The winner would only serve for about a year and would have to run again in November in the new district.
In other local elections coming next year, five county supervisors will run again, while two are stepping down. Several Fairfax County School Board members will not seek re-election.
Fairfax County top prosecutor Steve Descano told FFXnow last week that he’s gearing up for 2023 as well, in what could be the most heated local election race of the cycle.
Photo via Doug Kerr/Flickr
Another steakhouse is staking out a claim in Tysons.
The Iowa-based, family-owned chain 801 Chophouse has leased space in the Westpark Corporate Center (8484 Westpark Drive) that was vacated a few years ago by McCormick & Schmick’s, the Washington Business Journal reported yesterday.
This will be the first East Coast location for the business, which originated in Des Moines in 1993 and has since added six more sites, all in the Midwest. 801 Restaurant Group also owns an upscale seafood restaurant called 801 Fish and the American eatery and cocktail bar 801 Local.
At 12,500 square feet, the Tysons Chophouse will be the brand’s biggest restaurant yet, 801 Restaurant Group Executive Managing Member Jamie Lynch told the WBJ.
“We are very excited to venture out in the Tysons area,” Lynch said. “I think it’s an exceptional growth opportunity for the restaurant group to stand up the 801 Chophouse’s biggest location, and the newest, in the D.C. market. We need to earn our stripes, get out there, be humble and put together a collection of people and just try to get better every day.”
801 Restaurant Group didn’t immediately return FFXnow’s request for comment, so here’s more from the WBJ on the company’s existing ties to the Tysons area:
Lynch runs the business with his father, restaurateur Jimmy Lynch, who hails from Greater Washington. Jimmy Lynch and his wife grew up in the McLean area. Jamie Lynch was born in D.C. on the Fourth of July, and as he tells it, there’s a political connection between the first 801 Chophouse in Des Moines and the D.C. region.
Des Moines has long been host to the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses, for both the Democrats and the Republicans, though the Democrats have recently floated the idea of moving their kickoff to another place. Regardless, the Des Moines 801 Chophouse has hosted more than a few presidential aspirants over the years, and the restaurant features its own private space called the Caucus Room. The restaurant’s appeal extends beyond politics, however.
“801 Chophouse is, hopefully, a timeless and quintessential steakhouse, with some contemporary elements to it,” Lynch said. The restaurant boasts a deep inventory of meats, wines, spirits, and fresh fish, brought to the table by servers wearing green coats. It seeks to foster a celebratory air without feeling stuffy, snooty or snobby. “It’s first class in terms of the commitment we have to being a true steakhouse.”
According to its website, Chophouse has an “in-house meat program” that serves “only aged USDA prime cuts, wet and dry-aged products and select Japanese and domestic Wagyu beef.”
Non-steak offerings include a “fresh sheet” with seafood and seasonal vegetables and fruit, desserts made in-house, and wine and cocktails.
Per the WBJ, an opening for the Tysons location isn’t anticipated until late fall 2023, but if successful, the restaurant could pave the way for a broader expansion in the D.C. area, potentially including introductions of 801 Fish and 801 Local.
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.
Do you love Christmas lights?
If so, this insider video is for you. I surveyed Facebook groups for the must-see Christmas lights and these made the top of the list!
Hope you enjoy piling into the car with hot chocolate and your people as you make memories that will turn into traditions.
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
Chopt quietly put its Vienna location on the chopping block over the weekend.
The fast-casual salad eatery had its final day of business in the town on Sunday (Dec. 18), according to a notice posted to the door at 160 Maple Avenue West. Employees at the McLean location (1449A Chain Bridge Road) confirmed that the closure is permanent.
The notice didn’t provide a reason for the closure, and the company’s corporate office didn’t immediately return a request for comment.
Chopt can still be found in McLean, Fairfax’s Pickett Shopping Center, and Kingstowne Towne Center. Just last month, the business moved and downsized its location in Rosslyn.
Chopt opened at the Vienna Shopping Center in May 2016, joining a row of fast-casual restaurants that moved in after the local grocery chain Magruder’s shuttered in 2013. The strip also features Mod Pizza, Taco Bamba and Cava, which may soon depart as well.
Cava confirmed that it’s replacing the recently closed Zoës Kitchen at 418 Maple Avenue East, but didn’t say whether the restaurant will be entirely new or a relocation of the existing site.
With Chopt’s departure, the Vienna Shopping Center has four vacant spaces available for lease, including a 6,005-square-foot suite and the former Rose Kabob space, according to a site map. After Magruder’s closure, the 73,852-square-foot center underwent a renovation and reopened in April 2016.
More than a year after Fairfax County government workers got collective bargaining rights, a proposal could extend the option to their public school counterparts.
After months of work, Fairfax County Public School administrators presented a draft resolution to the school board last week that would let employees organize and elect a union to negotiate labor contracts, setting terms for pay, benefits and work conditions.
The 22-page document was developed by a workgroup of FCPS leaders and 17 different school employee associations.
“Over the course of a full year of meetings, totaling over 60 hours together and untold number of hours of prepwork by workgroup members, we reached consensus on the framework for a resolution,” Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT) President David Walrod said at the public hearing on Dec. 15 public hearing.
The proposed resolution guarantees workers the right to discuss workplace issues and engage in collective bargaining activities without facing coercion or intimidation. It also asserts that the school board has the authority to determine budgets and funding and can “take whatever actions may be necessary to carry out its mission during emergencies.”
If approved, FCPS would recognize separate bargaining units for:
- Licensed instructional staff, including full and part-time teachers, librarians and counselors
- Operational support employees, such as assistants, custodians, food service workers and bus drivers
- Administrators and supervisors, including principals and program administrators
Substitute and temporary employees are currently excluded from collective bargaining, but after July 1, 2023, they could seek inclusion in one of the existing units or file a request to be recognized as their own unit.
Walrod and other employee group representatives urged the school board to adopt the draft resolution.
“FEA agrees with the strong resolution presented to the FCPS School Board and the community,” Fairfax Education Association President Leslie Houston said. “Our number one priority was to ensure all FCPS employees were represented at the bargaining table. This resolution must be passed swiftly and intact.”
With the narrow adoption of House Bill 582 in 2020, Virginia opened the door for public workers to collectively bargain for the first time in 44 years.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution for county employees on Oct. 19, 2021, and last month, fire department workers became the first group to elect a union representative for negotiations.
Leaders of SEIU Virginia 512, a union representing general county employees, said they support FCPS workers also getting the right to unionize and negotiate their work contracts.
“The Fairfax County employees of SEIU believe that every working person deserves the right to join a union with their co-workers and bargain for a better future for all families,” SEIU Virginia 512 Fairfax County President Tammie Wondong said. “When FCPS educators and support staff have a seat at the table, kids and families throughout our community will succeed. That’s why we fight for Unions for All.”
The school board hasn’t set a timeline to vote on the resolution, but any contract talks won’t apply for the fiscal year 2024 budget, which will be proposed on Jan. 12. According to the draft resolution, any negotiations with financial implications need to start by Sept. 1 and be agreed to by Nov. 1 to be included in the next budget.
School Board Chair Rachna Sizemore-Heizer, an at-large member, said by email that the board will continue working on the collective bargaining resolution after FCPS finishes its winter break on Jan. 3:
I appreciate the efforts of the working group consisting of many stakeholders that worked hard to come to consensus on the draft collective bargaining resolution. I also appreciate the time and perspectives of those who came out to speak to the school board at the collective bargaining public hearing. It is vital to hear from our community on this important topic. I will take the comments under advisement as the school board continues to work on collective bargaining after the winter break.
Photo courtesy David Broder/Twitter
