Capital One has officially gotten permission to build a temporary baseball diamond and two permanent parks near its headquarters in Tysons.
The Fairfax County Planning Commission approved two separate plans for recreational amenities on Oct. 26, setting the stage for work on the baseball field to potentially finish in time for the upcoming spring season.
Options for sports and recreation at Capital One Center are currently limited, aside from the Perch Putt mini golf course that opened this spring. The campus previously had an interim baseball field that was later replaced by Capital One Hall and other buildings.
“Having these amenities provides more things to do, reasons to visit, reasons to stay longer, and that dynamic is fantastic from a recruiting and retention standpoint for Capital One,” said McGuireWoods Managing Partner Greg Riegle, who represented the banking company at the public hearing. “It supports the growing retail program, and it’s equally beneficial to the surrounding community around the [McLean Metro] station.”
The first application calls for an urban park on the existing Capital One Center campus near the Metro tracks. Built on an underground parking garage, the park will have a water feature, landscaping, a boardwalk, a playground and an area for food trucks.
A temporary retail building and athletic facilities, including volleyball and pickleball courts, are also planned. They will eventually be replaced by a 33-story residential building and a 20-story office building.
The second approved application details plans for Capital One East, previously known as Scotts Run North until Capital One bought it from developer Cityline Partners in 2019.
Currently occupied by a parking lot used for Capital One Hall, the 6.9-acre property at 1820 Dolley Madison Blvd will host a 33,410-square-foot, publicly accessible park and up to 1.5 million square feet of development when fully built out.
Capital One East Park will include a water feature, landscaping, a play area, a fitness zone, a plaza and seating area, and food truck parking, according to a county staff report.
Before those future buildings come into place, Capital One will provide a baseball field primarily intended to serve travel and college-level summer leagues. While the private facility may be available to other patrons, the schedule is already mostly filled, according to Riegle.
“Demand for the ballfield has been substantial. In fact, we are effectively fully committed with leagues and tournaments and so forth,” he told the planning commission, saying the facility will free up the county’s other fields for schools and community groups.
Capital One will work with the adjacent Gates of McLean condominiums to potentially let its residents use the field when it isn’t booked, Riegle confirmed.
The official hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., but the county agreed to allow an extension to midnight for evening games that run late.
The ballfield will have netting, support poles and light poles to prevent balls from flying onto the nearby Metrorail tracks. The containment structure will be allowed to reach 80 feet in height under a special exception granted by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Nov. 1).
“This is a necessary feature in order to allow for an interim ballfield use that will serve both travel and summer baseball leagues in the area and add to what we see as a growing part of Tysons, bringing both local and outside communities for arts and entertainment,” Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said.
Capital One’s plans fell short of unanimous support from the planning commission. Braddock District Commissioner Mary Cortina abstained from voting, expressing concern with the facilities being built on land that designated as a resource protection area (RPA).
“It doesn’t feel right to turn down a park, because both of these spaces are beautiful, and they’ll be wonderful amenities,” Cortina said. “But I really do have concern when we start to use the RPAs and floodplains for active recreation and for putting in amenities that really should’ve been out of those areas.”
Student, 15, Stabbed at Mount Vernon HS — A student “is in custody after allegedly stabbing another student inside a school bathroom, Fairfax County police Chief Kevin Davis said Wednesday…The victim has non-life threatening injuries, Davis said.” [WTOP]
Metro Shows Off Upcoming Dulles Station — Two days before its 60th birthday, Dulles International Airport will welcome a shiny new Metro station as part of the Silver Line extension, giving Loudoun County its first rail connection to D.C. Officials hope travel will be “more seamless” compared to the 5a bus and shuttle from the Wiehle-Reston station that Metro riders currently need. [DCist]
Footage Shows West Falls Church Police Shooting — Fairfax County police shared video yesterday of an officer exchanging gunfire last month with a man who led police on a chase from Arlington to the Bestway Supermarket in West Falls Church. Police Chief Kevin Davis said the man was “obviously in some state of crisis” when he fired five shots at police, prompting one officer to fire five shots back. [The Washington Post]
Lorton Man Found Guilty in 2021 Murders — “Ronnie Marshall, 21, was convicted by a jury of killing Edward McDaniel Jr., 55, an Army colonel and doctor, and his wife, Brenda McDaniel, 63, a retired Army colonel and a nurse, at their home in Springfield, Va. Prosecutors had alleged Marshall came to the home in search of the couple’s son but ended up shooting and killing the pair.” [The Washington Post]
Workers for Tysons Contractor Go on Strike — “Employees at Maximus, a Tysons Corner-based company contracting with the federal government to handle calls about Medicare and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, are calling for better working conditions and pay at its Chester call center and others across the country” [VPM News]
FCPS Seeks Student Input on Vision for Future — “We are excited to begin the process of developing FCPS’ new Strategic Plan! Starting today through Friday, November 18, students in grades 3-12 will have an opportunity to be a part of this work by taking the Strategic Plan Student Survey. The survey will allow students to share their thoughts about school and what’s important to them.” [FCPS]
Fairfax Station Nonprofit Rescues Cats From Ukraine — “Homeward Trails Animal Rescue has taken in 24 cats from war-torn Ukraine. The felines arrived Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 on two KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flights at Dulles International Airport…The cats were rescued from bombed-out buildings or given up by loving owners who had to flee the country, unsure if they would return.” [Inside NoVA]
Vienna Gets Update on I-66 Toll Lanes Project — “Motorists driving on Interstate 66 between the Capital Beltway and Gainesville soon will have access to two Express Lanes in both directions for the whole stretch, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials told the Vienna Town Council during an Oct. 24 briefing.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Thursday — Partly cloudy throughout the day. High of 66 and low of 51. Sunrise at 7:39 am and sunset at 6:07 pm. [Weather.gov]
The black bear spotted wandering past the Adaire Apartments in Tysons on Sunday (Oct. 30) is the same one seen in Vienna, Reston and other parts of Fairfax County earlier this fall, police say.
The animal has been active in the county for about two months now, traveling in the Vienna, Oakton, McLean, Reston and Fairfax areas, according to Katherine Edwards, the Fairfax County Police Department’s wildlife management specialist.
“While searching for food, this young bear has traveled into residential areas around homes, including yards, porches, and decks,” Edwards told FFXnow. “Most of the reports indicate that the bear is taking advantage of human-sourced food items, primarily bird feeders, unsecured trash, and beehives.”
The FCPD estimates that three to four bears have been active in the county since this spring, though no formal count has been conducted. Edwards says that number is in line with what’s reported to her and the county’s Animal Protection Police each year.
While sightings “are infrequent” in the more urbanized parts of Tysons, it’s “not uncommon” for one-year-old bears known as yearlings to move through the Potomac River corridor when setting out on their own for the first time, Edwards said.
Bears who find refuge in the parks and green spaces around nearby McLean and Vienna might drift into Tysons as they search for food.
This particular bear was filmed walking on the Boyd Pointe Way Sunday night in a video shared by FOX5 reporter Angie Goff. A Facebook commenter on FFXnow’s story about the sighting said a couple of his neighbors have caught the animal on camera following the Vesper Trail from Tysons Forest.
In September, the bear was seen rummaging through a trash can near McLean Hamlet Park, walking on Park Street in Vienna, and crossing Soapstone Drive toward Frederick Crabtree Park in Reston, as previously reported.
Soapstone Drive resident Sarah Boczar told FFXnow that her mom saw the bear in their neighborhood “a couple of weeks ago” while walking the family dog. Photos of the animal have been circulating in the community.
Edwards says bears will typically travel quickly through an area without any conflicts if they don’t find food, but this bear has lingered due to the availability of easily accessible food sources.
“We encourage neighbors to take preventative actions to remove food attractants and reduce the chance of conflict with a bear in their community,” she said. “We are asking neighbors to temporarily remove any outdoor food sources to help keep this young bear wild and encourage it to safely move on.”
Police advise residents to take the following steps to avoid attracting bears:
- Secure Garbage: Keep in a locked shed or inside until the morning of collection or use a bear resistant container.
- Take down birdfeeders.
- Feed pets indoors or only what they will eat in a single feeding if you must feed them outside. Remove all uneaten food and pet bowls. Do not leave food out overnight. Store pet food where bears can’t see or smell it.
- Clean up porches, patios, and decks. Remove any potential food sources and remember a screened in porch is not a “secure” storage area from a bear’s point of view.
- Clean grills after each use. Do not dump drippings in your yard. Run the grill an extra 5 minutes to burn off grease, fat, and food particles.
- Never leave food, trash, or pet/livestock feed inside your vehicle.
- Never purposely leave out food or try to feed a bear.
Male police officers in the Town of Vienna will forgo shaving razors this November for a second consecutive year.
Starting yesterday through Nov. 30, Chief Jim Morris has suspended the Vienna Police Department’s usual prohibition against facial hair to support its “Grow & Give” fundraising campaign, which aims to increase awareness and money for prostate cancer research.
The nationwide initiative benefits ZERO, an Alexandria-based nonprofit that assists prostate cancer patients and their families and supports research, treatment and educational programs.
“Last year, our small department raised the second-highest amount of any public safety organization in the country for the cancer charity — more than $8,000 — and that’s thanks to the generosity of our community,” Morris said in a news release.
The total funds contributed in 2021 easily surpassed the department’s $3,000 goal. It hopes to raise at least $5,000 this year.
Morris said the fundraiser is “especially meaningful” to VPD Public Information Officer Juan Vasquez, whose father died from prostate cancer.
“Participating officers hope that as they start to look a little scruffy in their efforts to support life-saving research,” the VPD said. “Others will be inspired to learn more about the illness and donate to the campaign to help find a cure for prostate cancer.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the most common cancers among men in the U.S. are skin and prostate cancer. The latter affects about 13 out of every 100 men, with the risk of getting the disease increasing with age. Black men and people with a family history of prostate cancer are also disproportionately affected.
According to ZERO, which launched in 1996 as the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, 98% of men with prostate cancer survive the first five years after a diagnosis, but that rate drops to 31% if the disease has reached an advanced stage.
ZERO is among several cancer-related nonprofits with a fundraising campaign that encourages people to forgo shaving during November.
The trend started in 2003 with the Australia-based Movember Foundation, which focuses specifically on men’s health. The California-based Matthew Hill Foundation introduced No-Shave November in 2009 as a nod to the hair loss that many cancer patients experience when undergoing chemotherapy, according to its website.
Photo via Town of Vienna Police/Facebook
County Adopts First Climate Resilience Plan — “The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted Resilient Fairfax, the county’s first-ever Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan. Resilient Fairfax focuses on climate effects, helping Fairfax County adapt to increasing climate hazards experienced locally.” [OEEC]
Dog Licensing Services Now Available — “Fairfax County dog licenses are now available through PetData. The county entered a partnership with this company to provide dog licensing services, including processing applications and payments, mailing renewal notices, answering questions, [and] providing and mailing tags.” [Fairfax County Government]
Far-Right Militia Members Ate at Tysons Olive Garden — Members of the Oath Keepers spent $408.82 at the Italian restaurant after participating in the Jan. 6, 2021 siege on the Capitol, per reports from the ongoing trial against the group’s founder. Court documents showed one individual complaining that the Olive Garden was a “‘far drive away’ and that the server was ‘being a pain about wearing masks.'” [Washingtonian]
Metro Considering Silver Line “Express” Train — “Metro is looking at timing trains to create an ‘express’ train that shaves five to six minutes off the total trip. Metro says an express train could only catch up with a train in front of it, not pass it, so it would have to time things correctly for it to work.” [DCist]
GMU Launches Public Health College — “George Mason University announced today that it is launching the first and only College of Public Health in the Commonwealth of Virginia to meet the critical growing need for skilled, interdisciplinary health professionals and research across the state.” [GMU]
Tree Removals Planned on Vienna Street — “Due to the dismantling of the Callery pear trees on Nutley Street, lanes adjacent to the median from Princeton Terrace SW and Roland Street SW will be closed tomorrow, Wed., Nov. 2, and Thurs., Nov. 3, from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. Outer lanes in both directions will be open.” [Town of Vienna/Twitter]
Reston Planning Committee Seeks Volunteers — “Do you live in Reston, want to volunteer, and have an interest in helping to ensure that Reston’s development as a planned residential community continues to follow the founding principles? Then perhaps becoming a member of the Reston Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Committee is what you’ve been looking for.” [Patch]
Local Nonprofit Starts Holiday Donation Drive — “The Fairfax-based nonprofit Britepaths is seeking donations from the local community to provide holiday meals and gifts for children in 265 Fairfax-area families…Britepaths partners with schools in the Fairfax and Justice high school pyramids to identify families with demonstrated need for holiday assistance.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Wednesday — Mostly cloudy throughout the day. High of 66 and low of 52. Sunrise at 7:38 am and sunset at 6:08 pm. [Weather.gov]
The days of getting COVID-19 vaccinations at the Fairfax County and South County government centers are numbered.
The mass vaccine clinics will reduce operations from five to three days per week, starting Monday (Nov. 7), the Fairfax County Health Department announced last week.
Local health workers and volunteers have been administering doses at those sites since early 2021, but large-scale clinics are being phased out now that shots are “widely available at pharmacies, urgent care centers and medical providers throughout the community,” the FCHD noted.
In addition, 1,016,466 Fairfax Health District residents, or 85.9%, have gotten at least one dose, including 93.2% of people 18 and older, according to FCHD data. 926,024 residents, or 78.2%, are fully vaccinated, including 85.8% of adults.
“In keeping with the federal and state levels strategy to transition vaccine efforts away from government and into community providers, the FCHD has worked with community providers to ensure robust availability of vaccine in our community,” spokesperson Lucy Caldwell said. “As there are fewer unvaccinated residents, and greater availability of vaccines in the community, FCHD can now demobilize its large dispensing sites.”
The reduction in hours will precede scheduled permanent closures of the Fairfax County Government Center site on Saturday, Dec. 17, and the Hyland South County Center site on Wednesday, Dec. 14.
For the next month, the new schedule will be:
Hyland South County Center (8350 Richmond Highway)
- Mondays: walk-in hours from noon-5:45 p.m., appointments from 11:30 a.m.-6:15 p.m.
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays: walk-in hours from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., appointments from 9 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway)
- Thursdays: walk-in hours from noon-5:45 p.m., appointments from 11:30 a.m.-6:15 p.m.
- Fridays and Saturdays: walk-in hours from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., appointments from 9 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
Schedule changes can also be expected during upcoming holidays, with the South County clinic closing on Tuesday (Nov. 8) for Election Day and the main county government center’s clinic closing on Veterans’ Day (Nov. 11) and over Thanksgiving (Nov. 24-26).
Since December 2020, more than 2.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been given in the Fairfax Health District, which also includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.
Fairfax County is still seeing a low level of Covid in the community, as measured by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with the district averaging 146.7 cases per day for the past week.
However, the county health department urges everyone to get their initial and booster shots, if eligible, before the winter months and holiday gatherings arrive, since in the past, cases have surged as the weather cools. Notably, the Fairfax Health District is seeing a weekly average of two deaths per day from the coronavirus, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
“Even if you or your child or family member has had COVID, vaccination is still strongly encouraged as it provides added protection against the virus that causes COVID-19,” FCHD said. “Vaccination is one clear way to provide everyone, six months and older, with increased protection from severe illness.”
Options for getting a Covid vaccination can be found at vaccines.org. FCHD will also still offer vaccines to its clients at its district offices.
In total, the district has reported 246,298 cases, 5,065 hospitalizations, and 1,683 deaths during the pandemic.
Vienna’s newest stop for smoothies celebrated its coronation yesterday.
Smoothie King is now open to customers at 258 Maple Ave East, where it replaced the furniture store Savvy Rest Natural Bedroom in the same block as Sweet Leaf Cafe.
For Shazia Zaidi, who owns the franchise with her husband, Ali Thada, Smoothie King’s opening has been a dream two decades in the making. She started working at the company as her first job after immigrating to the U.S. from Pakistan.
“I work for Smoothie King for 20 years, so this is our own franchise that I was always dreaming for,” Zaidi said. “…I really loved smoothies, and this is something you eat for purpose. It’s not like any junk food, which is not good for you. That’s why I love it.”
Started in New Orleans in 1973 and now based in Texas, Smoothie King sells coffee shakes, high-protein blends and other drinks designed to promote health and fitness.
Zaidi says the smoothies have continually evolved during her career, becoming healthier and expanding with more flavors. They use whole fruits and organic vegetables, while avoiding artifical ingredients and added sugar.
“They have vegan [smoothies], keto, a lot of different options which go with your lifestyle,” she said.
Zaidi told FFXnow that she’s excited to be able run her own business after working for “somebody else all these years.”
When the opportunity came to open their own franchise, Vienna was a natural choice to set up shop for the couple, who live about 10 minutes away in McLean.
“The town of Vienna is a diverse residential community known for its small-town fun, botanical gardens and nature, music, local dining, and rich history,” Syed Mehdi, another member of the franchise team, said by email. “Smoothie King is the perfect addition as a convenient, healthy meal option on the go for Vienna’s active residents.”
Smoothie King is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
The store allows contactless pickups and deliveries with online ordering available through its website and Smoothie King’s Healthy Rewards app.
(Updated at 6:35 p.m.) Tysons got an unexpected visitor this weekend in the form of an apparently solo black bear.
The animal was spotted ambling along the Boyd Pointe Way sidewalk outside the Adaire Apartments in a video shared on Twitter last night by FOX5 reporter Angie Goff. She said it was seen on Sunday (Oct. 30) at 1521 Boyd Pointe Way.
BEAR IN TYSONS: 👀 spottef in Vienna Virginia.. 1521 Boyd Point Way yesterday! @fox5dc #Bears #caughtoncamera pic.twitter.com/KjN6CUJgBq
— angie goff (@OhMyGOFF) October 31, 2022
While startling, bear sightings have increased in Fairfax County in recent years, the police department told FFXnow in June after a bear was photographed crossing the GW Parkway in Belle Haven.
Bears were also reported near McLean Hamlet Park, in Vienna and in Arlington this summer. Reston resident Victor Toth told FFXnow on Sept. 27 that he spotted a bear crossing Soapstone Drive toward Frederick Crabtree Park around 8:45 a.m. that day.
“No picture yet, unfortunately, and while it was only medium sized it was beautiful nonetheless,” Toth said in an email.
It’s unclear if these have all been different bears or the same one or two popping up in different locations.
The Fairfax County Police Department anticipates that bears will continue to appear more frequently into the future, as the animal’s population grows and the county becomes more developed, making it harder for bears and humans to avoid contact.
“Bears have adapted to living near people and we must also learn to adapt to bear activity and take responsible action to prevent conflicts from occurring in our communities by removing food sources that attract bears,” police said in June.
Still, a bear in Tysons at this time of year may be particularly unusual. According to Fairfax County, bear sightings are more often reported during the spring and summer as bears venture out in search of food.
“Black bears hibernate early November through March or April, depending on food availability,” the county says on its website.
Located near the Spring Hill Metro station, Adaire Apartments has a small expanse of grass with a path and benches known as Great Lawn Park, but the area is otherwise decidedly urbanized. The bear could have traveled from McLean Hamlet Park, which is just over a mile away on the other side of the Dulles Toll Road, or across Route 7 from Raglan Road Park.
Fairfax County’s Animal Protection Police doesn’t take action to remove black bears, but any issues can be reported to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) helpline at 855-571-9003.
The FCPD advises preventing conflicts by removing food sources that could attract the creatures.
Image via Google Maps
Metro Starts Fare Evasion Crackdown — “Metro Transit Police officers will begin issuing fare evasion citations on Tuesday, November 1, following a monthlong awareness and warning campaign. Citations with associated fines may be issued to anyone jumping fare gates, improperly using emergency gates, or not tapping fare boxes on Metrobuses.” [WMATA]
Domestic Violence Incidents Rising — “Domestic violence cases are trending up in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 2022, according to police. New police statistics show calls about assaults on family members are up 20% so far this year, and nearly half of the homicides in the county have been domestic-related.” [WTOP]
Reston Tops Police Drug Take-Back Effort — For the 23rd Annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day initiative, Fairfax County police collected 943 pounds of unused and expired over-the-counter and prescription medications from community members on Saturday (Oct. 29). Reston Hospital Center led the eight collection sites with 346 pounds. [FCPD]
Marshall HS Student on Historic Ice Skating Feat — “In September, Vienna, Virginia, high-school student Ilia Malinin became the first skater ever to land a quad axel in competition. We asked him how he pulled off the gravity-defying four-and-a-half-rotation jump.” [Washingtonian]
Route 28 Traffic Changes in Centreville Tomorrow — “The Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) is announcing modified traffic patterns around Route 28 and Compton Road on or about Wednesday, November 2, 2022, from 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Waterline relocation will be taking place during those hours as part of the Route 28 Widening project.” [FCDOT]
Seeds Planted at I-66 Landfill — The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services unveiled signs on Friday (Oct. 28) for a new pollinator meadow high atop the I-66 Transfer Station off of West Ox Road. Part of a larger modernization project, the approximately 1-acre meadow was cleared and seeded in mid-October with native perennial wildflowers that will be pollinated next spring by bees and butterflies. [DPWES]
McLean Students Question FCPS Superintendent — “Salad bars? Grading policies? Snow days? Solar power at schools? Electric buses? Students asked Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) leaders about those things and more during an Oct. 19 discussion at the McLean Community Center.” [Sun Gazette]
It’s Tuesday — Possible light rain in the morning. High of 69 and low of 57. Sunrise at 7:37 am and sunset at 6:09 pm. [Weather.gov]
The race to finalize voter rolls for next week’s midterm elections may come down to the wire after Fairfax County received thousands of new applications today (Monday).
A computer error that affected Virginia’s voter registration system earlier this summer resulted in the state sending another 11,000 applications to the Fairfax County Office of Elections, which says it “will do whatever it takes” to process the documents in time for Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
The applications came from people who registered to vote at the Department of Motor Vehicles between May and September, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. Individuals who updated their address or made other changes to their voter information were also affected.
State officials said the delay stemmed from “intermittent network issues” that were first reported on Oct. 5, according to The Washington Post.
“These new applications are in addition to the previous 11,789 DMV voter registrations from this summer that the state delayed sending to the county until Oct. 5,” the county elections office said in a news release, noting that all of the earlier applications were processed before the registration deadline on Oct. 17.
The state elections department said the new backlog was identified after it conducted a review of the registration system, prompted by reports of “several voters” trying to vote early only to find that their information hadn’t been updated.
Those voters were able to cast a ballot after the local general registrar updated their information on-site, the department said.
“I am very grateful for the vigilance of Virginia’s general registrars in quickly surfacing concerns during early voting,” Virginia Elections Commissioner Susan Beals said. “With information from local officials, ELECT’s IT professionals were able to scour the election system data to identify the additional transactions for processing.”
State elections officials faced criticism earlier this month for an erroneous mailer sent to voters in the towns of Herndon, Vienna and Clifton that directed them to a polling site in Fairfax City.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a letter last week calling for a full investigation into the incident.
Voters can confirm their registration status online or by calling the county elections office at 703-222-0776, TTY 711.
For the first time, Virginia voters can also register at their polling place on Election Day, though those voters will cast a provisional ballot that won’t be counted until after that day.
“It is critical that you fill out the same day registration application accurately and completely,” the county elections office said.
The county has 16 early voting sites open and is accepting mail-in ballots, though the deadline to request an absentee ballot passed on Friday (Oct. 28).
This year’s general election will determine the county’s Congressional representatives as well as Herndon’s new mayor and town council.
