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Arlington County Civic Federation

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January, 2002 - Volume 86, No. 5 ------


Federation Will Meet on Second Tuesday,
January 8th (NOT ON JAN 1ST!)

County Board to Visit
Federation's January Meeting

    December General Meeting
    7:30 pm, Tuesday, January 8th
    Virginia Hospital Center
    Hospital Conference Center
    1701 N. George Mason Drive

At the January general membership meeting, the Federation will host a visit from the Arlington County Board. The rules for the meeting are contained in this issue of the CIVIC VOICE. Here�s the agenda for January:

January General Meeting

    Reports and Special Recognition

    Presentation by County Board

    Q&A with County Board


911 Scholarship Fund Up And Running!

At the November meeting, members voted overwhelmingly to establish a scholarship fund for the college-bound children of Arlington�s Firefighters, EMTs, Police, Sheriff�s Deputies and Emergency Communications Center Personnel. At a well-attended ceremony on Sunday, December 9th, at Fire Station 5 in Pentagon City, County Board Chair Jay Fisette helped the Federation launch this fund as keynote speaker. The fund is intended as a means for our community to say �thank you� to Arlington�s Public Safety Employees for responding to the Pentagon attack on September 11th as well as for protecting us throughout the year. The scholarship fund is already well on its way toward meeting its modest fund raising goals with support spreading across the community. Details on the scholarship fund�s progress are contained inside this edition of the CIVIC VOICE.

Civic Federation Forms Group to Review Metrorail Route Planning For Arlington

At the last Civic Federation Meeting, Federation President, Jim Pebley, noted that a recent article in the Washington Post as well as a letter from County Board Metro representative, Chris Zimmerman, indicated that long-range Metro planners were looking at adding an additional Metrorail route through Arlington. The Post article described a potential route across Northern Arlington roughly paralleling the Orange Line. Subsequently County Staff indicated that the line discussed would cross the Potomac near the Key Bridge and occupy the center median of I-66 with as many as 3 possible stations between Rosslyn and the East Falls Church station.

Obviously, future County growth and changes in land use planning would be significantly affected by an additional Metrorail route through the County. In addition to intense interest by Federation member organizations that would be impacted by such a route, there has been considerable interest by members of both the Planning & Zoning Committees and the Transportation Committee. Members of the Transportation Committee have already met with the County�s Metro Staffer, Jim Hamre, to seek additional details regarding the planning process. During that meeting, Federation members discussed consideration of alternative routing such as a rail line in the vicinity of Columbia Pike.

Civic Federation President, Jim Pebley, has asked for the formation of a joint study group to seek additional information about Metro�s planning process and to see how interests of the Federation�s member organizations will be addressed. Discussions have included consideration of a special meeting of the Federation members to discuss the issue of additional routing. Member organizations are encouraged to join the joint study group by contacting Jim Pebley via phone or by emailing �info+�

Federation Loses a Heroine

The Civic Federation lost a most remarkable member this past month when Evelyn Staples died in her sleep on December 18th. Evelyn was 88 years young and had served as a Civic Federation Delegate for well over 20 years. Although ill health finally sidelined Evelyn in recent years, she managed to participate actively for years in a wheelchair, hosting the Revenues and Expenditure Committee meetings in her home as late as 3 years ago.

For many of us who didn�t know Evelyn as well as we would have liked, a short history of her life is a remarkable one. Born in Baltimore in 1913, Evelyn was a pioneer from the start. She earned her law degree in 1941, but with the clouds of war approaching, Evelyn elected to join the Army Air Force that year and received flight training. After successfully soloing, she elected to leave the flight training and join the Women�s Army Corps in the service of the Judge Advocate�s Office. Later during World War II Evelyn was recruited by the Office of Special Services (forerunner of the CIA) and parachuted into occupied France, operating behind the German lines. Leaving the Army after WWII, Evelyn was recalled to active duty twice � once for the Korean War and a second time as an intelligence officer during the Cuban Missile crisis. When she finally left the military service, it was at the rank of major.

Having settled in Arlington, Evelyn served as a Federation delegate from the Parkway and later Maywood civic associations. She was a member of the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women and founded Virginia for Animals, an animal advocacy group. In 1991, she ran for County Board and later served as the Chairman of the Federation�s Executive Committee, subsequently winning the Journal Cup Award in 1995.

All in all � we have lost a most remarkable woman and Federation stalwart. Evelyn will be buried in Arlington Cemetery with full military honors on January 3rd. If you�d like to attend, funeral guests should meet at the Cemetery's Administration Building at 8:30 AM.

Procedures for County Board Visit

The County Board Members will be invited to speak, followed by a question and answer period. Although the public is invited, only Federation delegates and alternates may ask questions. Questions from delegates and alternates will be entertained as recognized by the meeting�s Chair. Delegates and alternates who are recognized by the Chair will speak via a walk-around microphone (handled by the ACCF VP). Delegates are not required to submit questions in advance. Questions should be concise, no more than thirty seconds in length, and not statements of position. Argumentative, multi-part, and follow-up questions will not be permitted.

County Conducting Housing Needs Survey

The Federation has received word that Arlington County is conducting a survey on housing needs beginning in late January and ending in February 2002. The purpose of the survey is to inform decision-makers as they plan housing programs, policies and resources to address the affordable housing needs of the County. A consultant hired by the County is conducting a random telephone survey. Federation members are urged to let the County know how you feel about the housing situation in the County by answering the survey, which should take roughly 10-15 minutes. Spanish interpreters will be available as necessary. A goal of the survey is to obtain information on housing needs the Census does not provide, such as the housing needs of persons with disabilities. If you have questions about this survey, contact Fran Lunney, Coordinator of Housing Planning, at 703-228-3785 for more information.

Notes From The Federation President

As 2001 year draws to a close � I�ll remember this as a year that started normally enough, was abruptly rocked by a dastardly attack on our County and our County, yet finishing with a sense of togetherness and a union of spirits that proved the mettle of our citizens. I�ll stop there to avoid sounding like a media pundit! In the coming year we will be working hard at...

  • Closely following the planning for a new Metrorail route though Arlington. The impact of such a new route will greatly affect the future of many of our neighborhoods and their member organizations.
  • Pulling together a repeat of �How to be a Delegate� seminar we held in September 2000. This program, held on a Sunday afternoon, imparted lots of useful information about how the Federation works and how you can �activate� your member organization. We are planning this program for the mid-March timeframe.
  • Getting the Federation�s 911 Scholarship program to meet and then exceed this year�s minimum fund raising goals. The feedback from our Public Safety Employees, including the Sheriff, Fire Chief, Deputy Police Chief and the employee�s association leaders has been unbelievably positive. They are extremely gratified to know that we appreciate their efforts on our behalf � everyday, round the clock to protect us and come in a hurry when we need help.

See you, Tuesday, January 8th

� Jim Pebley

STATUS REPORT ON THE FEDERATION�S 911 SCHOLARSHIP FUND

At the Federation�s November general membership meeting, we established the Federation�s 911 Scholarship Fund to honor the men and women of Arlington�s Public Safety Departments for their heroism and sacrifice on September 11th and every day they serve our community. On December 9th, we held the kick-off for the 911 Fund � at Fire Station No.5 � the station closest to the Pentagon. We were gratified to host Delegate Bob Brink, the County Board, the Fire Chief, the Deputy Police Chief and representatives of the Sheriff�s Office and the Fire and Police Professional Associations.

At that kick-off, we set an initial goal of establishing five $1,000 scholarships for the college bound children of our Firefighters, EMTs, Police, Sheriff�s Deputies and Emergency Communications Center staffers.

We are rapidly approaching the goal for the first year and are pushing hard to generate enough donations to keep the fund helping these heroes for years to come. So far we had contributions ranging from as small as $1 from a child to $300 (a citizen who donated her tax refund). Arlington-East Falls Church Civic Association started the fund with a $500 donation which was matched by a donation from Aurora Highlands CA.

Policemen, Firefighters, E911 Operators and Sheriff�s Deputies from lowest rank up to their leaders have expressed their heartfelt appreciation for the recognition by which this scholarship fund drive has honored them. But, remember, we haven�t stopped collecting! If you or your organization would like to join in this expression of appreciation for those who wear the blue uniforms, ride in fire trucks, guard our courts or answer the call when we need help and dial 911, please consider a donation. It�s tax-deductible.

Here�s how to donate:

    1. Download the Federation�s 911 Fund form via our website at �www.civfed.org� or,

    2. Mail a check made out to the� Arlington Community Foundation (with a note "for thed Federation 911 Fund)" and send it to the

      Arlington Community Foundation
      2525 Wilson Blvd
      Arlington, VA, 22201

Please spread the word!

...and thanks for helping!

Jim Pebley


ACCF Officers

    President Jim Pebley 703-525-0766 jim+

    Vice President Dan Krasnegor 703-534-4024 dan+

    Treasurer Frances Finta 703-528-2882 (no email)

    Secretary Tim Wise 703-243-8345 tim+


Executive Committee

    Chairman - Dan Krasnegor 703-534-4024 - dan+

    Member - Robert Atkins 703-527-8859 - (voice or fax) - (no email)

    Member - Mileva Hartman 703-841-9287 - mileva+

    Member - Roger Meyer 703-671-3655 roger+

    Member - Patrick Smaldore 703-528-3935 - patrick+

    Member - Kim Smith - kim+


ACCF Committee Chairs

Recipients of this newsletter are encouraged to forward to all and any interested parties

Copies of the Newsletter are available for Download from the Civic Federation website. (That is a paper version statement: this page is the Web version.) the Civic Voice is also distributed by email.

The paper version of the Civic Voice uses a freshly updated design introduced in 2001 by Cheryl Whitehead, who can be reached through email to cwhite229@erols.com. This Web version using the same text but posted within the style confines of our Web page design, is put up by Randy Swart. If you have comments or complaints about either version, please contact the editor, Jim Pebley


This page was last revised on: December 28, 2003.
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