The Civic Federation noted that in three short years, Nixon managed a resurgence in Neighborhood Conservation that began by resolving the program's volatile staffing problems. Since then, neighborhoods participating in the program have doubled, from 20 to 39. She assisted ten neighborhoods in preparing or updating Conservation Plans with ten more pending. Says Civic Federation President, Jim Pebley, "the real measure of the program's success is that the number of neighborhood requested improvement projects awaiting funding has increased from 15 to over 55." Bond funding for neighborhood projects rose from $2.6 to $5 million bi-annually, and for the first time in the 2002 budget year, the County Board added a half million dollars of operating budget capital. Funds are allocated in accordance with a points system that ranks projects objectively across neighborhoods using the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee's neighborhood-based criteria.

The Arlington County Civic Federation is organization that brings together 75 member organizations ranging from neighborhood civic associations, to groups as diverse as the Taxpayers Association, the Arlington Education Association and the League of Women Voters. Beginning last Fall, the Federation began a monthly program of recognizing citizens, local activists and County employees that "significantly contribute to the well being of Arlington's communities." Nixon is the 6th winner of this award.

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