The Reston Association Board of Directors is inching closer to a solution regarding the renovation of Southgate Recreation Center.
At a Monday evening work session board members considered a draft referendum question regarding the Southgate Center. At the board’s monthly meeting on Thursday, June 27, they will hone the language in the question, in preparation for a public hearing on July 8. The final referendum ballot is scheduled to be sent to Reston homes in September.
At the work session, some board members voiced concern over the language. If the referendum passes, it will allow Reston Association to transfer the Southgate property to Fairfax County for a 99-year period. In return for the property, Fairfax County has agreed to build a new $2.3 million recreation center, with an indoor basketball court and several multipurpose rooms.
But for the referendum to pass, 40 percent of Reston homeowners need to submit a vote. Of those voters, two-thirds need to vote in favor of the project. Reston Association has never had 40 percent participation with any of their referendum ballots. To create that level of participation, many board members said the referendum language should make the terms of agreement absolutely clear. The draft question said the property would be conveyed to Fairfax County for a period of 99 years, but did not make any mention of a lease.
"The question doesn’t show the trade-off," said board member Vicky Wingert. "It shows what we are giving, but not what we are getting. We need to make it clear that this is a lease."
Gerald Volloy, executive vice president of the Reston Association, said the question did not mention a lease agreement because such an agreement is not part of the homeowner’s association governing documents. Attorney William Mason, legal counsel for Reston Association, suggested that the question should not mention a lease, for legal reasons.
"One problem is the legality of it," Wingert said, "But selling it is the thing."
Suzi Jones, president of the board, agreed that selling the question was important.
"We’ve got to have the core information in the question and assume most people will not get past the first page," Jones said.
The referendum question will be placed on the first page of the ballot, along with several informative bullet points. A multiple-page fact sheet will also be included with the question.
BUT BOARD MEMBER Bob Poppe questioned some of the language included with the draft question. One sentence, just before the actual question, read: "This is a win — win — win: For the Reston Association, for Fairfax County and for our community. Therefore, we ask for your positive vote on the following Referendum question."
"I know you all may get mad at me for asking this," Poppe said, to his fellow board members, "But this, ‘Win — win — win,’ statement, how much advocacy can we give this?
Volloy said Reston Association staff tried to stay objective when writing language for the recent Nature House referendum ballot, because several community members voiced opposition to the Nature House. In meetings on the Southgate project, Volloy said he has not heard any such opposition.
Board vice president Bertha Hoskins suggested the referendum should state that the board is unanimously in favor of the project.
"I agree," said Poppe.
THIS SATURDAY, June 15, Reston Association will hold a kick-off celebration for the Southgate project. The celebration, held at the center, at 12125 Pinecrest Road, will run from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be several local politicians at the celebration, along with games, prizes and giveaways.
There will be brochures on the Southgate Project, and Reston Association officials will answer any questions from the public. The homeowners association is planning outreach strategies to educate more Reston residents about the project, so that a high number of people will vote in the referendum. They will be talking to cluster associations, schools, churches and other community groups. Board members will also be handing out Southgate brochures at places like the upcoming Reston Festival.
"If you take 10 brochures and talk to the people," Jones said, "It’s going to be that face-to-face contact which will make it work."