The Fairfax County Police Honor Guard, Westfield High's jazz band, area residents, local dignitaries — and even the sun — turned out Saturday morning for the dedication and open house of the new Sully District Governmental Center.
"I ordered the sunshine in the morning, specifically," joked Supervisor Michael R. Frey (R-Sully). "It's a wonderful day for Fairfax County — the first new police district established in 27 years."
The $7.5 million building is at 4900 Stonecroft Boulevard in Chantilly and houses both the Sully District Police Station and supervisor's office.
The new station will lighten the workload of the Fair Oaks District Station — the county's busiest station, with nearly 40,000 calls for service per year. Said Frey: "Fair Oaks has done a tremendous job, but it was taxed to the absolute limit."
Under Capt. Bill Gulsby, commander of the new station, and Lt. Steve Thompson, assistant commander, the Sully District Station opened for business on May 3. And Gulsby expects it to handle 22,000 calls for service, its first year.
"We've looked forward to this day for a long time," said county Board of Supervisors Chairman Katherine K. "Kate" Hanley (D) to the crowd gathered outside the building for Saturday's festivities. "This facility is the epitome of what local government does generally and Fairfax County does specifically."
She said the Board accelerated the construction funds. "The bond-referendum money was approved in 1998," added Frey. " We got a little more money from the state that year, and Kate got us the money [for this building] sooner."
Meanwhile, Hanley praised the voters for supporting the public-safety bonds. And, she said, "The community associations that meet here help Mike and I do our jobs and make the quality of life for all citizens better."
Noting that the community meeting rooms in the new building are named after the late Jim McDonnell and Dick Frank — two staunch community activists — Hanley called both men "exceptional in their devotion to this county." She thanked the police "for keeping us safe," county staff for helping move the project along and the Virginia Run Garden Club for designing and maintaining the brick planters outside the building.
Also on hand Saturday were County Executive Tony Griffin, Del. Gary Reese (R-67th), Sully District Planning Commissioner Ron Koch, Deputy County Executive Rob Stalzer, Supervisor Gerry Connolly (D-Providence) and county Police Chief J. Thomas Manger.
"The last time a police chief opened up a new station was in 1976 in Reston," said Manger. "We transferred officers from all over the county, and they didn't want to go there. The contrast is that every officer transferred here asked to be here."
That's why, he said, they'll fit easily into the community. "These officers want to be working in your neighborhood, and you'll get to know them well," said Manger. "It's incredible what Bill Gulsby has done with this [facility]. There's a terrific bunch of officers here, and they're going to do a terrific job for you."
Frey acknowledged all the work it took to make Sully's new seat of government a reality. "From plan review to groundbreaking, it has been a tremendous, collaborative effort," he said. He then thanked general contractor, HRGM Corp., plus the architect, the liaisons to the construction company and the county's Information Technology and Public Works staff.
He also praised the efforts of Howard Guba, director of the Public Facilities office; project manager Carey Needham with the Department of Public Works (DPW); and project engineer Hank Houde, also with DPW, who "made sure deadlines were met and the building was delivered in the shape it was."
Soon, a time capsule will be buried on site. "We wanted to show people, 50 years from now, the challenges we faced, what we valued and the groups that made it all possible," said Frey. "[It] will be an homage to the people who designed, built and helped open the station," added Gulsby.
Included will be letters from Hanley, Frey and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-10th); a flag that flew over the U.S. capitol and a U.S. House of Representatives mug, both courtesy of Rep. Tom Davis (R-11th); an item from Westfield High's class of 2003; the 1998 county bond brochure; a commemoration of the Rocky Run Garden Club's 50th anniversary and copies of the Sully Station community newsletter. A roster of officers at the new police station will also be included, as will pictures of the National Air and Space Museum Annex in Chantilly and photos from Saturday's Sully governmental center building-dedication.
Participating in the ribbon-cutting were Frey, Gulsby, Manger, Hanley, Reese and Griffin. Visitors then toured the building and saw outdoor displays by the police K-9, helicopter, motorcycle, tactical and explosive-ordnance disposal units. Also there were Crime Solvers representatives and McGruff the crime dog.
Before the two community rooms were dedicated, Frey said it would be "both an honor and bittersweet," since both Frank and McDonnell have passed away. "Dick and Jim will be sorely missed, but their memory will live on with us in the two rooms," he said.
"Pictures and short biographies of both men will be placed in the rooms so the community will know about their accomplishments," continued Frey. "We know this building will serve us well, and we hope it will be a community focal point for a long, long time."