Special Council Meeting
<bt>A special Town Council strategy session to discuss the fiscal year 2005 budget goals and objectives has been scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 21, from 9 a.m.-noon, in the Council Chambers conference room, 765 Lynn St.
<sh>Representative Needed
<bt>School Board Member Jane Strauss of Dranesville District is seeking a parent from her district which includes Herndon, McLean and Great Falls, to serve as her representative to the FCPS Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities. She would prefer a parent whose child has significant special educational needs and who, as a parent, is actively involved and knowledgeable of the major issues. Anyone interested should contact Strauss directly at 703-246-4780 or email jane.strauss@fcps.edu.
<sh>Youth Police Academy
<bt>The next session of the Herndon Police Youth Police Academy will begin March 1. The classes will be held every Monday from March 1 to April 12, from 5-7 p.m. The academy is held at the Herndon Police Station, 1481 Sterling Road. Participants will be given instruction in: community policing, investigations, traffic enforcement, police K-9, forensics, evidence collection, and other topics. This is open to applicants 14-17 years of age. The class is limited to the first 25 students. For more information, contact Detective Matt Payne at 703-435-2990.
<sh>Streetscape Funding
<bt>The Town of Herndon has received official notification that the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved $233,000 in federal Transportation Enhancement Program funds for the town's "Historic Herndon Revitalization Project."
The funds will be used for phase 1 of a three-phase implementation plan for the Town Hall Square and Downtown Streets capital improvement projects. The first phase includes final engineering design and construction of streetscape improvements for Town Hall Square bordered by Elden, Lynn and Station streets. It will provide features such as landscaped sidewalks, crosswalks and streetlights. It will also realign the W & OD Trail crossing at Elden Street and add a pedestrian crossing signal.
<sh>Invitation Extended
<bt>Mayor Rick Thoesen has extended an invitation to the members of the Runnymede-Herndon Twinning Program in Surrey England. Runnymede is the town's sister city. Thoesen invited the committee members to visit Herndon Oct. 20-26.
<sh>Budget Presentation Award
<bt>The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has announced that the Town of Herndon has received the GFOA'S Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its fiscal year 2004 budget. In order to receive this award, the town had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device. Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories to receive this award. This is the 13th year Herndon has received this award.
<sh>Gang Task Force Issues Update
<bt>The 10th Congressional District Gang Task Force began operating in July 2003 to address violent gang activity in Northern Virginia. In the first 6 months of operation, the work of the multi-jurisdictional task force has resulted in 65 felony arrests and 137 misdemeanor arrests. Additionally, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (BICE) has detained 47 individuals on immigration violations.
"The inter-jurisdictional approach to investigations, information-sharing, and proactive enforcement has increased our ability to crack down on gang activity," said Gang Task Force Chairman and Herndon Police Chief Toussaint Summers, Jr.
During investigations and enforcement activities the task force has also seized the following items over the last six months: 46 weapons, 208 grams of cocaine, 31 grams of heroin and 20 grams of marijuana.
Working under a grant from the U.S. Justice Department, the task force is comprised of several Northern Virginia law enforcement agencies, including: Fairfax County Police, Herndon Police, Leesburg Police, Manassas Police, Manassas Park Police, Prince William County Police, FBI, DEA, ATF and BICE.
In addition to law enforcement, the task force provides training on gang issues. To date a total of 30 sessions have been provided to over 500 school staff Members, 200 law enforcement personnel, and 200 citizens.
<sh>Housing Organization Receives Funding
<bt>Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority has been awarded an allocation of $6 million by the Virginia Housing Development Authority to finance 40 homes for residents who make no more than $67,840. The program will include $5,000 per home as a low interest loan for down payment and closing costs. Home buyers will be allowed to use Housing Choice Vouchers toward their home purchase.
<sh>Town Calendar
<bt>Monday, Feb. 16
President's Day, town offices closed. Community Center open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Town Council work session. Herndon Council Chambers conference room, 765 Lynn St.
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m.
ARB/HPRB work session. Herndon Council Chambers conference room, 765 Lynn St.