Four score and seven years ago…
Well, not really that long ago but close - 3 score and 10 years ago - the founders of Falls Church had a vision of an independent city with its own school division.
As I read through the history of our city as told by bond referendums and construction projects, two things are certain.
It’s never been easy...It’s always been worth it.
Building projects are expensive, risky, and necessary to maintain a community. There are many facets to every decision, reasons to be cautious and reasons to be bold. The citizens in 1951 and 1957 had almost the same concerns about a GMHS addition that many people do today as we consider a brand new school. Can we afford it? Are we building too much or not enough? What if it doesn’t work out the way we expect it to?
The volume of email and citizen comment that has come through in the past month is truly impressive. I am so pleased that so many people feel passionately about our this City - library, schools, tax rates, fields, safety, sustainability, risk.
While it may not always be easy...you’ve proven that it is worth it.
Four years ago the citizens approved a referendum to sell our water system to Fairfax in exchange for our campus land. They elected four of us the same day - Mr. Sze, Mr. Snyder, Ms. Oliver and me.
Our term on Council has included many important topics, and one constant has been our focus on the campus project. This Council is determined to do the right thing for our City.
We don’t always agree on the details... but we all agree that it is worth it.
Tonight’s votes on the CIP and school bond referendum are not the culmination of those four years. It’s more like the almost-halfway point, the next big step that our community has to take together.
There is still a lot of work left to do to make sure that the strategy for this ambitious CIP becomes a rock solid plan and a true reality.
I am supporting the full CIP because I want to do the best for our citizens, all of our citizens, enhance our community with a new high school, a modern, safe city hall, an ADA-accessible welcoming library and adequate playing fields and eventually, space for more elementary students.
In the past few months our city and school staff worked through many (possibly four score and seven) scenarios to explain how these models worked. Each time they are better, more airtight, less risky. Thanks to the input from consultants and citizens and the collaborative work of staff. Regardless, everyone I talk to is overwhelmed by the magnitude.
Two weeks ago I said that sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and just do it - but this is more than a leap of faith. We’ve got four years of work behind us, good data, solid strategy, strong advice, commitment to keep operating and capital costs as low as possible, and we are ready to take the next step for all of our citizens.
It is not going to be easy, but I am certain that it will be worth it.
“It’s never been easy...It’s always been worth it.”
