Newcomers Guide: Who Runs Great Falls?

More than 100 people attended Great Falls Citizens Association meeting on Brooks Farm Tuesday, May 12. GFCA members voted to oppose the Brooks Farm development proposal. Photo by Ken Moore.

By Ken Moore

Friday, August 28, 2015

Great Falls Citizens Association

See www.gfca.org

Since 1968, the Great Falls Citizens Association has worked on behalf of the citizens of Great Falls to protect, defend and improve the quality of life in the Great Falls community.

According to Great Falls Citizens Association:

“Since Great Falls is not legally a city, we lack a town government to represent our local interests. GFCA acts in an unofficial capacity to represent the voices of the citizens of Great Falls. On Great Falls issues, no other organization has GFCA's influence with elected leaders at the County and State level, or is as respected by them.

“Our goal is to preserve the semi-rural character of our community while addressing practical concerns such as traffic, zoning, retail, schools, parks and the environment — where problems arise and solutions must be found.”

Committees include: land use and zoning; environment, parks and trails; long range planning and development; communication and outreach; transportation; membership; nominations; trails; and groundwater contamination.

President: Eric Knudsen, president@gfca.org

Vice President: Bill Canis, vicepresident@gfca.org

Celebrate Great Falls

See http://www.celebrategreatfalls.org/

Celebrate Great Falls Foundation started nearly 20 years ago and sustains long-time community traditions such as the July 4th parade, Summer Concerts on the Green and the annual tree lighting in December.

Celebrate Great Falls has donated more than $500,000 to local schools and community projects such as the Freedom Memorial and Turner Farm Park. The traditions continue to grow with the annual Winter Wine Tasting in February and the addition of the 4th of July Fireworks.

“Celebrate Great Falls is committed to keeping the spirit and traditions alive that make Great Falls such a special place to live,” according to the website.

Celebrate Great Falls Foundation

P.O. Box 295

Great Falls, VA 22066

571-293-0474

Board of Supervisors

Great Falls is governed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors controls the county budget, establishes county government policy, passes resolutions and ordinances (within the limits of its authority established by the Virginia General Assembly), sets local tax rates, approves land use plans and makes appointments to various positions. Fairfax County has an elected Board of Supervisors consisting of nine members elected by district, plus a chairman elected at-large.

See www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board/about-the-board-of-supervisors.htm

Great Falls is in the Dranesville District.

Great Falls residents are represented on the Board of Supervisors by Dranesville Supervisor John W. Foust and Chairman, At-large member Sharon Bulova.

Dranesville Supervisor, John W. Foust

McLean Governmental Center

1437 Balls Hill Road

McLean, VA 22101

703-356-0551, TTY 711

Email: Dranesville@FairfaxCounty.gov

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dranesville/

Chairman, Sharon Bulova

Fairfax County Government Center

12000 Government Center Pkwy., Ste 530

Fairfax, VA 22035

Phone: 703-324-2321, TTY 711

Email: chairman@fairfaxcounty.gov

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/chairman/

Fairfax County School Board

The Fairfax County School Board has members, elected for four-year terms; one member represents each of the County’s nine magisterial districts, and three members serve at large. A student representative, selected for a one-year term by the Student Advisory Council, sits with the Board at all public meetings and participates in discussions, but does not vote. All 12 seats on the Fairfax County School Board are on the ballot on Nov. 3.

Great Falls is represented by Dranesville School Board member Janie Strauss plus the three at-large members, Ryan L. McElveen, Ilryong Moon and Theodore J. "Ted" Velkoff

Jane K. “Janie” Strauss

571-423-1087

Email: Jane.Strauss@fcps.edu

http://www.fcps.edu/schlbd/members/dranesville.shtml

Virginia House of Delegates

Great Falls is in House of Delegates District 34, represented by Va. Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34).

http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php?id=H0271

804-698-1334

DelKMurphy@house.virginia.gov

Virginia Senate

Great Falls is in Virginia State Senate District 31, represented by Va. Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31)

Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31)

General Assembly Building

P.O. Box 396

Richmond, Va. 23219

804-698-7531

district31@senate.virginia.gov

U.S. House of Representatives

Great Falls is located in U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock’s (R-10) legislative district.

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock

Washington, DC Office

226 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Phone: 202-225-5136

https://comstock.house.gov

U.S. Senate

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are Virginia’s U.S. Senators.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.)

231 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

202-224-4024

http://www.kaine.senate.gov/

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.)

475 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

202-224-2023

http://www.warner.senate.gov/

Vienna Office

8000 Towers Crescent Drive

Suite 200

Vienna, Virginia 22182

703-442-0670

Candidates Debate

The Great Falls Citizens Association is scheduled to host a candidate debate on Sept. 29, 2015 to hear directly from the candidates running for the Dranesville seat on the Board of Supervisors, Chairman to the Board of Supervisors and state representative offices.

Sept. 29, 2015

Great Falls Grange

9818 Georgetown Pike

7:30 to 9 p.m.

On the Ballot

Board of Supervisors, Dranesville District

Supervisor John W. Foust (D) vs. Jennifer Chronis (R)

Board of Supervisors, Chairman, At-large

Sharon Bulova (D) vs. Arthur Purves (R)

Virginia House of Delegates

Va. Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34) will be challenged by Craig Parisot (R).

Va. Senate District 31

Va. Sen. Barbara Favola (D) is being challenged by George Forakis (R)

School Board Races

All 12 seats on the Fairfax County School Board are on the ballot in November.

School Board Candidates:

Dranesville

Jane K. "Janie" Strauss*, E-Mail Address: jkstrauss@cox.net Phone: 703-821-0871

Challenger Peter Kurzenhauser, E-Mail Address: petekforschoolboard@gmail.com Phone: 703-759-4413

Fairfax County School Board at Large

Robert E. "Bob" Copeland, E-Mail Address: copelandshar@aol.com Phone: 703-938-7525

Omar M. Fateh, E-Mail Address: fateh4sb@gmail.com Phone: 703-204-0459

Jeanette M. Hough, E-Mail Address: jhough03@gmail.com Phone: 703-328-3424

Manar A. Jean-Jacques, E-Mail Address: manarjeanjacques@gmail.com Phone: 703-987-1373

Peter M. Marchetti, E-Mail Address: pstryder@gmail.com Phone: 703-721-0872

Ryan L. McElveen*, E-Mail Address: ryan.mcelveen@gmail.com Phone: 571-286-9923

Ilryong Moon*, E-Mail Address: ilryongmoon@gmail.com Phone: 703-764-0581

Burnette G. Scarboro, E-Mail Address: friendsofburnette@gmail.com Phone: 703-586-8131

Theodore J. "Ted" Velkoff*, E-Mail Address: tvelkoff@cox.net Phone: 703-631-7730

= incumbent

Candidates Debate

The Great Falls Citizens Association is scheduled to host a candidate debate on Sept. 29, 2015 to hear directly for the candidates running for the Dranesville seat on the Board of Supervisors, Chairman to the Board of Supervisors and state representative offices.