Services

Rep. Wexton has submitted funding requests for important community projects in Virginia-10 to the House Appropriations Committee.

Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee, each Representative may request funding for up to 10 projects in their community for fiscal year 2022 – although only a handful may actually be funded. Projects are restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities are permitted to receive funding. Additional information on the reforms governing Community Project Funding is available here.

In compliance with House Rules and Committee requirements, Rep. Wexton has certified that she, her spouse, and her immediate family have no financial interest in any of the projects she has requested.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

Project Name: Manassas Police Department Law Enforcement Mental Health and Domestic Violence Case Management Team
Amount of Request: $270,000
Recipient: City of Manassas Police Department, 9027 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110

Description of Request:
The City of Manassas proposes to use the FY2022 Community Project Funding to establish a case management team within its police department that will increase domestic violence victim and mental health consumer access to services that will reduce the number of emergency police interventions in the community. The Manassas City Police Department will utilize this funding to staff one full-time mental health professional and one full-time police officer to create a case management team focused on directing individuals to community services before an emergency incident occurs. The current resources available to the police department are insufficient to meet its community-oriented objectives related to the response to mental health and domestic incidents.   

Funding for this project will be used to create a domestic violence and mental health case management team comprised of a mental health professional and a reassigned veteran officer made available through the hiring of a new police officer. The case management team will be established within the police department s community services section and will report directly to the sergeant assigned to community services. Establishment of the case management team will resolve the inefficiencies in the police department's efforts to mitigate domestic violence incidents and significantly increase coordination with the local Community Services Board to address mental health concerns. The case management team will also significantly increase the police department s ability to respond to the future initiatives of the Marcus Alert system. Funding of the case management team will also permit the police department to focus more of its limited resources on other important community services initiatives.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The City of Manassas funding request will allow the Manassas City Police Department to expand its ongoing efforts to connect individuals to community services that support mental health consumers and victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence and mental health emergencies represent significant risks to victims, mental health consumers, and responding police officers. The proposed program includes hiring a mental health professional to partner with a veteran police officer to create a case management team within the police department. The case management team will facilitate partnerships with local stakeholders and manage proactive responses from within the police department that will direct individuals to resources before an emergency occurs. The Manassas City Police Department is committed to the principles of 21st century policing. As a nationally-accredited agency through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), having already been recognized for excellence in meeting stringent accreditation standards, this is yet another opportunity for the Manassas City Police Department to be a standard-bearer for 21st century policing in the United States.

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Project Name: Prince William County Police Department Use of Force Assessment, Evaluation and Analysis
Amount of Request: $250,000
Recipient: Prince William County Police Department, 9311 Lee Ave, Manassas, VA 20110

Description of Request:
The Prince William County Police Department to assess, requesting funding to evaluate and analyze its use of force policies, training programs, police culture, supervision, de-escalation strategies and tactics with the assistance of an independent contractor.  The independent contractor will also evaluate and assess what environmental factors, or precursors are commonly associated with uses of force using the police department’s use of force data. The contractor will recommend what adjustments may be needed in existing use of force policies and training programs. Additionally, the contractor and agency partnership will analyze what use of force data is already being collected, what additional data should be collected and how the existing data should be interpreted and made available to the public.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will strengthen police and community relationships during a time where police officer use of force remains a critical issue among law enforcement professionals and the communities they serve. This project will continue to build fairness, trust, legitimacy, and transparency with the local community and promote better evidence-based decision making regarding the use of force.

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

Project Name: Frederick County Diehl Water Treatment Plant Improvements
Amount of Request: $3,000,000
Recipient: Frederick Water, 315 Tasker Road, Stephens City, VA 22655

Description of Request:
The purpose of the Diehl project is to improve water quality and increase water capacity at the James H. Diehl Water Treatment Plant in Stephens City, Virginia. The plant is owned and operated by Frederick Water, an independent water authority located in Frederick County, Virginia. The project improvements consist of constructing a new, 500,000-gallon raw water storage tank, a pump station to deliver the raw water to the Diehl Water Treatment Plant, larger sediment basins to improve the quality of recycled plant process water, and larger finished water pumps to deliver the increased flows to the community. 

Currently, the only direct source of water for the plant comes from a quarry. Ground water recharge to that quarry is supplemented by a deep-water withdrawal from another near-by quarry and two deep water wells. The supplemental sources make up most of the raw water needed but are all mixed in the single source quarry. During the summer months, the length of time the water from the other water sources spends in the quarry prior to entering the water treatment plant allows the water temperature to rise and allows for the introduction of algae and potentially other surface contaminants. The contaminants are removed at the water treatment plant, but at a considerable capital cost and reduction in water quantity. By providing a closed, raw water tank for the groundwater sources, algae and other contaminants can be greatly reduced if not eliminated, thereby increasing water quality and production, as well as reducing the cost to treat the raw water. A new raw water pump station will pump that cleaner water to the plant at an adjustable flow rate to maximize water plant efficiency.

The water plant filters must be occasionally backwashed to remove accumulated sediments. The backwash water is sent to sedimentation ponds to allow the solids to settle out and allow the water to be re-used. The current ponds are undersized, allowing sediments to make it back to the plant intake. This project would remedy that by constructing new, larger ponds.

Finally, larger finished water pumps are required to deliver the additional water to Frederick Water’s customers at an adequate pressure. The pumps will have an adjustable speed to meet fluctuating customer demands and maximize plant efficiency.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The proposed water infrastructure improvements at the Diehl water treatment plant reflect Frederick Water’s commitment to its customers including the three localities served, which includes residential, commercial, and manufacturing customers.  As an Authority created by the Frederick County Board of Supervisors in 1967, Frederick Water operates as a Virginia corporation organized and existing under the provisions of the Virginia Water and Waste Authorities Act (Sec. 15.2-5100, et. seq., Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended.) As an Authority, Frederick Water operates independently of Frederick County and the Board of Supervisors; the County and Board of Supervisors have no fiscal responsibility for, nor oversight of Frederick Water. More importantly, Frederick County taxpayers do not fund Frederick Water’s water and sewer infrastructure and operations – consumers of the water and sewer service do – residential as well commercial customers.  

Frederick Water continually expands water and wastewater treatment capabilities to meet the demands of the ever-expanding food manufacturing tax base within our community; expansions to the betterment of the community, some would argue the nation, but at the expense of only the water and sewer service customers.  

The food manufacturing base utilizes upwards of 40 percent of the available water and         wastewater treatment services provided by Frederick Water. The local food manufacturing base is anchored by HP Hood LLC and Kraft Foods, who combined contribute millions of dollars to the local, state, and national economy. Their food products are delivered throughout the entire country. 

Utilization of Community Funding Program funds - taxpayer funds - for expansion of Frederick Water’s treatment and distribution infrastructure is a smart and appropriate investment. The Community Funding Program funds would use tax revenues, funds contributed by the manufacturing base, to be invested in the water infrastructure from which they benefit. Moreover, the use of the funds enables strengthening of the water system infrastructure from which commercial and manufacturing benefit, without placing additional burdens on residential water and sewer customers, nor hindering economic development. The use of Community Funding Programs for Frederick Water’s water infrastructure improvements returns tax contributions and reinvests back in the community which supports the manufacturing facilities, completing an economic circle of benefit.

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Project Name: Manassas City Water Transmission Main
Amount of Request: $2,400,000
Recipient: City of Manassas, 9027 Center Street, Manassas, VA 20110

Description of Request:
The City of Manassas provides water to its 42,000 residents and city businesses and industries. In addition, the City also provides drinking water to the City of Manassas Park and a portion of Prince William County. A single 24-inch transmission main transports water approximately eight miles from the water treatment plant to the City’s distribution system. This existing 24-inch transmission main was constructed in the late 1960s using ARMCO steel pipe with Jute and Tar connections. This pipe lacks cathodic protection making it more susceptible to degradation and failure due to pitting and corrosion. It has outlived its useful life and has reached its capacity.

Beginning in 2007, the City included the replacement of this transmission main in its Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP calls for the replacement of this transmission main with a new 36-inch ductile iron transmission main. This specific project will replace 4,200 linear feet of pipe along Fitzgerald Way with new 36-inch ductile iron pipe. The total cost of this construction project is $3,000,000. The replacement of this line will increase the reliability and volume of water needed to meet the City’s current and future demand and that of its neighboring jurisdictions. Design plans are complete and have already been approved by the Virginia Department of Health. Federal funding assistance will allow this project to be completed sooner.

The total estimated cost to replace the entire 8 miles of transmission main is $29,060,000. To date, the City has been able to replace approximately 60%. The Fitzgerald Way water main project will replace another 10% of this transmission main.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
This project is an excellent use of taxpayer funds. Our City and region have grown tremendously since the original water transmission main was constructed in the late 1960s.  An efficient and reliable drinking water system is critical to the well-being of our residents and the success of our businesses.

This project funding will leverage $600,000 in local funds and allow faster completion of this critical project.  In addition, this funding will allow local funding to be directed to the final phase of the project which allows the entire project to be completed sooner.

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education

Project Name: Fairfax Community Services Boards (CSB) Local Inpatient Purchase of Services (LIPOS) and Discharge Assistance Planning (DAP) Data Collection and Management System Project
Amount of Request: $400,000
Recipient: Fairfax County Government, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035

Description of Request:
The Local Inpatient Purchase of Services (LIPOS) and Discharge Assistance Planning (DAP) Data Collection and Management System project will be creating a secure data collection and management system for the administration of inpatient hospital bed purchases, as part of the LIPOS program and state mandated data collection requirements. The project will establish the capability for all Region II Community Services Boards (CSBs), including Prince William, Alexandria, Arlington, Loudoun, and Fairfax-Falls Church, to access a secure common interface. 

Through the LIPOS program, uninsured clients or those without other financial resources are provided private inpatient (hospital) services to maintain their safety and the safety of the greater community. There is state mandated data reporting as well as reporting that falls under the State Performance Contract. The LIPOS and DAP programs have grown yearly, and projections are that they will continue to grow based on the limited availability in state hospitals and US Department of Justice mandates to create individual, community-based services, as opposed to state facility-based services. 

The current system is an outdated Access Database and a lengthy Excel spreadsheet. It utilizes a labor-intensive manual process to review documents to verify state standards are maintained. Limited personnel resources and associated labor costs hinder the ability to manage the programs and ensure accurate data collection. The new system will consist of a secure web-based portal with common secure access by regional CSBs. The portal will be accessible (access controls in place) by six different locations with the ability to enter data simultaneously.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The process is currently not automated and relies on manual human processes that allow for error and are time consuming. By automating the collection of invoicing and billing data the County will eliminate human error, and know in real-time how much funding has been used versus what is available, allowing for enhanced decision-making and budgeting.

This real-time budget knowledge will help the County to continue to grow the LIPOS and DAP programs, which support and create individual community-based services, as opposed to state facility-based services. 

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Project Name: Quantum Science Workforce Initiative
Amount of Request: $660,000
Recipient: George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030

Description of Request:
The George Mason University Quantum Science and Engineering Center (QSEC) project would inspire the next generation to pursue quantum and support the growth of a diverse quantum workforce in Northern Virginia. The George Mason QSEC was founded in 2018 with support from the university, and is focused on quantum research and workforce development that brings together expertise in disciplines from physics to computer science to bioengineering and more.

The project would seed K-20 quantum workforce development efforts that will become the basis for the Northern Virginia high-tech pipeline. The program will develop interest and basic knowledge of quantum in elementary and secondary students in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties, create some of the first elementary and secondary quantum curricula, and provide career-connected and experiential learning experiences for students and teachers. This effort will increase quantum literacy for teachers and their students. At the same time, the opportunity for students and teachers to engage in research and industry experiences will help them see what is possible in this emergent field that is poised to have an impact on everything we do, as classical computing did when PCs became ubiquitous forty years ago. There is an evaluation component included in the program to gain insight into the efficacy of these efforts and position the QSEC to gain support from other funding sources for the most effective elements of these programs into the future.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The first quantum revolution gave us the transistor which is at the core of our current economy powering all of our electronic devices. The second quantum revolution has the potential to have a similar impact on our society and on our economy, providing the technology and jobs of the future. Northern Virginia is poised to be at the forefront of this revolution. By investing these taxpayer funds, we will prepare students and teachers to join and shape the workforce of the future while building the backbone for economic development in this emerging field.

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

Project Name: Fairfax County Homeownership Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance
Amount of Request: $1,030,000
Recipient: Fairfax County Government, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035

Description of Request:
This project would provide first time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost assistance. Based on the current zoning projects approved through January 2022, there are 78 Affordable Dwelling Units (ADUs) and 25 Workforce Dwelling Units (WDUs) in the pipeline to be placed in the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development’s First Time Homebuyers Program (FTHB). The FTHB currently offers financial assistance to qualifying applicants on their down payment and closing costs through the use of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. CDBG funding is limited. This requested funding would enable the program to continue to meet the need for assistance.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The First Time Homebuyers Program (FTHB) supports the County’s recognized priority of affordable housing as stated in the Strategic Plan, the Communitywide Housing Plan, and One Fairfax, a Countywide initiative aimed at ensuring that all residents have an equitable opportunity to succeed regardless of their race, color, sex, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, disability, income, or where they live.

Strategic Plan - https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/strategicplan/
Communitywide Housing Plan - https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/housing/sites/housing/files/assets/documents/ahrp/ahrp recommendations final.pdf
One Fairfax Racial and Social Equity Policy - https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/one-fairfax

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Project Name: Lawson Road Pedestrian Crossing of Tuscarora Creek
Amount of Request: $935,000
Recipient: Town of Leesburg, 25 West Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20176

Description of Request:
Tuscarora Creek has significantly deteriorated the low water crossing between two cul-de-sacs on Lawson Road. A new stream crossing will provide bicycle and pedestrian access to the W&OD Trail from residential communities. Bank erosion approximately 200 feet upstream of the crossing will be stabilized to reduce further bank loss and potential impacts to the crossing and reduce sediment transport downstream.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The scope of this project will address a public safety issue for a pedestrian crossing that is utilized by the surrounding community. At this time, it is considered dangerous to cross the Tuscarora Creek, and the construction of a safe passage will improve the quality of life for the Town of Leesburg residents.

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here

Project Name: Middleburg Town Hall and Police Department Facility
Amount of Request: $2,000,000
Recipient: Town of Middleburg, 10 W Marshall Street, P.O. Box 187, Middleburg, VA 20118

Description of Request:
This request is for a community project to build a combined Town Hall and Police Department facility for the Town of Middleburg, Virginia. The new Town Hall will provide multiple economic and community development benefits, to include: at least 4 public meeting rooms for use by the broad community, including not-for-profits, small businesses, and government agencies; Council Chambers large enough to host small business seminars, workforce development events, and other business development activities; and adequate space to house our Director of Business Development and Community Partnerships, whose primary focus is the growth, retention, and success of our small businesses.

The Town’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted in October 2019 and the result of months of public input by hundreds of residents, identifies the need for a new Town Hall and Police Department. In addition, the project will include two separate public open space park areas, which fulfills another goal of the Comprehensive Plan. These efforts achieve key community development goals that are otherwise challenging to implement in a small Town with limited available land.

In the Town Office at this time, there are 7 full-time staff, to include 3 staff in the upstairs that is only accessible via a narrow, spiral staircase. The Town Office has only one public meeting room, which serves as the Council Chambers, conference room, break room for staff, and public gathering space. There are no other public meeting spaces in the building. The Town has also had to conduct mold remediation three times in the past 8 years to resolve moisture and mold issues in the building. Finally, there are ADA limitations in the current space due to the age of the building and lack of space to add certain accommodations.

Overall, the project will enhance the economic prosperity of the Town of Middleburg and the thousands of citizens that live within this region of the 10th District of Virginia. Through this project, we anticipate better service to residents, businesses, and visitors.

Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
Adequate, accessible, and open public facilities are vitally important to the health and prosperity of a municipality and the broader surrounding community it serves. This project seeks to replace a building that is old, outdated, and out of compliance with current standards. The existing Town Hall serves as the polling place for over 1,400 registered voters and cannot accommodate significant crowds. The new Town Hall will provide the appropriate parking, space, and facilities to support efficient voting.

The southwestern portion of Loudoun County is a large area, serving over 8,000 citizens. Despite this size, there is only 1 public facility, of limited size, which serves as a free open forum and meeting space for the community, businesses, and non-profit organizations. Our vision is for the new Town Hall to finally solve this problem for our community. It will have at least 4 free meeting rooms of various sizes that any member of the public from the community can use, providing space to help businesses grow, residents access services, non-profits organize for community outreach, and help with the proper planning and execution of government functions. This last element includes government at all levels: local, county, state and federal. Our goal is to make the New Town Hall a focal point of government and public engagement for the entire southwest area of the county. 

The Town of Middleburg may be small in population, but it has a large business community that impacts the region. In 2019, it was estimated that gross revenues generated in the Town were around $254 million, with total sales taxes generated in Middleburg resulting in $6 million in direct revenue to Loudoun County. State and federal incomes taxes generated in the Town are also very sizeable.

Paying for a project of this size is daunting for a small Town. Any financial assistance from the federal government will not only improve the economic prosperity of our Town, but it will also allow the project to proceed without concern of appropriate financing and funding constraints. Finally, this project is under design and will be ready to break ground in January 2022. The taxpayer dollars will be effectively used in helping construct a generational building that will serve thousands of residents, business owners, and visitors for decades.

Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here