FY2022 Community Project Funding requests can be viewed here.
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 15 projects in their community for fiscal year 2023 – 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.
Project Name: Renovated and Expanded Federally Qualified Health Clinic
Amount of Request: $1.5 million
Recipient: Valley Health System, 220 Campus Blvd Winchester, VA 22601
Description of Request:
Winchester, Virginia and the surrounding areas lack access to mental health services. The Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and Rural Health Clinics are not currently able to provide the necessary services for the level of care that the community requires. There is a lack of clinical space and providers for mental health services for children, adolescents, and adults in the community.
VHS is requesting a $1.5 million appropriation that would be leveraged against VHS operational and philanthropic investments in order to develop a renovated and expanded Federally Qualified Health Clinic and expansion of existing Rural Health Clinics.
VHS and the FQHC have identified an ideal location for FQHC expansion with a renovation of existing, empty retail space. The facility would be expanded into increased behavioral services, in addition to increased capacity for primary care practices and include onsite dental. Expansion of existing RHCs would build off current VHS infrastructure to supplement the FQHCs with integrated mental health and primary cares services in rural areas where patients may not be able to easily access the FQHC.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would assist in meeting the current and growing need for mental health services in the community
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Health Professionals Training Program
Amount of Request: $500,000
Recipient: Valley Health System, 220 Campus Blvd Winchester, VA 22601
Description of Request:
Winchester, Virginia and the surrounding areas lack access to mental health services. There is a lack of clinical space and providers for mental health services for children, adolescents, and adults in the community.
VHS is requesting a $500,000 appropriation that would be leveraged against VHS operational and philanthropic investments in order to develop a training program for health professionals within our impacted areas. In order to train health professionals, VHS will work with secondary educational institutions to build graduate counseling programming and develop the professionals required to close the care gap and prepare for the growing need within rural and underserved communities.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The project would be a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it would assist in meeting the current and growing need for mental health services in the community
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Diesel Technology Program Revitalization and Expansion
Amount of Request: $685,000
Recipient: Northern Virginia Community College, 4001 Wakefield Chapel Road Annandale, VA 22003
Description of Request:
Diesel Technology Program Revitalization and Expansion Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is requesting $685,000 to revitalize and expand NOVA’s Diesel Technology certificate programs. There is a high demand in our region for diesel technicians. Today's diesel engines efficiently power the dump trucks, heavy equipment, generators, and service vehicles used in road construction, as well as virtually all emergency response vehicles and semi-trailer trucks hauling goods in support of our vital supply chains. In addition, diesel generators are often used as the critical back-up support for hospitals and data centers.
Students completing the NOVA’s diesel program have the transferrable skills to work on these generators and so much more. As manufacturers spearhead more economical and eco-friendly means of powering transportation, they will continue to rely on the modern diesel engine and complex engine management systems. This has generated major opportunities for successful careers in the diesel-powered industry as employers report the real and ongoing need for skilled workers to maintain and repair these vehicles and equipment. Bringing modern diesel-powered equipment and instructor support to NOVA’s Diesel program, will allow it to grow while ensuring instructors are equipped to optimally train students to enter the industry.
The Manassas campus at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) offers two stackable career studies certificates, Diesel Basic Repair (16 credits) and Diesel Preventative Maintenance (16 credits). The curriculum of these career studies certificates were designed in collaboration with employers and the NOVA Diesel Advisory Board and are designed to prepare graduates for an entry-level position in the diesel maintenance field upon completions of the Basic Repair certificate. Students are prepared for higher level maintenance positions and have an advanced knowledge of diesel equipment technology after completion of the Preventative Maintenance certificate. These careers studies certificates can be completed in a short-time frame and prepare students for the workforce in high-wage jobs. As the only academic program training diesel technicians in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, there is significant opportunity to expand to meet market need. The current program has outdated equipment and is without a full-time faculty member to recruit and support students in this program.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The project would support the upgrade the equipment and grow the program to meet the expanding demand for diesel technicians in the region. As a result, these programs, and the in-demand careers that they lead to, would create opportunities for socio-economic mobility among students who pursue them. In 2021 there were over 1,100 new job postings for diesel and heavy vehicle mechanics across the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, and regional employment in these occupations is expected to grow faster than average over the next 10 years (0.9% annually, compared to 0.6% for all occupations). Moreover, a significant portion of the workforce is quickly approaching retirement—over a quarter (27%) of diesel and heavy vehicle mechanics in the region are between 55 and 65 years old, compared to just 18% of those employed in other occupations. These programs provide excellent opportunities for first-generation college students and students from underrepresented groups to develop skills that are valued by employers. This is especially true for those communities located closes to the Manassas campus, which have a higher share of non-White residents (62%) than the rest of the NOVA service area (53%). Diesel technician jobs are also well-paid, with a median wage of $60,000 for the region. This is well-above the living wage for a family of three ($43,500), as well as the median wage across all other jobs requiring less than a college degree ($44,000). As a result, these programs, and the in-demand careers that they lead to, would create opportunities for socio-economic mobility among students who pursue them.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Stormwater Infrastructure Assessment for the Town of Haymarket
Amount of Request: $160,000
Recipient: Prince William County, 1 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA, 22192
Description of Request:
This project will be used to assess the current stormwater system in the Town of Haymarket and develop a preliminary plan and cost estimate for improvements needed to meet current stormwater infrastructure standards.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
This project would provide necessary information to the town to plan and seek additional funding sources to upgrade existing systems to reduce drainage problems and potential flooding.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Rollins Ford Road and Estate Manor Drive Single Lane Roundabout
Amount of Request: $580,000
Recipient: Prince William County, 1 County Complex Court, Prince William, VA, 22192
Description of Request:
Funding is being requested for the Design and Engineering of the Rollins Ford Road and Estate Manor Drive Roundabout Project. The Rollins Ford Road Corridor Study conducted by the Virginia Department of Transportation stated that the Rollins Ford Road corridor has experienced an increase in crashes since constructing the extension westward to Vint Hill Road in 2014. It noted the current facility’s configuration encourages higher speeds due to forgiving geometry/cross-section, relatively low volumes, and limited traffic interactions. This raised the need to identify and implement safety improvements for both motorized and non-motorized users.
This proposal seeks to fund the intersection reconfiguration at Estate Manor Drive to a single lane roundabout recommended by the study. Reconfiguring the Rollins Ford Road and Estate Manor Drive intersection into a roundabout would address safety needs to the surrounding VA-10 community as well as motorists driving on Rollins Ford Road by: Reducing pedestrian crossing distances and improving refuge areas; Reducing existing conflict points by 75 percent; Improving the safety of turning movements from/to Estate Manor Drive; Controlling/reducing speeds along Rollins Ford Road
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
Reconfiguring the Rollins Ford Road and Estate Manor Drive intersection into a roundabout will address safety needs of the community by improving pedestrian crossings, reducing vehicle conflicts, improving vehicle turning access, and controlling/reducing speeds along the Rollins Ford Road corridor. Overall, this project is a good use of taxpayer funds because investing in this type of project improves safety and quality of life of the community.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Empowered Communities Partnership Center
Amount of Request: $1,037,519
Recipient: George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MSN 3A1, Fairfax VA 22030
Description of Request:
The project is a one-year investment of $1,037,519 to develop an Empowered Community Partnership Center addressing substance use disorder through multi-sector partnerships and greater linkages between public health and criminal justice partners in order to develop effective practice interventions and improve treatment success for high-risk individuals experiencing substance and opioid use disorder. A hallmark of the Center will be the formalization of a Criminal Justice Public Health Bridge program collaborating with existing Virginia statewide criminal justice and public health partners to expand coordination of care for those with opioid use disorder reentering the community post release from incarceration. Addressing goals that are important across sectors (preventing overdose, preventing opioid use, lowering use of health care services, improving criminal outcomes) allows stakeholders to focus on shared gains by utilizing proven/established interventions for people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and linking them to resources across health and social care systems. The project will document the differential impacts on underrepresented populations providing the evidence base to support effective new implementation approaches that improve linkage to and engagement in integrated community services.
Nationwide federal and local officials are reporting alarming spikes in drug overdoses. Evidence suggests that the continued isolation, economic devastation, and disruptions to the drug trade are fueling the surge. We are seeing an increased number of residents with substance use disorder and opioid use disorder (OUD) who are being released quickly from jail and correctional settings. Clients with OUD who are transitioning from either incarceration, or who are involved in the criminal justice system, are at a 129x increased risk of overdose in the first two weeks post release. According to the most recent data available from the Virginia Department of Health, in 2020 overdoses in Virginia caused more than 9,900 emergency room visits, fatal overdoses, all substances, increased 41.9% in 2020 compared to 2019, the number of fatal fentanyl overdoses in 2020 compared to 2019 increased by 72.1%, and fentanyl was involved in 71.8% of all drug overdose deaths. In 2020, fatal methamphetamine overdoses most frequently had fentanyl (prescription, illicit, and/or analogs) (64.7%), heroin (19.2%), and/or one or more prescription opioids (excluding fentanyl) causing or contributing to death (18.7%). Fatal methamphetamine overdoses increased by 95.5% in 2020 when compared to 2019. In 2021 we saw the largest number of fatal drug overdoses, all substances, ever seen in Virginia (n=687) (Virginia Department of Health, 2021).
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
Prince William County, Manassas Park and Manassas City experienced 85 fatal drug overdoses. In 2021 the state overdose rate was 19 per 100,000, and in Prince William County the overdose rate was 17 per 100,000, Manassas Park City is 27.8 per 100,000, and Manassas City 31.8 per 100,000. The comparable number for Loudoun county are 30 deaths, 7.1 per 100,000. In 2019, the Commonwealth of Virginia expanded Medicaid and made it possible for more adults to access community health care services, including a broad set of addiction treatment services under the states’ Addiction and Recovery Treatment Services (ARTS) program. The criminal justice system is the largest source of referral to community addiction treatment, providing correctional leaders an invaluable opportunity to facilitate a successful path to recovery for individuals with OUD. This requires new policies, models, and support for communities including comprehensive and culturally tailored reentry models and interventions to address the rise in drug overdose deaths.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Mason Center for Advanced Testing: Tick-Borne Disease Diagnostic Clinic
Amount of Request: $820,000
Recipient: George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, MSN 3A1, Fairfax VA 22030
Description of Request:
This project would establish a Mason Center for Advanced Testing and the Tick-Borne Disease Diagnostic Clinic focusing on the diagnosis of tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease. The requested funds will be used to launch the clinical deployment of a suite of technologies for diagnostic testing of tick-borne diseases, such as Lyme disease, to the citizens of Virginia. Tick bite infections are rapidly increasing in Virginia, causing great suffering and economic loss. The Mason patented technologies and know-how has undergone scientific peer review and has been supported by NIH funding. Mason scientists have developed a technology for patient sample self-collection that does not require refrigerated shipment and storage. One patient sample can be used to detect signatures derived directly from ALL the major known tick-borne pathogens. The technology is amenable to epidemiologic surveillance and screening of high-risk outdoor workers exposed to tick bites, and can also be used to directly analyze the tick itself. The project would work to address the urgent unmet need to accurately diagnose and treat early-stage tick-borne infections before they progress to cause chronic suffering and disability, including cognitive impairment and cardiac failure.
Samples (urine and tick) from patients who present to the clinic with a tick bite, will be collected by partners, and shipped to MCAT where they will be analyzed. Results will be communicated to the requesting physician within 24 hours, enabling immediate initiation of appropriate therapy if positive for pathogens. The requested funds for this project will be used for the purchase of mass spectrometry and automation equipment. The funding would support automation equipment to increase the throughput so many tests per day can be performed.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
Virginia, like many parts of the United States, is suffering from an increased incidence of tick-borne illnesses. Citizens of Virginia are at high risk for contracting tick-borne diseases, and surveys have shown high public awareness of deficiencies of current tick-borne disease testing. It is well proven that early diagnosis is critical in many tick-borne infections that can otherwise result in significant morbidity and mortality. The approach developed at George Mason is unique in terms of its high sensitivity for early detection, and its absolute specificity. As such, it will fulfill a critical unmet need in the Commonwealth. During the first year MCAT will offer a diagnostic panel that measures both the immune response, as well as molecular markers derived from the pathogenic tick-borne organisms, such as the Lyme disease agent. The project can also examine the tick itself, if supplied, to simultaneously detect any tick-borne human pathogen. Following the first year, in addition to the clinical test mentioned, MCAT will also begin offering other unique and transformative tests. The menu will include urine-based tuberculosis testing, urgently needed for the expanding Virginia Department of Health tuberculosis program, parasitic infection diagnostics, including rapidly rising Chagas, as well as the future roll-out of ultrasensitive tests for a range of diseases needing early stage diagnosis.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Route 7 and Route 690 (Hillsboro Road) Interchange
Amount of Request: $4 million
Recipient: Loudoun County, 1 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175
Description of Request:
This project provides for design, land acquisition, utility relocation, and construction of a compressed, urban diamond interchange at Route 7 at Hillsboro Road west of Purcellville, and roundabouts at the ramp termini. The scope of work pedestrian accommodations, as well as the construction of a shared-use path along Hillsboro Road which will improve connectivity for 21st Street in Purcellville to Fields Farm Park Road. The project is proposed to increase the connectivity in the roadway network around Purcellville, and provide a more direct route on major roadways to areas north and north east of the Route 7 bypass, including the schools complex at Woodgrove High School and Mountain View Elementary on Allder School Road (Route 711). The existing roadway network does not provide an ease of access for the local community to points north and northeast, particularly with the recent completion of Woodgrove High School northeast of the overpass. To access the Schools complex, drivers from the west, southwest, and east are forced to use a network of narrow and unsurfaced roads, or travel through downtown Purcellville.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The project is proposed to increase the connectivity in the roadway network around Purcellville, and provide a more direct route on major roadways to areas north and north east of the Route 7 bypass, including the schools complex at Woodgrove High School and Mountain View Elementary on Allder School Road (Route 711). The existing roadway network does not provide an ease of access for the local community to points north and northeast, particularly with the recent completion of Woodgrove High School northeast of the overpass. To access the Schools complex, drivers from the west, southwest, and east are forced to use a network of narrow and unsurfaced roads, or travel through downtown Purcellville. This project funds the design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction of an interchange at Route 7 and Route 690 in Purcellville, located approximately two miles west of the Route 7/Berlin Turnpike interchange and approximately two miles east of the Route 7 and Business Route 7 interchange. The proposed Route 7/Route 690 interchange would alleviate connectivity issues in the roadway network around Purcellville, reduce traffic in downtown Purcellville and on Route 287, and provide a more direct route to destinations north and northeast of Route 7, including Woodgrove High School and Mountain View Elementary. A public information meeting on the design and location of the proposed interchange was held in April 2018 at Woodgrove High School to answer questions concerning the project and receive comments from the public on the proposed interchange project.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Metro Station Area Pedestrian Improvements
Amount of Request: $2 million
Recipient: Loudoun County, 1 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175
Description of Request:
This project provides for sidewalks, shared-use trails, crosswalks, and intersection improvements to enhance pedestrian access to Silver Line Metro Stations in Loudoun County. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will administer the design, construction, and funding of this project under UPC 112296. The project aims to improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety, accessibility and connectivity to the future Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn Metrorail stations.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The project will construct missing segments in the bicycle and pedestrian network within two miles of the future Loudoun Gateway (Route 606) and Ashburn Metrorail stations. The project also features pedestrian improvements, including pedestrian signal upgrades and connecting existing shared-use paths to new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramps.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Franklin Park to Purcellville Trail
Amount of Request: $1 million
Recipient: Loudoun County, 1 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175
Description of Request:
This project provides funding for construction and easement acquisition to complete sidewalks and trails needed to connect Franklin Park to the Town of Purcellville. The Franklin Park to Purcellville Trail project will provide access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic from the Franklin Park recreational facilities to the existing sidewalk in downtown Purcellville to enhance access and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. The proposed segment will connect the Town of Round Hill to the Town of Purcellville and the W&OD Trail through Franklin Park, using the portion already under construction between Round Hill and Franklin Park.
The proposed segment will connect the Town of Round Hill to the Town of Purcellville and the W&OD Trail through Franklin Park, using the portion already under construction between Round Hill and Franklin Park. The access to the existing W&OD trail from Franklin Park, is identified as a planned extension of the National Capital Trail Network (endorsed by COG Board of Directors August 2020) and is prioritized as a “Tier 1” corridor the County’s Linear Parks and Trails System (approved July 2021).
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
The Franklin Park to Purcellville Trail project will provide access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic from the Franklin Park recreational facilities to the existing sidewalk in downtown Purcellville to enhance access and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. Currently, this project is only funded for design with construction funding planned in a future fiscal year. The proposed trail will begin as a 10’ wide shared-use-path at Franklin Park and travel north alongside Franklin Park Drive. At the intersection with Main Street (Business Route 7), the trail will cross to the north side of the street, utilizing a raised concrete median barrier for increased pedestrian safety. The trail will then continue east along the north side of Main Street into the Town of Purcellville, reducing in width from a 10’ wide shared-use-path to a 5’ wide sidewalk as it enters the Town limits. This proposed sidewalk will terminate at the intersection of Main Street and N 28th Street, where it will tie in with the existing sidewalk. On a larger scale, this project is a vital part of the sidewalk and shared-use-path project from Round Hill to Purcellville.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Tuscarora Crossing Phases 1 and 2 in Leesburg
Amount of Request: $1 million
Recipient: Loudoun County, 1 Harrison St SE, Leesburg, VA 20175
Description of Request:
A project for the development costs of new construction of 180 affordable rental homes to serve families at 30% Area Median Income (AMI), 50% AMI and 60% AMI. The project will benefit Virginia families at and below 60% Area Median Income.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
This development will provide 180 affordable units that are greatly needed in the County to address the deficit of affordable rental housing. The project meets local zoning requirements and is intended to provide equitable access to housing.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Improving the Quality of Early Childhood Educators in Virginia
Amount of Request: $254,909
Recipient: Virginia Foundation for Community College Education, 300 Arboretum Pl, Richmond, VA 23236
Description of Request:
The project would identify 384 educators to participate in degree, credential, or certification programs at their local community college over a two-year period. Those students would be supported by early childhood education Navigators who would work to help them through the onboarding process (navigating scholarships, enrollment, financial aid, etc.).
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
Educators will be given an opportunity to pursue programs which will enable them to serve our youngest Virginians, which will result in an enhanced workforce for this critical industry.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Investing in our Youth: Career Readiness and Job Training
Amount of Request: $2.1 million
Recipient: Fairfax County, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22035
Description of Request:
This program would allow the County to establish neighborhood job and entrepreneurship technology and research centers for teens and young adults at the County’s community centers, teen centers, and neighborhood initiative sites. The centers will be operated in partnership with the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (JDRDC) system to provide enhanced workforce development services to youth who have been mandated by the courts to pay restitution, generally for offenses such as shoplifting and destruction of property.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
These centers would provide teens and young adults with career readiness skills, job training, and leadership programs. Additionally, they will provide career exploration, job skill training, professional certifications, and access to an increased range of technology and non-traditional careers and in-demand programs, as well as training programs to underserved communities in Fairfax County that have been affected by generational poverty exacerbated by the pandemic. Often, these youth have never been employed and do not have the skills needed to make themselves employable. Without these skills, they remain unemployed and unable to earn income and then default on their judgements. Consequently, their time involved with the juvenile justice system is extended, often with additional judgements filed against them.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
Project Name: Expansion of the Fairfax County Early Childhood Development and Learning Program
Amount of Request: $1.5 million
Recipient: Fairfax County, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22035
Description of Request:
This request would expand the Fairfax County Early Childhood Development and Learning Program by providing access to early childhood education services for approximately 72 additional young children, ages birth to five years, in early childhood programs located in community-based settings (the number of children is dependent upon the care level – infant, toddler and preschool). The average cost to serve a child in a community-based early childhood program in Fairfax County is $18,200. The cost per slot covers programmatic and operating expenses, including personnel, curriculum, supplies, meals, and facility costs. The exact number of slots will depend on the ages of the children enrolled as child care is generally more expensive for infants and toddlers than for preschoolers. In addition, the requested funding would be used to hire two additional staff positions, who would conduct eligibility, process enrollment, and provide case management for participating families.
Why Request is Good Use of Taxpayer Funds:
Access to affordable, quality early childhood programs is a key strategy for supporting parents who are struggling to engage in the economy and take part in the workforce. This program helps address current labor shortages across most employment sectors. In addition, the program prepares young children for school and future workforce success, which provides long-term positive outcomes in Virginia.
Member’s Signed Disclosure Letter: Click here
