The County’s new “Six-Step Public Engagement Guide for Capital Projects” aims to strengthen engagement and communication processes across County government – for hundreds of capital projects both large and small.

Recognizing there’s no one-size-fits-all approach, the guide aligns the level of public engagement needed based on the characteristics, benefits and potential impacts of each project. The six-step process highlights how engagements should be planned, implemented and assessed.

“One of my strategic priorities was to increase the County’s level of engagement and transparency – and this guide affirms that commitment,” says County Manager Mark Schwartz. “Effective engagement helps build trust and makes it easier for residents to work with their government.”

Over the last year, the County Manager’s office worked with both internal and external stakeholders to develop the guide. And in the last month, hundreds of staff across the County have been trained on the new guide. Starting April 2, the guide will be applied to new capital projects just coming online. The County also will incorporate engagement levels into the next Capital Improvement Plan.

The guide identifies four types of engagement that can occur with capital projects:

• Communicate: keep community informed on project updates, changes, regulatory constraints and progress through the lifecycle of the project;
• Consult: keep community informed, listen to views and provide feedback on how the input influenced the project and/or decisions;
• Involve: share how concerns/views were reflected in analyses and/or solutions and designs developed; share how inputs influenced the final decision of project;
• Collaborate: seek community input in partnership with stakeholders.

View a one-page snapshot of the guide or check out the full guide. You can also stay connected other important engagement opportunities by checking out the Engage Arlington webpage.

The Six-Step Public Engagement Guide is only one of several new engagement initiatives, part of a larger public engagement action plan. Recently, County Manager Mark Schwartz and Civic Federation President Duke Banks held a series of conversations with civic and condo association presidents to explore better communication and coordination with their communities.

Watch a video presentation and discussion about the guide from the March 19 Board Meeting: https://youtu.be/CAQtHGlcI8A?t=1h26m42s

Chart from Engagement Guide

The next Money Talk: A financial course for women will begin next Wednesday, March 28. If you are interested in attending any of the sessions, please sign up here: http://bit.ly/VCEFinancePrograms. Here is the lineup of what topics will be covered when and the times and location:

March 28           Financial Basics

April 4                 Insurance Basics

April 11               Investing Basics

April 18               Investing for Retirement

April 25               Planning for Future Life Events

All classes will be held 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Arlington Central Library (1015 N Quincy Street). The course is free and all registrants will be given access to an online textbook that accompanies the course and materials from presenters. The Money Talk book has recently been revised and copies will be available for purchase for $25 at one of the classes (the publisher won’t have them to ship in time for the first class but we will be able to bring them to one of the other ones).

Improvements to Glencarlyn Park shelter #2, the parking lot and open picnic area are coming soon!  Design and construction drawings are currently being finalized. Start of construction on the project is expected to begin in late fall 2018.      View a detailed project description and conceptual design images here or go to  www.parks.arlingtonva.us and search: Glencarlyn Park Improvements.

Dear Friend of Arlington County Parks and Recreation,

You are receiving this email because you registered for an Arlington County Parks and Recreation summer camp or class last year or someone in your household is of the age to go to summer camp. We want to be sure you are informed about Arlington Summer Camps so we all have a great summer experience.

This past Saturday, the 2018 Guide to Summer Camps in Arlington County was mailed. We aren't sure everyone who ordered it will get it by this Friday for the Summer Activities Fair. No worries. We will have plenty on hand at the Activities Fair. You can also read it online here:https://parks.arlingtonva.us/programs/summer-camps/.

What you need to know...

• Online registration for Arlington residents for County-run summer camps begins at 7 a.m. on February 14, 2018. To register online, go to https://registration.arlingtonva.us. Walk-in and phone registration for residents begins two days later at 8 a.m. on February 16. Non-County residents can register starting at 8 a.m. on February 28.

• The 2018 Guide to Summer Camps in Arlington County contains both County-run and Contractor-run camps. Contractor-run camps do not register through Arlington County. Refer to the registration information at the end of each Contractor-run listing in the catalog for information on when and how to register for Contractor-run camps.

• Make sure you know your User ID and password before you register for a County-run camp. You can reset your password online, if you have a current email with us. Otherwise, please call our office for assistance at 703-228-4747, Option 1.

• Be sure to verify that all children you will be registering are listed in your account, and verify their gender and dates of birth. Dates of birth cannot be modified online; please contact our staff to correct this information. We will need verification for birth date changes as we must comply with licensing regulations with respect to camper ages. Children found to be outside of the age-range may be removed from camp with no refund.

• For more information about summer camps, including links to our 2018 Guide to Summer Camps, please visithttps://parks.arlingtonva.us/programs/summer-camps/.

• All camps require at least one camp form to be completed. Please complete and submit all required camp forms as soon as possible AFTER enrollment by visiting https://egov.arlingtonva.us/campforms.

• Our Registration Office phones open at 7 a.m. on February 14 when registration begins (the main office doors will not open until 8 a.m.) We will have 19 agents available to assist you. If you experience a technical issue, please email us at registration@arlingtonva.us with a detailed description of the issue (error code, print screen), along with the camps session and the name of the child you are registering for EACH camp session.

• Before you sign up your child for camp, please read our refund policy here: https://parks.arlingtonva.us/dpr-refund-policy/

New this year:

• We now have a searchable camp listing page to make it easy to find the right camp for your camper! This is the fastest way to search, filter and find your next camp! Please note that this is not a registration page, simply an easy way to review the extensive camp offerings. Search here (https://camp-listings.arlingtonva.us/) by camp title, category, location, age, or start date! Listings include both Department of Parks and Recreation run programs as well as camps conducted by private companies partnering with Arlington County.

• Half Now, Half Later! You now have the option of paying 50% of the camp fee at the time of registration, followed by the remaining 50% on May 1. This option is only available until April 15. Rules apply: #1 Payment option applies to base fees only (not extended hours). #2 Credit card must be provided and kept on file. #3 Remaining 50% payment will be authorized for May 1, 2018. Declined payments processed on May 1 must be corrected as soon as possible. Failure to complete the remaining 50% payment may be subject to withdrawal from camp (refund will be processed per standard refund rules).

Thanks again for your interest! We look forward to seeing your children this summer!

Starting in 2018: Construction on west end Columbia Pike street improvements

Arlington County is moving forward on its next phase of Columbia Pike street improvements, part of a multimodal project that is making the Pike a safer, more accessible route for all users.

At its Nov. 18 meeting, the County Board approved a $14.6 million contract for construction of utility undergrounding and street improvements between the Four Mile Run Bridge and South Jefferson Street, a roughly half-mile stretch that ends near the Arlington/Fairfax County line.

Extensive work will first occur below the roadway – to replace aging and leak-prone water and sewer pipes and to bury existing overhead utilities underground.

Then construction will begin on street improvements including a five-lane street cross-section (with either a center left-turn lane or landscaped median), wider sidewalks, new street lights, enhanced pedestrian crossings and street trees.

This will be the third segment of Columbia Pike to see these improvements implemented. Two segments – between South Wakefield Street and Four Mile Run, and between South Garfield and South Oakland Streets – have already been constructed.

Construction on the west end segment is expected to begin in early 2018 and will last approximately three years. As the start of work approaches, more details on construction timelines and phases will be shared through this email update and on the project page.

Washington Gas night work wrapping up in December

Washington Gas’s contractor, Northern Pipeline (NPL), anticipates completing their night work at west end Columbia Pike intersections next month.

NPL will begin work at the final intersection - Columbia Pike and South Dinwiddie Street- on or about Dec. 4. Work at this intersection is expected to last approximately one month.

This is part of Washington Gas’ effort to move their in-street gas main, which must be relocated before the County begins construction on utility undergrounding and street improvements along this section of Columbia Pike.

Upon completion of all intersection work, NPL will begin changing over gas service to the affected properties. Property owners will be contacted in advance of these service changeovers.