From the Chair (September 2024)

I am pleased to announce that Supervisor Walkinshaw will kick off the 2024-2025 Braddock District Council year by holding a Town Hall session at our Annual Meeting, 18 September at 7 p.m. in Braddock Hall.  Following the Town Hall, we will address a variety of topics, including the FY25 Council budget. Vice-chair Marie Norman and Aging in Place Coordinator Paul Hartwell will bring members up to date on initiatives in our Senior Outreach effort. We will also discuss proposed changes to the Council’s Bylaws. Please check the BDC website and watch for email notifications of the Annual Meeting to see the full agenda.

With an expanded membership base, we can be a more effective voice in providing input to the supervisor on important issues affecting Braddock District. At the top of that list are the measures being taken by the County government to assure the future of Lake Accotink in some form, revised zoning regulations for data centers in Fairfax County, and the Braddock Road Multimodal Improvement Project.

In addition to providing input to the supervisor, the Council also serves as a clearinghouse for sharing best practices in association management and keeping members apprised of any legislation affecting community associations. One such law is the Corporate Transparency Act. As the result of a letter from the BDC to Congressman Connolly, he has written a letter to the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requesting consideration for relaxing the reporting requirements for 503(c)(4) not-for-profit organizations such as community associations. A copy of this letter is posted on the BDC website.

A key way we keep members updated on laws and regulations is by inviting guest speakers to our meetings. We need your input on topics you would like to hear about in the upcoming year. One idea that has been mentioned is to invite elected County officials to one of our meetings. This would mirror the annual Legislative Review meeting in April at which our delegates and state senators go over actions taken by the General Assembly. If you have any suggestions for presentations, please bring them up at the September meeting or send me an email at bdcfxchair@gmail.com.

One final item: the supervisor’s office will be sending out a request in September for nominations for the annual Best of Braddock Awards. I encourage you to consider submitting nominations for members of your association, civic-minded businesses, or Fairfax County government employees who have gone above and beyond in contributing to the quality of life in Braddock District. The ceremony, co-sponsored by the Braddock District Council, will be held on Wednesday, 4 December at 7 p.m. in the Kings’ Park Library meeting room. 

In closing, I hope to see all of you at the BDC Annual Meeting on 18 September as well at all subsequent meetings and Council-sponsored events in the upcoming year.

Bob Cosgriff

p.s.—If your association has not yet paid the FY25 dues, please do so as soon as possible. The form is on the website. You can pay by check or Zelle. If you have any questions, please contact Treasurer Barbara Smith at bdcfxtreasurer@gmail.com