Plan to Reduce F.C. Voting Wards From 5 to 3 Set for Vote Monday

The Falls Church City Council determined at its work session Tuesday that it will put it to a vote on next Monday night to reduce the number of voting precincts in the City of Falls Church from five to three.

The number has been five for as long as anyone can remember, but following the guidance of the City's new voter registrar David Bjerke and with the backing of the citizen-volunteer Electoral Board, the move to three would serve to better enable the smooth conduct of elections in the City, the Council was told.

The primary reasons were given as reducing the number of polling place officials required and eliminating at least one voter location -- the Boy Scout House on S. Spring St. -- that has inadequate heating and air conditioning and its Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance is questionable. The American Legion Hall on N. Oak would also be eliminated, although maintained as a backup if needed.

The locations to be retained under the plan will be the Thomas Jefferson School, the Community Center and the Oakwood Apartments.

If approved by the Council with two votes, one Monday and another on Sept. 19, the plan would go to the U.S. Department of Justice for review, and would not be completed in time to change anything for this coming November 8 election. It should be in place in time for the March 6, 2012 presidential primary election, however.

Speaking to the Council Tuesday, Bjerke laid out six reasons for the consolidation, including (1) budget factors, that would save a modest amount (about $1,500 per election), (2) current precincts do not have uniform population sizes, (3) temperature and other problems with the Scout House site, (4) efficiencies important to a small staff, (5) reducing the requirement for election officers, and (6) Virginia election law's preference for using government buildings (Thomas Jefferson School and the Community Center) when possible, the exception being the Oakwood Apartments as the only option east of Washington St. (Rt. 29) with adequate size, parking and ADA compliance.

Renee Andrews, chair of the City's Electoral Board, told the Council that the level of service to voters will not change

She said that in the case of the Scout House location, it is very difficult for election workers to be there from before 6 a.m. when polls open to after 7 p.m., when they close, up to 16 hours, when it is either sweltering heat or bone-chilling cold.

Council member Robin Gardner concurred, as one who votes at that location, adding that elderly or disabled voters have to be escorted around the back of the building to make their way in.
"The Scout House is also the only polling place that charges the City for use on Election Day, has the smallest amount of usable space, and the ramp used for compliance with ADA requirements leads to a back door, rather than the front door that is the entrance to the polling place," the City staff report noted.

On the issue of ward size, Virginia election law allows for up to 5,000 registered voters in a ward, but "best practices" in Virginia are aimed at holding ward sizes to about 3,500 registered voters. In the proposed plan for Falls Church, the three precincts (instead of five) would all still have less than 3,500 registered voters.

Ellen Salsbury of the Falls Church League of Women Voters, asked to comment by the Council, said that while her organization does not have a position on the matter, one way or the other, "We will be watching, and will help get the word out."

Mayor Nader Baroukh was luke warm about the proposal, saying the upsides a "marginal," and suggesting that "if the current system is not broke, why fix it?" He was concerned about confusion among voters about where to vote, and that some close-knit neighborhoods might get split into different precincts.

Some tweaking on the boundaries of the proposed three wards will be made at City Hall prior to Monday's Council meeting.

MCPS Back to School Fair planned for Saturday

Montgomery County Public Schools will host the Fourth Annual Back-to-School Fair from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday on the grounds of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville.

The fair will include entertainment, music, children’s activities, health screenings, information about the school system and resources for supporting students’ learning.

"It’s all about building a partnership between home and school, giving parents a opportunity to come to the grounds of the school system central offices and meet with school system staff and pick up materials to help with their student's success," said Erik Davis, director of the Department of Family and Community Partnerships, which organizes the fair.

Limited Parking guidance system is available across the street at Montgomery College, but bus transportation will be provided starting at 11:30 a.m. from Gaithersburg Middle School and the following high schools: Watkins Mill, Wheaton, Springbrook, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Seneca Valley, Northwest, Kennedy, Einstein, Blair and the East County Community Center.

There is no cost for the fair, and students in need can also pick up backpacks filled with school supplies.

"It's free; we could not do this without the support or our sponsors, corporate and local businesses," Davis said.

For complete information, visit www.mcpsbacktoschoolfair.org or call 301-279-3100.

Sherwood High holds orientation for new students

Orientation for ninth-graders and students new to Sherwood High School will be held from 7:25 to 11:10 a.m. Thursday in the Ertzman Auditorium of the school, 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring.

Transportation will be provided by Montgomery County school buses using regular school-year bus stops. During the time at school, students will meet with their instructors and receive their schedules.

Parent Orientation will also be held Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m.

Parents will be able to attend seminars aimed at introducing them to the culture of Sherwood High School and have the opportunity to meet the school’s administrators and guidance counselors.