Home Calendar Newsletters Meetings Committees Positions Officers Toolkit
New Minutes Documents History Arlington Links Feedback Search

Arlington County Civic Federation

You are viewing the archived Civic Federation site. For current information, visit www.civfed.org.

------
September, 2005 - Volume 90, No. 1 ------


ACCF General Meeting Notice

Tuesday, September 6, 2005 at 7:00pm

Please Note The Early Start Time

Hazel Conference Center
Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington
1701 North George Mason Drive

Agenda

Tuesday September 6, 2005

7:00pm - 7:18pm (Note early start time)

1. Pledge of Allegiance (formal start of meeting)

2. Approval of Agenda

3. Approval of Minutes (June 7, 2005)

4. Treasurer's Report

5. Membership Committee Report

6. Reading of the Rules for Candidates Night

7:20pm -7:48pm Virginia House of Delegates District 45

7:50pm - 8:04pm Virginia House of Delegates District 47

8:06pm - 8:20pm Virginia House of Delegates District 48

8:22pm - 8:36pm Virginia House of Delegates District 49

8:38pm - 8:52pm Arlington County Board

8:54pm - 9:36pm Arlington County School Board

9:38pm - 9:39pm Adjournment

Candidates Night Format and Rules

1. All Candidates, contested and unopposed, for the Virginia House of Delegates Districts 45, 47, 48, 49, the Arlington County Board and the Arlington County School Board will appear as separate panels in that order. When called each panel of candidates will take its place at the front table in the auditorium. Surrogates for candidates are not permitted. If a candidate is unable to attend in person, panels of one will be omitted; panels of more than one will be presented without that candidate.

2. Each candidate will have an opportunity to make an opening statement standing at the podium. The order of opening statements will be determined by a drawing by the candidates to be held at the podium at the start of the panel. After opening statements, the candidates will be seated at the front table next to the podium and have the opportunity to field questions from the audience. Candidates are permitted to use prepared remarks or notes during their presentations. The Federation President will serve as Moderator.

3. Each candidate will have three minutes for an opening statement and one minute to answer each question posed to any member of their panel. The order of answering questions will rotate with each new question unless the question is posed directly to one member of the panel, in which case that candidate will answer first. Following questions each candidate will have two minutes to make a summation statement. Candidates will be informed by cue card when one minute remains, when thirty seconds remain, and when time has expired, upon which the Moderator will ask the candidate to conclude his or her remarks. There will be on one-minute-remaining cue card for question and responses since they are limited to one minute.

4. During the question and answer period, questions from Federation delegates and alternates will be entertained through a random drawing system. Delegates and alternates will have the opportunity to register for the drawing by noting their name and the civic organization they represent on a name card. Registration will be conducted in the Hospital Conference Center Lobby between 6:15pm and the conclusion of opening statements by candidates on the respective candidate panel to which the question is directed. The name card is to be placed in the applicable public office box located at the registration desk. Delegates and alternates whose names are drawn at random by the moderator will speak via a walk-around microphone (handled by ACCF Executive Committee members) when recognized to pose their question. Questions may be directed to one or more candidates, in which case they will answer first, but each candidate will have an opportunity to address the subject matter of the question posed to the respective panel.

5. Questions must be concise, no more than thirty seconds in length, and not statements of position. Argumentative, multi-part, and follow-up questions will not be permitted. Time is available for approximately five questions per panel of candidates. In the interest of allowing as many persons as possible to ask questions, each delegate or alternate will be allowed to pose only one question to one panel of candidates. If their name is subsequently drawn for a second panel, it will be disqualified unless all who registered for that panel have already asked a question of a previous candidate.

6. Candidates Night is a nonpartisan public forum, open to the public, and is conducted on the property of our host, The Virginia Hospital Center - Arlington. Customary hospital noise limits apply. Cell phones are not allowed inside Hospital buildings. Signs, banners, demonstrations and audio-visual presentations are not allowed in the Conference Center lobby, hallway, auditorium, or on the outside of the Hospital building. Only authorized press and ACCF representatives may tape or photograph the proceedings. Literature may be distributed only in the lobby of the Conference Center, from 6:15pm until the close of the meeting. Candidates and their supporters are expected to respect the Hospital's rules, as well as, the sensitivities of patients and visitors during the evening. It is expected that the event will be videotaped by Cable Channel 69 personnel for later broadcast. Other members of the media will be invited.

7. The decorum of the Civic Federation will be observed at all times. Deliberate demonstrations staged while panel members are speaking will not be tolerated and may result in terminating that portion of the program. Civic Federation members and guests are expected to refrain from audible conversations and other behavior that may distract panel members and detract from the decorum of the program. Member and guests failing to observe Civic Federation decorum (as outlined above) will be asked to leave the auditorium.

New Lot Coverage Proposal
on the October Agenda

In July, the County Board voted to advertise a third lot coverage proposal and scheduled a vote on lot coverage for the November County Board meeting. The third proposal will be the main item for the Civic Federation's October program. Given the complexity of the issue, we will follow a similar format to the special meeting on lot coverage held a few months ago:

  • The Planning & Zoning Committee will make a presentation that describes all three lot coverage proposals, reviews Civic Federation action to date (including action on the first two lot coverage proposals), and gives the committee's analysis of the third proposal.

  • Staff and committee members will form a panel to answer questions from delegates.

  • All attending the October meeting-the public and voting delegates-will complete a very brief survey designed to capture the assembly's reaction to the third proposal.

  • During a short break, the Planning & Zoning Committee members will compile survey results and revise a draft resolution (prepared prior to the meeting) to reflect the survey results. (During this break Civic Federation announcements on other topics may be made.)

  • Survey results will be announced and the committee's resolution will be moved for discussion and a vote. Only delegates may vote on the resolution.

Recognizing that many delegates will want to reflect the views of their member groups, the Planning & Zoning Committee will provide the following information about the third proposal well in advance of the October meeting. Materials will be posted on the Civic Federation Website. Presidents of member groups should watch for an email to the President's Email List announcing the availability of the materials, which will include:

1. A description of the third lot coverage proposal, how it differs from the prior proposals, and how it responds to the Civic Federation's resolution on lot coverage adopted at the special meeting in April

2. A summary of the pros and cons of all three options that have been advertised

3. A list of the properties that would be non-conforming under the new proposal, by civic association

The Planning & Zoning Committee is working with County Planning Staff to prepare the above. At this time we do not know when the above will be available. Our desire is to get information distributed to civic associations in late August so they can have it for their September newsletters and meetings.

For more information please contact Planning & Zoning Committee - Bill Gearhart, (bill@civfed.org), 703-522-2276, Martha Moore, (martha@civfed.org), 703-527-3782 Co-Chairs




ACCF Committee Chairs

Ad Hoc Airports Committee

By-Laws Committee

Community Relations Committee

Cultural Affairs Committee

Environmental Committee

    Ben Axelroad, Chair - 703-525-3083

Housing Committee

Legislation Committee

Membership Committee

    Frances Finta, Chair - 703-528-2882/fax 703-528-0182

Parks & Recreation Committee

Planning & Zoning Committee

Public Services Committee - Amy Levin, 703-521-4894+

Revenues & Expenditures Committee

Scholarship Committees

    9/11

      Jim Pebley - 703-525-0766
      Tim Reese 703-533-0091, Co-Chairs

    Teachers

      Frances Finta - 703-528-2882/fax 703-528-0182

Schools Committee

Special Events Committee

    Frances Finta - Phone 703-528-2882/ Fax 703-528-0182

Transportation Committee



The Arlington County Civic Federation 2005-2006

Executive Committee Officers

Executive Committee Members




Arlington County Civic Federation
C/o Patrick A. Smaldore Jr.
3859 North Second Street
Arlington, VA 22203-3803




This page was last revised on: August 30, 2005.
Home Calendar Newsletters Meetings Committees Positions Officers Toolkit
New Minutes Documents History Arlington Links Feedback Search