A message from Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye:
At a little over 12 hours, yesterday’s Board of Supervisor’s Meeting is definitely in the running for one of our longest! A lot was discussed, and there are quite a few things we got done. The Board:
- Renewed our License Agreement with the Prince William Crew Association for their use of the Lake Ridge Park Boathouse and storage facilities.
- Secured a sponsorship grant of $75,000 from Kaiser Permanente Health Care for use on the ongoing Harbor Drive Wellness Park Project, being developed by the County in collaboration with Kaiser, as they continue to construct their new health facility in the Occoquan District
- Approved a $44,653 grant from United Way of the National Capital Area for the Virginia Cooperative Extension Prince William’s Financial Education and Housing Counseling Program and approved additional funding for the program accrued from the past year
- Authorized a performance agreement for a $50,000 grant for the Vaccine Development Partnership with George Mason University – Science and Technology Campus, located in Prince William at Innovation Park
- Authorized a performance agreement for the Development and Operation of a 30,000 Square Foot Wet Lab at Innovation
- Approved the revised Prince William County Public Schools budget for FY 2021
- Received an update on the County’s COVID-19 response efforts, and a Revenue and Expenditure update
- Accepted CARES Act federal relief funding through the state; immediately allocating a portion of funds to the County’s four towns, on a per capita basis, with The Town of Occoquan receiving $94,380.
- Allocated additional funding from the CARES Act for:
- Small Business Relief Micro-Grant Program
- Emergency Housing Assistance Program
- Support for EMS providers fighting the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Began discussions of how to best allocate the remaining $25 Million; I stated my intent for a portion of those monies to go to Prince William County Public Schools
- Voted to send a letter to the Governor requesting the ability for restaurants with outdoor seating to open in time for Memorial Weekend. The Board did not vote to reopen the county, and cannot do so in conflict with the Governor’s executive order.
- Made 6 appointments (3 primary members, 3 alternates) to the Prince William Manassas Regional Jail Board, following lengthy deliberations and public input:
- Primary Members: Elizabeth Guzman, Tracey Lenox, Cozy Bailey
- Alternate: Lisa Johnson-Firth, Richard Mattox, Zalouteacha Jackson
The slate of potential Jail Board appointees came from a wide swath of life experiences, professional expertise, and different insights into our community’s criminal justice system. When weighing the candidates in question, I took this experience into consideration. As with previous appointments I have made, my staff and I reviewed each individual’s resume, background, and other pertinent information provided in both the agenda packet and other sources. I then looked at the current composition of the board and the perspectives the individuals on it represent, seeking to enhance and compliment the expertise and life experience of the existing members.
I also looked at each candidate on a holistic basis, rather than just on a single issue. The Jail Board will be presiding over a wide variety of matters, including prioritization of funding within the Adult Detention Center (ADC) for at-risk individuals, and COIVD-19 response at the Adult Detention Center. Each appointee for which I voted reflects the diversity of mindset, expertise, and passion for justice necessary to properly guide the operations of our Adult Detention Center.