Solar Panels, Synthetic Turf: Fairfax County Carryover Fund Considered

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors will decide what to do with over $200 million in carryover funds from the last fiscal year's budget.

On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors received the carryover budget proposal, which involves spending the unspent funds from the last fiscal year. Carryover funds resulted from property tax revenue that was higher than expected as well, other local taxes and revenues, and county agencies closely managing spending and facing continued staff vacancies, according to county government. Fairfax County ended the 2023 fiscal year with a $203.14 million carryover from the general fund.

The Board of Supervisors typically receives recommendations on how to spend carryover funds, which are unspent from the last fiscal year. On Tuesday, county staff provided a carryover budget package with recommendations to spend $200.9 million, leaving $2.24 million for the Board of Supervisors to decide on.

The board will hold a public hearing and vote on the carryover package on Sept. 26.

County staff recommend putting $69.36 million in reserves, as the county has a goal of reserve levels matching 10 percent of the general fund. A key part of the proposed funding for reserves is $26.4 million for the bicyclist and pedestrian access improvements fund. The fund supports one-time investments in pedestrian and bicyclist facilities, responding to increasing pedestrian and bicyclist activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pedestrian and bicyclist improvement fund would have a total of $56.6 million if the $26.4 million from carryover funds is approved.

Some of the other funding recommendations by county staff include:

• $1.80 million for the final year of the five-year LED streetlight conversion plan to convert over 56,000 light fixtures to LED streetlights.
• $1.40 million for solar panel installations at several county facilities. The facilities include the new South County Police/Animal Shelter, the Patrick Henry Library, and the Fairview, Seven Corners, West Annandale and Tysons Fire Stations.
• $2.5 million to support synthetic turf field replacements at park authority or Fairfax County Public Schools fields. While the complete program includes 50 park authority fields and 29 FCPS fields, nine are scheduled for replacement in fiscal year 2024. The $2.5 million in recommended funding includes $2.2 million needed to complete all nine fields and $300,000 to start design for 11 more fields scheduled for fiscal year 2025.
• $14.51 million for IT project funding, including a multiyear replacement of voting machines, replacement of the legacy inmate management system and modernization of the geographic information systems infrastructure.
• $100,000 for each supervisor district office and chairman's office for small-scale capital projects. Examples of past projects have included upgrading or installing new streetlights, constructing missing trail segments, and repairing pedestrian bridges.
• $800,000 for security assessments and upgrades at county facilities, including boosted security at Board of Supervisors' members offices.
• $300,000 to boost the Fairfax County Public Library’s collection development.
• $230,000 for the illegal sign removal program for contractors to remove illegal signs in the right-of-way in roads.
• $5 million to support cost increases for Fairfax County Park Authority projects, including the multi-year renovation and expansion of the Mount Vernon Rec Center.
• $7 million for building and site improvements at the Workhouse Arts Center campus, including structural repairs and other improvements.
• $5 million for emergency repairs at aging county facilities to use as the need comes up.
• $3 million for temporarily relocating clinical services from the Joseph Willard Health Center during the facility's renovation.
• $93,317 to increase juror fees from $30 to $50 per day as required by a new Virginia law.

At Tuesday's board meeting, Chairman Jeff McKay noted other requests from members' board matters will also be considered for the carryover budget.

Another carryover fund not counted in the county's general fund involves federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. Of the $222.89 million in federal funds received, $104.18 million was spent in fiscal year 2023 and $118.71 million will carry over to fiscal year 2024. Funds must be allocated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.

Separately, the Fairfax County School Board will consider proposed uses of its carryover funds from fiscal year 2023, including $3 million proposed for a pilot program to install weapons screening equipment at selected high schools. A vote is expected on Aug. 31.