Hopyard Voice August / September 2019 by sjgraphx

Published for the Residents of Hopyard Farm Community

August 2019/September 2019

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS The Boyd Family

Hopyard Voice - August 2019/September 2019 - 1

THE HOPYARD VOICE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dan Sweeney, President dsweeney@hazelland.com 540-891-1091 Melanie Smith, Secretary msmith@hazelland.com Chris Smith, Director cwshopyard@gmail.com WEBSITE www.TownSq.io MANAGEMENT Debbie Sutton, Community Manager 5888 Coakley Dr., King George, VA 22485 540-775-8350 hopyardfarm@verizon.net COMMUNITY MGMT. CORP. 4840 Westfields Blvd, Suite 300 Chantilly, VA 20153 703-631-7200 or 800-262-3090 BACKYARD WILDLIFE COMMITTEE Dee Garner, Chair deaniebg@aol.com COVENANTS COMMITTEE Marietto Jeffries, Chair Mariettoj@hotmail.com FINANCE COMMITTEE Chris Werle, Chair cwerle1@verizon.net POOL & REC COMMITTEE Ainsilie Hibbard, Chair hopyardfarmpr@gmail.com

The Hopyard Voice is published by Sassafras Creations, LLC and mailed free of charge to the residents of Hopyard Farm in King George, VA. Articles editorials, letters and advertisements do not reflect the opinions of the editor, publisher, residents or Board of Directors of the Hopyard Farm Property Owners Association. The publisher reserves the right to edit and reject any and all editorial and advertising submitted for publication in the Hopyard Voice. Every effort has been made to prevent typographical errors, however, Sassafras Creations, LLC cannot be held responsible for typographical or grammatical errors as all printed editorials are submitted to Sassafras Creations, LLC and not written by Sassafras Creations, LLC or any employee of Sassafras Creations, LLC.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of material, both editorial and advertising, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PHONE NUMBERS: Animal Control......................................540-775-2120 Building Permits & Inspections.......540-775-7111 L.E. Smoot Memorial Library............540-775-2147 King George Sheriff's Office.............540-775-2049 Solid Waste & Recycling (Landfill)...540-775-3267 KG Parks & Recreation........................540-775-4FUN Service Authority..................................540-775-2746 Dominion Virginia Power...................866-366-4357 Fire, Rescue Emergency Services....540-775-8900 Copyright 2018 Sassafras Creations, LLC

Next issue of HOPYARD VOICE October 1, 2019 Advertising & Editorial Deadline is September 15, 2019 540-775-3159 / Info@HopyardVoice.com www.HopyardVoice.com 2 - HOPYARD VOICE

Important Reminders from the Office Submitted by Debbie Sutton, Community Manager | Email: hopyardfarm@verizon.net

MANAGER'S MESSAGE Can you believe its back-to-school time? King George County Schools will start on Monday, August 12th. Please SLOW DOWN and watch out for children at the bus stops. There are over 50 additional students this school season in Hopyard Farm. Most of these students are elementary school aged. I urge you to watch your speed when driving in the community. The pool will remain open until Labor Day on a modified schedule. Just as a reminder, the pool will close for the season on Monday, September 2nd. Also, you MUST be 16 years of age to use the fitness center or clubhouse without a parent or legal guardian. Pool hours are as follows: Present-August 11, 2019 Sunday-Thursday Friday-Saturday

11:00 am-8:00 pm 11:00 am-9:00 pm

August 12, 2019-September 2, 2019 Sunday 11:00 am-8:00 pm Monday-Thursday 3:00 pm-8:00 pm Friday 3:00 pm-9:00 pm Saturday 11:00 am-9:00 pm Labor Day Holiday 11:00 am-8:00 pm 4

September is the perfect time to work on your lawn. Fall is the time you will want to core aerate and seed your lawn. For best results, add a layer of compost after aerating and before you add your seed and remember to water your seed. In a matter of a few weeks, you will see new grass coming up. The community continues to grow but so does the cost to maintain. I’ll be working with the Finance Committee on the 2020 Budget to present to the Board of Directors at the October 17th meeting. If you would like to have an input, you are always welcome to attend a Budget Meeting or contact a Finance Committee Member. We are always seeking new committee members for Finance, Covenants, Pool and Recreation, and the Backyard Wildlife Committees. Being a Committee Member, you are really able to shape the future of Hopyard! If you have not signed up yet for Town Sq. please do so at www.townsq.io. Town Square has replaced the community website and Eblast systems. It’s a userfriendly way to access community announcements and events. You can review your account balance and make payments. You will have access to community governing documents, community financial reports and community Forms. When you register you will need your account number and zip code. n

Remember to give to our local food pantry! fredfood.org/most-needed-items

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Submitted by Dan Sweeney, President | dsweeney@hazelland.com

Greetings, Hopyard Farm Homeowners ~ “Welcome to the Farm” new Hopyard homeowners! Here at Hopyard Farm, we have a very active Homeowners Association with several committees: Backyard Wildlife Management, Covenants, Pool and Recreation, and Finance. There’s always room for new members, and the committees will appreciate your help! If interested, please see Debbie Sutton, your Community Manager, to pick up an application. The office is located in the Clubhouse, also known as Hopyard Hall. Let me also take a moment to thank our Committee and Board Members: your service to the community is very much appreciated – especially since your time is given as a volunteer! I fully recognize that time spent on HOA matters is time away from your family. Thank you for making time to support Hopyard Farm! With summer in full swing, I hope you have spent some time at the pool. Please also remember our Swim Team – the Hopyard Hammerheads. Congratulations to them on another great swim season! We are continuing our efforts to complete final paving and curb/driveway repairs in Section 2. We hope to receive VDOT road acceptance soon, and once received, the roads will be added to the secondary road system. The roads in Section 2 include portions of Weems and Coakley Drives and Ianthas Way. It has been a long time coming, and we appreciate your understanding and patience as we work toward completion.

read and abide by these rules and regulations. Please take some time to reacquaint yourselves with the Hopyard Farm HOA documents. If you have questions, your Community Manager, Debbie Sutton, Board of Directors and/or Committee Members are available to assist you. Please remember to submit an Exterior Alteration Application before making changes to the exterior of your home. As always, here are a couple of friendly reminders:

1) Please do not speed in the community. Many residents spend more time outside during the summer, and school will begin on August 12th. The safety of our residents should be important to everyone! 2) Please remember to pick-up behind your pets when walking through the neighborhood. This is a continuing complaint, and it only takes an extra moment. Your fellow homeowners appreciate the effort, and so does your Board of Directors! A special “thank-you” goes out to those who already do so. Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 17, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. in Hopyard Hall. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.

Dan Sweeney

To our homeowners in Sections 5, 6 and 7 – portions of Weems Drive, Longbow Road, Brassica and Spinnaker Lanes – we have started working on the storm water ponds/erosion matters and are preparing for final paving in Sections 6 and 7. There is still quite a bit of work to be done, and we will keep you updated as repairs are scheduled. Notices will be provided via Town Square – so please watch for important updates. In the last two editions of The Hopyard Voice, I mentioned the importance of the governing HOA documents to you, the homeowner. They serve as the backbone of the association and include important information and guidelines. ALL residents - homeowners AND renters – are encouraged to HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

MEET THE BOYD FAMILY By Jon Burroughs

Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, had a simple yet profound view of friendship. He said, “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” It has always struck me as ironic that there is a bridge connecting Northern Virginia to Maryland named in his honor. Even in death, President Wilson is still bringing people together and providing a path to friendship. For the August issue of The Hopyard Voice, I had the pleasure of interviewing my good friends, The Boyd Family. One sunny evening, several years ago, I was sitting in the bleachers in front of Sealston Elementary School watching one of my little boys practice with his t-ball team. My wife and I were relatively new to King George County and I didn’t know many people. As with previous practices, I was sitting alone on the bleachers looking down at my phone when a woman I didn’t know sat down beside me. Her name, I learned, was Kristina but she prefers the nickname Tina. Practice flew by that evening thanks to Tina. She was easy to talk to, liked to laugh, and was straight forward. After practice, I met Austynn (or Austynn with a “Y” as she introduced herself) and Emmett, the Boyd Children. The kids were all smiles and I knew The Boyds were people with whom we would make many memories. One week later, I met Tina’s husband Tim and our introductions were complete. Over the past few years, we’ve gotten to know Tina, Tim and the kids and spend fun times with them. I have to admit; I was pretty excited to hear The Boyds were the August 2019 Feature Family! This month, I sat down in our living room with the Boyd Family to learn even more about our friends. Tina and Tim grew up in Calvert County, Maryland, and attended high school together. The two met in their late teens and, in 2006, began dating. This November, the couple will celebrate their 10year wedding anniversary. Tina and Tim moved to Hopyard Farm from Maryland for a change of scenery seven years ago. The Boyds were impressed with the great home values King George County had to offer. Tina and Tim have made many wonderful friends since moving to Hopyard Farm and love spending time with them. Their favorite characteristic of our neighborhood is the many children who play with Austynn and Emmett. This January, Tina and Tim are excited to welcome their third child into the world! Tina is entering her third year as an educator at King George High School. Before starting her profession, Tina was a fulltime student and mom. Tina earned a Bachelor’s Degree in 6

Psychology and is currently working toward her Master’s Degree in Education at Liberty University. In her spare time, Tina enjoys shopping and spending lots of time with Austynn and Emmett. Tim, following graduation from High School, worked as a residential electrician (his skills are still very impressive in this field) before enlisting in the United States Air Force at 20 years old. Tim is currently employed by the D.C. Air National Guard and works as a Q&A Inspector at Joint Base Andrews in Camp Springs, Maryland. When he’s not working, Tim enjoys tinkering with cars, riding ATVs and going to the beach. Recently, Tim and Tina purchased a camper and are enjoying the freedom of camping on the weekends at some of their favorite locations. Austynn is an incoming 4th Grader at Sealston Elementary School. At just 9 years old, Austynn has discovered her love for gymnastics and devotes much of her time to practicing. Austynn’s favorite thing about living in Hopyard Farm is the neighborhood swimming pool, and she enjoys spending time with her friends playing on their trampoline. Emmett, a 7-year-old, incoming 2nd grader at Sealston Elementary School, loves spending time with his dad. He enjoys the outdoors, riding his dirt bike, playing Fortnite on his Nintendo and controlling his RC car and boat. Emmett plays baseball in the spring and occasionally enjoys battling with his Beyblades. It’s always difficult to capture the personalities and value of our friends in just a few paragraphs. I had grand plans to tell you all about Tina’s huge personality and Tim’s intelligent, unassuming manner; about Austynn’s big heart and sweet disposition and Emmett’s huge smile and energetic awesomeness. As I sat down looking over my notes and the photographs I captured, I realized pictures really are worth a thousand words. One glance at this month’s cover and you can learn a ton about this amazing, very close family. When you see The Boyds out in the neighborhood, make sure to stop, say hello, and make a new friend. We can all use more “cement”! n

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

HOPYARD VOICE â&#x20AC;¢ August 2019 / September 2019

King George Parks and Recreation

by Chris Clarke, Director of Parks and Recreation

School’s Back in Session…Parks & Recreation is too! Summer has flown by and now it’s time for school to begin. Good news for working parents, Play it Smart is back and better than ever. Before and after school care is available at all three county elementary schools beginning at 6:30 a.m. for early morning drop offs. In the evening pick-ups can be as late as 6:00 p.m. Games, sports, crafts, fitness, and homework assistance are all a part of this great program. Both before and after care is just $55 per week. We also offer just morning or just evening packages at $30 and $45 respectively. Just remember if the school hours are adjusted for the day (late opening or early closing) then that part of the program does not meet. Sign up at the Citizens Center. Many of your favorite programs continue or kick off anew this fall. For preschoolers, Tot Time, Moving and Grooving with Music, Parent and Me Science, and Hot Shot Tots are all back. A full slate of gymnastics classes will be offered at Old King George Elementary School beginning at the end of August. Centrally located and with classes for all levels of kids, these programs offer something for everyone. Ms.

Lynne is back with ballet starting September 4 for kids starting at age 2. Karate is also back with a new session beginning on September 17. For adults, fitness classes at the Citizens Center will continue including yoga, barre, and tai chi. Stop by the Citizens Center for a complete schedule. Our popular line dancing classes keep shuffling the night away on Mondays and Thursdays for just $5 per evening. Registration for both overnight trips and our daily trips are available now as well. In August day trips include National Harbor, Charles Town Slots, and the National Mall. September trips will be announced soon. Call us at 540-775-4386 for more information. The new issue of our Recreation Exploration Guide will be released in the coming days. Be sure to stop by the Citizens Center to pick up a copy. You can find it on the King George County website at https://www.kinggeorgecountyva. gov/384/Parks-Recreation As always if you have questions please feel free to call us at 540-775-4386. We hope to see you at a program soon! n

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

HOPYARD VOICE â&#x20AC;¢ August 2019 / September 2019

Real Estate Listings in Hopyard Farm

Courtesy of: Christina Burroughs EXIT Realty Group Cell Ph: (301) 848-1245 • Office Ph: (540) 479-3226

Brought to you by Christina Burroughs

©BRIGHT MLS - All information, regardless of source, should be verified by personal inspection by and/or with the appropriate professional(s). The information is not guaranteed. Measurements are solely for the purpose of marketing, may not be exact, and should not be relied upon for loan, valuation, or other purposes. Copyright 2019. Created 07/15/2019 2:49 PM

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

RESPONSE TO PRIVATIZATION by Michael Bennett, Chairman of the King George County Service Authority Board At a few meetings of the Service Authority, and then again at Supervisors’ meetings, Mr. Bueche stated repeatedly that it was his opinion that the Service Authority needs to be sold to a private company. Everything I’m about to say is my opinion and mine only; I am not speaking for the Board. I don’t agree with Mr. Bueche and I’m going to try to disagree without being disagreeable. I will start by pointing out that there is the possibility that he’s right – someday we may have to sell the service authority. But, not now. There are 2 main reasons why I am taking the time to publicly disagree with Mr. Bueche. First, I want to provide our Service Authority employees with some assurances. After Mr. Bueche’s comments at public meetings on March 19, a number of our employees were very concerned about their jobs and their future. We had to offer assurances to all of our employees, there are no current plans to sell the service authority. In fact, those of us on the Board are doing everything we can to save the Service Authority. Our employees are really important to us. We appreciate all of your hard work, and we are going to do everything we can to safeguard your jobs. Even if some day we do have to sell the Service Authority, we will still do everything we can to protect your jobs. This is an issue that we will negotiate with any purchaser. The second reason for this little speech is to make sure our customers know what is at stake here. We have a small customer base that has to pay all the bills. Neglected repairs and maintenance for many years has resulted in those particular bills coming due now. And even though our customer bills are high, we have not provided enough funding to properly operate the Service Authority. But, here’s the point - selling the Service Authority to a private company will not magically solve any of these problems. They will have the same small customer base. They will still need to repair and maintain the same infrastructure. They will have the same debt that has made it difficult to keep our bills low. I once thought that if we sold the Service Authority, all the debt could be paid off and our customers’ financial burden could be reduced, the debt portion of the bill would disappear. Unfortunately, after researching the issue, that won’t happen. Let me explain why. Eight million dollars of our debt has an interest rate of about 2.5%. That is way below market. Private companies do not pay off low interest loans by getting higher interest loans. That costs them money. So, they will try to assume those loans. In addition, the private company is most likely going to have to take out a loan to pay off all the rest of our existing debt. So, the bottom line is that the private company will have the same debt that the Service Authority currently has. And the same customers will be paying off that loan just like they are now paying off the existing loans.

Last summer, I was part of the technical review committee that looked at the RFP for evaluating our assets and value. After that experience, which included interviewing firms that deal with these kinds of sales, all three of us on the committee independently came to the same conclusion – all of us were opposed to selling the Authority because any private company would pass along all of their costs to our customers. Every company we interviewed told us that. Let me give you a concrete example close to home. A private company bought a water and sewage company in a nearby county. In a relatively short time, the company raised rates so high that the county took them to court to stop the rate increase. The county won. The company was not allowed to raise the rates the way they wanted to. I’m not saying private firms are bad people, I’m just saying be careful what you wish for. Mr. Bueche says that the Government can’t do anything as effectively or as efficiently as the private sector. Maybe that is generally true - maybe. But it’s not always true in my experience. I worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs. There were some things we did better than anyone in the world. Prosthetics, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury – the VA is world class in these areas, no one is better. There are some things that the government does because we don’t trust the private sector to do them: for example, the military, law enforcement, fire and rescue. We don’t allow private companies to perform these functions. Providing these types of services cannot be based on profit and loss considerations. Water and sewage services are not at that level but they’re just below it. Water and sewage services are necessities of life. Our customers depend on those services. It’s our job as a Board to do everything we can to try to make this organization work. We have a new General Manager, Mr. Jonathon Weakley. He has been a steady hand on the wheel. He has licenses in both wastewater and water, which is really rare in this industry. He has continued the improvements that Dan Hingley and Aqua made to our operations. Mr. Weakley has put together a really honest and necessary budget. He knows this is not a short term project and he’s in it for the long haul. He deserves our support, the Boards’ support. Before we give up and sell the Service Authority, we need to do everything we possibly can to make it work. If we can’t do that, after giving it a reasonable amount of time – and believe me, it’s going to take some time, then as a last resort we sell. But only as a last resort and only if we really try to do this the right way and can’t. That is what our customers, our employees and King George County deserve. n

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

Duff ~Brewery Court Hall ~ McCarthy Drive Kaasa ~ Weems Drive Neal ~ Brewery Court Hooton ~ Bakers Lane Noe ~ Weems Drive Lake ~ Weems Drive

Sandoval ~ Weems Drive Gray & Vasquez ~ Brewery Court Cruz Gonzalez ~ Longbow Road Foust ~ Longbow Road Holden ~ Fullers Lane Smith ~ Weems Drive Polachak ~ Hawser Drive

HOA Applications

Congratulations to the Yard of the Month Winners! Brought to you by the Backyard Wildlife Committee

11775 Champe Way ~ Deck 5323 Weems Drive ~ Fence 11375 Emerald Drive ~ Deck 5917 Coakley Drive ~ Paver Walkway 11791 Fullers Lane ~ Screen Deck 6182 McCarthy Drive ~ Patio 6412 Brewery Court ~ Color Change-Front Door 5232 Spinnaker Lane ~ Fence 6173 Hawser Drive ~ Fence

MAY6245 Hawser

JULY5192 Spinnaker

6419 Brewery Court ~ Patio/Pergola 5273 Weems Drive ~ Stairs on Deck 5200 Spinnaker Lane ~ Patio/Stairs 11792 Fullers Lane ~ Trex Deck Boards 5461 Weems Drive ~ Playset/Remove and Add Trees

5128 Spinnaker Lane ~ Fence 6383 Brewery Court ~ Irrigation System

11378 Emerald Drive ~ Screen Deck

6412 Brewery Court ~ Patio/Landing

11395 Emerald Drive ~ Deck/Screen Deck

11775 Champe Way ~ Trash Enclosure

5192 Spinnaker Lane ~ Patio

5479 Weems Drive ~ Handrail

5242 Longbow Road ~ Fence

5765 Coakley Drive ~ Deck Remodel/Patio and Fire Pit

11575 Hopyard Drive ~ Deck

5259 Longbow Road ~ Fence

JUNE5271 Spinnaker

6125 Hawser Drive ~ Trampoline

5777 Coakley Drive ~ Front Door Color Change 6182 McCarthy Drive ~ Sitting Wall on Patio

11410 Ianthas Way ~ Deck Remodel

6173 Hawser Drive ~ Deck

11381 Emerald Drive ~ Shed

6384 Brewery Court ~ Fence

11768 Bakers Lane ~ Color Change

11372 Emerald Drive ~ Patio

HOPYARD VOICE â&#x20AC;¢ August 2019 / September 2019

BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS 1. Set Good Sleep Patterns Summertime is often when kids -- and parents! -- look forward to sleeping in a little bit. With the warm weather and extended daylight hours, it’s easy to stay up much later than your usual bedtime. How do you get your sleep schedule back on track so those early morning wake-up’s won’t feel so jarring? Start by setting your alarm 15 minutes earlier every couple of days and going to bed 15 minutes earlier as well. Once you reach the ideal wake-up time, stick to it -- even on the weekends. 2. Take a Look at Your Eating Habits Eating well can be tricky during the summer. While you and your family might have found yourselves eating more fruits and veggies simply because they’ve been more readily available during these warm months (watermelon, anyone?) -- you might also find that junk food has proliferated your home at alarming rates. It’s all too easy to stop by the local fast-food restaurant when you have hungry kids (and their friends) in tow while you’re running between trips to the beach or pool and play dates. However, with a bit of planning, you can keep cut-up veggies and dip, deli-meat rollups with cheese and hand-held fruit like blueberries prepared in the refrigerator for snacking while you’re on the go any time

of year -- on the way to school, after school, and all those errands in between. 3. Keep Your Stress Under Control As exciting as a new school year is, that same celebratory event can also cause both you and your kids a great deal of stress. By sure to pay attention to those stress triggers and take steps to address it. Attend school open houses to help kids get to know their new teachers and classmates. Go over daily schedules to ensure that you have one that gives you and your kids plenty of time to get ready in the mornings. Be sure that you include time for relaxation in the form of yoga or meditation to help keep stress under control on a daily basis. Not only will the above ideas help get the new school year off to a great start, they’ll set a foundation of good health for years to come. Keep hand-washing reminders in prominent places in order for the family to help keep those school-year germs at bay. n For more information visit www.medpost.com

https://www.fabava.com/fred-parent-and-family-back-to-school-expo/ 16

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

Back to school tax free weekend 2019 will be

August 2nd-4th

VIRGINIA’S

Articles of clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less; school supplies priced at $20 or less

August 2019-2020 Orientation Schedule August 7th:

Sealston Elementary School Kindergarten Open House 1:00-3:00p.m. King George Middle School Orientation 3:00-4:00p.m. King George High School Orientation Grade 9 “Freshman Transition” 4:00-6:00p.m. King George High School Orientation Grades 10-12 6:00-7:00p.m.

August 8th:

Early Childhood (ECSE/VPI) Three-Year Program Orientation 9:00-10.a.m. Early Childood (ECSE/VPI) Four-Year Program Orientation 11:00a.m.-12:00p.m. Sealston Elementary School Grades 1-6 Open House 1:00-3:00p.m.

August 12th:

First Day Back to School

https://kgms.kgcs.k12.va.us HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

BACK TO SCHOOL KID LUNCH IDEAS OPTION #1

Turkey + Cheddar Roll-up Fresh Berries Yogurt Trail Mix OPTION #2

Hummus Pita Bread Grape Tomatoes Cucumbers Sliced Oranges

OPTION #9

Bagel + Cream Cheese Yogurt Tube Baby Carrots Fruit Snacks

OPTION #10

Veggie Wraps with Hummus Edamame or Snap Peas Clementine Granola Bar

https://www.modernhoney.com/back-to-school-kids-lunch-ideas/

OPTION #3

Cheese Quesadilla Guacamole Salsa Tortilla Chips Strawberries OPTION #4

Deli Meat + Cheese Kabobs Red Pepper Slices Apples Fruit Leather or Snacks OPTION #5

Hard Boiled Eggs Baby Carrots + Ranch Pretzels Peaches or Applesauce OPTION #6

Pasta Salad Yogurt Granola Bar Raspberries

OPTION #7

Almond Butter + Jelly (or PB +J) String Cheese Fruit Cup Chips OPTION #8

Crackers Cheddar Cheese Cubes Grapes LaraBar or Cliff Bar 18

HOPYARD VOICE â&#x20AC;¢ August 2019 / September 2019

The Pool and Rec Committee Did It Again!

On June 22nd, neighbors came out to the clubhouse to enjoy the Annual Community BBQ. The food was delicious and getting together to enjoy summer around the pool was even better!

HOPYARD VOICE â&#x20AC;¢ August 2019 / September 2019

MESSAGE FROM RUBY BRABO At-Large District Supervisor • rubyb@co.kinggeorge.state.va.us

The definition of a comprehensive plan is “a general plan, master plan or land-use plan, document designed to guide the future actions of a community. ... It presents a vision for the future, with long-range goals and objectives for all activities that affect the local government.” By the law the county must update its plan every 6 years. Since last fall the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors have been working to update the previous plan which is dated 2013. Two separate public hearings will be held in the next few months for the public to weigh in on the proposed changes to the plan. I highly encourage you not to take this lightly and be sure to review the draft located on the county website https://www.kinggeorgecountyva. gov/DocumentCenter/View/4477/Comprehensive-PlanUpdate-2019?bidId= As our county continues to grow, which is inevitable, it is imperative we manage that growth in a manner that allows us to protect the quality of life that caused most of us to choose to relocate here. Traffic congestion and high taxes are reasons that folks left their previous homes along with appreciating the rural aspects of country living that we have here in King George. That said, some improvements are necessary and needed, such as continuing to find solutions to the internet divide that exists within our community. Two main changes

with this comprehensive plan are the addition of a mixed use ordinance, which previously had not existed in the county, and the boundary line changes to the primary settlement areas. A location in the county designated as a primary settlement area is sending a message to developers that higher density is welcomed and the county is more likely to allow for rezoning of properties within that designation. If nothing else, I encourage you to take a look at the maps for the primary settlement areas and ask yourself if you are ok with increasing the density in those areas and allowing for possible rezoning of agriculture property to commercial as well. If you are unable to attend one of the public hearings, then be sure to submit your comments in advance in writing to be read into the record to both the county administrator and your supervisor to ensure your voice is heard. This is your community and now is the time to direct its growth before it gets out of hand, as we have seen happen in our neighboring counties. A smart vision for managing that growth will help to ensure the protection of the quality of life we enjoy here in King George.

Sincerely,

Ruby Brabo

CLUBHOUSE RENTALS $300.00 Deposit (Non-Alcohol Events) $600.00 Deposit (w/ Alcohol) *ABC Permits May Be Required Rental Fee is $100.00 Per Hour and Available on a First Come First Serve Basis to Homeowners in Good Standings. Please contact Debbie Sutton, Community Manager for more information.

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

King George Education Foundation King George Education Foundation, established in 2014, was created to create programs and attract funding in support of those programs to enhance public education. Currently we coordinate four programs to provide direct support to King George County Schools outside of the School Division Budget: • Innovation Grants, awarded each fall, to school division employees for proposals that present innovative ideas for achieving curricular goals, enhancing student development, and/or encouraging links with the community. • Partners In Education, ongoing throughout the year, to establish relationships between businesses/ organizations and one or more schools or the division, thereby creating support systems to meet the needs of the schools to the benefit of both. • Evening of Excellence, held each Spring, when we award our Partners, Donors, and provide a venue for the schools and their PTAs to recognize their Outstanding Staff. • FoxSmart Center, our newest program, ongoing throughout the year, became operational for the 20182019 school year, and, now that it is established, is funded mostly through in-kind donations. FoxSmart is a free “store” for families and students in need, as well as staff members who make classroom purchases from their own funds. We stock nearly everything that appears on the back-to-school supply list, as well as hygiene items for both students and their families. If you would like to make a donation, whether it be your valuable time or funds, please don’t hesitate to contact Annie Cupka, President, Board of Directors, King George Education Foundation, at kgef14@gmail.com. n

HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

SEP & . G

T. EVE NTS IN T HE A

for more ideas visit virginia.org

8/24: Tea with Elvis Belle Grove Plantation, King George 9/27 +additional dates: Paracon at Belle Grove Plantation Belle Grove Plantation Bed & Breakfast, King George 8/17-8/18: 40th Annual Colonial Beach Rod Run to the Beach Town Hill, Colonial Beach 8/24-8/25: Colonial Beach Water Fest Colonial Beach Boardwalk, Colonial Beach 8/31-9/1: Boardwalk Arts & Crafts Fair Town of Colonial Beach 8/31: Edible Plants of Virginia Stratford Hall 8/31-9/1: 53rd Annual Colonial Beach Arts & Crafts Show Colonial Beach Boardwalk 9/14-9/15: Port Royal Pirate Invasion Town of Port Royal 9/14: Northern Neck Beach Music Festival Town Hill, Colonial Beach

REA

9/20-9/22: 2019 Country Fest High Tides on the Potomac and The Black Pearl Tiki Bar 9/21-9/22: Stratford Hall Wine & Oyster Festival Stratford Hall, Stratford 9/21-9/22: 2019 Annual Fredericksburg Pet Show Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center, Fredericksburg 8/1-8/10: Boathouse Marina 50 Years of Love Boathouse Marina, Colonial Beach 8/1-8/10: Denson’s Grocery 50 Years of Love Denson’s Grocery & R&B Oyster Bar, Colonial Beach 8/1-8/10: Colonial Beach Celebrating 50 Years of Love Town of Colonial Beach 8/9+ additional dates: Sounds of Summer Concert Series 2019 Fredericksburg 9/25+ additional dates: Riverside Center Presents Annie Riverside Center Theater, Fredericksburg

King George County High School Theatre Production of

The Diary of Anne Frank Auditions are August 13-14 after school in the theatre room (room 305). Production dates are October 23-26 at 7p.m. for $8.00. Tickets will be sold on Eventbrite.com or at the door. By: Ms. Katrina Wynes HOPYARD VOICE • August 2019 / September 2019

NEXT HOA MEETING: Thursday, October 17th @ 7PM in the Clubhouse Open to All Residents, Hope To See You There!

Re-Elect

RUBY BRABO for At-Large Supervisor

November 5, 2019

Recognized by Governing Magazine in 2017 as one of the top 25 elected women in the nation.

“King George County and Ms. Brabo’s constituents are fortunate to have someone with so much energy and a passion to work for the benefit of the people in the local community.” --Meg Bohmke, Stafford County Board of Supervisors Fulfilled 2015 campaign promises to create a county economic development strategic plan and a debt mitigation plan; both of which were completed and implemented in 2018. Full time supervisor with no competing interests. Committed to maintaining your quality of life through managed growth. u Communication u Relationships u Connections

RUBY A. BRABO At-Large District Supervisor King George County

National Association of Counties South Region Director