Institution Spotlight: Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is the governing body of Fairfax County, Virginia.

Their duties include establishing Fairfax County policy, passing resolutions and ordinances, approves the budget, setting local tax rates, approving land use plans, and appointing residents to various County positions. The Board comprises nine Supervisors who represent the nine districts of Fairfax and one at-large Supervisor, which is always the Chair of the Board. There are no term limits on the Board so that Supervisors can serve an unlimited number of four-year terms. Currently, the Board is made up of all Democrats and one Republican.

The below is a list of the current Fairfax County Board of Supervisors:

1. Chairman, At-Large - Jeffrey C. McKay (Democrat)

2. Vice-Chairman, Mason - Penelope A. Gross-(Democrat)

3. Braddock - James R. Walkinshaw -(Democrat)

4. Dranesville - John W. Foust-(Democrat)

5. Hunter Mill - Walter L. Alcorn-(Democrat)

6. Lee - Rodney L. Lusk-(Democrat)

7. Mount Vernon - Daniel G. Storck-(Democrat)

8. Providence - Dalia A. Palchik-(Democrat)

9. Springfield - Pat Herrity (Republican)

10. Sully - Kathy L. Smith-(Democrat)

CLPA provides the schedule of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meetings in our weekly updates on Mondays, but the regular schedule of meetings usually sees the Board meeting two Tuesdays per month. Whereas the Board Committees typically meet on alternate Tuesdays, and the various Boards, Authorities, and Commissions meet at different times and locations, based upon the needs of the individual advisory body. The County Supervisors serve on multiple regional agencies, committees, and subcommittees. CLPA will do a deeper dive on all of these Committees at a later time.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Standing Committees:

1. Audit Committee

2. Budget Policy Committee

3. Economic Advisory Commission

4. Economic Initiatives Committee

5. Environmental Committee

6. Health and Human Services Committee

7. Housing Committee

8. Information Technology Committee

9. Joint Environmental Task Force

10. Land Use Policy Committee

11. Legislative Committee

12. Older Adults Committee

13. Personnel and Reorganization Committee

14. Public Safety Committee

15. Successful Children and Youth Policy Team

16. Transportation Committee

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Intergovernmental Committees

1. Community Criminal Justice Board

2. Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG)

3. COG Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee

4. COG Chesapeake Bay and Water Resources Policy Committee

5. COG Climate, Energy and EnvironmentalPolicy Committee

6. COG Emergency Preparedness Council

7. COG Human Services and Public Safety Committee

8. COG Region Forward Committee

9. COG Task Force on Regional Water Supply Issues

10. COG National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board

11. George Mason University Fairfax Campus Advisory Board

12. INOVA Health Care Services Board

13. INOVA Health Systems Board

14. Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC)

15. Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC)

16. Phase I Dulles Rail Transportation Improvement District Commission

17. Phase II Dulles Rail Transportation Improvement District Commission

18. Potomac Watershed Roundtable

19. Route 28 Highway Transportation Improvement District Commission

20. Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Board of Directors (Regional Directors)

21. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Interjurisdictional Committees

1. Alexandria

2. Arlington

3. District of Columbia

4. Fairfax City

5. Falls Church

6. Fort Belvoir

7. Herndon

8. Loudoun County

9. Prince William

10. Vienna

If you live in Fairfax County and would like to serve on a county board, authority, commission, or committee, you need to contact your Supervisor. You can download the Board's brochure here. Note that to apply, you will need to provide not only a resume but for some Commissions/Boards, you will be required to file financial disclosure statements upon your appointment and annually after that.