CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AGLOW

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

THE FLAG WILL BE THERE

This morning there was a light rain. One of my young children asked me "can an American Flag be flown in the rain?" I said usually not, " except under certain conditions", "where do you see the flag?"

The child pointed to a chain link fence overlooking the toll road where a flag, one of many, still flys. I said "My dear child. That flag is to remember 9-11-01 and will not be taken down until Osama Bin Laden is captured or dead."

During this national holiday, please say a prayer for our many public servants and members of the Armed Forces working against the forces of terrorism. And Remember 9-11-01 and the many people who died who will not be forgotten.

LIGHTS AND FLAGS UP

Since Thanksgiving I have noticed a lot of American Flags flying day and night along with the traditional Christmas lights. In Sterling there are more Christmas lights than ever.

The eighth wonder of the world is Juniper Avenue in Sterling Park where 100 houses are completely decorated in wonderful lights. Juniper Avenue is near the intersection of Church Road and Sterling Boulevard, drive west on Church Road 1/4 of a mile to Juniper and join the line of cars every night.

This may be the last Christmas for these lights as a board of supervisors majority is bent on forcing through new lighting ordinances "after" the current zoning ordinances are passed. I will keep you posted.

RED CROSS HELPS FAMILY IN STERLING

Help Still Needed The Loudoun County Chapter of the American Red Cross is always there to help our community especially those affected by disaster by providing immediate assistance. I have seen them turn out on a few ocassions. Now they are helping one family in Sterling big time. (THANK YOU LCCARC Chairman Charlie McKinney.)

On Saturday December 7, 2002 two adults and three children, ages 9 months, 7 years and 10 years (all girls) were displaced as a result of a fire in a home on North Filmore Avenue in Sterling. The Loudoun County Chapter of the American Red Cross provided emergency hotel accommodations through December 17th, groceries, clothing, and infant formula. On December 17th the family moved to temporary housing.

They will be displaced for five months until repairs to their home are completed. The LCARC has provided them with three new mattresses, a crib, linens and the first month temporary housing rent.

The family did not have insurance on the contents nor are they covered for temporary housing. While repairs are being made to their home they are still responsible to pay their mortgage.

FAMILY NEEDS DONATIONS

Therefore, the remaining needs of this family are monetary donations to assist them with the additional four months rent for temporary housing and additional clothing - I ask that people donate "gift cards" from Wal-Mart, Target, etc. to allow the family to purchase clothing on their own. The Red Cross is not accepting in-kind contributions such as clothing, furniture, food, etc.

The Red Cross welcomes monetary donations that can be channeled most appropriately to effectively meet the family's needs. The Loudoun County Chapter of the American Red Cross will continue to work with this family as they plan their long-range recovery.

To help this family monetary donations and/or gift cards earmarked for the "Rios Family" may be sent or delivered to:
American Red Cross
Loudoun County Chapter
604 South King Street, Suite 006
Leesburg, Virginia 20175

***************political plug from eugene***********

DID YOU GET MY SPECIAL FUND APPEAL?

I sent out to some of you a special written appeal in the regular postal mail. Please respond as soon as possible to my request. For those of you not on my postal mailing list, please send $1000, $500, $250, $100, $50 or whatever you can afford to send prior to December 31st, 2002 to Friends of Delgaudio, P.O. Box 1222 Sterling, Va. 20167. This is the Year End Deadline for disclosure of the number of donors to my campaign re-election and the amount of money. The names of people giving donations OVER $100 will be listed, but the big challenge is boosting the number of small donors up to show popular support.

POST A SMALL CHECK TO YOUR DOOR

Please mail your large or small check today. Or call me at 703-421-4599 or e-mail me your address and I will come by and pick up a small or large denomination check. Put my name on the envelope and tape it to your door. Let me know if I can come by and pick it up. This Year End Report is very important as it will keep me in the current number one position of Supervisor campaigns, if possible.

EARLY BIRDS GET THE WORM

FIRST EVER EARLY MEETING OF THE BOS

I am in receipt of my first ever call for a meeting of the Loudoun BOS at 7:30 a.m. on January 6th, 2003. The official notice does not contain a slot for "public comment" "Prior to 9 a.m.". I have asked staff when (exactly) is public comment scheduled. A notice has been posted elsewhere indicating public comment is at 9 A.M. (see below notice)

This has never happened before during my term. The official reason is the "press of business", but it is truthfully because a number of victims of the current board have been swarming into the board to protest various injustices or, on the other side, to encourage wrongful liberal policies.

At the last meeting 15 speakers protested the paying out of $8 million in tax dollars for the "purchase of development rights" of Middleburg-area land owners who also support liberal causes and candidates. There were 25 other speakers for other issues and at one point the chair ruled cutting off public comment until several hours later in the day. I appealed his ruling.

YORK ASKS THE BOARD, BOARD YIELDS

Chairman York asked the board if they objected to hearing nine more speakers. I pressed my case. The Board then decided to allow the additional 9 to speak. One of them Steve Snow from S. Riding challenged the board to discard PDRs. Later in the day I asked and found out how liberals in Loudoun have contributed FIFTEEN DOLLARS ($15.00) to the program. So, taxpayers are forced to fork over $8 million and liberals donate a grand total $15. What a deal. So much for "popular support". HA HA. Then the board voted 7 yes to 2 no to continue the purchase of development rights program.

ACTUAL TEXT OF MEMO CONCERNING EARLY MEETING

Since this is the first "early" official meeting of the board of supervisors, I am going to quote directly from the e-mail notifying me of this occurrence. This may seem boring, but may be of interest to many.

"Board Members and County Attorney Jack Roberts: Pursuant to Va. Code Sec. 15.2-1418, I am notifying you that Chairman York has set a special meeting start time of 7:30 AM for the Board meeting on January 6, 2003 in order to deal with organizational matters and routine business. The meeting will be held in the Boardroom at the Government Center in Leesburg. Attached is the agenda for the meeting."

ACTUAL ATTACHMENT SHOWING AGENDA WITH NO PUBLIC COMMENT LISTED PRIOR TO 9 A.M. FROM CHAIRMAN YORK.

"(the) meeting of January 6, 2003, will begin at 7:30 AM. Under the Board's rules, a regular business meeting is scheduled on that date to begin at 9:00 AM. Being the first meeting of the calendar year, this is also the Board's annual meeting at which it considers organizational matters. I am notifying you pursuant to the special meeting rules of Va. Code § 15.2-1418 that I am calling the earlier meeting time in order to deal with organizational matters and routine business. I am setting the earlier time in anticipation of the press of business that day.

The agenda for the meeting starting at 7:30 AM on January 6, 2003, consists of the following matters listed on the regular business meeting agenda:

1. Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
2. Organizational Matters
3. Resolutions of Appreciation and Commendation
4. Administrator Comments
5. Board Comments
6. Appointments
7. Requests for Amendments or Deletions to Agenda and Adoption of the Consent Agenda

No other business will be taken up prior to 9:00 AM. Public comment and action on the zoning ordinance and map will not occur prior to 9:00 AM.

Please provide notice to the members of the Board, pursuant to Va. Code § 15.2-1418, of this special meeting time and the agenda for the meeting prior to the regular 9:00 AM meeting time."