The John & Margaret White Horticultural Gardens: What happened to the bond money?
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| The meadow at the White Gardens. |
By
Marie Reinsdorf
The
family of John and Margaret White deeded their property, at 3301 Hawthorne Lane
in the Falls Church area of Mason District, to the Fairfax County Park Authority in 1999. They wanted their land to be preserved as a horticultural
park, rather than developed with houses, so they sold it to the county for
about one-fifth of its market value.
Several of us nearby residents visited the White Gardens on a sunny day in mid-September.
Among other topics of discussion was the desire to learn what had been done
with the $500,000 designated for that park in a bond approved by voters in
2012.
What
I thought was a simple question, deserving of a simple answer, turned out to be
anything but. Why isn’t it easier to “follow the money”?
If
you voted, Yes or No, on the 2020 park bond referendum, I hope you will be
interested in my narrative:
(1)
I email the Park Authority with my request:
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2020,
1:43 PM
To: FCPA Parkmail <[email protected]>
Subject: Seeking
information, please, about 2012 park bond funds for White Gardens
Hello Public Information Office,
Would you please email me a report with the status of the $500,000 designated for
the White Gardens, in 2012 bond funds, including projects in process or
completed? Or direct me to where I can retrieve this information myself?
Thank you,
Marie Reinsdorf
(2)
The next day, I receive the following reply from an official at the Project
Management Branch of the Planning and Development Division:
“Marie,
thanks for your interest in this project. Our records indicate that the project
was completed in April 2018 and the original budget was $500,000 as indicated
in your email. Expenditures total $483,683 as of 8/24/20. The slide below
from a community presentation in 2016 summarizes the project scope. Let me
know if you have further questions.”
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| The slide from a meeting that was held about four years ago. Click the image to enlarge it. |
(3)
Well, it’s hard to swallow this. A list of disparate projects with no cost
attached to any of them? From a PowerPoint slide prepared for the public in
advance of the work, and not a report? A
visit to the park showed no trails or irrigation system. Maybe I somehow didn’t
see them?
I
know from having served on the Park Board that the Planning and Development
Division submits project scope documents with cost estimates to the board. I dig
through the public archives and find a July 2016 scope document. The cost
estimate is on page 7 of the document.
Related story: Parks bond provides funds for White Gardens, fields, and trails
(4)
Using cost the estimate, I prepare a reply that I send, about 10 days after the
initial request. I make a list of all the component projects and send a request
for the actual costs of those items and any other costs that will add up to the
total expenditure figure of $483,683.
(5)
My request is treated as a VFOIA (Virginia Freedom of Information Act)
request.
(6)
A couple of weeks later, I receive a
detailed, cordial reply from the Public Information Office. I can see that the
PIO treated my request seriously and forwarded it to all the associated parties
within the Park Authority. The reply email includes a link to 13 source
documents, which I download.
The
PIO also confirms that, despite the promise to do so, no irrigation system was installed, no interpretive
signage has been placed at the site, and none of the natural trails have been
installed.
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| The path to the White Gardens from Princess Anne Lane. |
(7) I enter all the documentation that has a cost
into a spreadsheet, listing the work down, the cost, and the source of the
information (email, invoice, proposal, or purchase request).
These are listed below:
- Repave
150 feet of driveway – $115,634
Invasive species management – $21,912
Limited archaeology – $11,452.75
Meadow restoration – $80,000
Preservation and documentation of existing garden – $19,800 (two invoices were provided adding up to this amount- Historic structures report – $67,867
Archaeologist/historian hours/Versar Inc. – $35,294,99
A spreadsheet lists more than 90 entries for grounds, design, construction and other
costs – $195,613.34
Another spreadsheet lists more than 40 items for grounds, design consultant,
construction site work, and other items – $193,017.64.
(8)
None of this adds up to $483,683. It’s
impossible to sort out which of these costs overlap or to know what is missing.
There is no way to validate or verify these costs, and I have no
interest or expertise in forensic sleuthing.
I’ve
now spent hours on this research effort. The Park Authority must have spent
staff time responding to my request, time that I am sure is badly needed for
many other efforts.
(9)
My take-aways are:
An
information system is needed that can be used to provide the public with reports,
quickly and efficiently.
The
Park Authority should recognize its obligation to the public and do a better
job of sharing how bond money is spent. Bond money is closer to us taxpayers
than budgets. It’s an extra tax payment that we commit ourselves and future
taxpayers to for the county to pay back bond principal and interest – for very
specific purposes.
In
light of this, I am dismayed by the perfunctory, incomplete reply to my first
inquiry which now feels dismissive. That PowerPoint slide listed two items
which were not even done (per the final email from the Park Authority): an
irrigation system and trail resurfacing. Why send someone old information,
especially if it’s not correct?
Some
of the items on the final reply need some more light. How could it cost more
than $115,000 to replace 150 feet of a narrow gravel driveway with pavement?
Where are the reports on the archaeology work? So much is missing.
A
substantial amount has been spent on evaluating the Whites’ house for a
resident curatorship. But how will such an arrangement benefit the park as a
public garden? Where is the implementation plan for activating the public
garden that shows how having the house occupied will fit in?
Even
without a decent information system, involving the public directly in planning
projects using bond money would have driven better communication on bond
expenditures.
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| The vacant house where the White family lived. |
The
White Gardens may never get any more bond funding. This $500,000 was precious
and should have been treated as a startup fund to attract and welcome the
public to the park, to build goodwill, and to grow private donations for its
future.
There
is so much to unwrap here about the future of the White Horticultural Gardens, bright
or dismal, that provides material for its own exposition. I will hold out hope
for a better way forward.
Just
as the Park Authority has developed an instrument for partnering with members
of the public to preserve houses, we need instruments for preserving the
future public parks that need a creative and strategic approach. And, we need
goodwill and trust all around.
It
shouldn’t take a VFOIA request to find out how the county spends bond money.
That has a chilling effect on the public’s right to know. And the answers
should be accurate and easy to understand.
Marie
Reinsdorf lives near the White Gardens, was an at-large member of the Fairfax
County Park Authority Board 2008-12 and is acquainted with the family of Margaret
White.
18 responses to “The John & Margaret White Horticultural Gardens: What happened to the bond money?”
Leave a reply
Shocker. Fairfax Government and fiscal conservancy are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The paving in particular is beyond concerning. Please investigate further.
None of this surprises me. Does it surprise you all?
Thank You Marie Reinsdorf for uncovering this graft.
$9850 to develop a proposal? $67,000 for a historic structures report? $35,000 for historian hours that are not part of the report??? Wouldn't that be about 6 months' worth of hours?
Fairfax County owes us an explanation…
Sounds like another Penny Gross fiasco. Did anyone call her to get her take or did she quintessentially point the finger to someone else. Is anyone watching the store at FPCA, clearly not. It doesn't sound as if the tax payer has any recourse.
Another in your incessant infinite Litany of allegations of alleged misconduct or non conduct by Penny gross. Get a life.
Thank you Marie for the valuable time you have spent on this issue. It is chilling indeed that taxpayers cannot obtain clear information about how their money is spent. Our parks are an important resource for everyone — and certainly the constituents that have voted for the bond. Another example of Fairfax County's lack of stewardship on our behalf.
wow this is insane. there should be a hearing about this. has this been sent to the board of supervisors?
I agree, there should be a hearing. Even if this is something they say was waylaid by COVID, I know FCPA is struggling to meet basic expectations and the funds have been cut for many years. It is truly embarrassing when you compare places like Mongomery County to our park system.
This is an amazing gift and could be an amazing resource or place to enjoy like Green Spring Gardens.
Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to look into this, Ms. Reinsdorf. I agree with you that this isn't right.
HOWEVER, I am glad to see that at least this land hasn't been clear-cut, paved over, and supplanted with elbow-to-elbow housing/offices/retail facilities. Perhaps it's only through the grace of your friends' generosity and foresight that that beautiful natural space is still…beautiful and natural space.
Everyone, take note. That wild meadow and those trees, replete with decaying plant and animal matter that's completely exposed to the elements are perfect exactly as they are. The only/prominent fertilizers there are the ones created by Nature herself. Whatever ditches, mudpuddles, or weeds may come (with the exception of those invasive species you mentioned) are those that are supposed to be there in the first place. The bees, worms, and butterflies can prosper there. I'll bet that all kinds of birds are loving it–from eagles and owls to chickadees and juncos. Snakes, foxes, toads, rabbits, and SO MUCH MORE can make their homes there, raise their young, eat their fill, and take part in the cycle that is birth, life, death and decay.
For that, I am tremendously thankful. Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. White!
–kda
Very well said, thank you.
Thank you for the research and the posting. I agree that serious oversight is needed for tax payer's money. This is unaceptable.
This is the kind of project failure that could lead taxpayers to voting down future requests for bond money. Thanks for all of your work on this situation. Is there some backup you need? Calling Ms. Gross, attending a meeting? Let us know. Sklass1ster
Another total waste of taxpayer money by the incompetent bureaucratic clowns in Fairfax County. A perfect reason to NOT vote for bond issues. Pathetic.
This is why I have started to vote against many of the bonds, but especially the ones to create new parks. There are lots of parks in Fairfax that are basically inaccessible and I cannot figure out the value of them. Pair that with the fact that $500k was blown on this park (and I doubt it was an outlier) without providing any visible benefit, now I am even more determined that we should vote against such funding. I will definitely use your work to help convince people to vote against this soft of bond in the future.
I will never vote for any more bonds for the Park Authority. A few years ago someone from there addressed a group that I belong to and told us that any of us members could have a tree planted at Green Springs for $100 each. It ended up with only one tree and cost us $1000 even though we didn't have ten members contributing. The rest came from our organization's funds. We had to wait until a tree died for a place to plant the new one. It did eventually get planted but I feel it was a "switch and bait."
Marie -You never cease to amaze me. Incredible detective work! All of you should know that it was Marie's unceasing advocacy for Fairfax taxpayers that sealed the public comment period at the beginning of each board meeting. You would think it would be a given…… and all board members would have enthusiastically supported it, but no. If you have a beef with the Park Authority, avail yourselves of this right since Marie put in a lot of blood sweat and tears to make it a reality. Marie – you are my hero / heroine !!!!
I am asking all of you who are concerned about the loss of our precious green spaces and the maltreatment of county parklands to work to stop the next travesty. Write to the Planning Commission to oppose Nomination PC-MA-005. This proposal could lead to high density development on residential property that is needed to protect 2 major County parks. The land and house used to create the Hidden Oaks Nature Center were similarly donated to the county by generous civic minded citizens. Encourage our public officials to protect and preserve these natural resources NOW or there will soon be nothing left but massive concrete buildings hemming us in. I still haven't given up on approving funds for parkland but I am discouraged by the lack of stewardship over what we have.
I guess there is currently a campaign to have someone living in the house on the property. That house will need a lot of work before someone can live in it. Is there someplace we can see what is being done?
I suppose it will be at taxpayers’ expense. I would be happy to see it done.
Marie,
Have you considered starting a Friends of White Farm group? There are about a dozen of these ‘friends’ groups in the county. they have recently been working on the FCPA budget issues and will be present at the hearings next week. Do you plan to attend and possibly bring this to the BOS attention?