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2018 SESSION

18104248D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 352
Offered February 23, 2018
Commending Jay Fisette.
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Patrons-- Hope, Levine, Lopez, Murphy, Sickles and Sullivan; Senators: Ebbin, Favola and Howell
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WHEREAS, after five full terms on the Arlington County Board, Jay Fisette, a passionate advocate for all residents of Arlington who worked diligently to strengthen and enhance the community, did not seek reelection in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Jay Fisette earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Bucknell University and a master’s degree in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, and he has been a member of the Arlington community since 1983; and

WHEREAS, elected to the Arlington County Board in 1998, Jay Fisette was the Commonwealth’s first openly gay elected official; his advocacy for inclusiveness and the LGBTQ community helped Arlington earn high ratings from the Human Rights Campaign annually, including recognition as an “All-Star” city in 2017; and

WHEREAS, Jay Fisette helped foster a welcoming atmosphere in Arlington County in which diversity and people’s differences are valued and embraced as sources of strength and resilience; and

WHEREAS, during his chairmanship of the Arlington County Board, Jay Fisette oversaw Arlington’s response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon; he continued efforts to ensure the safety of Arlington’s citizenry as a member of the Regional Emergency Preparedness Council; and

WHEREAS, Jay Fisette’s leadership priorities on the Arlington County Board include the expansion of public transportation options, specifically focused on pedestrian safety, transit enhancements including a strong commitment to Metro, and a leadership role in the creation of the regional Capital Bikeshare program; and

WHEREAS, Jay Fisette’s efforts to promote smart growth, sustainability, and long-term planning have helped preserve housing affordability and garnered Arlington County multiple recent accolades, including the Best In My Backyard award at the 2014 Governor’s Housing Conference and the Best Housing Development award for Arlington Mill Residences; and

WHEREAS, Jay Fisette has impacted communities across Virginia through his collaborative work in regional and statewide bodies, including leadership roles with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Transportation Planning Board, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, Virginia Municipal League, and Virginia Housing Development Authority; and

WHEREAS, Jay Fisette’s passion for environmentalism and sustainability were key to the creation and adoption of the landmark Arlington Community Energy Plan in 2013; this detailed long-term plan was a three-year collaborative initiative that will promote sustainability in Arlington through 2050; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Jay Fisette for his visionary leadership of the Arlington County Board; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Jay Fisette as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for his exemplary service to the Arlington community and the Commonwealth.