Author: James Jarvis

Twenty-eight Arlington companies make 2023 Inc. 5000 list

By James Jarvis
Twenty-eight Arlington-based companies made the 2023 Inc. 5000 (via Inc. 5000)

A total of 28 Arlington-based companies are featured in this year’s Inc. 5000 list, which ranks the nation’s fastest-growing privately owned companies.

Several Arlington-based firms that made the list specialize in technology such as AI, machine learning, cybersecurity and cloud computing. Others perform various professional services for the federal government, including information technology, financial consulting and engineering.

For the second year running, Piedmont Global Language Solutions took the top Arlington spot at No. 424 — 37 places up from last year. The firm specializes in translation and language training and is located in Ballston on N. Glebe Road.

Although the numbers have fluctuated in recent years, Arlington added five more companies to the list compared to last year. Thirty Arlington companies made the list in 2021 and 2020, and 34 in 2019. Notably, only 10 of the companies on this year’s list were also featured in 2022.

Below is the list of all Arlington-based companies included on this year’s Inc. 5000 list.

  • 424. Piedmont Global Language Solutions (PGLS), 1,363% — A Ballston-based company founded by a first-generation Somali-American that provides language services and training.
  • 691. Echo Five Group, 853% — A government services company located at 4717 Old Dominion Road.
  • 938. Black Cape, 628% — A veteran-owned software company that offers machine learning and artificial intelligence solutions to help government and commercial clients. The company is based in Ballston.
  • 1,205. C3 Integrated Solutions, 489% — An IT firm that offers cyber-security to government contractors. The company announced in November 2022 it would merge with Massachusetts-based Steel Root. C3 is based in Clarendon.
  • 1,233. MarginEdge, 478% — A restaurant management software company located along Fairfax Drive in Ballston.
  • 1,391. Green Powered Technology, 420% — A veteran-owned green energy technology firm that provides policy analysis and support services in sustainable energy for businesses and government agencies. The company is based in Courthouse.
  • 1,549. PhoenixTeam, 370% — A technology company that “specializes exclusively in the design, delivery, and care of mortgage technology solution in the federal and commercial spaces.” The company is based in Ballston.
  • 1,807. Simatree, 309% — A human resources business consulting firm located in Ballston.
  • 1,827. HUNGRY, 307% — A corporate catering company located along Fairfax Drive in Ballston.
  • 1,867. Competitive Innovations, 301% — A technology services and consulting firm serving federal government agencies. The company is based in in Buckingham.
  • 1,874. Elite Strategy Global, 300% — A security consulting and risk management firm located in Ballston.
  • 1,952. Interos, 287% — A financial technology firm based in Ballston involved in supply chain risk management. The company is the first private Arlington startup to reach a billion dollar valuation in 2020.
  • 2,098. Lovelytics, 267% — A data visualization company located in Courthouse that helps clients gather, organize and visualize their data. The company was featured last year by ARLnow for doubling its staff.
  • 2,242. Allied Title & Escrow, 247% — A real estate company headquartered in Clarendon.
  • 2,343. Blake Willson Group, 236% — A veteran-owned business located in Courthouse that provides technology services, such as accounting, IT and cybersecurity , t0 the federal government.
  • 2,647. Nuvitek, 203% — A digital platform company in Rosslyn that provides cloud computing services to the federal government.
  • 2,721. Spartan Shield Solutions, 197% — A veteran-owned accounting and finance outsourcing firm
    Financial Services located in Clarendon.
  • 2,899. Fors Marsh Group, 182% — A research and communications firm based in Ballston.
  • 2,967. Level Access, 176% — A business management consulting company located in Courthouse.
  • 2,989. Organizational Development Resource Group, 174% — A woman-owned company based in Rosslyn that provides “professional services to the federal government.”
  • 3,117. Clarendon Partners, 166% — A woman-owned financial consultancy firm located in Clarendon.
  • 3,177. Matlock, 162% — A woman-owned software company headquartered in Clarendon that provides information technology services for the federal government.
  • 3,614. Aminad Consulting, 135% — A management consulting firm that provides “dedicated to generating realistic and implementable change” for federal agencies, specifically the Department of Defense. The company is based in Ballston.
  • 3,772. Bullpen Strategy Group, 126% —  A public affairs advocacy and strategic advisory firm that has offices in Rosslyn.
  • 3,901. 540.co, 120% — A company that describes itself on its website “we are a forward-thinking company that the Federal Government turns to in order to…#GetS***Done.” It’s based in Crystal City.
  • 4,205. STEMBoard, 106% — A woman-owned engineering firm that provides “professional services and technologies” to the federal government and businesses. The company is headquartered in Clarendon.
  • 4,712. Royce Geo, 85% — A tech company that provides geospatial intelligence, training and data modeling for the defense and intelligence community. The company is located in Ballston.
  • 4,852. Erickson Immigration Group, 79% — A law firm that “focuses exclusively on providing legal guidance on strategic corporate immigration.” The company is located in Courthouse.

Artist seeks inspiration from residents for art project to hang inside county HQ

By James Jarvis
1/3

A cavernous space inside the recently-refurbished county headquarters in Courthouse could one day be filled with public art.

Arlington County has commissioned acclaimed artist Kipp Kobayashi, known for his art displays in hospitals, airports and government buildings, to suspend a public art project in the lobby of the Bozman Government Center at 2100 Clarendon Blvd.

Kobayashi is turning to Arlington residents for inspiration before he gets started. He is seeking public input via a survey to learn about the different routes residents take to get to some of their favorite places in Arlington.

“Please tell us your stories, memories, and experiences of Arlington County by sharing a special route that you currently take or have taken through Arlington County,” the survey says. “The route should be to a place that you find especially meaningful. Examples are a park, place of worship, restaurant, friend’s house, bike trail, bench, etc.”

Feedback received through Sept. 30 will help inform his designs, according to the county.

“With a background in urban design, Kobayashi’s public art method involves extensive field observation and personal interactions to identify the individual elements that together form the identity of a place,” a press release said.

Kobayashi and county staff will also be at the Arlington County Fair this week during indoor hours for people to share their experiences in Arlington directly with the artist.

In April, the county unveiled the interior renovations to its headquarters. The project began in September 2021 and cost approximately $4.8 million.

The artwork’s design, fabrication, and installation have a set budget of $200,000, county spokesman Ryan Hudson said.

The funding comes from the county’s Public Art Trust & Agency account, which is earmarked exclusively for the Courthouse area, Hudson added. The trust relies on contributions from developers rather than resident tax dollars.

According to his website, Kobayashi’s art stems from his experiences growing up as an Asian American, “leading to a lifelong interest in deconstructing preconceived notions of who and what we are to understand better unique patterns that present a more nuanced interpretation of identity and cultural belonging.”

Some of Kobayashi’s recent displays include hundreds of hand-folded paper planes, called “Collective Transitions,” at Meacham Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, and “hundreds of custom-made fishing flies swirling together in a central grouping,” called “Emergence,” in Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington.

Kobayashi was selected by a committee that met several times over the course of a year to define goals for the project, review artist submissions and select an artist.

The committee will also recommend the final artwork design.

Rocks commemorating gun violence victims vanish from Courthouse garden

By James Jarvis
1/4

More than 100 painted rocks commemorating victims of gun violence seem to have gone missing from a garden in Courthouse.

The Arlington chapter of Moms Demand Action suspects someone may have stolen most of the 150 rocks in “Hope Garden,” a memorial garden located near Courthouse Plaza.

“Sometime in the last week, most of the rocks were stolen. Now about 25 remain,” says Susan Koch, the group leader, adding that she has “no idea who did it or why” and that members are “heartbroken.”

The garden near the intersection of N. Courthouse Road and 15th Street N. was dedicated in 2019. Since then, Koch says many group members have painted rocks and placed them in the garden to honor friends and relatives affected by gun violence, either through tragic loss or enduring trauma.

Apart from the stolen rocks, the rest of the garden remained untouched, she said.

Koch said the group plans to ask for the community’s support to restore the garden but she remains wary of future incidents occurring.

“We’re going to paint more rocks for sure to try and make up for the ones that were stolen,” Koch said. “But…how do we protect them from not being stolen again?”

Founded in 2012 after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Moms Demand Action has emerged as a platform for some 10 million members to advocate for statewide and national gun safety measures.

Over the last decade, the local chapter has worked with elected officials, including Del. Patrick Hope (D) and State Sen. Barbara Favola (D), on gun safety laws, including a series of bills, such as universal background checks and “Red Flag” laws, passed by the General Assembly in 2020.

The group also discusses gun safety with schools and community organizations and works with local nonprofits, such as Doorways, which provides resources to victims of domestic violence.

“We have a program called, ‘Be Safe,’ which basically tells people how important it is to store their guns safely,” Koch said.

She emphasized that the group is not “anti-gun.” Instead, its members advocate for gun safety education as a crucial aspect of weapon ownership.

“We don’t want to take people’s guns away. We just want them to be safe,” Koch said.

Koch said the group might go to the police and file a report. Whatever the outcome, she noted the incident would not “break” them.

“We will persevere,” she said.

Arlington County Fair adds free activities and plans to donate surplus profits

By James Jarvis
Scenes from the 2022 Arlington County Fair (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

When the Arlington County Fair kicks off next week, attendees can expect to see more free activities.

After receiving financial support from Arlington County and several businesses, including a $15,000 donation from Amazon, the Arlington County Fair Board decided to increase the number of free indoor and outdoor activities, Matt Richard, the chair of the fair board, told ARLnow.

The fair also plans to donate leftover proceeds from ticket sales to local nonprofits. He said the two changes are reflected in the fair’s new theme: “A Fair for All.”

“We’d like to think of the fair as a place where everyone can gather, no matter their background or their socio-economic background,” Richard said. “We want people to feel like this is an opportunity for anyone to come here and be part of this event… This is fair for everyone, and we’re going to do everything in our power to continue to make it fair for everyone for the years to come.”

The fair at Thomas Jefferson Community Center will run from Wednesday, Aug. 16 to Sunday, Aug. 20.

Some of the new free outdoor activities include the Go Bananas Performance & Family Dance Party, scavenger hunts, mini golf and live music. Free activities indoors include a display of portraits from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Bingo, a popup park with yard games and an interactive robotics demonstration.

Richard noted the board decided to channel any surplus funds into a new community endowment fund, set to be announced during the opening ceremony at 5 p.m. next Wednesday.

“We’re also going to give some of that money back to the Arlington community by way of identifying some foundations in the community or nonprofit organizations in the community that can benefit…they’re not going to be large dollar amount donations. We don’t have a lot of money. But basically ways to show that the community gives a fair and fair gets back to the community,” Richard said.

Entry to the fair is free but attendees can pay for attractions, such as rides, food and pie-eating contests. Ride tickets, $1.25 each, can be purchased on-site or online.

New District Brewing will also serve its last beers at the fair after officially closing its taproom in May.

Due to ongoing construction at the Arlington Career Center, the fair’s shuttle stop has been relocated this year. Instead, attendees can park at the county government headquarters garage at 2100 Clarendon Blvd and take the shuttle service from there.

The shuttle operates continuously, starting 30 minutes before the fairgrounds open until an hour after closing.

Alternate parking can be found at the Faith Lutheran Church at 3313 Arlington Blvd — a nearby pedestrian bridge leads directly to the fairgrounds. Additionally, parking that is accessible for people with disabilities is available at the front left lot of the Thomas Jefferson Community Center.

Hello Kitty truck returns to Pentagon Row this Saturday

By James Jarvis
1/5

Calling all Arlington’s feline aficionados, kitty collectors, and sweet treat seekers.

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be making a special stop in Arlington this Saturday offering a bounty of limited edition goodies and “claw-some” merchandise.

From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., the courtyard of Pentagon Row, located near DSW, will transform into a haven of “meow-gical” delights. Fans of the beloved Japanese character can anticipate a curated selection of baked goods and limited-edition collectibles, such as a brand new Hello Kitty Cafe hoodie, cafe cup plush, lunchbox, t-shirt and canvas tote.

Only credit and debit cards will be accepted.

The truck will only be in the area for one day. After the Arlington stop on the truck’s East Coast tour, it’s off to New Jersey

More from a press release, below.

The Hello Kitty Cafe Truck is continuing its 2023 tour across the U.S. with its all-pink cafe on wheels carrying exclusive treats and collectibles celebrating all things Hello Kitty.

Fans of Hello Kitty can look forward to edible goodies and limited-edition merch, including:

  • NEW Hello Kitty Cafe Hoodie
  • NEW Hello Kitty Cafe Cup Plush
  • NEW Hello Kitty Cafe T-Shirt
  • Hello Kitty Cafe Glass Mug with Sprinkle Handle
  • Hello Kitty Cafe Lunchbox
  • Hello Kitty Cafe Canvas Tote
  • Stainless Hello Kitty Cafe Rainbow Thermos (18oz and 32oz)
  • Hand-Decorated Cookie Sets

Hello Kitty Cafe Truck accepts only credit/debit card payments — no cash.

Following DC the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will continue its 2023 East Coast tour with a stop in Cherry Hill, NJ on 8/19.

Since the Hello Kitty Cafe Truck made its debut in October 2014 as part of Sanrio’s first food-related venture, the cafe on wheels has delighted thousands of fans from all over the U.S., drawing crowds of up to hundreds of Hello Kitty lovers at each stop. To date, two Hello Kitty Cafe trucks have traveled to more than 100 cities across both coasts — from Los Angeles, Seattle and Houston — to Chicago, New York and Miami.

For updates on Hello Kitty Cafe Truck’s upcoming appearances, please follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter.

Arlington GOP sees record fundraising amid pivot to local election strategy

By James Jarvis
Republican candidate for County Board Juan Carlos Fierro (staff photo by James Jarvis)

(Updated at 5 p.m. on 8/10/23) The Arlington County GOP says it’s pivoting away from national politics and working to assemble a broad coalition galvanized by hyper-local issues.

The first test of this new strategy will be the November County Board election when residents will have the opportunity to vote for the Republican nominee, Juan Carlos Fierro.

An immigrant from Ecuador with nearly three decades of experience in international business and finance, Fierro is aiding the party’s efforts to cultivate a diverse alliance and embrace Republicans, as well as Independents and Democrats, from myriad backgrounds.

The last time a Republican was elected to the Board was Mike Lane in 1999. But party leaders, including newly elected Chair of the Arlington County GOP, Matthew Hurtt, are optimistic that their new strategy will help Republicans establish a solid foothold in the predominantly Democratic county.

However, judging by recent fundraising numbers, Hurtt argues the strategy is already working.

“Thanks to generous supporters like you, the Arlington GOP raised $14,831 from July 13th until midnight last night,” Hurtt told donors in an email last month. “The average contribution from more than 110 individual donations was $131, and the Committee took in an average of $823 per day over the 18-day period.”

Hurtt noted these numbers were “unprecedented” for the party which typically brings in a little less than half that number.

He emphasized the majority of these funds will be allocated towards “local issue education,” “voter targeting,” and “mobilization efforts,” aimed at aiding local Republican candidates, including Fierro, in their campaigns for state senate and county board positions.

“With the imminent approval by this Committee, we will invest in our candidates in ways we have not done in decades,” Hurtt told his donors.

Hurtt attributes the party’s robust fundraising quarter to members’ renewed confidence Republicans can make headway in future local elections by using this strategy.

“When I was chairman of Young Republicans, we helped elect John Vihstadt to the county board in 2014… We helped legalize food trucks and Airbnbs in Arlington. And so we have won on policy issues and we’ve built broad based coalitions,” Hurtt said. “But I’m trying to get my members to say, ‘you know it is worth my time to be involved in local issues.’”

Heading into November, Hurtt said the party aims to turn out voters who turned out for Gov. Glenn Youngkin. He drew national attention after beating out former Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2021.

Hurtt is under no illusion that Arlington will swing from blue to red anytime soon. Nevertheless, he pointed out that Youngkin garnered 22.8% of the Arlington vote — 6 percentage points more than former President Donald Trump a year earlier.

Following his victory, Youngkin was applauded by national, state and local party leaders, including Hurtt, who praised his ability to energize white suburban voters by capitalizing on parents’ frustrations over Covid-induced school closures, as well as other cultural issues such as the teaching of race in schools and transgender rights.

By aligning with the Governor and focusing on issues such as education, Hurtt said he believes Fierro and other Republican candidates may have a better shot in upcoming and future elections.

(more…)

Arlington jury duty questionnaires to hit resident mailboxes soon

By James Jarvis
The Arlington County Courthouse and Detention Center facilities are pictured in 2019 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Residents should be on the lookout for a postcard from the Arlington County Circuit Court about jury duty.

This month, the court will be mailing questionnaires to about 35,000 residents randomly selected from registered voter rolls as part of its annual jury selection process. The questionnaires will be used to determine who is eligible for jury duty next year.

The average length of a trial is 1-2 days, but trials may last longer, per a press release.

If an individual does not receive a questionnaire, “there is nothing further to do,” it says.

Residents are instructed to submit a form online — or call 703‑228‑3123 to receive a mailed paper copy if they do not have computer access — within 10 days of receiving the postcard.

The county asks individuals who no longer live in Arlington, but receive the postcard, to complete the form so they can be disqualified.

People who qualify for jury duty will receive a summons to appear in the mail next year.

Jurors must be available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. during their period of service.

According to the release, jurors are set to receive “$50 each day they report for reimbursement of expenses” — which looks to be up $20 from last year.

A home run or strike out? Arlington seeks public input on athletic field use proposal

By James Jarvis
Athletic field in Quincy Park is used for soccer practice (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County is looking to tweak how its athletic fields are used and reserved.

Through Sept. 8, residents will have the chance to participate in a survey which county staff plan to use to develop policy that will “ensure more equitable access for recreation.”

The study is part of the Public Spaces Master Plan which calls for the county to solicit feedback from residents every five years on how frequently and at what times of day people use the fields.

The county started gathering feedback in 2021 and surveyed 107 people which was used to create an “Athletic Field Draft Availability Framework.”

In the initial survey, residents highlighted that there was not enough time and space dedicated to unscheduled casual “drop-in” or “community use” of athletic fields for community activities and requested better access to lighted fields — currently 36 out of 96 fields have lights — on weeknights and weekends.

The issue of access to athletic fields for unplanned athletic and non-athletic activities has become increasingly contentious in recent years.

Before it was adopted in 2019, the Public Spaces Master Plan came under fire from opponents who argued the county had set aside more space for athletic fields than it needed, reducing the amount of available land for other facilities, such as parks and schools.

In 2021, the Aurora Highlands Civic Association wrote numerous letters to the Arlington County Board and circulated a petition pushing for “open access” to nearby diamond athletic fields during hours when there are no scheduled games “to relax, throw frisbees, sunbathe, or even write petitions.”

However, proponents claim demand for scheduled use of sports fields is growing and believe the county should invest to help solve this problem.

To resolve these issues, Jennifer Fioretti, deputy director of Arlington’s Department of Parks and Recreation, said county staff have proposed two solutions via the Athletic Field Availability Draft Framework.

First, staff have developed a formula that calculates the “utilization rate” for each field in the county. Fioretti said she believes this strategy will help the department better understand individual field use, thereby improving “operational efficiency.”

“We will use the data, for example, to inform the re-balancing of scheduled activities and to create opportunities for community use that may have not been available in the past,” she told ARLnow in an email.

Second, county staff propose reclassifying the six fields currently labeled as “Drop-In/Community Use” to a “Permit Takes Priority” status.

Fioretti said the six drop-in fields, which include Gunston 3, Barcroft 5, VA Highlands 2, Westover, TJ Lower Field and Rocky Run, can still be reserved, which causes confusion because “Community Use/Drop-In” implies there are no activities scheduled.

The idea, she noted, is to “further simplify our field designations” in order to “spread scheduled community time throughout the County.”

“By eliminating the Drop-In/Community Use designation we will be identifying community time and scheduled sport specific times at more locations throughout the entire county,” Fioretti said.

Of Arlington’s 96 athletic fields, 12 are currently “Permit-Only,” 78 are “Permit Takes Priority,” and 6 are “Drop-In/Community Use fields.”

By participating in the second survey, residents will have the opportunity to provide feedback about the proposal which Fioretti said will help county staff determine whether it is “on the right track” or whether its proposal needs to be modified.

Arlington County unveils new marketing campaign in attempt to boost tourism

By James Jarvis
1/3

Arlington County’s tourism arm has a new look and a new slogan.

On Thursday, the county unveiled a new marketing campaign, which officials hope will boost tourism. While Arlington remains a top destination in Virginia, it has seen a significant drop in visitors due to the pandemic.

With the assistance of a $3.25 million grant through the American Rescue Plan Act, the county hired an outside marketing agency, Fuseideas LLC, to help design a new website and slogan – “All in Arlington” – aiming to spotlight Arlington’s diverse attractions, cultural experiences, and historical landmarks to visitors outside the national capital region.

Arlington County’s new slogan is “All in Arlington” (Courtesy Arlington
Convention and Visitor Service)

“‘All in Arlington’ represents the culmination of insights reflecting a changing destination landscape and new ways that Arlington satisfies the needs and expectations of post-pandemic visitors,” the county said in a press release. “With accolades including #1 Fittest U.S. City, #4 Best Park System in America, Platinum Walk Friendly Community, and #2 Happiest Place in the U.S., Arlington and its diverse, welcoming neighborhoods combine the best of city life and urban outdoor living.”

During an event at the Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center Thursday, Arlington Chamber of Commerce CEO Kate Bates told a room of county staff and elected officials that the federal stimulus funds would allow the county to “dramatically expand marketing, sales, advertising, and public relations activities through June of 2024.”

“These investments are important to all of our community. They will result in more meetings, leisure and business visitors, more spending in Arlington, and more revenues reinvested into our community,” she said.

Arlington was “one of the hardest areas hit” regions of the state, according to county staff, experiencing a 57% decline in visitor spending and a 65% decline in accommodation (hotels) spending in 2020.

Emily Cassell, director of the Arlington Convention and Visitors Service, said in a statement that before the pandemic Arlington was ranked “Virginia’s #1 county for visitor spending.”

In 2019, tourism spending in Arlington rose to $3.6 billion, topping the previous record set in 2018, and generated $97.8 million in local tax revenue.

In 2021, Cassell said tourism spending was approximately $2.8 billion and generated $114 million in local taxes. But she expressed optimism that the new branding, website and upcoming media campaign, dubbed “Go All In,” would “further accelerate our industry’s recovery toward 2019’s record performance and beyond.”

During the unveiling Thursday, Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) said localities have recovered much faster than expected due to the injection of federal funds into sectors such as tourism

“We’ve completely recovered all the jobs, no country in the world is recovering as quickly from the pandemic as we have. And the fact that a piece of that recovery is a new branding for Arlington tourism is a really good thing,” he said.

VDOT seeks public feedback on possible Route 50 and Washington Blvd improvements

By James Jarvis
Two-vehicle crash on Washington Blvd ramp in May (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 8:30 p.m.) The Virginia Dept. of Transportation is exploring potential upgrades for sections of Route 50 and Washington Blvd in Arlington in response to concerns about safety and congestion.

The department is urging residents and road users to share their feedback – via an online survey through Aug. 15. Possible improvements identified by VDOT include better bike and pedestrian access, improved safety at intersections, and traffic congestion management.

The study, conducted by VDOT as part of its Project Pipeline program, will assess three-quarters of a mile of Arlington Boulevard, from Fillmore Street to N. Pershing Drive, and about a mile of Washington Boulevard, between Columbia Pike and N. Pershing Drive. The study is expected to be complete by the summer of 2024.

Any potential project solutions that come from the study may be funded through various programs, including Smart Scale (a federally funded statewide program that allocates money to states every six years for transportation projects), Revenue Sharing, and interstate funding, among others.

“The Commonwealth is partnering with Arlington County to develop targeted improvements for the Route 50 and Route 27 study that minimize community impacts and address priority needs in a cost-effective way,” VDOT said in a press release Tuesday.

The study area includes some crash-prone ramps to and from Washington Blvd and Route 50.

In addition to the online survey, comments can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to Khalil Minhas, P.E., Virginia Department of Transportation, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030.

Route 50 and Route 27 study area (via VDOT)

Arlington County auditor plans to investigate waived ambulance fees for potential savings

By James Jarvis
A man runs past an ambulance on scene at 1100 Wilson Blvd. in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County’s auditor plans to take a closer look at when ambulance fees are waived to see if he can save taxpayer dollars.

The plans are part of his office’s proposed audit plan for the 2024 fiscal year, which also includes scrutinizing how the county pays for gas in government cars and medical bills for Dept. of Health and Human Services clients. The Arlington County Board unanimously approved this plan on Tuesday.

Jim Shelton, appointed auditor in January, informed Arlington County Board members on Tuesday about his office’s plans to conduct a “data-driven analysis” to determine “the systemic reasons why some [ambulance fees] are waived or written-off.”

“[The analysis] will be focused on [the county’s] revenue and where do we generate it and where do we contain costs,” Shelton said.

Arlington employs a third-party contractor that charges patients who use the county’s emergency medical services, Shelton said. It also has an agreement with surrounding jurisdictions to provide joint emergency medical services.

In March 2022, the County Board authorized the Arlington County Fire Department to raise its ambulance transportation fees to alleviate the burden on taxpayers and shift the cost of providing services to the user or medical insurance.

The county claims uninsured individuals are not denied access to emergency services, and in some cases, the fire department may choose to waive the fees if someone cannot pay.

Although Shelton did not give specific examples, he alluded to discrepancies between services rendered and bills that were not paid.

“And we would like to look at our failure to collect for whatever reason and whether it’s happening more inside the county or more outside the county,” he said.

Shelton said the audit would be conducted in the fall between Oct 1. through Dec. 31 and be primarily “data-driven,” rather than through interviews or other methods.

Newly appointed board member Tannia Talento, who was sworn in on July 15, did not attend the meeting Tuesday. A county spokesperson said she would be present at upcoming Board meetings.