Separation of church and state got down to basics last week at the meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Pohick Church, located in Mount Vernon District on the corner of Richmond Highway and Old Colchester Road, has been in existence since the days George Washington considered it "his church." In light of that history, the church has wanted to expand the Parish House to include a museum to display many of their artifacts from the Revolutionary period.
"The museum would be open to the public and would enhance the county's goal of making the Mount Vernon District a destination for visitors interested in historic sites," Mount Vernon District Supervisor Gerald W. Hyland, explained to the Board. "To accomplish this, the church must tie into the county's sewage treatment plant down Old Colchester Road."
Because of the prohibitive costs, Pohick Church's vision was put on hold until they could build their financial reserve to fund the project.
"Church representatives informed me they were on their way and the Public Improvement Plan was near final approval and bonding," Hyland said. But there are other governmental costs.
"While the church has developed their reserve for the sewer tie-in, they are finding some difficulty acquiring additional funds required for the amount of the bond, which is almost equal to the amount of the project cost, and paying the fees," Hyland pointed out to his colleagues Monday. "They have asked for our help with this."
HYLAND MOVED that the Board support the request by having the staff find a way to help historic Pohick Church in reducing some of the bonding requirements and waving some of the fees.
"Unfortunately, it was decided that the county could not honor this request because it was viewed as falling under the separate of church and state," Hyland said. "County funds were involved."
This was the conclusion even though, concurrent with the church's plans, VDOT will soon be improving the intersection of Old Colchester Road at Route 1 to facilitate turning movements which church officials fully supported. They had hoped to coordinate their efforts with those of VDOT.
So far the church has paid fees totaling $3,371. Fees and bonds due total $182,389, according to Hyland. Unless the Board and/or county staff can find a way to justify the waiver of some, or all of these costs, the project appears to be, at least for the immediate future, down the toilet.