July 19, 2001

TO: The County Board of Arlington, Virginia

FROM: Ron Carlee, County Manager

SUBJECT: Naming of the Department of Human Services Offices at 3033 Wilson Boulevard

RECOMMENDATION: Name the Department of Human Services (DHS) offices located at 3033 Wilson Boulevard the Warren G. Stambaugh Human Services Center and authorize the County Manager to erect a plaque and/or other forms of recognition at that location.

ISSUE: Whether to name a County facility after Warren Stambaugh and whether the DHS offices currently at 3033 Wilson Boulevard are the appropriate facility.

SUMMARY: In 1996, the County Board expressed interest in naming a facility in honor of former Delegate Warren Stambaugh. Because of his outstanding leadership and advocacy in support of the rights of persons with disabilities and persons in need of the assistance offered through human services programs, naming a DHS facility in his honor would be appropriate. The name, Warren G. Stambaugh Human Services Center, would be retained by the DHS facility wherever its location.

BACKGROUND: In 1996, the former chair of the County Board, James B. Hunter, expressed the desire of the County Board to honor former Delegate Warren Stambaugh “in a special and enduring manner” by naming an appropriate County facility or program after him “in recognition of his considerable contributions and lasting impact on Arlington County.” Mr. Hunter indicated support among the Board members for naming a human services facility in Mr. Stambaugh’s honor because “his courageous, visionary advocacy for those in need, particularly people with disabilities, was a hallmark of his service. The naming of a facility that speaks to that central aspect of Warren’s contribution to this community and the Commonwealth would be most appropriate.”

The County leased, privately owned office building at 3033 Wilson Boulevard currently occupied by the Department of Human Services (DHS) may be an appropriate facility to be named in Mr. Stambaugh’s honor. DHS moved into the building in May 2000; the facility houses many of the Department’s programs.

STAFF: Marsha Allgeier, Department of Human Services

Warren G. Stambaugh served in the Virginia General Assembly from 1973 until his death in 1990, ably representing Arlington in the House of Delegates for seventeen years. Throughout his career, Warren Stambaugh fought for the rights of persons with mental and physical disabilities and for services and opportunities to assist them. Warren Stambaugh was a ranking member of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions and was chairman of its standing Subcommittee on Health. He was the author of revisions in Virginia’s health regulatory statutes, which established a fair balance between the need to control costly over-building of medical facilities and the need to ensure affordable health care for as many people as possible. His legislation permitting hospitals to share services and eliminate expensive duplication has helped restrain inflation in health care costs.

As a former president of the Mental Health Association of Northern Virginia, Warren Stambaugh had a special concern for Virginia’s citizens who suffer from mental illness. His long battle to reform the civil commitment process resulted in numerous changes designed to prevent the unnecessary hospitalization of people with mental illnesses. He was the author of laws extending family planning services to mental patients and mandating mental health coverage in group insurance policies. He was vice-chairman of the House-Senate Commission created to modernize the operations of the State’s mental health care system.

Warren Stambaugh’s dedication to equal opportunity for all citizens was illustrated by his successful two-year effort to secure passage of the Virginians with Disabilities Act. This comprehensive “civil rights” bill for persons with disabilities, considered by many a national model, guarantees the rights of all disabled citizens to access to employment, housing, education, transportation, public accommodations, and needed services.

Warren Stambaugh was the chief sponsor of legislation that resulted in State funds being made available to help establish shelters for battered spouses. He chaired a joint House and Senate subcommittee that recommended long overdue reforms in sterilization laws and was the House floor leader for the resulting legislation.

Other areas in which he exerted leadership included tax reform and tax relief for elderly citizens, in his role as ranking Northern Virginian on the House Finance Committee; women’s reproductive rights and freedom of choice; public employees’ rights, as a senior member of the Labor and Commerce Committee; and public transit and highway funding. He was rated the eighth most effective member in the 100-member House of Delegates by journalists covering the General Assembly – one of only two members who were not committee chairmen to rank so highly.

By his championing of legislation to benefit the disadvantaged, his fearless advocacy of politically unpopular positions that his conscience told him were right and just, his commitment to fairness and equity, and his unwavering battle against discrimination of every form, Warren Stambaugh exhibited qualities of statesmanship and leadership that should be celebrated and commemorated in the community. For his dedication to the rights of many whom DHS serves and his advocacy of services to meet their needs, Warren Stambaugh stands as a shining example of service to those who are disadvantaged and who need a helping hand. Therefore it is fitting that the DHS offices should be named the Warren G. Stambaugh Human Services Center.

The name is to be applied to the DHS offices, wherever they may be located, rather than to the building at 3033 Wilson Boulevard, which is privately owned. If DHS were to move from that location, the name would move with the DHS offices.

A commemorative plaque and/or other form(s) of recognition would be placed in the lobby of the building and can be relocated if DHS were to move out of the building. Once the naming is approved by the County Board, the design of the plaque (or other recognition) and installation details will be reviewed with the building owner, who must give permission for the installation.

The Historic Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) unanimously approved the proposal at the Board’s meeting on July 18^th.

The Lyon Village Civic Association has received information about the proposal. The Clarendon Square Neighborhood Advisory Committee, with representation from Lyon Village, Clarendon Alliance, and neighbors of the building at 3033 Wilson Boulevard, will review the proposal on July 25^th.

FISCAL IMPACT: The cost of the plaque and/or other recognition, including design and installation, is expected to be less than $5,000 and will be taken out of the DHS budget. There is no ongoing impact on the County budget.