County Board
Jay Fisette - Vice-Chair, Arlington County Board
Jay Fisette has been a resident of Arlington since 1983 and a member of the Arlington County Board since January 1998. Mr. Fisette served as chairman in 2001, 2005 and 2010. In 2001 he oversaw the County response to the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. His 2010 initiative to develop a Community Energy Plan is designed to ensure Arlington’s sustainability and competitiveness for decades into the future. Last year, with then Vice Chair Walter Tejada, Mr. Fisette introduced an Urban Agriculture initiative to further the community's health, equity and sustainability goals.
Mr. Fisette is an avid environmentalist as well as a strong voice for human rights and increasing regionalism both within Northern Virginia and the greater Washington region. He received the 2007 Elizabeth and David Scull Public Service Award for "leadership and dedication to regionalism." He is an advocate for smart growth and the principles of New Urbanism, such as the importance of linking land use and transportation, providing robust transportation options and designing inviting public spaces.
In 2001 Mr. Fisette pioneered Arlington’s Walking Town Meetings, where board members maintain the personal touch by touring various neighborhoods with its residents, listening and learning about local issues. Mr. Fisette has consistently promoted pedestrian and bicycle activity and safety and started Arlington’s Community Bike Ride in 2005, receiving an award for Visionary Leadership in Bicycle Transportation from the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.
Jay was a major contributor to Capital BikeShare's start and success in the DC, MD and VA region.
Mr. Fisette has also been a leader in expanding Arlington's e-government capabilities, including initiatives to improve service delivery and bridge the digital divide. As a former GAO auditor, he has long been a proponent of fiscal discipline and accountability in balancing responsible tax policies with needed public investments--with a special eye toward Arlington’s technology infrastructure.
Mr. Fisette served as president of the Virginia Municipal League in 2007-08. While he was president, Mr. Fisette created VML’s Go Green Virginia Initiative which established an annual “friendly” competition among local governments across the Commonwealth to encourage them to promote sustainability and reduce their carbon footprint. The Initiative has been enormously successful and has expanded to include the Virginia Association of School Boards and the Virginia Association of Counties.
Mr. Fisette serves on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Climate Energy and Environment Policy Committee, which he chaired since 2009, and as the Vice Chair of Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee. He serves on the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission as Immediate Past Chair, on the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, and on the National Association of Counties’ Green Government Advisory Board. He also represents Arlington on the Greater Washington Initiative of the Board of Trade.
Mr. Fisette and his partner, Bob Rosen, have been residents of the Ashton Heights neighborhood since 1987. Mr. Fisette is a member of the Ashton Heights Civic Association, Unitarian-Universalist Church of Arlington, Arlington Committee of 100, Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, Equality Virginia, and Leadership Greater Washington.
Mr. Fisette served as the director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic of Northern Virginia from 1990-98, as a staff consultant to the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee from 1988-89.
Mr. Fisette has a Master of Arts degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University.
SPEECHES & REMARKS
Jay Fisette
County Board Organizational Meetings
(January 1 speeches)
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
Dec. 2009 Swearing-in Ceremony
Testimony before D.C. Council on gay marriage Oct. 27, 2009