Members of the Fairfax County Park Authority Board voted to retain incumbent Chairman Harold L. Strickland in that position for the coming year in action at their meeting on Wednesday, January 24, 2007. Strickland served in this position previously in 1994 and 1995 and has been a member of the Park Authority since 1992.

As a board member, he brings substantial community experience, including 14 years of service as the Springfield, Providence and Sully District representative to the Fairfax County Athletic Council, where he served two years as chairman. Strickland was the founding father of the sports-related Chantilly Youth Association, serving as president for 25 years. His contributions were recognized with the Outstanding Public Official Award from the National Association of County Park and Recreation officials and a Certificate of Recognition from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. He has been a three-time president of the 1,800-home Greenbriar Civic Association and presently is vice-president. Strickland was appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to be the Chantilly area spokesman for the Citizens Advisory Committee on Relocation of the County Government Center.

Three publications - Greenbriar Flyer, Times-Courier and Centreville Times - have selected Strickland as Citizen of the Year. In 1997, he was elected into the Fairfax County Football Hall of Fame. He continues to serve on the Chantilly Youth Association Board of Directors.

Strickland believes the two challenges for the Park Authority in the 21st century will be addressing the needs of an aging population and the county's growing cultural diversity. "We have such a good product in our parks," he said. "We have unlimited opportunities because there's a constituency for almost everything we do - historic preservation, active recreation, conservation, volunteer programs, equal access, leisure services, wellness, etc. - I haven't found anything we do that isn't good! This is fortunate, because our citizens have high expectations and they demand quality. My hope is we have the vision to support and the teamwork to meet these challenges."

Strickland has specific goals for the agency: "Staying open, flexible and sensitive to what the citizens are saying is important," he said. "I think our staff does that well. They want to hear; they welcome input." When asked if there was one change he could make to the organization, however, Strickland was adamant. "Our people have the skills, expertise, know-how, enthusiasm and leadership qualities necessary to keep the Park Authority successful," he said. "The Park Authority is not broken! This board wants to continue to support the good outfit we've got, and I am proud to be a part of that effort."