Zimmerman Takes Over As Arlington County Board Chair, Again

In Virginia, Arlington County's new board chair says continuing revitalization of the Columbia Pike Corridor and helping small business owners will be among his priorities during his tenure.

The recent history of the Arlington County board is one of continuity -- the swearing in this weekend of new board chair, Chris Zimmerman, won't change that.

Zimmerman has served on the board since 1996, and this is his fourth time serving as board chair.

He says he sees work on the Arlington Board as reaching beyond the county's borders, since so many modern challenges, such as fighting dependency on foreign oil and combating poverty, must be first tackled on a local level.

"The things we do at the community level, and the things we do to create a better urban environment, are going to be very significant if we're going to be successful in dealing with these larger challenges," Zimmerman says.

One consequence of Zimmerman's return is his stepping down from his seat on the board of the body that oversees Metro, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

"I feel that this is a good time, that things have stabilized there," he says. "A lot of...short term, immediate issues have been addressed."

Fellow Arlington board member Mary Hynes will be stepping in for Zimmerman on WMATA's board of directors.