drifters fall
moving on
safety first
Colonial Beach’s football team too beat up to hang with Essex trojans. Page 6
sammy zambon, Caledon state park’s chief ranger, will be leaving area after 11 years. Page 4
local agencies teaming up to offer students Internet, cell phone and driving tips. Page 9
T he Volume 38, Number 49
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Colonial Beach • Westmoreland
Wednesday, December 3, 2014 50 Cents
helping you relate to your community
Beach officials mulling how to spend $1.2M Money generated after bond, insurance payment top cost to move students, fix school Linda Farneth After several years of disasterladen lumps of coal, Colonial Beach officials have found themselves with quite the stocking stuffer this year — $1.2 million. For some time, town officials have feared they would not be able to find adequate money to relocate elementary students displaced by one disaster after another. However, after several developments, the town has found itself with a surplus of about $1.2 million heading into 2015.
Several hurricanes, an earthquake and an arson fire all contributed to the Colonial Beach school’s need to relocate elementary students to the First Street high school campus. The town took out a bond to cover the cost of relocating the students, as well as repairing the high school. The town also raised real estate taxes to pay for that bond. Since then, the school received an insurance payment for the Jan. 5 fire. That payment and the bond money totaled about $2.7 million, almost twice what the move and repairs cost, leaving the approximately $1.2
million surplus. On Nov. 25, Mayor Mike Ham said during a joint meeting with the school board that the town will keep the surplus to “be used as the council decides.” Any decisions, though, likely won’t happen until the new council takes office in the new year, said Town Manager Val Foulds. She also said some of that money likely already has been spent. “After the dust settles, the (money) will be further reduced, depending on whether the school board and the town agree to the purchase
(by the town) of the re-purposed primary school building, currently being used as the town hall.” The new town hall is in one of the buildings at the old elementary campus, so it is owned by the school division. Any sale of school property is supposed to be used toward the construction of a new elementary school, according to an agreement between the town and school. While Superintendent Kevin Newman was unavailable for comment , Foulds said a new school could cost between $8 million to
$10 million. Ham said during the meeting the council would decide what to do with any remaining money based on input from the town management. Foulds said the town staff would consult the comprehensive plan, which lists capital improvement projects and make recommendations to the council. She also said no decisions would be made until after the auditor meets with the council, which is expected to happen within a few weeks. The comprehensive plan does not
Christmas in the county
Spirit festival on tap
montross
Town shifts election to fall
Officials hoping it will boost turnout and save money
Richard Leggitt Montross will host its annual Christmas Spirit Festival this weekend. Westmoreland residents and visitors from the region can enjoy a joyous, holiday celebration that will include Santa, a tree-lighting ceremony at the old courthouse, open houses at local businesses and holiday bingo at the firehouse. The festival will begin at 10 a.m. Dec. 5 with business open houses and will conclude from 2-6 p.m. Dec. 7 with a holiday house tour sponsored by the Westmoreland County Museum, according to Montross Town Manager Brenda Reamy. “This will be the 20th Christmas Spirit Festival, and there will be something going on all three days,” Reamy said. “There will be many new items this year, but of special interest is Santa’s “Return to the Village,” Reamy said. “This is in keeping with our theme for the revitalization, and it is also where Santa came when many of us were children.” Santa will arrive at the old courthouse Saturday morning on a Westmoreland Volunteer Fire Department truck. Elves from the Little Eagles Child Development Center in Montross will entertain children while they wait for their visit with Santa Claus. The official lighting of the 2014 Christmas Spirit Tree will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at the courthouse. In addition to the lighting of the tree, there will be a Christmas story reading by Gabrielle Brown and music by the Rappahannock Baptist Children’s Choir. Along with the tree lighting, free spiced cider and coffee will be available at the Art of Coffee from 6-7 p.m. with Christmas music provided by students from Montross Middle School. Holiday bingo at the firehouse will begin at 7:30 p.m. Fri. “The festival keeps alive the Village atmosphere that means so much to us,” Reamy said. “I think this event brings the community together in many ways because it is truly a community event with different businesses, groups and Santa’s helpers involved.”
specifically list a set of capital improvements, but it does discuss the need for a better educational facility, as well addressing paving roads and providing park land within the town. The only other question for the council to sort out is what to do with the property at 315 Douglas Ave. Despite lengthy discussions concerning the property, no clear decision has been made. The council seems to agree the town should have a public hearing to get input from the citizens as to what to do before making any commitments on how to market the property.
Linda Farneth
The lighting of the Christmas tree at the county courthouse, above, and live music, left, are two of the highlights of the Annual Christmas Spirit Festival event in Montross. Photos courtesy of Terry Cosgrove
Tour to show off homes’ splendor Richard Leggitt The Westmoreland County Museum and Murphy’s Seed Company in Mt. Holly will sponsor the 5th Annual Holiday House Tour from 2-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. The tour will begin in Montross and will travel to Hague, where visitors will be able to tour some of Westmoreland County’s most historic homes festooned for the Christmas holidays. “Seeing these houses decorated
for the holidays will get you in the spirit to start your own decorating, shopping and celebrating with family and friends,” said Brianna Morris of the Westmoreland County Museum. Tickets for the house tour are $20 for admission to all the houses on the tour and are on sale this week. Tickets can be purchased at the Westmoreland County Museum, Carrot Cottage and the Inn at Montross, as well as Murphy’s Seed in Mt. Holly. Tickets will be available
for $25 on the day of the tour at the Wakefield Building The tour will begin at the Wakefield Building at 15779 Kings Highway in Montross at 2 p.m. Dec. 7. The tour is self-guided and will showcase the heritage of Westmoreland County and the Northern Neck. Houses to be viewed on the tour will include the historic Cameron Farm, the Parsonage and Centerville at Hague and the Manor House at General’s Ridge Vineyard. Tour
participants are invited to a reception featuring hors d’oeuvres, desserts and punch at the Westmoreland County Museum at the end of the tour, from 5-6 p.m. Those taking the tour must start at the museum in order to receive a tour book with directions and information on the houses showcased on the tour. Morris said high heels and smoking are not allowed in the houses on the tour. “Come and see how Hague celebrates the holidays,” Morris said.
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The Montross Town Council has voted unanimously to change the charter in order to move local voting from May to November and have all voting at Washington & Lee High School. In August, the council first discussed the benefits of moving local town elections to the fall. The council concluded the effort could save money, increase voter turnout and lower confusion, since voting will all take place in one location. Westmoreland County Voter Registrar Kris Hicks said the cost of last May’s election was $1,211, which breaks down to about $72 per voter. The council concluded if voter turnout was larger, the cost per voter would be reduced. “This is a financially responsible thing to do,” said Councilman Robert Zimmerman. Hicks told council members May elections had a 7 percent turnout of Montross residents, but this past November’s election had a 37 percent turnout of 3rd District residents. Although the exact percentage of town residents in that 37 percent figure is difficult to determine, Hicks said moving elections would result in higher voter turnout. “Citizens are used to voting in November and tend to forget to vote in May,” Hicks said. Currently, Montross residents vote biannually to elect council members, and town hall is the voting site. County, state and federal elections are in November, and the town’s residents vote in these elections at W&L High School. Tribute to Chandler The council expressed its sorrow to the Chandler family for the loss of S. Bryan Chandler, who passed away Sept. 23. See MONTROSS, page 4