Opinion
sports
cyber Academy helps wounded warriors
New Football Coach for CBHS
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T he Volume 39, Number 29
NEWs
trial to begin in Westmoreland
Westmoreland County voters going to the polls Nov. 3 will have the opportunity to vote in hotly contested races for Westmoreland County Circuit Court Clerk and Westmoreland County Sheriff. There will also be contested races for the at-large seat on the Westmoreland County School Board and for one of the seats of the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors. Seeking reelection as Circuit Court Clerk is incumbent G w y n n e Chatham Chatham of Montross, who has served as clerk for almost 20 years. She is being challenged by Alisha Smith-Lee of Montross, a former Westmoreland Deputy Circuit
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Court Clerk who has been working in the office of the Westmoreland County Commonwealth’s Attorney since 2005, and Pamela Loring, a Stratford Harbor resident who works in the King George Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. In the sheriff ’s race, incumbent Sheriff C.O. Balderson, who is serving his second term is being challenged by J. Byron Wilkins, who has a 38-year career in law enforcement. Balderson was recently e l e c t e d president of the Virginia S h e r i f f ’s Institute, and Wilkins Lee is a former president of the Westmoreland Volunteer Fire Department. The three spots at the top of the November general election ballot as
Plans move ahead for artisan trail
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Top races on Westmoreland ballot Richard Leggitt
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uncontested, as State Sens. Richard Stuart and Ryan McDougle, as well as incumbent Del. Margaret Ransone of Kinsale, all Republicans, are not opposed. Also unopposed on the fall ballot will be Westmoreland County Commonwealth’s Attorney Julia Sichol; Westmoreland Treasurer Sue Nash Jones; and Westmoreland Commissioner of Revenue Carol B. Gawen. Woodrow Hynson, the popular longtime Westmoreland County Supervisor for District 4 and the vice-chairman of the board of supervisors, is being challenged by Keith Dickerson of Colonial Beach. The supervisor for District 2, Rosemary Mahan, is not running for reelection. Russell Culver is seeking her seat. He is unopposed. The other members of the Westmoreland Board of Supervisors, Larry Roberson of District 5, Dorothy Dickerson Tate of Dristict 2, and Board Chairman Darryl Fisher are See BALLOT, page 8
Triathlon tests athletes’ endurance
Photo by Leonard Banks
Participants in the Triathlon Festival at Colonial Beach got a rigorous workout that included a swim in the Potomac River, a run and a bike ride. More than 750 triathletes took part in the the 31st running of the festival. For more details about the annual race, see page 4.
School board briefed on test scores County ponders business license, town considers use of inmates Linda Farneth
The Colonial Beach School Board met July 8 for the first time since school let out. The summer break seemed to have a positive affect on both the board and the staff. Some technical mishaps in the room brought some jovial laughter, and the business portion of the meeting lasted five minutes. The board handled a number of routine policy approvals and contract renewals. The board heard a presentation from Deidre Jett, program manager from the Virginia Public School Authority. Jett outlined the financial services of the VPSA and familiarized the members with the steps required to seek financing for the proposed new elementary school. The School Board welcomed Coach Jeremy Jack back as the school system’s new athletic director. Jack delivered a report on the state of the school system’s athletic program. He noted that locker room renovations are under way and the fall sports schedule is 80 percent confirmed. Colonial Beach High School Principal Jennifer Grigsby reported that the school’s scores of the 2014-
15 SOL tests have risen markedly over previous years. In the high school science scores were up 5 percent, social studies were up 15 percent, English scores were up 15 percent and math scores were up by 21 percent. Grigsby also reported that 40 seniors graduated and have moved on to college or the military. Colonial Beach Elementary School Principle Michelle Coats reported a rise in test scores as well, where scores in math were up by 14 percent, English scores rose by 9 percent and science was up by 15 percent. High School seniors and juniors are expected to complete 70 hours of community service during their last years in high school in order to graduate. Grigsby said the school will be working to revamp the library, and students are encouraged to volunteer. These hours can be used to complete their community service work. Councilman Tommy Edwards who heads up the town’s tourism operations, suggested students may also volunteer at the information center this summer to fill their community service hours. The Board also heard a presentation from citizen Walter Kern, who is proposing the school offer up the old
water tower ball field on the corner of Lynnhaven Avenue and Dennison Street to make way for a miniature golf course. Kern first presented the idea to the Council during the June 24 work session. Council told Kern the property was still under the control of the school board and suggested he talk with them before proceeding. Kern said he has been working on this project since the middle of April. “Back in the ’80s I had a coach come me and he needed a field to play on.” Kern said he encouraged companies to improve the ball field. According to Kern the project came to $25,000 dollars and didn’t cost the town anything. Now Kern has a vision to create a new project to put in a miniature golf course in the same field. He showed the group a poster with a layout of what the project will look like. The company that created the poster, Harris Miniature Golf, estimates the projects would bring in $140,000 in revenue in its first season. Kern said the project would run $300,000 and suggested using tourism grant money. The school board thanked Mr. Kern for his presentation but did not discuss the matter at the meeting.
Linda Farneth Wesmoreland County Supervisor Larry Roberson represents the Fifth District, which includes the town of Colonial Beach. Roberson was on hand at the Colonial Beach Town Council meeting on July 9 to update council and residents of upcoming issues being discussed at the July 13 board of supervisors meeting. Roberson reported to the town council that the county is looking into imposing county business license. Currently Colonial Beach requires licenses for business but the county does not. Colonial Beach collects a BPOL tax (Business, Professional Occupational License) based on net sales. Roberson said this county measure is being considered in order to track the businesses in the county. “We’re having trouble identifying people,” he said. The license will not impose a
BPOL tax but rather be a one time fee. Roberson threw out a figure of $30 but said “Don't hold me to that” because the fee has not been decided. Roberson said the issuing of a county license would enable the county to keep track of who owns a business, if they have insurance and if they are bonded. Councilman Burkett Lyburn asked if businesses in Colonial Beach would have to purchase a second county license. Councilman Eddy Blunt asked if the county would collect any type of taxes in addition to the town. Roberson said he could not answer those questions since the issue had not been discussed but said he would hope the town would be exempt and pledged to bring that up to the his fellow supervisors. Roberson also touched on the town using inmate labor for some of its beach landscaping needs. He said the county has used inmates from the county jail to
perform some of the tasks needed to convert the old circuit courtroom to a conference room for the County Supervisors. At the end of the Point in Colonial Beach is small area of beach has become overgrown with sea grass. Roberson suggested the town use inmates to perform weed removal. Roberson said the town could to seek a waiver to remove the growth in order to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Act, but joked the town would have to feed the inmates. Roberson assured there would be security watching over the trustees if they were used. Town Attorney Andrea Erard told Mayor Ham, “There is a process for using inmates.” Erard said she would be happy to pursue those procedures if the council decided to use inmates for town work. The Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors regularly meet in Montross on the Second Monday of each Month at 6 p.m.
Infrastructure projects moving forward in Colonial Beach Linda Farneth Colonial Beach has, and continues to, undergo continuous infrastructural work right below residents feet. However, many citizens don’t even know the work is taking place. Recently a group of residents criticized the council and town staff for failing to work on the town’s infrastructure. The remarks came at public hearings on the recently approved real estate tax increase. In 2007 and 2008, Colonial Beach completed a $1 million project, replacing and enlarging water lines along Monroe Bay Avenue on the Point. In 2008 the town began an $8.7 million project to upgrade the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant is located on Route 205 across from Potomac Beach. A portion of the project, $6 million worth, was paid for by grant funds. A $2.7 million interest-free loan funded the remainder of the cost.
The project was completed in 2009. Colonial Beach was one of the first localities in Virginia to upgrade its Waste Water Treatment Plant using Ultra Violet rays to complete the filtration process and reduce nitrogen and phosphorous pollutants in waterways that lead to the Chesapeake Bay. John H. Reid President of the Reid Engineering Company, who headed up the project to install new equipment to upgrade the Waste Water Treatment Plant, said back in 2009, “The new facility is leading the way to a cleaner Chesapeake Bay by removing nitrogen and phosphorus from waste-water before it leaves the facility.” In years past chlorine was used to clean waste-water but in the new plant ultraviolet lights replace the chemical, resulting in less impact on the bay. Piping upgrades continued in 2008 with a $4.1 million project to reduce inflow and infiltration of rain water
into the pipes on the numbered streets in Classic Shores subdivision. The project was completed in 2014. Approximately 3.3 miles of gravity sewer were rehabilitated through trench-less methods, and 1.2 miles of gravity sewer were replaced. The project was headed up by Heather A. Campbell, the I and I project manager for Dewberry consulting engineers for the town of Colonial Beach. Colonial Beach recently won recognition for its creative financing to solve sewer inflow and infiltration problems for the town, grabbing the attention of the Virginia Section American Water Works Association and the Virginia Water Environment Association. The group was so impressed with the financing techniques that Campbell was selected as a speaker for the 2015 WaterJAM Joint Annual Meeting to be held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center from Sept. 14-17.
WaterJAM is a Joint Annual Meeting of the Virginia Section American Water Works Association and the Virginia Water Environment Association which provides numerous technical growth opportunities covering the latest industrial trends as well as a variety of social endeavors for all attendees and participation is continuously growing. Colonial Beach is currently working on a number of water and sewer infrastructural projects including upgrades to the facility at Robin Grove Park. A new 850foot well is being dug at a cost of $260,000. The site will also be upgraded with a replacement tank and booster pump station. Waterlines will will also be upgraded with 6,350 linear feet of water mains. As a condition of the financing for this project the town must install almost 1300 residential and commercial water meters.
Colonial Beach Infrastructure Projects, 2007-15 Water Lines Sewer Upgrade I & I Overhaul
$1.0 million $8.7 million $4.1 million
New Well Sidewalk Repair
$260,000 $464,000
Generators and security cameras will be installed at some locations for security monitoring. This project will also include reconstruction of curbs and sidewalk, street repaving and building modifications, renovations and improvement. A VDOT $464,000 grant issued in 2012 is funding a sidewalk reconstruction project in the Douglas, Lynnhaven and Livingstone areas. The project is in the advertising phase
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and repairs should begin soon. Future projects include water tower repairs and refurbishing at a cost of almost $300,000 and further upgrades to the WWTP on Route 205 at a cost of $500,000.