Cape Charles moves to formalize staff values, strengthen oversight of town events

CAPE CHARLES, Va. — The Cape Charles Town Council is considering a new resolution that would formally establish a standardized set of staff values aimed at guiding town operations, particularly in how Cape Charles manages public events, permits, and vendor activity.

Town staff has spent more than a month developing the framework, currently referred to as CAPE, an acronym for Community Engagement, Accountability, Professionalism, and Excellence. The initiative is intended to be adopted through a formal resolution and used as a foundation for refining town policies.

The Town Manager described the CAPE values as a “protector” for the community, saying they reflect “the history of what we are as a town.” He noted that the framework is designed to bring consistency and clarity to decision-making, especially as the town navigates an increasing number of event proposals and vendor requests.

A key focus of the effort is tightening policies surrounding town events. Staff plans to clearly define what constitutes a vendor license versus a permit, as well as establish standards for determining when an activity qualifies as a town event. According to staff, creating clear thresholds will help ensure fairness, transparency, and alignment with the town’s character.

During the council discussion, members pressed the Town Manager on whether outside pressure from vendors had influenced the initiative. The question stems from past incidents in which dubious and loosely organized Facebook groups, some reportedly based outside Cape Charles in Cheriton, attempted to bring in external vendors to set up events in town—moves that effectively placed them in competition with local businesses.

Councilman Bucholz voiced concern over such efforts, emphasizing the importance of local control. “I do not want an outside body of people trying to dictate what we can do in town,” he said.

Council members generally expressed support for the goal of protecting local businesses and preserving Cape Charles’ identity, while also acknowledging the need for clear, enforceable standards as the town continues to host events and attract visitors.

Further discussion and formal consideration of the CAPE resolution are expected as staff finalizes the language and presents it for council approval.

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Wayne Creed

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