While town councils may come and go, the stability and productiveness of our town falls on our full-time staff and employees. As has been noted by interim Town Manager Larry DiRe, we are blessed with group of dedicated folks whose efforts continue to allow the town function smoothly.

The Cape Charles Town Council recognized town employees with significant work anniversaries.

Willie Lyons, Public Works Maintenance Crew……………………………. 5 years as of April 1
James Jones, Dock Master………………………………………………………… 5 years as of April 29
Scottie Neville, Water Plant Operator-in-Charge……………………………. 5 years as of June 4
Libby Luettinger, Accounting Clerk………………………………………….. 5 years as of August 5

10 years:
Libby Hume, Town Clerk…………………………………………………….. 10 years as of August 27
15 years:
Dave Fauber, Public Utility/Public Works Director……………………. 15 years as of April 19

35 years:
Gerald Elliott, Utility Maintenance …………………………………………….. 35 years as of June 1

Councilman Chris Bannon is on the warpath. In a fiery speech at Thursday’s town council meeting, Bannon railed against the town for continuing to allow the noxious smell of raw sewage to permeate the Cape Charles Library. “This has been going on for five years!” Bannon said.

The awful smell is something the town has been aware of for some time, but the problems are not just with the library. Kelly’s Pub has had numerous issues with sewage, which, according to Kelly have never been addressed. Next door, Brown Dog Ice Cream has employed plumbing experts Herbert Senn and Ben Franklin to concoct an air handling scenario to try and exorcise the offending olfactory demons.

This may also be the premise that the town will use when it decides to move the library. In a brief to the council, Library Board chair Roger Moyer told the council that the building may not be the best suited for the functions it currently is being asked to fulfill.

Boats on the Street

Bannon later took on boats being parked on the streets. He told the council that they need to get our representatives Senator Lynwood Lewis and Representative Rob Bloxum on board at the state level before they can pen an ordinance to remove all boats from the streets of Cape Charles. The town attempted to do this several years ago, but the effort was defeated. Get ready for round two.

More than 85 sailboats registered for the 15th annual event, which carries cruisers and racers alike from Norfolk to Cape Charles and back during the two-day race.

Festivities begin Friday before the race with a skippers’ meeting complete with a barbecue dinner, beer and live music at Bay Point Marina, in Norfolk. On Saturday, rolling starts launch from Norfolk’s Little Creek and crews race to Cape Charles, on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

Saturday night, hundreds gather on Cape Charles’ docks for an awards ceremony and afterparty before racing back to mainland Virginia the next day.

With the regatta’s growing popularity, sponsorship dollars surpassed costs of hosting the event.

Each year, the cup helps fund the nonprofit program, which helps underserved youth in Hampton Roads get on the water to learn about science and develop skills from swimming and first aid to teamwork, leadership and communication through sailing.

Cape Charles resident Brooke Ambrose, who participated in the race, provided the following photo set:

“The Annexation Order entered by the Circuit Court of Northampton County on November 26, 1991 and recorded among the land records of Northampton County on December 9, 1991 in Deed Book 252 at page 649, obligates Brown & Root I, Inc. to “construct or have constructed a new two-lane access road into its development to accommodate traffic from [Bay Creek, formerly known as Accawmacke Plantation], provided the necessary land and easements are acquired and providing all necessary permits are obtained.”

The Report of the Commission on Local Government on the Town of Cape Charles – County of Northampton Annexation Action dated February, 1991 (the “Report”), which was incorporated into the Annexation Order by reference, contains strong language providing the justification for placing the burden to construct and pay for the Project on the developer of Bay Creek. There is also a referenced Agreement between Brown & Root I, Inc. and the Town of Cape Charles (the “Town”) dated March 13, 1990 (the “Developer’s Agreement”), an Amendment to the Developer’s Agreement dated November 25, 1991 (the “Amendment”) and an Agreement between the Town, Northampton County (the “County”) and Brown & Root I, Inc. dated November 25, 1991 (the “Town-County-Developer Agreement”), all of which are incorporated by reference into the Annexation Order or Amendment.” — Virginia Attorney General to Cape Charles Mirror.

The Cape Charles Town Council will hold a work session on September 6th to review the Annexation Order/Agreement. The meeting is scheduled for 6 pm at the Cape Charles Civic Center.

This letter was read into the record at last Thursday’s Town Council Meeting by Nancy Vest. 

I appreciate all that each of you and our wonderful town employees does to make Cape Charles such a special place.  I am very grateful for the concern you have for our town and for the time you spend in service to our community.

I come to you today with concerns regarding maintenance issues in our Central Park, specifically the death of the Melvin Dudley Christmas tree and the use of oyster shells as mulch on the east and west nodes of the Park.  I understand that the Town Employees are not responsible for these areas as they are covered in a contract the Town made with a maintenance provider.

According to the Town’s Shrubbery and Tree Care plan for the Park:

“monthly observation should occur during the growing season (March-November) to scout for pests, determine water/nutrient needs and prevent machinery damage.”

As you know, the Melvin Dudley Christmas succumbed to a severe infestation of bagworms. I understand it, bagworms take about 8-10 months to develop and can be controlled when caught in time. I believe that if the contractor had made monthly observations as stated in the plan, the tree would not have died. As you may remember the tree was paid for with the donations from many different people and organizations to honor Mr. Dudley.

Also noted in the Town’s Central Park Plan, “Mulch should be natural shredded brown hardwood or pine straw free of debris.”  Oyster shells do not seem to fit into this description.

With all that the Council and Town Employees have to do, I am wondering if the Town needs to create an official Board (like the Library Board or Historic Review Board) to review issues, rules, and use of Central Park.  Citizens for Central Park helped to build the Park as a gift to the Town but they have little or no input into maintenance and regulations.

Again, thank you for your time and your service.

A newly hired teacher with the Northampton Public Schools at the Occohannock Elementary School is looking for a rental property. But, it’s a big family- himself, wife, and eight children. So far, they have been having difficulty finding a rental house that will accommodate their family. Please message them if you are able to help them find a home.

Email is georgenace@aol.com, phone number is 724-422-6068.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has sent a letter to Northampton County Planning Department Director Susan McGhee, questioning whether the installation of “Shellfish Watch Houses” should be approved by right, rather than by conditional use permitting. While state code from 1974 allows growers to erect watch houses, DEQ notes that building watch houses in the Resource Protection Area by right does not appear to be consistent with regulations. The full letter is below: