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Welcome to the official Town of Cape Charles Newsletter. This publication is available by submitting your email address to gazette@capecharles.org or by contacting the Town Office at 757-331-3259 x10.
The purpose of this electronic newsletter is to pass factual, informative and timely information to the citizens of Cape Charles and to any other individuals who have a business, property, travel or historical interest in our Town.
The information contained in this newsletter is considered to be the “official word" on the Town’s activities as noted by our Town Manager. The Cape Charles Gazette will be a news source that will report weekly events, upcoming Town activities, articles of interest to our citizens, Town projects, safety & security issues, and emergency announcements.
We hope that you will enjoy receiving the Cape Charles Gazette.
For additional information please go to the Town’s website at http://www.capecharles.org/ or contact us at gazette@capecharles.org.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
Doug Smith, Code Enforcement Officer, reported that the Town issued a demolition permit for a residence on Peach Street that has been under code enforcement since 2005. The Town will continue to work with citizens regarding houses that are not structurally sound but home owners must realize that the laws are very specific regarding “times" required to repair said structures.
Doug and Jeb Brady, Assistant Code Enforcement Officer, continue to inspect Town basements for sump pump sewer infiltration issues. No sump pumps attached to sewage lines please!
Doug said that he has prepared a list of all commercial properties in the Town to begin notification to property owners and tenants regarding an upcoming Fire Inspection Program. This is a program that the Town has recently initiated to increase the safety & security of Town residents. The Town has been working at getting both Doug and Jeb certified as Fire Marshals in order to provide this service to citizens. We expect this program to be up and running by July 2008.
Doug recently attended the Emergency Management Institute regarding the Community Rating System for Flood plain Managers. As we previously noted; over 500 homes are located in the floodplain in the Town of Cape Charles so we need to closely monitor flood conditions here on the Eastern Shore.
HARBOR & PLANNING
Smitty Dize, Harbor Master, reported that they have completed Phase II of widening the docks at the Harbor (north end) and they are awaiting good weather to apply the wood preservative. Smitty said that they are now working on Phase III which is a continuation of the north end of the dock. Phase IV is the east end of the dock.
Smitty also reported that he is in the process of ordering pile fenders to go around the Harbor bulkhead. There was a delay with this order since most of the companies wanted to sell the Town these fenders in a “white" color vice the black that the Town sought.
Tom Bonadeo, the Town Planner, reported that he continues his work with Langley & McDonald on the design requirements for the development of the STIP (now known as Southport).
Tom has also been working with the ANPDC on a competitive grant to connect Cape Charles with the future Broadband Network being constructed on the Eastern Shore. This grant does not carry a Town “matching funds requirement" and could give the Town a competitive edge in attracting businesses and providing higher speed Internet access to our citizens.
Tom worked on the Planning Commission package for this week’s meeting (Tuesday, March 4 at 6:00 PM at the Town Hall) and noted that there’s two public hearings for conditional use permits and one “new" application for construction in the Town.
Tom said that the new developers that are planning on construction in the Town are conducting traffic studies regarding current and future traffic patterns in the Town. These studies also include options regarding the value of a roundabout and the Fig Street crossing (Footnote: These studies are independent of an ongoing VDOT Traffic Study regarding the placement of a Stop Sign on Route 184 westbound and the removal of the “Except for Right Turns" sign located in the vicinity of Rayfield's Pharmacy).
Tom also met with Bay Creek leadership to discuss easements and buffers between Southport and Bay Creek properties. Previous discussions and Open Public Information Sessions revealed that there will be a 200 foot buffer between residences at Bay Creek and Southport and 100 foot buffers between maintenance buildings at Bay Creek and Southport.
LIBRARY & TOWN CLERK
Ann Rutledge, the Town Librarian, reported that the Toddler & Preschool Storytime was held last Thursday and 11 people attended the event. This has become a very popular activity at our Library and it’s great to see the children and their parents at this event!
Ann said that that the theme for this year’s Summer Reading program is “Catch the Reading Bug"and the Library has ordered new “buggy" puppets, nonfiction titles and picture books to support this year’s theme.
Ann noted that our Library gets new books every week that are purchased through the Eastern Shore Public Library and some of the most popular books include Lessons from a Dead Girl (Author Knowles), Breathe My Name (Author Nelson), The Sweet Far Thing (Author Bray), Warriors; Into the Wild (Author Hunter), The Kayla Chronicles (Author Atherton), The House of Power (Author Carman) and Septimus Heap (Author Sage). Ann further reported that the Writer’s Group also met this past Wednesday with 5 members. The Town encourages all citizens to use this great asset!
The Town welcomes Town Clerk Joy Pelletier back from a long overdue vacation and thanks Linda Carola, Assistant Town Clerk, for her hard work during Joy’s absence.
The Town Clerk’s Office continues their work on the retention/ destruction of old Town files and is preparing for another busy week of meetings and the Town Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at the Cape Charles Hotel at 7:00 PM. (Please note that the Town Council Meetings are about to move again to another location and another day of the month. This is due to the fact that the Cape Charles Hotel stated that can no longer accommodate our monthly meeting night and the County moving their Board of Supervisors Meeting to the same meeting night as the Town). The Council will make a decision regarding the new meeting location and date and the Town Clerk will make that decision known to the public ASAP.
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT & RECREATION
Jimmy Marvel, Youth Director, reported that all of the letters regarding the Children, Youth, Illegal Drugs: Impact on the Eastern Shore presentation scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 6:00 PM at the Cape Charles Volunteer Fire Company have been sent out via the U.S. Mail.
Jimmy said that Ms. Martina Koker, from the Diabetes Foundation, continues to work with him at Heritage Acres performing height, weight and blood pressure checks on the participants in the voluntary exercise program the Town conducts there.
Jimmy reported that the Northampton High School will be using the Town of Cape Charles Tennis Courts for the next few days while their courts are being repaired.
Jimmy said that he continues to plan for his Cape Charles Children and Youth Dance (Ages 12 to 18) scheduled for Friday, March 28, 2008. The times and DJ are still being worked on but there is still a great need for chaperones for this event and you can volunteer by calling Jimmy at 331-3259 x18. Our Town Children & Youth need events like this and we need more Town support please.
The Town placed 4 benches at the basketball court this past week and this was in response to the request made by several youths to the Town Manager.
Dave Fauber, Director of Public Works (PW), reported that he continues to work on the Town’s Ground Water Withdrawal Permit with the DEQ.
Dave further reported that the PW submitted their draft to Doug Smith (Code Enforcement Officer) on the Winter Storm Section for the Town’s Emergency Operations Plan.
Dave said the Town continues to work on installing manhole insert covers as directed by the DEQ. Dave said that 25% of the Town’s manholes have now received the required inserts.
Dave said that PW mailed the application and fees to VDOT to allow the Town to start painting the no parking areas around the beach access steps. This has been a reoccurring problem at the beach when people park their vehicles blocking the steps to the beach thereby blocking access for the elderly and handicapped to have access to the beach. The police have been instructed to increase patrols in the area and to ticket these individuals who block the steps. We ask that people use common courtesy when parking at the Beach.
Dave mailed out 2 letters last week to 2 businesses in Town who are NOT complying with regulations regarding grease traps. Specifically, On September 24, 2007 Dave wrote letters to several businesses advising them of grease trap inspections. This was in response to a Letter of Agreement the Town had entered into with the DEQ regarding the “terrible shape" our sewage system was in due to grease and oils being dumped directly into our waste water systems. On October 19, 2007 inspections were conducted and 2 places of business did not have grease traps in their kitchen fixture drains. On October 26, 2007 Dave recontacted the individuals at the businesses and made sure they understood the need and urgency for them to install the grease traps. When Dave didn’t hear anything back from these 2 businesses he sent another written notice on January 14, 2008 giving both parties until February 15, 2008 to have the grease traps installed. When Dave contacted both parties again on February 28, 2008 one person told Dave that he did not install the grease trap and the other individual told Dave that she wasn’t responsible for the grease trap. Both businesses have until April 1, 2008 to install the grease traps or the Town will disconnect the water to the buildings.
The Town tries to work with everyone but this is a situation where the disregard of 2 persons will affect the entire Town’s DEQ ratings if not fixed soon. These are not rules and regulations that the Town is making up as we go along but State Regulations that are in place to ensure the quality of our drinking water, sanctity of the Bay and safety of the Town.
POLICE
Chief David Eder reported that the Cape Charles Police Department (CCPD) continues their investigations into a suspicious fire that destroyed equipment in the Town and they’re pursuing additional information on a stabbing that took place in the Town a few months ago.
Chief Eder noted that he is working with a young man who has been tasked with re-painting the “No Parking" and “Handicap Parking" areas in the town. This young man is doing a terrific job and we thank him for his efforts.
Chief Eder said that he received a report that businesses in> Northampton County are starting to see an influx of counterfeit $20.00 bills. Local businesses are urged to check your currency during transactions for these bills and report all suspicious activities to the CCPD.
The Town would like to remind everyone that the Enhanced Traffic Program is still in progress and we respectfully ask residents to observe the speed limit. Chief Eder said that the CCPD has been receiving numerous complaints over the last several weeks from citizens regarding drivers “running" the Stop Signs at Bay Creek & Old Cape Charles Road and Fig Street and Route 184. Chief Eder said the CCPD is monitoring the situation and has issued 5 tickets to date at these locations.
ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER & TOWN MANAGER
Heather Arcos, the Assistant Town Manager, wants to remind everyone that the Central Park Design Public Input Meeting will be held at the Arts Enter Theater on Thursday, March 6, 2008 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. This is an opportunity to provide your input to the Town about “your" Park. We welcome all opinions, ideas and observations.
Heather also reported that the Neuter Scooter’s appearance has been cancelled at Cape Charles on Thursday, March 6, 2008 due to the lack of sign ups. They require a minimum of some 20 “sign ups" and they were well below that mark. Over the last few months it has become very apparent that the Town is being over run by stray cats and a few dogs that don’t seem to belong to anyone. This is indeed a sad situation for these poor animals and we need to do whatever we can to ensure this population doesn’t get any larger. We urge all pet owners to have your pets “fixed" so they don’t add to this ongoing problem. We also ask that citizens report all animal abuse or suspected animal abuse to the CCPD ASAP. In the event that you can not contact the Police please call the Town Clerk at 331-3259 x10.
The Town has received 2 kiosks for the Beach and Harbor and this was made possible by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. On behalf of the Town “THANK YOU!"
The Next Blessing of the Fleet Organizational Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 1:00 PM at the Town Hall. The Blessing of the Fleet Event is scheduled for Friday, April 4, 2008 starting at 5:00 PM. Come out to the Harbor and help us welcome our respected Watermen into the Town of Cape Charles! Food & drink will be available after the official welcome and everyone is encouraged to attend the first year of this time honored event.
Mayor Dora Sullivan would like to thank Eyre Baldwin for his help in accommodating all the students from Michigan who are here to help repair homes in our Town. When Eyre heard about the plight of these students not having a place to stay he offered the STIP, at no cost, as a refuge. Thanks Eyre for your kindness!
At the time of this writing; there are now 5 candidates for Town Council and 3 seats available for same. We applaud the energy, dedication and sense of duty displayed by these citizens. The Town will host a Candidate Forum within the next week or two to provide all “officially declared and registered" Town Council candidates the opportunity to hear the status of Town projects, events, programs and future plans. This event will be held for a maximum of 2 hours and after that the candidates are highly encouraged to attend Council Meetings, Board & Commissions Meetings and Public Information sessions. In addition to that; the Town Hall is open to anyone who wants additional information at any time.
“The price of apathy towards public affairs is to be ruled by evil men"
Plato
All information contained in this publication is believed to be true and correct at the time of publication.
Not responsible for typographical errors.
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Municipal Corporation of Cape Charles
2 Plum Street
Cape Charles, VA 23310
757-331-3259
Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.