Mayor
Town Council
Town Manager
Asst. Town Manager
Treasurer
Town Clerk
Code Enforcement
Town Planner
Public Works/Utilities
Harbor
Library
Police

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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 his Department performed twenty (20) Fire Inspections last week on buildings and structures in the Town of Cape Charles.

Code Enforcement was forced to cut five (5) lawns due to non-compliance and failure to respond to the mailed Code Violations.

They have received nine (9) of the fifty-six (56) annual inspections required from citizens on elevators, fire alarms, sprinklers and commercial hood ranges for stoves. The Town thanks the citizens who sent their required information in "on time" to Code Enforcement.

Code Enforcement cited a citizen on Mason Avenue for the illegal installation of a cooking appliance without a permit or proper hood/suppression requirements. They also cited the same location for operating an illegal bar without the proper permits and Certificate of Occupancy.

Code has placed the owners of another location on Mason Avenue "on notice" regarding structure repairs that they are required to repair within fourteen (14) days or face additional legal actions.

Code Enforcement was in Northampton County Court this past week regarding a residence on Madison Avenue where the owner was found guilty for failing to obey a Judge’s orders to repair said residence. The owner was fined $2500.00 and the Town will start the process to demolish this building.

Code Enforcement also began code procedures at residences on Randolph Avenue, Strawberry Street, Plum Street and Jefferson Avenue. Doug noted that all of these buildings are in very poor condition, uninhabitable, unsafe and abandoned. The Plum Street location has received numerous citizen complaints of possible illegal activities to include drug use, loud parties & drinking.

TOWN HARBOR

Smitty Dize, Harbor Master, reported that the "lone crabber" at the Harbor has started to place his traps back out into the Bay again. This is good news for all.

The Harbor Staff has created a Welcome Booklet for transient boaters. Smitty said this booklet contains information about the Town Harbor, rules & regulations, the Beach, the Fishing Pier, a Brief History of Cape Charles, the Harbor Mission, Harbor rates, a map of the Town of Cape Charles and a directory of all of the Cape Charles businesses. A copy of this Welcome Booklet will be presented to the Town Council on August 14, 2008.

Smitty said that the Harbor Staff continues their hard work on an Oil Spill Response & Prevention Plan and estimates that the entire project will be completed within the next three (3) weeks. These are the last two (2) items needed for the Town Harbor to be designated a Virginia Clean Harbor ; a long sought after distinction that Smitty, Assistant Harbor Master Kent Pruitt and Crew Member Kathleen Stevens have been attempting to achieve over the last few years.

Smitty would like to remind all boaters and slip renters that this is severe weather season and that everyone is individually responsible for checking their lines. This includes inspecting the lines for chafing and putting out extra lines to ensure the tension on the two (2) line headings is equal in the same direction. Once again, please ask for assistance when needed because Smitty and his Staff are there to serve the community and guests at the Harbor.

Smitty reported that the following incidents were recorded & acted upon by the Beach Patrol for July 2008:

Violation of Alcoholic Beverages: 30
Glass Bottles on the Beach: 39
Pets on the Beach: 15
Climbing the Rocks: 53
Walking on the Dunes: 0
Disorderly Conduct: 0
Arrests: 0

PLANNING

Tom Bonadeo, Town Planner, reported that he has been busy this past week working on information regarding South Port & Cape Harbor and has helped the Mid Atlantic Maritime Academy with information on real estate parcels.

Tom further reported that he attended a seminar on "pervious paving" which is timely information since we have some development on vacant property in the Town and this property should be covered. Our current Town Ordinance does not address "pervious material" in depth except to say that it should be used. Tom will address this issue in order to make it easier to read and practical for builders and developers.

Tom is working with the owner of some beach property located here in the Town of Cape Charles regarding possible development.

LIBRARY & TOWN CLERK

Ann Rutledge, Town Librarian, reported that the Summer Toddler Preschool Storytime was held last week and fourteen (14) children and their caregivers attended the event. The theme for this event was "Down by the Pond-Frogs and Flies". The special treat for the children was "tiny cookies" that these little creatures might eat. Ann was particularly proud of the fact that there were a number of "older children" in the Library for this event and is encouraged that she is seeing a "nice cross section" of our wonderful community using the Library.

Summer Teen Movie Nights and Summer Kids Movie Nights, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, CCCCY and the Town remains a big summer hit! The Library reported that fifteen (15) children attended the movie Finding Nemo last Wednesday. The next Wednesday (August 6, 2008) "mild" movie night for the younger citizens is Jimmy Neutron; Boy Genius. There were eleven (11) older children & youth who enjoyed Shrek the Third and Ann is expecting a larger crowed for this week’s Spiderman 3 movie. Remember: the Library can only accommodate twenty-eight (28) people for these movies so arrive at 7:00 PM to ensure that you have a seat.

Once again a very special thank you to Ann, Dee, Roberta, Chuck, Joan, Tad, Kim, Nan and all the citizens working "behind the scenes" to make sure that this was a wonderful summer for our children. This has been the Town’s first year running this movie program and we look forward to making it bigger and better next year.

The Town Clerk has been very busy setting up interview dates for our six (6) final candidates for the Town Clerk position. The Town thanks all of the citizens who have applied for this position. The Mayor & the Town Council will start the interview process on Monday August 11, 2008.

The Town Clerk has also been busy filling a FOIA Request that arrived at the Town Hall last week and we will have this request processed and out to the requestor on time.

RECREATION & PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

Tad Taborn, Recreation Coordinator, reported that last week’s Summer Slam Basketball Tournament was a great learning experience for the Town as well as the young men and young women who participated in the event.

Tad has posted his schedule in the Park and has observed a great deal of increased activity in basket ball games and tennis matches at the Park.

Tad will create a soccer field this week at the Park and has begun to pass out "unclaimed" bicycles to the children of the Town. These bicycles were turned over to the CCPD over the years and remained unclaimed. Most of these bicycles needed air in the tires, seats adjusted and wheels adjusted. The Town will continue to make distribution of these bicycles to the children of this Town.

Dave Fauber, Director of Public Works, reported that they replaced the mulch at the Fig Street Pump Station in the attempt to contain the foul odor that emits from that location when the pump is activated. The PWD is working very hard at trying to eliminate as much of the odors associated with these Pump Stations as possible but the fact remains that it is a "pump station" for wastes and there’s no way to completely eliminate the odor. Nonetheless the Town will remain vigilant on the situation.

Dave said he received another report from Stearns & Wheeler (the Town Water System firm) regarding the re-routing of the Fig Street Pump Station.

Dave noted that the PWD has been working with two (2) men over the last two (2) weeks due to the recent truck accident and he expects to return to a full work crew within the next few weeks.

POLICE

Chief Eder reported an oil spill on Randolph Avenue that forced that area to be closed this past Saturday, August 2, 2008. Early reports are that a citizen was transporting motor oil in a pickup truck and "hit" a bump and the unsecured gallons fell. Attempts were made to clean up the spill but the Cape Charles Volunteer Fire Company and HAZMAT were called after those attempts failed. The roadway was closed off and the spill was later contained.

ASSISTANT TOWN MANAGER & TOWN MANAGER

Over the last few weeks the Code Enforcement Department has been kept busy responding to citizen complaints on uncut grass and dilapidated structures. If you are a home owner or absentee home owner and are having problems with your property we respectfully ask that you contact Doug Smith at 757-331-3259 x16 in order to avoid additional legal issues.

We are now in the Hurricane Season and adverse weather is likely to occur on the Eastern Shore and everyone needs to be "individually ready".

The Town of Cape Charles has recently installed a Flood/Severe Weather Warning Siren in the Historic District of Town. It is located on Mason Avenue across the street from the service station. In the event that the siren goes off, please tune to one of the following broadcast stations for severe flood or weather information and directions.

In the event of an electrical outage, please pay attention for information and directions from the Police & Fire Department who will broadcast information & directions in a mobile manner from their emergency vehicles.

"All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome."
George Orwell

Joe Vaccaro
Town Manager
Town of Cape Charles, VA
757-331-3259 x20

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.