Harpers Ferry
Community Newsletter
January 2015
Volume 12 Issue 1
Get Yourself on the Ballot for the Municipal Elections - by January 30
Harpers Ferry municipal elections for Mayor, Recorder, and all five Town Council member
seats will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2015. The filing period for certificates of
announcement for candidates for all positions begins on Monday, January 12, and ends at
close of business on Friday, January 30, if filing in person. If filing by mail, certificates
must be postmarked no later than Saturday, January 31. New terms begin on July 1, 2015
and expire on June 30, 2017.
All candidates must have attained the age of 18 years on or before July 1, 2015; must be
resident within the limits of the Corporation of Harpers Ferry at the time of filing and at least 30 consecutive days
immediately preceding the start of new terms; must not be under conviction of a felony or other disqualification;
and must meet all other qualifications of eligible voters in West Virginia.
Certificates of announcement may be obtained at Harpers Ferry Town Hall, 1000 Washington Street, during normal
business hours. Please note that these forms must be notarized by a West Virginia Notary Public and accompanied
with a $10 filing fee.
Further information regarding 2015 municipal elections can be found here.
Please direct any questions, concerns, or inquiries to Recorder Kevin Carden, supervisor of municipal elections.
Weather Emergencies..
The Water Department frequently sends
phone calls to residents informing them
of water or weather related
emergencies. Please call the Linda at
the Water Dept. and update
your phone number. 304535-2206 ext 3
Sylive says
“Thank you for reading the newsletter”.
Inside this issue:
Calendar and Events
2
2015 Annual Gala & Auction
Parking Signs
Know your water bill
3
Council Report
Application Moratorium
Planning Commission
4
The Town’s official website has
useful information including important notices, ordinances, meeting minutes, official applications,
and events calendar. Visit us at
www.harpersferrywv.us
Coal train on its way to DC
Town Calendar
All meetings at Town Hall, unless noted otherwise.
Jan 19
Jan 19
Jan 19
Jan 19
Jan 20
Jan 21
Jan 22
Jan 25
Jan 26
Jan 26
Jan 28
Jan 29
Jan 30
Jan 30
Feb 3
Feb 4
Feb 9
Feb 11
Feb 16
Feb 16
Feb 16
Feb 18
2
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Town Hall & Water Dept office closed
Budget & Finance Committee meeting, 1-3pm
Trail & Town Alliance meeting, 5-7pm
Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, 7-9pm
Town Council special meeting, 7-9pm
Water Commission meeting, 7-9pm
Tree Committee meeting, 7-9pm
Winter Hike, 2pm (see below)
Police Committee meeting, Bolivar Community Center, 8:30-9:30am
Historic Landmarks Commission meeting, 7-8:30pm
Harpers Ferry Foundation meeting, 5:30-7:30pm
Town Council Public Hearing & Special meeting, 7-9pm
2015 Gala and Auction, 7pm (see page 3)
Deadline to file for candidacy in municipal elections
Planning Commission meeting, 7-8:30pm
Municipal Court, 7-9pm
Town Council meeting, 7-9pm
Parks & Recreations Commission meeting, 6-8pm
Washington’s Birthday, Town Hall & Water Dept office closed
Police Committee meeting, Bolivar Community Center, 8-9:30am
Trail & Town Alliance meeting, 5-7pm
Water Commission meeting, 7-9pm
Winter Hike Along the Shenandoah, 2 pm, Sunday, January 25.
Take a winter walk along the Shenandoah with the Trail and Town Alliance. We will start the 3.5 miles (about 2 hours)
starting from the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Visitors Center (Cavalier Heights, off US 340). The hike will
cover the Murphy Farm and Virginius Island on its way to the Harpers Ferry Train Station. Return will be by the Park
shuttle. Views of eagles are likely, and you’ll see rills and rocks that you could never see when leaves are on the trees.
This hike is moderately challenging, appropriate for adults and children over 10 in reasonable shape. Dress for cold
weather, and bring water. There is no charge for the hike, but Park admission fees apply. Contact hike leader Clark
Dixon at (304)-725-9634 (call before 5pm leave a message) or by email. For more detailed information. If you need a
ride from Harpers Ferry or Bolivar to the Visitors Center, contact Chris Craig at 304-535-2886 or by email.
Communicating with the Mayor or Council
Mayor
Greg Vaughn
[email protected]
Recorder Kevin Carden
[email protected]
Council
Betsy Bainbridge
[email protected]
Members Jerry Hutton
[email protected]
Dan Riss
[email protected]
Charlotte Thompson [email protected]
Helen “Hap” Becker [email protected]
Town Hall Leslie Stout
[email protected]
Phone: 304-535-2206
Photo by: Autumn Cook, HF NHP
3
Foundation 2015 Annual Gala and Auction
Please join us for an evening of fun and food. Reconnect with old friends, meet new neighbors and celebrate
our unique communities at the social event of the year! This year’s gala and auction will be held at 7 PM on
January 30 at Bolivar’s brand new circa 1780 B&B inn:
The Lighthorse Inn
1048 Washington Street (next to and west of the fire station)
Parking and the entrance are in the rear of the building.
The Foundation is an all-volunteer organization which promotes a vibrant lifestyle in a
historic setting and a common bond between the communities of Harpers Ferry and
Bolivar. The Foundation depends now more than ever on our member contributions and
support for operating funds and project support. Please email us for answers or a
membership form! If you have items to contribute for the auction, please contact Dick
Cunningham at (703) 431-4679. Questions? Please email us for answers or a
membership form!
Have new neighbors? Bring them as our guests and let them see what we’re all about!
Hope to see you at the gala,
Hardy Johnson, President
Parking Signs White Paper
Please check the town website for a link to a discussion of the issue of keeping and improving the towns
system of signs designating parking spots for residents. We must designate reserved areas with pairs of
signs, or the police cannot ticket violators. This means a cost for signs, posts, and labor. Who is
to pay? Looks like a minimum of $3200 is needed.
Please also note the list of parking areas and recommendations for them. If it is recommended
that a space be removed and you have need of it, contact me or Charlotte Thompson.
Watch for a discussion of parking signs as soon as the February 9 Council meeting.
Dan Riss, Town Council
Explaining Your Water Bill
Pole Sitting Contest
Following is information to answer questions regarding your water bill.
Billing is monthly. Bills are processed the first business day of every
month.
Payment can be made by cash, checks or money order. No credit cards.
Please remember if paying by check, payment must be made with
separate checks.
Residents have 20 days to pay the water bill before it is considered
delinquent.
Once delinquent a termination notice will be mailed, giving 10 additional
days to pay prior to water being shut off. (Required by WV PSC
Guidelines)
If your bill gets lost in the mail it is still your responsibility
to pay the bill on time.
Payments can be left in the drop box in the Town Hall door.
If leaving cash - do so at your own risk.
If you have any questions, call our office at 304-535-2206
Linda, our Water Clerk
enjoying her weekend.
Council Meeting Report
4
At its January meeting the Council:
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Approved revisions to the General Fund and Water Works budgets
Approved a resolution to apply for a $25,000 Governor's Community Participation Grant to repair and
replace sidewalks
Approved an on-call take-home policy for Water Works vehicles
Approved second reading of a water rate increase for customers with meters larger than 5/8”
Approved first reading of the Stormwater Management Ordinance
Discussed a draft document on residential parking signs
Filled vacancies on the Historic Landmarks and Water Commissions, and the Tree Committee
Discussed the possibility of, but did not approve, entering into a pilot program for holding early voting
by mail during the 2015 municipal elections
Application Moratorium
To prepare and adopt new application forms and administrative materials, the Council has enacted a 45day moratorium on the processing of applications for new projects, effective January 5, 2015.
Planning Commission
The Planning and Historic Landmarks Commissions continue to work with
the Mayor and Council for the zoning ordinance and related amendments to
be effective on or about February 16, 2015. The current versions of
proposed amendments can be found here:
Do you think it’s cold out???
Town Website Click
Newsletter Information:
Editor: Christy Huddle
Layout: Leslie Stout
Next deadline:
February 13, 2015
Email for submittal rules
and deadline or to be added
to the notification list.
You may subscribe there to receive email notices whenever that site is
updated. Please note that the final codification of these updated ordinances
is likely to change the arrangements (formats and numbering) of the
proposals that you have been seeing without altering the adopted
regulations.
Once the pending amendments are in effect, the Planning Commission will
begin another round of further amendments to better align other sections of
our ordinances and will resume consideration of the proposed Promontory
Overlay and short-term rentals of residences. We plan at least one public
forum to promote dialog – particularly with those who have submitted a
petition to Council on the Promontory topic - followed by the formal process
of hearings, recommendations as required by WV code. For the most recent
Planning Commission announcements, documents, and pending agendas,
please check here:
Feel free to contact any member of the Planning Commission to learn more
about a particular topic, meeting or agenda item.