Salamander Hospitality Founder Sheila Johnson hosted formal groundbreaking ceremonies for the long-awaited and much debated Salamander Inn and Spa on Thursday, October 25. A misting rain, chilly wind, and a new access road deemed too slippery for even a Land Rover were greeted as good omens by nearly everyone attending, even those responsible for a well-executed last-minute re-location of the ceremonies.

"This is an historical moment," Johnson told the gathering, "... and this is going to be wonderful for the town of Middleburg."

Among those enjoying Market Salamander's catered brunch, fine wine and champagne, were Middleburg Mayor Betsy Davis and several Council members who must, at least until 2009, be responsible of oversight the project for the Town. Davis noted that she agreed with Johnson, and the majority of her council, that the project would be good "for all of us" and that Mrs. Johnson "would not let us down." Former Mayor Tim Dimos, whose leadership through four years of often acrimonious debate produced the Town's crucial "Memorandum of Understanding" with Salamander was there too, along with Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York and Supervisor Stephen Snow. Council member Bundles Murdock, a consistent opponent of the project also attended, and she too wished the best for Johnson and her team. Despite her own reservations about the size of the inn and spa (a reservation shared by Middleburg Vice Mayor Darlene Kirk), Murdock conceded that now that the project's approved and underway, "many" of Middleburg's citizens are supporting its construction. "I just hope they build the best they can build," she told the Washington Post, "and Sheila is assuring us of that."

Heavy Equipment Arrives

The first stages of construction and grading on the roughly 340-acre Salamander site almost immediately produced complaints and expressions of concern from concerned citizens of Middleburg. On the morning of October 30, several big, wide, heavy flatbed equipment transporters began to appear in the center of Middleburg's historic district, making slow, swinging, traffic-blocking, turns at the Red Fox Inn, and trundling off toward the long-negotiated and carefully selected work-site entrance to the Salamander property north of town. The growling noise, the size and weight of the equipment, and what at first appeared to be a demand for prolonged blockage of all-too-rare Madison Street parking spaces, soon had phones ringing in the Middleburg Town offices. Town Administrator Jerry Schiro soon reported that there would be only around 30 such trips through the center of Town before Christmas, that they would be one way, and that Salamander was working closely with the town and the Virginia Department of Transportation to schedule the movements to produce the least possible impact on the Town, and those passing through it on Route 50. Noting that a project the size of Salamander would inevitably require a "tremendous amount of construction equipment," Schiro assured Mayor Davis and the Council that the most difficult equipment moves would be scheduled outside rush hours and, whenever possible, outside the usual arrival and departure times for students at local schools.

Tree Removals Addressed

Mike Morency started a second cascade of phone calls to the Town Offices when he noticed a bulldozer knocking down trees along the north side of Stonewall Avenue at the west end of town. Morency immediately contacted Town Administrator Jerry Schiro. Schiro told the Eccentric he knew immediately that Salamander should not be taking down trees in that general area, and that he and Morency immediately rode to the site. Schiro stopped the bulldozer operator, and asked that he not remove any more trees until the Town "could get the matter clarified with Turner Construction," Salamander's subcontractor. According to Schiro, Turner's project manager, Mark Miller, "responded immediately and redirected the efforts of the bulldozer operator." By that time, however, six trees had been taken down, two of which were reported to be "of significant" size." At their "regular" meeting on November 8, nearly every member of Town Council expressed concern at what at first appeared to be a total breakdown of oversight and communication. All agreed that it would be wise for the Town to look into hiring a construction site "ombudsman" or "supervisor" who could monitor Salamander's compliance with its agreements with the town on a regular basis. By Thursday, November 15, however, the Town's Streetscape Committee had convened, walked the Salamander site, and helped clearly mark what could and could not be touched as landscaping work, road construction, and erosion control progresses. As for the downed trees, it was soon discovered that they were clearly destined for removal as part of Salamander's work on the Town's new Water Treatment Plant, and had been so marked on the approved and bonded plans from which Turner's bulldozer operator had been briefed. Technically, however, detailed site plans for the water treatment plant have not yet been formally approved by the Town, and the Virginia Department of Transportation has not yet approved a Stonewall Avenue construction entrance. At Council's November 15 work session, Dermot Ryan of Salamander's site consulting firm, Turner Construction's Miller, Schiro and Town Planner David Beniamino explained the Water Treatment Plant approval situation in detail, apologized for the premature removal of the trees, and re-assured Council about both the quality of oversight of the project, and Salamander's commitment to landscaping plans that would screen the new Water Treatment plant effectively for the residents of Stonewall avenue.

Water, Water

Despite recent rains, water restrictions remain in effect for Middleburg until at least the December 8 Town Council work session. "Prudence," according to Council Member Mark Snyder, "was certainly in order given that rainfall levels continue to lag well behind last year's averages." Snyder also continued to urge Council to adopt a special fee for Town residents who want to hook up fire suppression systems to the Town water supply. Noting that the Town had lost an estimated 20,000 gallons of precious water due to accidental leakage at Windy Hill, Snyder suggested that it was only fair to the other residents of the town to charge something. Council Member Trowbridge Littleton suggested that Council look at practices in other Northern Virginia Communities. Noting that it was in the Town's interest to encourage the use fire-suppression sprinklers, Littleton expressed concern that such special fees would have just the opposite effect. Nor, he said, would it be wise for Middleburg to make it difficult for people living in subsidized housing to be protected by such systems.

Other News in Brief

Council welcomed the return of Eura Lewis from an extended leave of absence. The presence of the veteran Council member and official liaison to the Pink Box visitor center organization brought the Council to full voting strength.

Middleburg's November 6 Choices

Middleburg voted overwhelmingly on November 6 for Democrat Karen Schulz (86%) over the eventual victor for the 27th District seat in the Virginia State Senate, Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel and independent challenger, Donald Marro. Democrat Bruce Roemmelt received 58% of Middleburg's vote in his losing effort against Republican Bob Marshall for the 13th District Seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. Independent Scott York received 78% support in Middleburg in his successful campaigning for re-elections as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. The Blue Ridge District's Incumbent Supervisor Jim Burton, an Independent, received 74% of Middleburg's votes. Priscilla Godfrey was elected Blue Ridge's representative on the Loudoun County School Board by the same margin. The Town gave Democrat Mike George 51% of its votes for Loudoun County Sheriff. The winner, Independent incumbent Sheriff Steve Simpson, received only 41%. Republican Jim Plowman received 61% of the Town's vote for in what was, for months, an unopposed race for Commonwealth Attorney. Write-in's accounted for an amazing 39% of the vote, most for last-minute Democratic challenger, John Flannery.