Fears for the Farmer's Market, plans to save the Town's oldest church, and charges of improper behavior by the Middleburg police dominated Middleburg Town Council's regular monthly meeting on Thursday, February 14.

The Farmer's Market

In January, Middleburg Economic Development Coordinator, Cindy Pearson, met with the County's Agricultural Marketing Manager, Melissa Nelson, and with Farmer's Market Board Member, Ellen Taylor, to discuss the fate of Middleburg's tradition May-through-October Farmers Market, run every Saturday behind the Town's Community Center.

The Loudoun Valley Homegrown Markets Association had seriously considered dropping the Middleburg market, she said, due to a lack of support by both producers and consumers. Shifting market day from Saturday to Wednesday, and moving to a more visible location seemed likely.

Sally Bolton, for seven years manager of the local Market urged Council to support keeping the market in the same location and on the same days. A shift to Wednesdays, she said, might well destroy a fragile and unique institution.

Council member Bundles Murdock agreed to attend a February 19th session of the Market Board and express the Council's support.

At press time Murdock reported that Council's support, Bolton's enthusiasm, the backing of local participants, plus pledges of PR support were enough to make the case that the Market should continue to operate in the coming year at the same place and time.

Planning, Zoning and Asbury Church

Town Planning and Zoning Administrator, David Beniamino, opened his regular report to Council by noting that while he didn't think it would be possible for his office to be busier than it was during Salamander