Middleburg's Town Council approved a balanced $1.4 million budget for 2010 at its regular monthly meeting on Thursday, June 11. The motion for approval, introduced by Trowbridge Littleton and seconded by Mark Snyder, passed without opposition. The $1,394,000 budget is only about 5.5% less than the $1,456,747 budget for 2009, a modest reduction in comparison to other jurisdictions.

Town Administrator Schiro had noted earlier that he intended to project revenues conservatively and keep expenses tightly under control. Council noted that the state of the county, state and national economy, and the delay in the opening of the highly anticipated Salamander Inn and Spa, fully justified his conservatism.

Council Member Mark Snyder, while urging everyone to read this year's budget carefully, made it a point to praise Schiro and the town's staff for both the thoroughness and transparency of this year's reporting, and for their highly professional conduct in leading council through the intricacies of the budgeting process in an unusually difficult economic environment.

Marshall/Madison Street Intersection

Representatives of the Virginia Department of Transportation met with Town Administrator Schiro in early June to kick off the much-heralded and long-awaited project to improve the awkwardly designed intersection of Marshall and Madison Streets just north of the Pink House and Red Fox Inn.

At Thursday's regular session of Council, Schiro reported that VDOT had also announced approval of a new, second stage, $118,000 investment in the project. The Transportation Department's grants, designed to help improve traffic flow, sight lines, and the safety of both motorists and pedestrians across the sometimes-dangerous intersection now total more than $350,000.

Parking Lot Lease

Middleburg's five-year Federal Street Parking Lot Lease, negotiated in 2004 with Middleburg United Methodist Church, expires in June.

At this month's Council meeting, Town Administrator Schiro reported that he had noticed the upcoming expiration and had duly contacted Howard Armfield, Chairman of the church's Finance Committee.

Given the long, friendly, and relatively problem-free agreement between the Town and church, Armfield reported that, frankly, he didn't realize the lease was about to expire.

According to Schiro, the church's Finance Committee has now discussed the lease and is proposing a rent increase of more than 12%, to $5,500 per year, and a reduction in the term of the lease from five years to three. Revenues from the lot's parking meters would still be split 50/50 with the church.

Councilmember Mark Snyder suggested that some adjustment in the division of parking meter revenue might be in order if the church chose to increase the monthly rent. Snyder also noted he would prefer a five year lease.

Until the details of a new lease are worked out, Schiro reports the Town will continue to operate the lot on a month-to-month basis, under the terms of the old agreement.

New Water Connections

The Pink Box, PNC Bank, the offices of Long & Foster office, and Verizon are now benefiting from connection to the town's brand new Marshall Street water line, with further hook-ups anticipated as the month progresses.

This good news was tempered, for a time, by problems for those still connected to the old lines. Sediment, stirred up during the process of changing connections resulted in what was described as "black water" at the Town Hall and at a local dentist's office.

Asked by Councilmember Lisa Patterson about replacement of lateral lines connected to the new mains, Schiro confirmed that, at this point, the Town was not doing so.

Mark Snyder, noting complaints about the increase in water rates, suggested the Town was duty bound to replace as many of the worst of those lines as time, prudence and funding allowed.