Christmas in Middleburg begins officially this year on Friday, December 2, with carols and a tree lighting ceremony. Saturday's Christmas Festival continues to grow. At 8:30, Saturday morning, December 3, Santa arrives at Middleburg Elementary School for breakfast and a silent auction. At 9:00 the Craft Fair opens at Middleburg Community Center, and at 10:00 the Christmas Greens Sale at the Emmanual Episcopal Church Parish House. At 11:00 Middleburg Hunt Review steps off, with a parade of mounted riders and hounds down the Middleburg's main street, Washington Street.

At 2:00 PM the traditional Christmas Parade begins, with bands, marching units, and Santa.

For the first time this year organizers have announced a Christmas "Wine Crawl," featuring tastings of both local and imported wines. Tasting fees for qualified adults will include coupons for winery visits, including:

Swedenburg Winery at Middleburg Country Inn
Boxwood Winery at the Boxwood Tasting Room
Barrel Oak Winery at the Barrel Oak Tasting Room and Gallery
French Hound at the Wine Cellar
Julien's at Julien's Wine Bar
Salamander Market

Town Council Approves MOU

In early October, Town Council formally agreed to join the Christmas in Middleburg Volunteer Organization and the town's Business and Professional Association in a tri-partite official "Memorandum of Understanding" governing the annual festivities.

Town Administrator Martha Semmes reported that she and the town staff had worked closely with Christmas in Middleburg Chairman, Jim Herbert, Town Business Development Manger Cindy Pearson, and Chief Klugh to finalize not both MOU and emergency protocol. The agreement, she noted, "will strengthen the event."

With Council member Hazard, Murdock and Snyder absent, the MOU was approved by a unanimous vote of Council members Kirk, Littleton, Shea and Stewart. Council member Kathy Jo Shea noted that there were still, her view, several areas in which the language of the MOU could be improved, and suggested that, based on this year's experience, the document might well be revised for the 2012 celebrations.

RFPs for Engineering and Legal Services

After consultation with Town Attorney Liz Whiting, Town Administrator Semmes has issued and advertised formal Requests for Proposals for engineering and legal services for the town. The deadline for proposals is mid November. According to Semmes, "some engineering firms have already asked to receive the RFP."

Town Attorney Elizabeth Whiting noted that the RFP's were a good idea from both a procedural and policy point of view. They could also save the town money, she noted, making the Town eligible, among other things, for reimbursements for engineering work from Virginia Department of Transportation. Whiting has served the Town for 21 years. In 2002 the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia awarded her its highest award, the Edward J. Finnegan Award for Distinguished Service. Asked by Vice Mayor Kirk if the Town had heard from anyone with regard to the legal services ad, Semmes confirmed "she knew of someone who may be interested."

Snow Removal

After reviewing four bids for supplemental snow removal, the town awarded Wines Construction the contract for the 2011-2-12 snow season.

Widely praised for the excellent service it provided the Town under difficult conditions last year, Mayor Betsy Davis reiterated, that in her view, they had done "a great job." Town Administrator Semmes also announced that she and the Town Clerk were investigating investment in a new snow removal technology: a snow melting trailer. Instead of paying to have piles of snow hauled out of downtown for dumping, she noted, the town could simply melt it, and dispose of the water in the town's storm drains.

If the unit proved effective, but too expensive for Middleburg to purchase alone, Semmes suggested she might approach the other towns in Western Loudoun County to share in what would be a roughly $100,000 purchase. The Redskins and Ravens, she said, were also considering the approach. Council member Trowbridge Littleton observed, "that this would be good for areas that had no place to put their snow . . . but $100,000 would move a lot of snow in trucks."

Water Systems

Semmes told Council she's "awaiting a decision from the Virginia Department of Health" on Middleburg's application for a grant to replace old two-inch water lines in the Ridgeview section. The lines have been leaking for some time, and according to Semmes the leaks are getting worse. She has, she said, "redoubled" her efforts to secure funding. The town is also still awaiting an "official certificate to operate" its new Salamander-built water treatment facilities.

The facilities are currently operating on the basis of a "verbal" Virginia Department of Health approval. The Salamander organization has asked the town to release them from their performance bond on the facilities, claiming the town had accepted the plant.

The town, however, cannot accept the plant officially until the Certificate to Operate is "officially" in hand and Salamander has provided "acceptable and complete-as-built drawings of the facilities."

The Town's wastewater permit from the VA Dept. of Environmental Quality was approved in late September and the town received the "as-built" drawings from Salamander of October 7.

Audit

Town staff met in early October to review preliminary findings by the town's auditors. A full report is forthcoming.

Special Use Permits Approved

Council approved special use permits for Ben Wegdam, allowing the use of 1st floor of the building at 17 West Federal Street to be used as a warehouse, and the construction of second story. The site has been vacant for eight years. In 2004 it was reviewed and a site plan approved for a restaurant.

The Town also approved a Verizon Wireless request to increase the size of three cellular antennas on the Town's water tower at 25 Cornwall Street.