After legal review a project that will at long last allow much needed repair and refurbishment of "The Pink Box" Middleburg's tourist information center" has been approved.

"The Pink Box" is owned by the National Sporting Library & Museum and leased to the town for a token sum.

The town will pay for repairs to the plaster and wall surrounding the front door, sand and refinish the floor, patch and paint the walls and door install shelving and make other repairs. Total costs have been estimated at $10, 969.54. More than $150,000 remains in the Town's "Pink Box" surplus fund, from which all bills will be paid.

Under current Virginia law government contracts in excess of $10,000 awarded to government officials automatically trigger a "conflict of interest" review by the Commonwealth.

After thorough legal review the Town decided to address that issue by buying the raw materials necessary for the Pink Box project directly, and paying its contractor, only for labor costs. The town's "contract" with Melmore Inc, (which specializes in both new construction and historic restoration) could thus reduced to well under $10,000. Town Council member Trowbridge Littleton is a principal at Melmore.