New Hires and Promotions

Town Administrator Martha Semmes reported that Tim Cole had officially joined the Town Staff as Facilities & Maintenance Supervisor on August 21. "He has jumped into his role with enthusiasm," Semmes told Council, "already completing a miracle cleanup and reorganization of the Town Shop."

On September 18, Kristina ("Tina") Staples of Linden, Virginia became the Town's new Administrative & Accounting Assistant.

Mark Davis has been hired as a part-time Middleburg Police Officer, filling the part-time slot formally held by Officer Jason Davis.

Jason Davis has been promoted to full-time Middleburg Police Officer.

Police Chief A.J. Panebianco has also promoted two of his officers.

Heather Fadely adds two stripes to her uniform, promoted from Officer to Police Corporal.

Officer Jay Hollins is now Police Lieutenant Hollins, Chief Panebianco's senior line officer.

Asbury Church

The Town's efforts to restore and maintain historic Asbury Methodist Church on Jay Street continue apace. Town Administrator Semmes and Town Attorney Martin Crim are drafting a contract with low-bidder Cochran's Stone Masonry "to complete a phase 1 stabilization project designed by the project engineer."

Cochran's specializes in historic preservation and has done work on "some of America's most treasured buildings," including James Madison's Montpelier, the Lee family's Stratford Hall, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Middleburg in Social Media

Bendure Communications, the Town's public and media relations contractor, reports that the number of people following the Town on FaceBook continues to grow, reaching roughly 500 people each day. A post on Salamander's 4th Anniversary reached 1,600.

Instagram followers rose 13%, and posts rose 26%.

Twitter followers were up 4%, generating and average of 410 impressions per day.

Town-Owned Health Center Occupancy

Cowgill Management Company reports that, in September, three of the six units in the Town's Health Center Building on South Madison Street remains empty.

All listing agreements for the empty units with area realtors have been put on hold and, pending necessary cleaning and maintenance of the empty units, Cowgill is not currently advertising their availability until instructed to do so by the Town.

There has been "a lot of interest" in renting two of the empty units," according to the report.

Profits from rental income from the building, which formerly housed the Middleburg Police Department, were traditionally the source of the Town's financial contributions to local non-profit and charitable organizations.

Middleburg Film Festival

In honor of the Fifth Annual Middleburg Film Festival, scheduled for October 19-22, Council adopted a formal "Resolution of Appreciation" in honor of the festival's founder and moving force, Sheila Johnson.

Since 2013 the festival has offered visitors four full days of unprecedented access to fine film, box office favorites, premiers, foreign films, Academy Award contenders and interaction with filmmakers, composers, actors, directors and other industry representatives from the US and around the world.

Piano Recital Funding

Following a presentation by Vincent Bataoel, Chair of the Town's Economic Development Advisory Committee, Town Council agreed to an appropriation of $4,800 to cover the costs of providing a performer and instrument/equipment for a "Middleburg Music Fest International Piano Recital" to be held at the Salamander Resort and Spa on November 4, 2017.

Salamander and Boxwood Winery currently sponsor and provide other support the Fest.

Last year 45 people attended. This year's goal is to double that number.

The Fest's longer-term goal is to lay the groundwork for a full three-day Middleburg Music Festival on the scale of the Town's current film festival, ideally beginning in September 2018.