It is with great honor that I write this welcome message as the incoming Mayor for the Town of Middleburg. I want to recognize retiring Mayor Betsy Davis for her 20 years of service to our Town. She has been an outstanding Mayor and public servant to our community and has led Middleburg through many ups and downs. From shepherding us through the recession of 2009 to modernizing our outdated utilities to the opening and success of the Salamander Resort, Betsy worked tirelessly for all in our community and we owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Building on this success, the current Council Members and I are committed to seeing that we continue moving forward in a way which honors our past and traditions while seeking continuous improvement through purposeful change. The Council has taken the last two months to thoughtfully look at the critical needs and key priorities facing our town and citizens and has developed a set of strategic initiatives to meet these challenges. There are 15 in total, ranging from economic development to continued utility infrastructure improvement to fiscal policy enhancement. Each member of Council will lead several of these strategic initiatives and work closely with staff and members of our community to ensure success. We welcome your help and support on these initiatives and encourage anyone who would be interested in participating to contact the Town Office to volunteer. The list of strategic priorities can be found below.

In the area of current Town projects and initiatives, I am pleased to report that our Ridgeview water main replacement project was completed on time and on budget. This was a critically needed capital infrastructure improvement as many of those lines were over 50 years old. I commend our talented staff and contractors for their efforts and thank the residents for their patience during the work. The completion of this project also allowed us to begin the refurbishment of our town's roads and streets – something that was last done over 30 years ago. By scheduling our water main replacement to occur just before VDOT began the street project, we were able to avoid huge road repair costs to the town's taxpayers. VDOT is nearly halfway through their street project and we anticipate they will be finished on schedule. Again, thank you for your patience as we finish the much-needed improvements to our streets and roads. It will enhance the beauty of our town, but more importantly, it makes our streets and public areas safer for all.

As we head into the fall, Middleburg will be bustling with activity from the many events on our calendar. These include such staples as the Virginia Fall Races (Oct 13), the Middleburg Film Festival (Oct 18-21), and the new Fall Art In the Burg Show (Sept 22). Be sure to come out and support these great events and invite your friends and family to visit. Information can be found on the Town's website, as well as www.visitmiddleburg.com. All of the events in and around our town do a tremendous job of attracting visitors, which support our local businesses and enhance the "Middleburg Experience". We thank those event organizers and local businesses for your hard work and efforts that make the Middleburg Experience a unique one for residents and visitors alike. And, to everyone, please remember: "BUY LOCAL"

In closing, let me take this opportunity to thank the many members of our staff and the police force for their hard work in serving us all. They make it easy to be Mayor. The Council and I look forward to hearing from you about any issue and are excited by all of the positive things which are happening in our community. Should you have any questions or concerns, please email me at blittleton@middleburgva.gov

All the best and have a great fall. Bridge