The Stones of South Madison

September 30, 2023 · By Jay Hubbard

Council debates the South Madison Street concept plans, September 28, 2023. (Town of Middleburg meeting video)

South Madison Street has crumbling sidewalks, trees whose roots are lifting them, a strip of stone that may date to the stagecoach days, and, since September, a $1.6 million plan to fix all of it with a state grant. Council spent two meetings deciding whether it was ready to ask for the money, and decided to ask anyway. The month also brought the final contracts for Well 4, the retirement of two of the Town's oldest volunteer boards, a candidate for Council at the lectern, and a stranger helping himself to water from a fire hydrant.

Council met September 14 with all members present, Councilmember Philip Miller arriving late, and September 28 without Councilmember Darlene Kirk. Mayor Bridge Littleton votes only to break a tie.

The Stones of South Madison

The Town's engineers, Kimley-Horn, brought two concept plans on September 14, and later a third ▶ video. All widen the sidewalks, add lighting and accessible entrances, and work around or replace the trees. To qualify for VDOT's Safe Routes to School grant, which pays 80 percent, the plans also extend a sidewalk down Madison Street to The Hill School. Engineer Hunter Streb put the cost at $1.6 million to $1.7 million, including a 35 percent contingency. The application was due in early October.

The residents came first. Punkin Lee, chair of the Streetscape Committee, said the stones in front of the old building on the street "probably go back to the 1850s when that building was the coach changing place from Alexandria to Winchester," and asked that the street end up "refreshed and not had a whole new facelift." Jack Goehring, who owns 17 South Madison, warned that a change in grade would add steps to the shop entrances, and found it "kind of bizarre that you would tear up an ancient sidewalk but leave the old telephone poles. ... we're a historic town. We ought to act like it."

On the dais, Councilmember Bud Jacobs said he wasn't "really solid on what our objectives are." Littleton agreed: "I think we've muddled what the conversation was back in April," when Council had talked about walkability, lighting and signs to draw visitors down the street. "This feels rushed to meet a grant deadline," he said, and a project with unclear requirements is ripe for overruns and "scope creep." Miller reminded everyone what they did agree on: the street "was not welcoming and inviting," and "the sidewalks were deplorable." Town Manager Danny Davis said the stretch to The Hill School is "one of the least safe roads to walk on."

By September 28 the staff had written down the goals: attractiveness, walkability, visibility, accessibility and safety ▶ video. They recommended Option 3, which keeps the old stones in front of the shops and puts a ramp beside them. Goehring came back to say he liked Option 3, except the ramp, which he said leads nowhere and costs parking. Littleton didn't like it either: it puts people in wheelchairs "further into the middle of the street." He was "all in for saving the stones as long as they are not a trip hazard and as long as wheelchairs can get over them safely." He also noted that the Hill School sidewalk, $750,000 of the total, was added only to win the grant: "Throwing in Hill School is about going after a grant."

The grant comes with federal strings: environmental and historic reviews that could add 10 to 20 percent to the cost and six to nine months to the schedule. Construction might not start for two years. Councilmember Chris Bernard saw no need to rush. Councilmember Cindy Pearson worried about the four new businesses that just opened on the street. Davis said the Town can withdraw at no cost until about July 2024.

That settled it. Littleton asked whether everyone was comfortable submitting the most expensive concept "to put the marker in the road and give us decision space." They were. Council endorsed Option 3, with the cost of replacing the stones with brick added in case they can't be saved, and authorized the grant application, 6-0. The design, the trees and the stones will be argued over this winter.

Well 4: Signed

After two years, Council signed the contracts to fix Well 4 for good, 7-0 on September 14 ▶ video. WGK Construction, the only bidder, will build the 64,000-gallon clear well for $755,000, with $500,000 of federal pandemic-relief (ARPA) money; Bowman Consulting will manage construction for $44,660. The job should take about nine months. WesTech, which holds the patent, gets $38,104 to replace the clogged filter media so the plant can restart in the meantime. By September 28 both the clear well and the septic conversion project had held their kickoff meetings.

Two Boards Retire

The Health Center Advisory Board, set up in 1979 to give away the proceeds of the health center Paul Mellon built for the town, and the Pink Box Advisory Committee, which ran the old visitor center, were both retired on September 28, their work now done by the Middleburg Charitable Foundation and the Middleburg Museum ▶ video. Littleton figured the Health Center board had given about "$750,000 to go into Middleburg causes." Council thanked Howard Armfield, Edward "Snooks" Swain, Erik Scheps, Kirk and Miller for the first, and the Pink Box volunteers for the second. Pearson called Mary Kay Garwood "the heart and soul of the Pink Box for many, many years." The Foundation opened its first grant round this month (Loudoun Now, September 19).

Also This Month

Christmas in Middleburg will have private table seating for the parades outside the King Street Oyster Bar, bleachers on North Madison Street, no food trucks on Route 50, and parking at the Middleburg Barn, Mickie Gordon Park and Lost Barrel ▶ video. It won't ask the Town for money this year. Littleton warned organizer Michelle Myers that the Em Sharp Christmas signs belong to The Hill School Alumni Association, so a Sharp ornament needs the school's permission.
Mickie Gordon Park: Littleton said nine of the top ten ideas at the County's August 31 workshop came from every table. The second workshop is October 4 (Loudoun Now, September 24). He and Chair Phyllis Randall are pressing County leaders on the application.
Water rates: Treasurer Tina Staples compared Middleburg's rates with neighboring towns' ▶ video. Littleton's takeaway was "user compression": the system runs at about 40 percent of capacity, and with as many customers as Round Hill "the rates came down like 30%." Staples sees "wiggle room" in some business license rates, and Council wants to know what each 1 percent change would bring in.
Hydrant thief: a Chinn Lane resident photographed someone drawing water from a Town hydrant. Vice Mayor Peter Leonard-Morgan said it turned out to be theft, and a fine was issued. Davis advised against locking hydrants that firefighters may need in a hurry; new signs will say use must be authorized.
Legislative wish list for Richmond: protect local taxing and zoning authority, especially over short-term rentals; clarify the FOIA ruling; ask about speed cameras outside school zones; and, at Jacobs' suggestion, oppose any erosion of the Town's sovereign immunity. Littleton called the recurring 5G bills "like a bad penny."
Police: Chief Shaun Jones is still short an officer but has covered Oktoberfest. Littleton recognized Officer Riley for helping save someone in a medical emergency, and Jones credited the woman who called for help.
Water conservation: Loudoun is under a drought watch; Davis asked residents to save water voluntarily, though well levels are near normal.
R-2 community meeting: October 16 at the American Legion, run by The Berkley Group, with the Town only observing.
Housekeeping: the website relaunched August 31; the grant policy is being split into four; Town Hall rooms can be reserved online; the Town will seek bids for banking services and signed a partnership agreement with 1000 Miglia. The Planning Commission takes up a special use permit for a museum and one for apartments at 5 East Federal Street. Gary Nickelson found the Town a POW-MIA flag within 30 minutes when the Governor ordered one flown.
Debates: the Coalition of Loudoun Towns' Little River debate at the Legion went well, Littleton said. In the Dulles District debate, one candidate said development should be allowed as far west as Route 15. The Chair debate is October 5.

Public Comment

September 14 ▶ video

Gary Nickelson, Commander of American Legion Post 295, reported on the Little River debate and the Summer Ball with the Royal British Legion, which received its charter there. The Legion is working with the Streetscape Committee on Hometown Hero banners of local veterans, starting an oratorical scholarship contest, and raising money to revive its baseball team to play at Mickie Gordon Park.
Punkin Lee, chair of the Streetscape Committee, asked that the old stones and the trees on South Madison Street be preserved if possible.
Pam Curran, Blue Ridge Avenue, announced she is running for Town Council, so far unopposed, and wants to get more residents engaged.
Jack Goehring, owner of 17 South Madison Street, asked that the stone sidewalk be saved and for elevation drawings before any decision on the grade.

September 28 ▶ video

Jack Goehring returned to support Option 3 but asked that its ramp be removed, handing Council a memo on why.

Tips & Wags (opinion)

Tip of the Hat to Punkin Lee and Jack Goehring, for reminding Council that the oldest thing on South Madison Street might be the sidewalk.

Tip of the Hat to the Chinn Lane neighbor with a camera, and to Gary Nickelson, who produced a POW-MIA flag in half an hour.

Wag of the Finger to the grant calendar. A $1.6 million project should start with what the street needs, not with an October deadline and a sidewalk added because it scores well. Council was right to keep its options open; now it has to use the winter.

Coming Up

Early October: Safe Routes to School grant application due.
October 4: second County workshop on Mickie Gordon Park.
October 5: Board of Supervisors Chair debate, Ida Lee Park.
October 16: R-2 community meeting, American Legion, 6 p.m.
October: the Mille Miglia and Dog Daze. Well 4 clear well construction begins.
November 7: Town and County elections.

Sources: the meeting videos (September 14, September 28), the Town's minutes (pending approval) and the transcripts attached to them; the September 28 PDF was read by OCR. Quotes come from the Town contractor's transcripts; each ▶ link opens the video at the start of that agenda item.

Other sources cited:

Loudoun Now, September 19, 2023: "Middleburg Charitable Foundation Opens Grant Applications"
Loudoun Now, September 24, 2023: "Next Mickie Gordon Park Community Meeting Planned Oct. 4"