Ninety-Nine Point Nine Eight
In March the Town's police department reached full strength. Council then spent an evening deciding whether it needs two more officers. The numbers cut both ways. Across two years, Middleburg had no officer on duty for an average of 15 minutes a week. The two positions would cost about $2.9 million over ten years. Meanwhile, February's meals and lodging receipts fell 15 to 16 percent, and the Finance Committee told Council to wait until June before deciding anything big.
Council met March 13 without Mayor Bridge Littleton, with Vice Mayor Chris Bernard presiding. It met again March 27 with all members present. The Mayor votes only to break a tie.
Ninety-Nine Point Nine Eight
On March 27 Town Manager Danny Davis brought the review Council had asked for of what the police department does, and which of it is required ▶ video. Required spending in the current year is just over $1 million, and discretionary spending $65,000. The proposed budget would raise the department to almost $1.5 million, up from $947,000 two years ago. Councilmember Peter Leonard-Morgan noted that is almost 50 percent.
Davis also brought two years of serious calls, the kind where a second officer matters: three domestic or assault calls, six DUIs, two drunk-in-public arrests and one warrant service. "We're a safe town. We're a small town," he said. Sheriff's backup took 7 to 22 minutes to arrive. An officer who takes a prisoner to Leesburg can be gone about three hours. Averaged out, Middleburg had no officer for about 15 minutes a week. Asked what that was as a percentage, Davis said the town had coverage 99.98 percent of the time. Over the same two years the officers made about 1,300 traffic stops. Davis said one officer keeps in mind, every time he pulls someone over, that the town could be left uncovered. The two new positions, with cars, would cost about $2.9 million over ten years.
Councilmembers Bud Jacobs and Pam Curran, among others, preferred to create both positions and leave them frozen until the money is clearer. Curran worried about officers who can't take time off. Littleton disagreed. "By creating them, we are automatically making the statement that the requirements demand them," he said, and Council had "literally just got this data ten minutes ago." He wants the positions justified the way the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommends, with performance data, including data from now that the department is fully staffed. Davis offered a lodging tax increase as one way to pay for the officers. Littleton asked Council not to reach for an easy fix before it agrees on the staffing. The question returns in April.
The department itself is in better shape than it has been. Chief Shaun Jones made a conditional offer that fills the last vacancy, with a start date of March 31. Applications now come in weekly, and every officer has a take-home car. "We're getting a lot of notice from other agencies right now. They're watching what we're doing here," Jones said on March 13. Being fully staffed lets Lieutenant Putnam come off patrol. Jones also announced that last year's National Night Out ranked 12th in the nation for towns Middleburg's size: "that's unacceptable."
We're Broke (Sort Of)
On March 13, with Littleton absent, Council set next year's real estate tax rate at 12 cents per $100, 7-0 ▶ video. The rate is lower than last year's, but because assessments rose, the average bill goes up about 3 percent. No one spoke at the hearing. Davis gave Council four revenue scenarios ranging from mild to severe and noted that the Town's fiscal reserve covers 15 months of operations, with $4 million more on top. Curran said retaliatory tariffs could hit tourism harder than ordinary ones.
By March 27 the scenarios looked less hypothetical. Revenue ran 10 to 11 percent ahead of last year through the first half of the fiscal year, then fell 15 to 16 percent in February. "It could be a leading indicator," Littleton said, and Davis agreed. The Strategic Finance Committee asked Council to pause final decisions until June. Littleton described sitting through that committee meeting. The Town had looked flush, with its reserve plus extra cash. Then the members added up the Asbury Church, South Madison Street and the utility projects, "and by the end of the conversation, about 45 minutes later, Chris and I are sitting there. I'm like, we're broke." The Town isn't broke, he added, but its cushion is spoken for. Council also cut the grant pot for new events in half, since no one has applied in two years.
A Sign for the Market
The farmers market subcommittee came back on March 13 with its plan ▶ video:
- Layout: vendors in the Town Hall driveway, picnic tables on the lawn and music at the flagpoles.
- More to it: longer hours, 9 to 1; craft vendors and young entrepreneurs; and wellness, car and pet days.
- Council at the market: a chance for residents to talk with Councilmembers and police.
- Measuring it: Placer.ai counts and exit surveys.
The sticking point was a small paddle sign, under $1,000, to hang on the Town's entrance signs during the season. Davis relayed that the absent Mayor strongly opposed it: the Town won't let businesses advertise on its signs, so it shouldn't advertise on them itself. Councilmember Cindy Pearson answered that "the businesses do have a place to put a sign, they put it on their building," and the market is the Town's business. She also wanted a fox on it. "We're back to this fox thing again, aren't we? It feels like six years ago," Davis said. Leonard-Morgan liked the look but noted the Town had said it was done with paddle signs. Bernard called it an event series, not an advertisement. The sign passed 7-0, with the Mayor absent.
Also This Month
- The first Citizens Academy: eight residents spent March 12 learning how the Town runs, field trip included. Bernard credited Town Clerk Rhonda North. Participants raised the vacant storefronts, and staff will look at putting local art in the empty windows. - Downtown: - The Market Salamander building has been bought for a restaurant, and the Mount Defiance building has been sold. - The old Moda space is leased. - The antique shop has moved to South Madison Street as Roger on Madison. - A new steakhouse hopes to open by fall. - South Madison: the interim flexi-pave work is finished, and Davis said both sides are much safer to walk. The stone-sidewalk offer hasn't been made formally. Restriping for parking waits on a longer plan. - Water: with little snow this winter, the wells have leveled off. Littleton wants the Town to get ahead of the next drought. Davis will bring a revised conservation ordinance in April that could ration water by the gallon, with penalties. Sewer video inspections found a manhole on Chinn Lane leaking creek water into the system. - Annual reports: - Punkin Lee and Katie Carter for the Middleburg Business & Professional Association: about 130 members, a new chili bowl contest in September, and a push for weekday visitors and for Federal Street. - Lee for the Streetscape Committee: new plantings for both town entrances, designed by Bonnie Burns, and an Arbor Day tree on April 26 in memory of Thelma Swain. - Route 50: the County held its second public meeting at the charter school on March 26. Littleton reported "so much hot air" they had to open the windows. The County's online survey stays open until April 9, and Littleton doesn't expect staff to change its recommendations. - People: Council passed resolutions of appreciation for Mary Ann Burns and Ed Fleischman. Bob Dale, Childs Burden and Coe Eldredge were reappointed to the Strategic Finance Committee, and Dr. Chris Hersh joins it. The Arts Council and the Cultural & Community Events Committee have begun talks on merging.
Public Comment
March 13: no one spoke. Public hearing on the tax rate: no one spoke.
March 27: no one spoke.
Tips & Wags (opinion)
Tip of the Hat to Danny Davis and Chief Jones for answering the question Council asked. Ninety-nine point nine eight percent is a number everyone can argue from.
Tip of the Hat to the eight residents of the first Citizens Academy. Learning how the Town runs is the first step toward running it.
Wag of the Finger to empty storefronts on the main street of a town that just found out it's "broke." Art in the windows is a start.
Coming Up
- April 9: County Route 50 survey closes.
- April 10 and 24: Council meetings: the utility fund, water rationing ordinance, and the police positions.
- April 12: Wellness Day and 5K.
- April 26: Spring Clean-Up and Arbor Day.
- May 8: possible budget public hearing.
- May 30: Middleburg Day.
- June 2: Strategic Finance Committee revisits revenues.
Sources: the meeting videos (March 13, March 27), the Town's minutes (pending approval) and the transcripts attached to them. Quotes come from the Town contractor's transcripts; each ▶ link opens the video at the start of that agenda item.