Some of Town’s Biggest Landowners Owe Back Taxes

By KAREN JOLLY DAVIS
Cape Charles Wave

July 31, 2012

Delinquent taxpayers owe the Town of Cape Charles over a quarter million dollars. And the companies that owe the most are among the largest landowners in town — Baymark Construction Corp., Bay Creek LLC, and Bay Creek Marina and Resort LLC.

“We should be caught up within 60 days,” said Oral Lambert, speaking for the Bay Creek companies. “There are many entities in our corporate group and this is just a small percentage of the total. The vast majority of the Bay Creek taxes have already been paid.”

Town Manager Heather Arcos informed the Wave that the Town collects an average of about 96 percent of taxes due each year. Delinquent real estate taxes, including penalties and interest, equal $250,856 as of July 26.

Arcos said Cape Charles uses a string of methods to collect back taxes. The Town mails bills, sends out reminder letters, and sometimes even calls the delinquent owner.  Payment plans can be arranged. And under the Town Code, officials can withhold permits until taxes are paid.  [Read more…]

James Fraser, Retired Town Employee, 1940-2012

James Fraser, 72, husband of Margaret Hope Jolly Fraser and a resident of Cape Charles, passed away Thursday, July 26, at his residence.

He was born May 16, 1940, in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of the late James R. Fraser and the late Alice Nobbs Fraser.

He was a retired wastewater technician for the Town of Cape Charles and was affiliated with the Capeville Masonic Lodge #107.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Heather Nace and her husband, Christopher, of Coral Springs, FL, and Christine Eadeh and her husband, John, of Philadelphia, PA; two sisters, Rae and Janice; and three grandsons, Colin, Ian, and Brendan Nace, all of Coral Springs.

To honor his wishes, no public service will be held. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Riverside Shore Cancer Center, P.O. Box 17, Nassawadox, VA 23413. [Read more…]

Clam Slam to Show Harbor No Longer ‘Across the Tracks’

By KAREN JOLLY DAVIS
Cape Charles Wave

July 30, 2012

Spin a workboat from one dock to another, attach four lines to four posts bow and aft, and do it in about 30 seconds — that’s the essence of a boat docking contest. Next weekend in the Cape Charles harbor, watermen from Virginia and Maryland will compete to see who is the fastest.

“They risk tearing their boats up,” said Harbormaster Smitty Dize, who organized the event. “Most of them get dinged up. Last year, one guy knocked a part of his guard off, but that’s to be expected. It can be a very expensive thing if you tear up the hydraulic line.”

The boat docking contest is one of many events planned for the Inaugural Cape Charles Clam Slam, a town-wide festival August 3-5. Participants will enjoy three live bands, trash to treasures and yard sales, vendors, a Shriners Parade and car show, skiff and cork races, and clams, clams, clams.

“We’re not doing these events to make a profit,” said Dize. “We’re hoping to offset the costs of other town events, like the 4th of July fireworks.”

Last year, the town hosted its first docking race. Six boats competed before a crowd of about 1,200. Dize expects 9 or 10 boats in three divisions this year, and double the attendance. The Clam Slam Facebook page is getting lots of traffic, he said. And a yacht club that had one member attend last year is bringing 30 boats next weekend.

“A lot of vacationers are here this year because we exposed the town last year,” said Dize.

Cape Charles got a $10,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to market the harbor. The grant paid for ads in boating magazines like Proptalk and Spinsheet, plus rack cards and other marketing tools. Massive harbor improvements have prompted some to consider it the new center of town.

“No, we’re not the center of town,” said Dize. “But we’re actually attached to the town now. The harbor used to be on the other side of the railroad tracks.” [Read more…]