STATE DENIES TAX CREDITS FOR OLD SCHOOL
Conversion of Auditorium to Apartments Violates Guidelines
First page of letter from Department of Historic Resources to Town of Cape Charles. CLICK TO READ FULL-SIZE.
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
November 29, 2012
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources has rejected an application by the Town of Cape Charles for tax credits in association with conversion of the old school at Central Park into a 17-unit apartment building.
The Town has signed a contract to convey the school and adjoining parkland to developer Echelon Resources, Inc. The contract specifies that Echelon will pay the Town $10 for the school and parkland, and the Town will pay Echelon $41,000 toward repairs to the school.
However, Echelon has made clear from the beginning that it will not close on the deal unless state and federal authorities approve the request for tax credits.
Echelon hoped to receive 25 percent credit from Virginia plus 20 percent credit from Washington, for a total of 45 percent of the total cost to convert the building to apartments.
The application for tax credits was signed by Town Manager Heather Arcos because the Town remains the owner of the property. The application was prepared by Echelon consultant Paige Pollard.
The November 21 letter to Arcos (shown above) rejects the application for three reasons: [Read more…]
Eastern Shore Getting Two Expanded Libraries in 2013
Virginia’s Eastern Shore Public Library system includes branches in Cape Charles, Nassawadox, and Chincoteague. The main library currently is in Accomac but will move to Onley.
By SARAH BARBAN
Cape Charles Wave
November 27, 2012
On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, 2013 is the Year of the Library. Not one, but two of the Shore’s five branch libraries are moving to greatly expanded locations.
Cape Charles Memorial Library will relocate to the former Bank of America building on Mason Avenue. But even more significant to the Library system is the expansion and relocation of the main branch.
Carol Vincent of the Eastern Shore Public Library detailed plans at the November 20 Northampton County Board of Supervisors meeting.
Despite being a small community, the Eastern Shore has a thriving library system that has changed and grown along with the needs of the community, Vincent said.
The Accomack branch will be moving to a five-acre site donated by Shore Bank located behind the Burger King on Route 13 in Onley.
“We are looking forward to being near the population center,” said Vincent — a population center that will expand much more with the relocation of Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital just west of the new library.
The 30,000 square-foot space will hold a children’s room, a teen room, a computer lab, an Eastern Shore history room, and a meeting space for up to 150 people. The meeting space will also be open after library hours for use by community groups. [Read more…]
Parents Press School Board on Elementary Standards
Stephanie Zodun, mother of three, is concerned about the lack of a teacher for Northampton County Schools’ gifted and talented program at the K-3 level. (Wave photo)
By SARAH BARBAN
Cape Charles Wave
November 21, 2012
Northampton School Board chambers were unusually full for the November 13 meeting. Augmenting the ranks of board members and administrators were concerned parents and community members who came to air their grievances.
The audience waited through routine reports from principals, board members, and department heads. Then came the time for public comments — and parents assumed control of the floor.
The first issue was test scores at Kiptopeke Elementary. The school was conditionally accredited last year, and recently received conditional accreditation for this year as well. According to Northampton School Superintendent Walter Clemons, one percent of Kiptopeke students are dragging down test scores.
Cathy Burn is the mother of four boys, three of whom attend Kiptopeke. For her, test score data means more than just numbers on a page — it’s about real kids.
“I have great concerns — we’re not having discussions about real data,” she told the School Board meeting. “Fifty percent of our third-grade boys failed the reading test last year. Third-grade reading is a direct predictor of graduation. We are losing more than a handful of kids — it’s buckets of kids.” [Read more…]
Inside Business Report Focuses on Bayshore Concrete
Cape Charles Police Chief Charles “Sambo” Brown
Mayor Sullivan (photos by Harry Gerwien, Inside Business)
EDITOR’S NOTE: From time to time, newspapers and magazines record their impressions of our fair village.
The reports invariably are of interest to local residents, even if they already know everything they read.
Last May, the Hampton Roads business journal Inside Business sent reporter Bill Cresenzo and photographer Harry Gerwien across the Bay to take a measure of Cape Charles. They took a look, and saw Bayshore Concrete Products. Inside Business has graciously permitted the Wave to reprint the entire interesting story below.
CAPE CHARLES HAS A WAY OF STAYING ALIVE
By BILL CRESENZO
Inside Business
May 11, 2012
Dora Sullivan and Charles Brown are sitting in chairs on the sidewalk in the heart of Cape Charles on a recent sunny spring day.
The strip of commercial space that lines the town’s main street is quaint and historic, with a hardware store, a pub, a boutique hotel that just reopened and a couple of souvenir shops.
All are within walking distance of Cape Charles Beach, a well-kept stretch of sand that features a fishing pier that extends into the Chesapeake Bay — no fishing license required, compliments of the town.
Sullivan and Brown are quick to say hello to a couple of passers-by and introduce themselves.
Sullivan informs them that she is originally from Egypt.
Fifteen years ago, she and her husband, Michael, happened by the small town at the southern end of the Eastern Shore, while living in Virginia Beach. They decided they just had to live in Cape Charles.
Now “I’m the mayor,” Sullivan said.
She waved her hand at Brown.
“And this is our police chief.”
Across the harbor in view of where Sullivan and Brown sit is Bayshore Concrete Products with its cranes, its 86 rocky acres and concrete segments pointing to the sky, waiting to be shipped up the East Coast.
It’s a scene that one wouldn’t necessarily call pretty.
But in the eyes of Sullivan and Brown, who worked at Bayshore Concrete before becoming police chief, and of the residents of Cape Charles who depend on the company to keep the town’s economy alive, Bayshore Concrete — one of Northampton County’s largest employers — is a classic case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder.
“It is a most beautiful thing to look at,” Sullivan said, “because it creates jobs.” [Read more…]
Town Council Worried about Public Speakers at Meetings
Bruce Evans delivers public comments at the November 8 Town Council meeting. (Wave photo)
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
November 12, 2012
The natives are restless, and Cape Charles Town Council is working on doing something about it.
The Council is holding a work session at 6 p.m. Thursday, November 15, to review “citizen participation guidelines” at public meetings.
The work session is open to the public but not to public comment.
As recently as last spring, Council’s biggest worry about public participation was that there was none.
At the March 2012 Council meeting, Vice Mayor Chris Bannon remarked that up until then, almost nobody had attended meetings other than Council and staff.
That was before word got out that Council planned to sell the old school and accompanying property in Central Park to a developer for $10. Town Council meetings have not been the same since.
The most contentious meeting was August 23, when Mayor Dora Sullivan directed police to eject four residents from the room.
Two persons were removed while speaking at the podium, and the other two were taken out for holding up signs. [Read more…]
BENNETT OVERWHELMS BURKE FOR TOWN COUNCIL
Dan Burke and Steve Bennett outside the Cape Charles UMC polling place Tuesday afternoon. (Wave photo)
By GEORGE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave
November 6, 2012
Cape Charles Town Council candidate Steve Bennett was narrowly defeated for re-election in May, but he got a second chance in November — and this time his victory margin was huge.
The final total showed 355 votes for Bennett and 215 for newcomer Dan Burke.
Bennett more than doubled the 146 votes he received in May. Percentage-wise, his win was even bigger, with 62 percent of the vote. In May he received 18 percent of the vote.
Cape Charles has about 700 registered voters, of whom close to 70 percent turned out for today’s Presidential election.
Contrast that with last May, when little more than half as many voters came to the polls.
Today is believed to be the first time Cape Charles has held a town council election concurrent with a Presidential election.
The reason was the passing of councilman-elect Don Clarke in May. Today’s council election was to fill Clarke’s unexpired term.
Following Clarke’s passing, Town Council members chose Larry Veber to serve until a special election could be held.
Veber initially filed to run in the special election along with Bennett and Burke, but dropped out in mid-September.
In other local election results, Northampton County voters endorsed by a nearly 4 to 1 margin a proposal to elect members of the county school board rather than their being appointed by the County Board of Supervisors. [Read more…]
Last Chance to Review Sample Ballots Before Voting
FIRST SCREEN ON THE VOTING MACHINE: Cape Charles voters will see four screens on the electronic voting machines. The first screen (BELOW) lists Presidential, Senate, and Congressional ballots.
SECOND SCREEN: The second screen on the voting machine (BELOW) lists two proposed amendments to the Virginia state constitution.
THIRD SCREEN: The third voting screen (BELOW) asks whether Northampton County School Board members should be elected by the voters instead of appointed.
FOURTH SCREEN: Only Cape Charles voters will see a fourth screen (BELOW) to select a replacement member of Town Council.
Cape Charles Town Council Candidate(s) Statement(s)
Steve Bennett
Dan Burke
EDITOR’S NOTE: Last week the Wave asked both Cape Charles Town Council candidates in person to write something about themselves to assist the voters.
The suggested topic was “Why I’m Running for Town Council.”
Both candidates agreed to submit a statement. The Wave regrets that despite two reminders, only one candidate has provided a submission.
In giving each candidate an opportunity to speak for himself, the Wave’s intent was to provide unbiased coverage. But now we have had to choose between printing only one candidate’s statement, or printing nothing at all. Since we had already promised both candidates that we would print whatever they wrote, without edits, that is exactly what we have done below.
WHY I’M RUNNING FOR TOWN COUNCIL
By DAN BURKE
November 5, 2012
In case the reader is interested and has not seen one of my brochures or attended any of the meetings I have had around Town, I have included a career background summary at the end of this article.
My wife and I are full-time residents. We purchased a house in the Historic District in July of 2011. Like most Cape Charles residents we were attracted by the water-oriented lifestyle and all it has to offer. We love living here and have encouraged our family and friends to consider investing in Cape Charles.
I have three principles that will guide my conduct if elected to the Town Council.
1. Fiscal Accountability
2. Transparent, open government
3. Common Sense
I place fiscal accountability number one. It is the single, most important aspect of local government. We are a small town of approximately 1,000 residents and as such we are the foundation upon which Cape Charles operates. As property owners in Northampton County we are subject to a relentless barrage of taxes for businesses, houses, automobiles, boats, trailers and other personal property. As property owners in Cape Charles we see more of the same. My main goal, if elected, is to address the upward spiral of ever increasing taxes, water fees and assessments in Cape Charles. [Read more…]
