Alley Vacation Hits a Raw Nerve at Town Council Meeting

Amid an initiative to relax the requirement that the town manager reside in Front Royal, revision to the employee handbook regarding paid time off, affirmation of the Town’s desire to participate in the Purdue Settlement, critical action on the replacement of the East Prospect Street bridge, and progress toward the settlement of an outstanding debt, something as seemingly routine as the vacation of the Town’s ownership over a portion on North Royal Avenue and an alley took on greater significance as legal counsel, David Silek, addressed the Town Council on behalf of applicants Aaron and Harmony Hike and Aaron Hike Trustee. This is an item with a history. For the third time, the Hikes were before the council with a request for a vacation, this time, specifically, 13,324 square feet on North Royal Avenue and an alley between North Royal Avenue and Virginia Avenue, and adjacent to 1516 North Royal Avenue.

The Town Council convenes for its monthly regular meeting on Monday, August 25. Royal Examiner Photo Credits: Brenden McHugh.

Silek expressed frustration over the apparent grief his clients have suffered in their efforts to negotiate this vacation. In a description of the process they endured in 2024 after the council had approved the application, Silek underlined what he believes to be the negligence of Town staff, who ostensibly delayed the necessity of responding to the applicant and then grievously claimed that the window of time in which the applicant could have acted was closed. Between comments from Councilwoman Melissa DeDomenico-Payne and Councilman Glenn Wood, a picture developed of a town manager who may have lacked the planning expertise that the current town manager, Joseph Petty, brings to the table. Petty’s conservative approach in recommending that the Town avoid such vacations and instead maintain the right-of-way has persuaded at least two council members to reverse their position in favor of keeping the infrastructure. Nevertheless, the council on Monday night passed the vote to approve the vacation.

Legal counsel David Silek speaks on behalf of Aaron and Harmony Hike concerning an alley vacation.

Because of her business association with the Hikes, pressure was put upon Vice-Mayor Amber Veitenthal to recuse herself, that pressure being evident in what appeared to be a prepared statement, which is printed here at length. “I have been approached over the last couple of months by not one but two of my fellow council members about my position on multiple action items, asking why I didn’t call them prior to the meeting to discuss my position, how long I knew what action I would decide to take that night, why I don’t always use the proposed motions in our agenda, etcetera. This is greatly concerning to me for a multitude of reasons. We were elected to motion what is right. That is the job of this council, not the staff, although I do respect them and appreciate their hard work. Staff give us their proposals as a basis. Being able to think for yourself, decipher information with timeliness, and take action is each of our individual responsibilities. I was elected not once, but twice, by the people of Front Royal to serve this town, and I do not take my position for granted.”

She continued: “The purpose of a public hearing is to hear the public’s input, gather the facts, opinions, and concerns of a matter, before we take action. Therefore, I do not make up my mind prior to a public hearing. Furthermore, I ran self-funded campaigns for my seat on this dais. I cannot be bought or bargained. Others have had campaign support from adjacent property owners, which, in my opinion, could have affected their positions on the matter before us tonight. The merits of the situation did not change but an election took place since the last time this item was before at which time support was offered unanimously … all of this to say, the matter before us tonight caused some lobbying, some that former elected officials would have called ‘backdoor meetings’, counting the votes, if you will, making a plan before tonight’s meeting, all prior to hearing the public’s input here.”

She added, “With this, my integrity has come into question. I find myself once again reminding my fellow council members what an alley vacation application is. It’s an applicant who can apply to vacate an alley. That does not guarantee that the applicant will be granted the purchase or include any negotiations of the contract. It simply directs our Town staff to begin negotiations. Therefore, any adjoining property owner can attempt to make the purchase of the vacated alley after the action is taken. I have publicly taken action on this specific item three times in the last several years. My stance, the facts of the matter, nor the alley have changed in any of these years. I work multiple jobs, not just for Hike Construction, Inc. One of those jobs is for Hike Construction, Inc. Hike Construction did not apply to vacate the alley, Hike Construction does not own a home, and most importantly, my job at Hike Construction is not based on any merits or matters pertaining to this alley vacation and never has been.”

She went on: “My job at Hike Construction is in project management, for those who wish to know, not the finance department, not as a partner, no ownership, and I do not owe a single person on this dais any of that information that I just shared. But because I have been transparent in the past and I always have the preservation and success of the town of Front Royal’s interest at heart, I am defending my position. Several months ago, as noted by a council member, I recused myself from a vote on a curb and gutter waiver on Virginia Avenue, which was submitted by Hike Construction, Inc. Again, my job was not contingent on this, but I worked specifically on that project and for the company in which it applied. It is not comparable to the application that is here before us tonight. A work session would have been an appropriate time to address any questions or concerns to me or my position and my professional work, not an email, not a text message, not a conversation behind my back seeking legal advisement on my behalf.

She concluded: “Now, typically, I cannot be bullied, intimidated, or threatened, despite great efforts. For those of you who know me, you know that I left the federal government in the first quarter of this year. During my time at the federal government, someone associated with this council reported me to the federal government to try to have me lose my job under the Hatch Act, which I won, that fight, in federal hearings. However, for the sake of innocent people in this community … I will forego my earned right to vote in tonight’s matter just heard before us. Recusing myself from any vote is a really hard pill to swallow. I see it as a cowardly move when people recuse themselves, oftentimes. I am here, and I was elected to be decisive. A former mayor and former councilman always said: ‘As long as you can wake up and look at yourself in the mirror the next day, knowing that you made the best decision with the information you had, that’s all that matters in your position.’ More than two thousand people went and cast their vote for me, not once, but twice, to sit here and make unbiased decisions. But at the threat of another baseless lawsuit against the Town of Front Royal, I am going to set my pride aside. Anyone who knows me knows I would much rather fight this fight and be sued. But I digress, and I hope those who do not understand our roles as elected officials work on their due diligence, understand the processes and roles of this municipality. And I hope the willful or weaponized, whichever it is, incompetence, will be shamed and not applauded.”

(Above) Front Royal Little League U-12 All Stars lead the gathering in the pledge of allegiance and (below) stand with Mayor Lori Cockrell, backed by council members, for the proclamation of their state championship and regional engagement.

Click here to watch the Front Royal Town Council Meeting of August 25, 2025.