Josh Ingram Seeks Another Term on Front Royal Council, Points to Water, Jobs and Data Centers

Front Royal Town Councilman Josh Ingram says protecting the town’s water supply, bringing more jobs to the area, limiting residents’ tax burden, and completing a proposed ban on data centers are among his priorities as he seeks reelection.

Ingram discussed his record and goals during an interview at a Republican-endorsed candidates’ gathering at the gazebo in downtown Front Royal on October 4.

Ingram said he wants another term in part to continue work already underway by the current council.

One of the most visible issues has been the debate over data centers. Ingram said he believes council is close to resolving the issue and remains firmly behind efforts to prohibit them in town.

“I just don’t see them being a fit for our community at this time,” Ingram said.

He pointed to the lengthy public hearing, which continued past midnight as residents addressed council.

Ingram said his position is based both on what he heard from residents and his own experience. He said he has an in-depth knowledge of data centers and has helped build them.

For Ingram, the issue fits into a larger goal of preserving what attracts people to Front Royal in the first place.

“I want to keep the reasons that we all live and work here intact,” he said.

Water Planning for the Future

Water is another issue Ingram believes will shape Front Royal’s future.

The town has a limited supply, he said, and must consider how much water future development will require while also looking for ways to conserve what is available.

“Water conservation is something that’s a concern for the whole valley, for all of Virginia for that matter,” Ingram said.

He said the town is also exploring a secondary water source, although that work remains in its early stages, and he did not offer details on specific options.

Front Royal’s dependence on the Shenandoah River means decisions made upstream can affect the town, while Front Royal’s own withdrawals can affect communities downstream, he said.

Ingram described the effort as long-range planning rather than something with an immediate solution.

“It’s a slow process, but it’s being looked at,” he said.

The town’s planning, he added, needs to look five to 10 years ahead and consider not only Front Royal residents but county residents who also depend on town water.

Taxes and Economic Development

Ingram also highlighted his vote against the town’s tax increase for the current fiscal year.

He said residents were already dealing with higher costs in many areas of their household budgets, and he did not believe an additional increase was warranted.

Council ultimately approved the increase, and Ingram said he respects the council’s decision.

His longer-term answer to reducing pressure on taxpayers centers on economic development.

Ingram said the town and Warren County are working together to attract businesses that could provide jobs and generate commercial tax revenue.

“I strongly believe that what’s good for the town is what’s good for the county and vice versa when it comes to economic development,” he said.

He cautioned that attracting major employers will not happen quickly.

Front Royal once had a major industrial employer in Avtex, which employed thousands of workers from around the region before closing. Ingram said he does not expect a company of that size to arrive anytime soon, but he believes the community can begin taking steps to attract more employers.

Ingram connected that history to his own upbringing in West Virginia, where he said he saw firsthand what happens to a community when a major industry disappears.

“I’ve seen firsthand the impact that an industry like that can have on a community,” he said.

Front Royal has done well recovering from the loss of its former industrial base, he said, even though some residents would like to see faster progress.

Ingram said government has a role in helping create conditions for economic development, but he favors limited government involvement and believes businesses and individuals should largely determine their own futures.

He also sees advantages in the area’s location, while noting that much of the available land for larger industrial development lies outside Front Royal’s boundaries.

That makes cooperation with Warren County especially important.

Within town, Ingram said small businesses remain at the heart of the local economy.

“The bread and butter and the soul of the economy here are the small businesses here throughout town,” he said.

He pointed to community events such as the Festival of Leaves as examples of how visitors discover downtown Front Royal and its businesses.

Ingram said he has repeatedly heard visitors comment on the friendliness of the people they encounter in town.

Preserving Front Royal’s Character

Ingram has lived in Front Royal for more than 11 years and said he had been visiting the community since he was a teenager.

During that time, he has watched it change.

He recognizes Front Royal’s appeal to visitors and people looking for a break from Northern Virginia, but said town leaders also have to remember that Front Royal is first and foremost home to its residents.

“We may be a playground for Northern Virginia, but at the same time, this is where we live,” Ingram said.

He said he believes the current council has been effective and wants voters to give him another term to continue projects already in motion.

“I think the council that we have now is one of the most solid since I’ve lived here,” he said.

Ingram said some initiatives may take longer than another council term to complete. His goal, he said, is to help move them far enough forward that future councils can continue the work.

Between now and Election Day, Ingram said he plans to knock on doors and speak directly with residents. His campaign material includes his phone number and email address, and he encouraged residents to contact him with questions.

For Ingram, the campaign comes back to balancing growth with the qualities that made Front Royal home.

He wants more jobs and commercial investment, but he also wants careful management of water and development and believes data centers do not belong in that future.

“It’s really that simple,” Ingram said. “I want to keep the reasons that we all live and work here intact.”

Town Talk, sponsored by National Media Services, Inc., is a Royal Examiner series that introduces you to local entrepreneurs, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and public officials who help shape Warren County. Conversations cover a wide range of topics about our community and the people making a difference.