Public debate over council directions precedes move toward McKay Springs parcel sale

Mayor Chris Holloway was absent from the January 25 Front Royal Town Council meeting, due to illness according to Vice-Mayor Lori Athey Cockrell, who chaired the Monday evening meeting in his place. So, Holloway was not present to hear first Public Concerns speaker Paul Gabbert’s scathing appraisal of media and social media reports of the content of former Council Clerk Jennifer Berry’s federal wrongful and retaliatory termination lawsuit filed under Chapter VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act as it applies to gender discrimination, against the Town.

As reported by Royal Examiner and others, then Councilman Holloway is cited in the litigation as a primary council player in trying to get Berry to withdraw her complaint against former Vice-Mayor Bill Sealock’s alleged sexually harassing and demeaning behavior.

Had he been present, part of what Mayor Holloway would have heard Gabbert describe of the allegations of sexual harassment and an attempted cover up of complaints about them was, “This is a truly sickening ordeal. Anyone who would allegedly commit these acts, or anyone who allegedly would cover up these acts, are sick criminals.” (the filing of the lawsuit is covered elsewhere on the Royal Examiner Front Page and Local News sections).

Paul Gabbert was scathing in his appraisal of both council’s alleged behavior in new federal lawsuit, and past documented behavior on a number of fronts, particularly Councilman Meza’s inconsistent recusal/voting record on issues regarding his employer Valley Health. Royal Examiner Virtual Meeting Photos by Roger Bianchini

But on to lighter things – well, not really – as a second speaker, Karen Patten, and third, Sean O’Reilly, addressed council priorities and street name-changing initiatives from varying perspectives. First, Patten followed Gabbert to the podium of the Warren County Government Center Meeting Room largely devoid of spectators due to Phase 3 COVID-19 pandemic surge guidelines instituted at the state level. Referencing Councilman Scott Lloyd’s January 19 work session initiative to re-name a town street after the former president, Donald Trump, and the January 22 press release quoting the mayor on the topic, Patten wondered at the newly elected council’ and mayor’s priorities.

“While I’m mourning the loss of more kids in our community, I see a press released from the town council about a road name, not about the deadly drugs floating about in our town, but over a road name,” Patten began, adding of the opioid drug crisis, “I find it disgusting to know what our priorities are. While you are worried over a road name and throwing each other under a bus, people are burying their kids.”

Karen Patten questioned council’s priorities as it squabbles over a political street naming while the opioid crisis continues to claim the community’s youth.

Patten continued to make an analogy between the local and national political scenes, telling council and the absent mayor they were reflecting the worst tendencies of the past year as to ignoring the very people they are elected to represent – likely a reference to the 400,000-plus dead now attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic nationally in one year as the Executive Branch of the federal government downplayed the Coronavirus danger, refusing to institute national emergency measures.

Patten’s remarks, as well as Gabbert’s earlier comments on Berry’s civil rights violation suit against the Town among other criticisms, brought responses from a number of council members. Longer-term members, including Gary Gillespie, denied that the Berry sexual harassment complaint wasn’t taken seriously by council. And both new and older members assured the public they take the opioid crisis seriously.

Letasha Thompson took the opportunity to suggest council move toward imposition of PILOT fees (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) on tax-exempt non-profit regional medical provider Valley Health’s new hospital in town to help fund proactive drug prevention institutions in town. Valley Health employee and re-appointed Councilman Meza voting/not voting on Valley Health matters was another of Gabbert’s targets during his remarks.

But prior to those rebuttals of public criticism, a third member of the public desiring to address council during the Public Concerns portion of the meeting, approached council some 15 minutes after that agenda item was closed following Patten’s remarks.

Vice-Mayor Cockrell acknowledged that citizen’s desire to speak, pointing out council had moved past that agenda portion of the meeting and asked for the town attorney and council’s guidance. Councilman Meza said he observed the citizen’s arrival and asked council to concur to letting him speak. His colleagues agreed and Sean O’Reilly approached the podium.

‘Trump Ave.’ part of a greater ‘truth’

“What I want to say is something very simple … When I first heard that you guys were thinking about naming a street here after Donald Trump, I was delighted,” O’Reilly began. “And the reason is pretty simple – there are people here who are talking about drug problems, issues of basic morality and crime and everything else. And I think it’s really important to see that all these things are connected. There’s no such thing as truth that’s not all part of one piece … I think the issue about naming a street after Donald Trump is important for a very simple reason.

“It doesn’t matter what you think about Donald Trump. It doesn’t matter whether he was a b*stard; whether he was a good guy, it doesn’t matter – He was not treated well by the press; he was not treated well by a large number of Americans,” O’Reilly opined, continuing, “I think it’s extremely unfair and it’s also very dangerous for the rest of us – Extremely dangerous if this kind of behavior continues.

“So, I think all I’m going to say is that I think the idea of naming a street after Donald Trump is like a counterweight to some of this stuff. – That’s it,” he concluded, again thanking council for being allowed to address them later in the meeting.

Sean O’Reilly commended council for its Trump Ave. initiative, suggesting it makes up to some degree for the negative scrutiny he perceives the former president received from the media and a large swath of the American public.

Consent Agenda includes financial legal expenses

Council unanimously approved a five-item Consent Agenda, including an FY-21 budget transfer into the Street Contingency Fund; and a budget amendment for an insurance reimbursement; also altering stipends for some appointed town committees; authorization to sell “excess property” through a private sale; and awarding a contract not to exceed $31,000 to the legal firm of Estes Law and Consulting PLLC to cover completed service as bond counsel for the I&I Abatement bond issue estimated at $10.5 million ($12,500 cost); $13,500 for the Redundant Water Line bond of $11.3 million; and “a potential bond validation” ($5,000).

Move towards McKay Springs parcel sale

And as noted above, Council’s lone meeting action item other than the above Consent Agenda, was authorization to advertise for Public Hearing “Approval of a Letter of Intent” and “Approval of the Sales Process” for a 1.42-acre parcel of the jointly owned McKay Springs property in partnership with the County and EDA.

Total sales price would be $475,000, with the Town getting $124,402.50 (29.19%) and the County $350,598.50 (73.18%) minus any sales fees. The purchaser is Boddie-Noell Enterprises, Inc. It was noted in the agenda packet that a supermajority, five-member vote of the six-person council, to authorize the sale.

Council seen virtually in a nearly empty WCGC meeting room

Council unanimously approved moving toward the public hearing to enable the sale. Prior to the vote, Councilman Meza commented that it was “a great example” of the Town and County working together for a common good. Maybe positive movement here is an indicator council may be poised to reconsider its legally dubious ownership claims blocking the EDA’s sale of the Afton Inn for another common good. Tick, tick … – Time will tell as the EDA Board of Directors and would-be purchaser and redeveloper 2 East Main LLC recently re-extended the deadline on achieving the sales contract into mid-February.

Click here to watch Monday’s meeting.