Town appoints Energy Director Waltz as Interim Town Manager

On Nov. 14, Steve Burke bid adieu during his final Council meeting as Front Royal’s Town Manager, a position he has held for 5 years.

On Monday evening, November 14, Steve Burke gave his final monthly Town Manager’s report to the Front Royal Town Council.  In turn, several Council members bid adieu to Burke, then at the meeting’s end appointed Director of Energy Services Joe Waltz to take the Interim Town Manager’s job effective November 25.

Burke has resigned, effective that date, to take the job of Public Works Director in the City of Manassas.  Burke was promoted from the Town Engineer’s position to replace ousted Town Manager Michael Graham in 2011.

Burke’s appointment came amidst public controversy over a 3-2 Council vote to oust Graham during the Town Manager’s initiative to bring a solar-power production facility to the about-to-be released Royal Phoenix Business Park portion of the Avtex Superfund site.  Perhaps ironically, in his current position Waltz is overseeing construction of a 2.7 Megawatt Solar Power facility as part of the Town’s Electric Utility production capability.     

Director of Energy Services Joe Waltz gives his monthly report to Council on Monday night. A short while later, Council unanimously appointed Waltz Interim Town Manager, effective Nov. 25.

During his Report on Town Energy Services Monday night, Waltz said that 15-acre solar facility at the end of North Manassas Avenue should be ready to go operational by the first week of May 2017.

Waltz has been the primary mover and liaison in the Town’s participation in the 130-plus member American Municipal Power energy cooperative.  That membership has been credited with keeping Front Royal’s municipal electric rates the lowest in Virginia, three of the past four years.