Town Council reviews $25 million in infrastructure improvements, recognizes scholarship awardees

At the regular Front Royal Town Council meeting on Monday, May 23, Mayor Holloway recognized the three recipients of this year’s Town Scholarship awards: Jocelyn Moyer, Skyline High School, and Anthony Carter and Ian Hoelsher of Warren County High School.

Scholarship Committee members Gary Gillispie and Letasha Thompson expressed their appreciation for all this year’s applicants and congratulated the winners. Councilman Gillispie said, “It’s one of the most enjoyable things we do as council members, and we know you all will hit it out of the park.”

Councilwoman Thompson, who, along with Gillispie again this year, oversaw the scholarship competition, agreed with Gillespie’s assessment, observing, “It’s almost like Christmas, and it’s tough to decide, but I’m very impressed.”

Councilwoman Letasha Thompson commends the three 2022 Town Scholarship award winners, Jocelyn Moyer, Anthony Carter, and Ian Holsher. The Scholarships are for $1,000 each, a one-time grant to deserving students pursuing continued undergraduate or trade education at an accredited university, community college, or trade school. Royal Examiner Photos Stephen Sill

Due to a previously planned family getaway, Councilman Zach Jackson joined by teleconference the Front Royal Town Council for his first regular meeting after his surprise appointment by council at a May 9th special meeting (see report here). Mayor Holloway officially welcomed him to the council. Jackson, who announced a November run for council at a February Warren County Republican Committee meeting, will hold resigned councilman Scott Lloyd’s seat until a November Special Election allows voters to determine who will fill out the rest of Lloyd’s term ending December 2024.

With a happy holiday wish, Town Manager Steven Hicks reminded the Council that the town offices will be closed on Monday, May 30th, in observance of Memorial Day. He also reported that this year’s Wine and Craft Festival on May 21 was the largest on record, and he commended the Town Staff and the Chamber of Commerce, and all who assisted in making it a successful event the Town can look forward to a repeat of next year.

Hicks provided an overview of the infrastructure projects that are ongoing or soon to begin in town. There is a lot of preparatory work going on – repairing water lines and so forth, before the new asphalt overlay. “I call it ‘Pardon our dust,’” he said.

Over the past year, Council has committed to investing over $25 million in infrastructure projects – curb and gutter projects, crosswalks, line painting, and paving, many of which – including the infamous bumpy hill at Royal and Commerce Avenues, will be kicking off in June. He also listed the waterline upgrade project, sanitary sewer repairs, stormwater management systems, redundant waterline project scheduled to start this summer, and the continuation and completion of the Automated Meter Reading system.

Mr. Hicks concluded, “I know that it is sometimes inconvenient, and it may sometimes look that the roads don’t look good, but there is a method to the madness. At the end of the year, the town is going to look different.”

Town Manager Steven Hicks explains the town’s ongoing infrastructure projects to council members. The town plans to spend $25 million this year on improvements to roads, utilities, and pedestrian safety.

Vice-Mayor Cockrell commended the Town Planning Department’s Comprehensive Plan public engagement sessions – one on May 20 and two on May 21 during the festival, where a good crowd of citizens provided input with maps and forms and discussions. Material developed so far is posted on the Town’s Comprehensive plan website.

Councilwoman Thompson reminded the public to mark the date of Saturday, June 25, for a “Block Party” for George Banks Blvd. Last month, council unanimously voted to rename part of Edgemont Avenue and all of Scranton Avenue as “George Banks Blvd.” for the former mayor.

The council moved on to its consent agenda items, and Vice Mayor Cockrell asked that item “I” be pulled from the Consent Agenda – a Resolution Authorizing the Execution of the 2025-2028 Fixed Volume Energy Supply Schedule with American Municipal Power (AMP), the Town’s eastern regional municipal energy cooperative. Vice Mayor Cockrell indicated that since the subject of the supply schedule had been discussed at the Council’s work session, but the resolution was not complete at that time, the council might wish to discuss it prior to voting on it. Council unanimously agreed.

Vice-Mayor Lori Cockrell explains her rationale in pulling the AMP Power agreement resolution from the Council’s Consent Agenda. Council agreed the resolution needed further discussion and the potential of researching alternative sources and pricing.

The remaining Consent Agenda items included:

A. Purchase of Bucket Truck for Department of Energy Services Department
B. Engineering for Design of Shenandoah Avenue Streetlights
C. Maintenance Agreement for Nutrient Analyzers
D. Septage Receiving Station Mixing System
E. FY22-23 Budget Amendment Engineering Consultant for Water Tower Antenna for T-Mobile
F. Revise Resolution “To Provide Water and Sewer Services to Certain Out-of-Town Lots”
G. Virginia Municipal League (VML) Policy Committee Nominations
H. Resolution for Solar Generated Energy Purchases/Execution of 2022 Solar Energy Schedule
J. Refer to Planning Commission an Ordinance Amendment to Town Code Chapter 175 re: Data Centers

The Consent Agenda, as amended was passed unanimously.

On the subject of the AMP power agreement, council declined to vote on that item until it can be further discussed at a work session. Despite a lengthy track record of reduced-cost energy purchases enabled by the AMP municipal cooperative’s group purchasing and production power, Councilman Gillispie observed that it would benefit the town to research other energy purchasing sources as well. Councilwoman Morris agreed, and the full council followed suit.

There being no other public business, Mayor Holloway then adjourned the open meeting, and the Council went into closed session.

Topics included the town attorney and town manager positions, as well as the dueling FR-WC EDA litigations with the County EDA and former Council Clerk Jennifer Berry-Brown’s federal discrimination lawsuit against the Town.

There were no announcements following the closed meeting.

See the full Town Council Meeting video here.