Harpers Ferry Community Newsletter

Harpers Ferry
Community Newsletter
August 2012
Volume 9 Issue 8
75th Anniversary of the Appalachian Trail
Harpers Ferry and
Bolivar joined the
Appalachian Trail
Conservancy in
celebrating the 75th
Anniversary of the
completion of the
Appalachian Trail on a fine summer weekend August 11-12.
Inside this issue:
More AT photos
Your Editor on the Road
2
More On the Road
3
Calendar
Contact Info
Vision Statement
Cell Tower Lease
Gilmore Street Leak
4
Council Meeting Report
Mulch Volcanoes
6
SouperTuesday
The Anvil in September
7
NPS Music Workshop
Steam Events
8
Deer Management
Foundation Update
Turkey Vultures
9
5
Appalachian Trail enthusiasts from around the country joined members of the
community to march in a parade, listen to music, attend presentations, enjoy
hot dogs prepared by the Odd Fellows, take guided hikes and more.
Youngsters "hiked" a 14-state mini-trail including a climbing wall
representing Katahdin (the trail's northern terminus in Maine),
received a temporary tattoo, and had AT symbols painted on their
faces. The festival was organized by the Appalachian Trail
Conservancy with support from the
towns of Harpers Ferry and Bolivar,
the Friends of the AT in Harpers
Ferry, the National Park Service,
Friendship Fire Company, Harpers Ferry
Police, River Riders, Teahorse Hostel, Harpers
Ferry B&B, REI, Frontline
Marketing, the Potomac AT Club, the Women’s
Club of Harpers Ferry, Delaware Nature Society,
and many merchants who offered discounts to
participants.
Submitted by Laurie Potteiger
The Town’s official website has useful information including important notices, ordinances, meeting
minutes, official applications, and events calendar. Visit us at www.harpersferrywv.us
2
More photos from the AT anniversary parade:
Resident Barbara Humes
marching in the parade
celebrating the Appalachian
Trail 75th anniversary which
also featured a “motley
assortment of environmentalists
and outdoor enthusiasts”
including a watershed
coalition: Blue Ridge
Watershed Association,
Jefferson County Water
Advisory Commission, and
Elks Run Study Committee.
Mayor
Anderson
Your Newsletter
Editor On the
Road
From July 5 to August 14, your newsletter editor took a solo motorcycle trip
around the US and a little bit of Canada on her way to and from a jazz camp
in California (she carried a soprano sax). She decided that Harpers Ferry is
a great place to live and here she makes her case in photos.
That sign above is in Nebraska, home of the Arbor Day organization. Most towns
in Nebraska are in the Tree City USA program. Well, so are we! And we have a
lot more trees!
Above right: Your editor posing in front of the Humptulips WA post office, just
as bikers in Harpers Ferry do here.
Above left: A B&B in Cambridge, Nebraska. We have great ones, too.
Left: Bikers have made the town of Red Lodge, Montana, a favorite stopping
point, just as East Coast bikers have made Harpers Ferry a destination town.
3
More photos from the trip:
bison
Left: A view from the Quinault
Lodge in the Olympic National Park
(WA). Our view from Hilltop is
better!
Right: A bison lounging by a boiling
mud pool in Yellowstone National
Park. We have deer!
Left: An exposed Wyoming town.
We have mountains to protect us.
Below left: Great landscaping and sidewalks in downtown
Columbus, Indiana. We have great landscaping, and are
working on getting our sidewalks improved.
Below: A bike event in downtown Bend, Oregon. We had way
more when BikeVirginia came here!
Below: Your editor posing in front
of her 2002 Kawasaki Concours
about to leave the jazz camp in
Pollock Pines, California.
Below right: An artist painting at Artist’s Point in
Yellowstone. We have great views from the town and
of the town that beat this one!
What better way to see how
your home town stacks up
against other towns than to
ride all over the US on back
roads.
You can bring back good
ideas and just be thankful
that you chose a great place
to live here in Harpers Ferry,
West Virginia!
4
Town Calendar
At Town Hall, unless noted otherwise:
Town Hall Hours
August 24
August 24
August 25
August 27
August 28
Budget & Finance Committee 1-3 pm
Monday– 8:30-12 & 1-4:30
Stormwater Committee 7-9 pm
Tuesday– 2-4:30
NPS Shout of Joy workshop, see article on page 8
Wednesday– 8:30-12 & 1-4:30
Historic Landmarks Commission 7-8:30 pm
Thursday– 8:30-12
SouperTuesday dinner, Bolivar Community Center,
Friday– 8:30-12 and 1-4:30
see article on page 7
September 3
Labor Day, Town Hall closed
September 4
Potomac Street Project Steering Committee 1-3 pm
September 4
Planning Commission 7-8:30 pm
September 5
Municipal Court 7pm
Town Website Click here
September 6
Elks Run Study Committee 7-8 pm
September 10
Town Council 7 pm
September 17
Police Committee, Bolivar Community Center, 8 am
September 20
Water Commission 7:30- 9 pm
September 21-23 The Anvil play at County Courthouse, see article on page 7
September 22
Deer season opens in Harpers Ferry, see article on page 9
September 24
Historic Landmarks Commission 7-8:30 pm
September 26
Harpers Ferry Foundation 5:30-7:30 pm
September 27
Tree Committee 7-9 pm
September 29
Arts Business Seminars at Steam in Lower Town, see article on page 8
Communicating with the Mayor and Council
Mayor
Recorder
Council
members
Town Hall
Joe Anderson 304-582-2377 [email protected]
Kevin Carden 304-535-2206 [email protected]
Betsy Bainbridge [email protected]
Jerry Hutton [email protected]
Dan Riss [email protected]
Charlotte Thompson [email protected]
Greg Vaughn [email protected]
Phone: 304-535-2206
5
Vision Statement Adopted
At its August meeting, the Town Council adopted a vision statement for Harpers Ferry and
directed the Planning Commission to begin work on updating Harpers Ferry’s Comprehensive Plan.
In adopting the vision statement, the Council acknowledged the considerable time and effort of the Vision
Steering Committee, chaired by David Simmons. The Steering Committee is pictured below.
Thanks!
Rebecca Harriett, Al Alsdorf, Steve Ramberg, Charlotte Thompson, Karan Townsend, David Simmons, (absent: Deborah Fleming)
The Vision Steering Committee spent the last year gathering information and data, soliciting community
input, and documenting their findings. Their detailed Baseline Report inventories characteristics of the
town and the status of services, infrastructure and finances. This will serve as a baseline for future updates,
assist in understanding and monitoring trends, and better inform future decision making.
The Statement and Report are formidable accomplishments, providing guidance and direction to the Town
going forward, thank you to the Committee for this positive and useful contribution to the community! The
Visioning documents can be found on the town website by clicking here. Vision Statement is on Page 10
.
Verizon Cell Tower Lease Signed
A new cell tower has been approved for construction at the water tank site on Bolivar Heights. The Town
retained specialized legal counsel in negotiating favorable lease terms. (Legal expenses were reimbursed
by Verizon.) The new lease provides $19,200 per year in rent, 60% higher than each of the two existing
cell towers and provides a 3% annual rent escalation. Existing leases provided for no escalation in rent for
the first 10 years. Construction is expected to begin later this fall, pending completion of required federal
reviews.
Draft Parking Policy Update
A special meeting of a Planning Commission subcommittee was held on August 7 for a public
discussion of a proposed revision to the town parking policy, as requested by the Council. Comments
ranged from "Harpers Ferry does not have a parking problem” to safety issues. Many of the comments were
block specific. The next steps will be to have the subcommittee review all the comments received and
revise the draft as needed. The full Planning Commission will then review the new draft, make any changes
as needed and forward the final draft to the Town Council for its review and action. Public participation is
encouraged at each step of the process.
6
Council Meeting Report
At its August meeting, the Council:
1. Approved a building permit for 470 Fillmore Street to replace the porch columns with fiberglass
columns. It was requested that the Landmarks Commission monitor the appearance using this
alternative building material and report back.
2. Discussed future funding strategies for Music on the Ridge events, including consideration of staging a
similar event in lower town. Wayne Bishop along with Charlotte Thompson will work with others who
are interested in developing a proposal to consider for the next season of events.
3. Approved funding to update and print new tourist maps to be posted in the four town tourist
information kiosks.
4. Approved a donation of $2,000 from Coal Severance funds to the Jefferson County Community
Ministries to feed the hungry.
5. Directed that future AT&T cell tower lease payments to the town be reallocated from Water Works to
the town’s general fund, to be implemented incrementally over four years. Other cell tower lease
payments are already paid to the general fund.
6. Approved the second reading of an ordinance revision to allow a limited, managed deer hunt to address
deer overpopulation and in accordance with the West Virginia program for urban deer archery.
7. Adopted a Vision Statement developed in the visioning process and referred the Statement and
Visioning Steering Committee’s Baseline Report to the Planning Commission for guidance in updating
the Comprehensive Plan.
The formal Council packet is available on the town website. To access this information, click here and
select the desired month of the Council meeting. A paper copy of each packet is kept in the Town Hall and
it is available for anyone who wishes to review it in the office. The packet is put together by the close of
business the Friday before the regular monthly meeting.
Mulch Volcanoes
Think you’re helping your tree by piling up
the mulch? Think again. Mulch piles
(“volcanoes”) damage trees in many ways.
The tree’s roots will grow around the tree
in the mulch and push against the trunk,
girdling and killing the tree. The mulch
traps excess moisture and encourages
disease and decay of the trunk.
7
EVENTS!
SouperTuesday Dinner, August 28
Enjoy a cooling gazpacho soup at this month’s SouperTuesday dinner at the Bolivar Community Center, 60
Panama Street. Preceding the dinner will be a class on the benefits of freezing, canning and dehydrating just
about everything from the garden. The speaker is Shawna DeWitt from Mountain View Farm. Music
(“folksy-bluesy-rock”) will be provided by Jennifer Maghan.
Tickets for the event cost $15 (free for children under 5 and $5 for children 5 to 10 years of age). Only 30
tickets will be sold. Class starts at 6 pm and dinner at 6:45 pm.
On Mondays from 3 to 5 pm, a SouperMarket with local farmers is held in the Bolivar municipal parking lot
on Taylor St. The communities of Harpers Ferry and Bolivar are encouraged to come by the market and
purchase food from these farmers.
The SouperNatural Kitchen is currently making food donations to
senior citizens on fixed incomes and to families in need in the local
area.
A Souper Volunteer
Buy tickets via PayPal at www.facebook.com/soupernaturalkitchen or
directly at PayPal.com, using [email protected]; or
Twitter: @SouperKitchen. Also available at the Canal House and
Harpers Ferry Chiropractic, 1441 Washington Street in Bolivar.
For more information, to volunteer or inquire about sponsorships, call Dr. Harris at Harpers Ferry
Chiropractic, 304 535 3009. Email: [email protected]
The Anvil at the Jefferson County Courthouse in September
The play The Anvil will be one of the highlights of the Charles Town Heritage Festival, September 21-23
with performances at 7 pm on September 21 and 22, and 2 pm on September 23. The play will be presented
at the Jefferson County Courthouse, site of the original trial. Seating is limited and will require admission
tickets. The play was last performed in 2009 for the 150th anniversary of the trial.
Local residents Jerry and Marianne Bayer will again be producing the play and performing in the
drama. Joseph Yates of Shepherdstown is the director. The play, based on the record of the trial of John
Brown, is a riveting drama and a historically accurate depiction of the original trial.
Many local Jefferson County residents will be featured in this year's production.
Tickets can be purchased at the Anvil Restaurant, Bolivar-Harpers Ferry Library and Harpers Ferry Visitors
Bureau, Charles Town Library and Museum, Charles Town Visitors Bureau, and the Dish restaurant. Prices
are $15 for adults and $12 for those over 60 and under 20 years of age. The play is not recommended for
very young children. For more information, please call 304 876-1825.
8
Historic Music Workshop in
the Park, August 25
Saturday, August 25, from 9 am to 6 pm, Harpers
Ferry National Historical Park presents a 19thCentury Historic Music Workshop called "Shout of
Sacred Joy: An Introduction to Shape Note
Singing." The workshop is free to 30 participants.
Only 10 spaces are left. For registration, contact
the Living History Offices at 304-535-6063 or by emailing [email protected].
This workshop is designed to provide a background into the history, customs, and rudiments of shape
note singing. Experience a uniquely American musical tradition--with historical links to 19th-century
music education, camp meetings, social events, and the Civil War--that gathers people together to form a
singing community where everyone’s voice is heard.
For more information, click here.
Events at Steam at Harpers Ferry in September
The Steam at Harpers Ferry has two new events in September. A new exhibit entitled
"Steampunk Leisure" will run until November 19 at the Steam in Lower Town. On
September 29, from 4 to 6 pm, the first of a four part series of arts-related business
seminars will be held. Each seminar will feature guest speakers as well as
promotional opportunities for artists and arts-related businesses. Speakers at the
September seminar are Cynthia Gayton, owner of Steam, and Larry Gillick, a
multimedia producer and former Shenandoah University digital media professor.
Cost is $15 for attendees, $25 for presenting artists and arts-related businesses. Light refreshments will
be served. For more information, contact Cynthia Bayton.
Leak on Gilmore Street
The leak on Gilmore Street has been corrected. It was the result of a household washer/sump hook up
to an old service line that had been terminated. The fecal content in the leak was caused by animal and
bird droppings, not human waste. According to the WV Department of Natural Resources, the waste
water coming into the PSD plant has a fecal content count of 11,000,000 per 100 milliliters while the
count for the Gilmore Street leak had a fecal count of 32,000 per 100 milliliters.
Submitted by James A. Addy, Chairman, Harpers Ferry Bolivar PSD
9
White Tailed Deer Management Program
An ordinance to permit an urban white tailed deer management hunt in Harpers Ferry was
adopted by the Town Council in August. While it is unfortunate that deer overpopulation
necessitates taking such a measure, experts from the WV Department of Natural Resources and the
National Park Service biologist who assisted us with the study program agree that intervention is
needed. Given the lack of natural predators, coupled with an ideal habitat here in town, the deer
population would likely continue to grow.
I want to thank all the community members who helped with the program including Christy Huddle,
Roger Harris, Dale Nisbet (HFNHP), Josh Vance (DNR), Wayne Bishop, Bart Wheatley, Ray Dillow,
James Woods, Dick Potteinger, Scott Bates (NPS), Jeff Woods (HFNHP), Rich Rogers (DNR), Joan
Goody, David Archer, Pam Sheets and Chief Brown.
We are in the process of recruiting qualified hunters to participate. The training program begins with an
online safety class. If you are a hunter interested in participating or are a property owner needing help
with deer overpopulation, please contact me at 304-535-2087 or [email protected].
The hunting season will begin on September 22.
Submitted by Laura Clark, Master Naturalist
Harpers Ferry Foundation Update
More good News for a Foundation Grant – The County Commission approved
our $15,000 Community Participation grant at its last meeting. We plan to use
the grant funds for visitor market analysis and planning, improve our visitors
guide, and update our visitors website (www.historicharpersferrry.com)
including making it smart phone friendly.
Kiosk Upgrade – The kiosk and map upgrade work continues. The kiosk by the
town park is completed. Tourist to the right is enjoying the new maps. The
larger visitor’s maps have been printed and two are already on display. Special
thanks to Dave Cummings, Town employee, for his work on this project.
Harpers Ferry History Presentation – On August 15, the Foundation, working
with the Jefferson County Historical Society, sponsored a history presentation
by Paul Pritchard at Camp Hill Wesley Church. Paul reviewed the history of Harpers Ferry from its
occupancy by Native Americans to today.
Submitted by Al Alsdorf for the Board of Directors, Harpers Ferry Foundation
Turkey Vultures
Over the past month, the WV Department of Natural Resources, under contract with the Town, has been working to eliminate
turkey vultures roosting in the Town. Their efforts have reportedly eliminated the problem from Lower Town. They are now
focusing efforts on upper town. Residents experiencing continuing problems should report them to Town Hall (304) 535-2206.
10
Adopted August 13, 2012
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia:
A Statement of Vision
formulated by the citizens and business owners of the Town
The Town of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is both circumscribed and defined by history
and geography. For town residents and business owners, the natural splendor of the area
and its poignant position in the history of our country are treasured assets. Melding these
qualities, and the tourist-based economy they engender, with the needs and expectations of
a 21st century community is a persistent challenge and an enduring vision.
We envision a Town that thrives as a unique and independent jurisdiction.
We envision a Town where responsive and accessible Town governance and an active and
involved citizenry result in:
1. Preservation of the historic character and ambiance of a 19th century village and the
safety of a small town;
2. Provision of services that address the expectations of 21st century inhabitants for:

public infrastructure that is thoughtfully planned and maintained, including
sidewalks, trails, streets, parking, bicycle lanes, public utilities, public
transportation, and communications;

partnerships among local businesses and organizations to develop a sustainable
year-round economy; and

environmental stewardship that protects wildlife, tree canopy, and air and water
quality;
3. Opportunities and attractive venues for diverse cultural, historical, and recreational
events for residents and visitors throughout the year;
4. Cooperative ventures that acknowledge the unique relationships between and among
the Town, the Corporation of Bolivar, the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, and
the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.