April 2014 Volume 11 Issue 4

The Town’s official website has useful information including important notic-

es, ordinances, meeting minutes, official applications, and events calendar.

Visit us at www.harpersferrywv.us

Inside this issue:

Calendar & Events 2

More events

Foundation update

Memorial update

3

Water Works update

Wayne’s nephew 4

Council report

Minutes request 5

Planning Com update

Contact info

Blast from the past

Holocaust

6

Harpers Ferry Dogs

Welcome the Spring! Take time to smell the flowers!

Clockwise from top right:

Frodo, Hugo, Anise, Sylvie,

Zephee, Tino, Minnie,

Tucker, Bella & Gretchen,

Freya, Bones

(Village Shop dog)

2

Town Calendar All meetings at Town Hall, unless noted otherwise.

Apr 26 & 27 Art Walk , see below

Apr 26 Arbor Day in Harpers Ferry

Apr 28 Historic Landmarks Commission meeting, 7-8:30pm

May 6 Planning Commission, 7-8:30pm

May 10 Spring Clean! Town Hall, 9 am, see below.

May 12 Town Council, 7-9pm

May 14 Parks & Rec Commission meeting, 6-7pm

May 16 Water Commission meeting, 7-9pm

May 19 Police Committee meeting, 8-9:30am

May 19 Trail and Town Alliance meeting, 5-7pm

May 22 Tree Committee meeting, 7-9pm

May 26 Memorial Day, Town Hall Closed

May 26 Historic Landmarks Commission meeting, 7-8:30pm

May 28 Foundation Board meeting, 5:30-7:30pm

June 3 Planning Commission meeting, 7-8:30pm

June 7

Spring Clean! May 10! Join Us!!

The Parks and Rec Commission is holding a Trails and Green Way Clean-up on May 10. Local Boy Scouts

Troop 86 will be joining other volunteers to help clean up designated areas in town. Wear work clothes and

gloves. Meet at the Town Hall at 9 am. Hope to see you there!

3rd Annual Bolivar-Harpers Ferry Art Walk

On April 26 & 27, from 10 am to 6 pm, more than 20 businesses and artists will be displaying art work

along a route from Bolivar to the Lower Town in Harper’s Ferry. Walk along the tree-lined streets, take in

historic views, check out the art and enjoy everything the two towns have to offer. This self-guided event

will have something for everyone. For more information, see us on Facebook:

facebook.com/bolivarharpersferrycommunityartwalk. Or call 304-885-0094.

You are invited to display your artwork at the Bolivar Harpers Ferry Public Library on Saturday, April 26.

Drop off your pieces on Friday, April 25. If you have any questions please call the library - 304-535-

2301. The library will display artwork on Saturday Only from 10am to 5:30pm.

Old Fellows Fundraiser Event

On Saturday, May 3, from 8 am to noon, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Virginia Lodge #1 of

Harpers Ferry will be having a fundraiser breakfast (pancakes, eggs, sausage, gravy) at the Bolivar

Community Center. There will also be a silent auction, yard sale, and bake sale.

3

Foundation Update

The Foundation has been busy preparing for the busy tourist season ahead. We recently welcomed two new

familiar faces to the board: Debbie McGee and Hardy Johnson. Our projects currently underway include:

1. Developing a Black Heritage print tour guide

2. Developing a Historic Sites print tour guide

3. Designing a two-page spread for the 2014 Trail Book promoting local businesses and attractions

4. Preparing a 2014 calendar of events

5. Developing a conventional web browser version of the Visit Harpers Ferry-Bolivar smart phone app.

The Foundation is subsidizing Harpers Ferry and Bolivar merchants who participate in the Journey Through

Hallowed Ground workshop to be held on April 29. This workshop provides specialized training to enhance

the experience of our visitors.

Military Service Memorial To Be Renovated

The Harpers Ferry/Bolivar District Veterans Association will be renovating

the military service memorial at the entrance to Harpers Ferry Middle

School. Included in the renovation project are a new wayside exhibit, new

flag pole, repainting of the individual military service memorial stones, and

perimeter landscaping.

David Guiney, with Interpretive Direction LLC is assisting in the design of

the wayside exhibit. He created the wayside exhibit for Odd Fellows lodge

on Fillmore Street in Harpers Ferry.

The Veterans Association is asking for assistance in covering the costs of this renovation and creating a lasting

memorial to all of the military service veterans in our area. Donations are tax deductible should be sent to

Harpers Ferry/Bolivar District Veterans Association, PO Box 1365, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425.

For more information, call 304-728-0469, or email me. Thank you for your support, Doug Craze, Commander

African American History Hike Saturday, June 7

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy will host its annual African American History Hike Saturday, June 7,

beginning at 10 a.m. Celebrate National Trail Day by going on a free, guided hike to learn more about the

rich African American history of Harpers Ferry! Stops on the hike

include Curtis Freewill Baptist Church, Camp Hill, the Lockwood

House, Harper Cemetery, Jefferson Rock, the Harper House and

John Brown’s Fort. Lunch will be provided following the hike.

Space is limited for the event, so register now by visiting

www.appalachiantrail.org/events. For more information, email

Anne Baker or call 304.535.2200. This event is hosted in partnership with the Harpers Ferry National

Historical Park.

4

.The Town Council adopted a proposed water rate increase last month to cover the increased water service

operational costs. The new rate is scheduled to go into effect later this Spring. The new rates will also reduce

the number of tiers from 5 to 3.

Those customers who use up to 2,000 gallons will pay $24.80/month, up $3.11 from the current $21.69.

Those customers in the second tier, who use up to 30,000 gallons, will pay $12.40/1,000 gallons. Those who

use over 30,000 gallons, will pay $12.40/1,000 gallons for the first 30,000 gallons and over that $8.95/1,000

gallons.

The Water Works staff has worked diligently over the past two years to control expenses, but the cost of

maintaining our aging water mains and ensuring quality water has exceeded budgetary expectations. In

addition, the severe winter weather created even more breaks than usual.

The new rates are expected to generate approximately $75,000 additional revenue for the year.

Water Works Brandon Chauvalas Receives

Class II License

We are pleased to announce that Brandon Chauvalas, Water Works staff,

recently received his Class II operators license. The certification was issued

by the WV Department of Health and Human Resources (WV DHHR). His

achievement came after a week of intense classwork and testing. He has

been a member of the Harpers Ferry Water Works for several years and is

highly experienced. Because of his extensive knowledge and real-life

experience, Brandon was given the responsibility of teaching the class for 2

days when the regular instructor became ill. Way to go, Brandon. We

congratulate you on your achievement.

Bringing Home the Olympic Medals

Parks and Recreation Chairman Wayne Bishop’s nephew Wade Bishop

recently returned from The Winter Olympics in Sochi. Wade is a former

member of the US Olympic Team and is now the US Women’s Alpine

Speed Coach. Wade is shown here with Julia Mancuso who won a medal

in the women’s alpine combined event. Wade also coaches Lindsey

Vaughn, and has met and played golf with Tiger Woods. He lives in

Park City, Utah, and has visited Harpers Ferry many times. Wayne

Bishop says he wants Wade’s job!

Harpers Ferry Sets New Water Rate

5 Council Meeting Report

Anyone wishing to review any of the documents or information considered by the Council (the Council

“packet”) for past (or pending) meetings can find them on the town website (www.harpersferrywv.us) under

“Council Docs.” The documents are posted to the website the Friday before regular Council meetings. A

paper copy is also available in a public meeting notebook available at Town Hall.

At its Monday, April 14 meeting, the Town Council:

1. Received a presentation from the Historic Landmarks Commission on options for complying with WV

Code for regulating a historic district.

2. Heard from the Police Department about computer upgrades required to run a new

CAD system.

3. Approved the 2014 Arbor Day proclamation.

4. Received a presentation from the Parks and Recreation Commission on Greenway

Initiatives.

5. Approved four funding requests totaling $400 from the Harpers Ferry Foundation.

6. Discussed a plan for review of streets in need of repair.

7. Approved purchase of a dog waste station.

8. Discussed a course of action on Zoning Ordinance Section 1306.

Tenfold Fair Trade Collection Joins the Fair Trade Federation

Tenfold Fair Trade Collection is now part of a network of over 250 fair trade businesses after

joining the Fair Trade Federation, a trade association that strengthens and promotes North

American organizations fully committed to fair trade. Tenfold Fair Trade Collection is the very

first member from the state of West Virginia.

To become a member, applicants must submit thorough documentation describing the organization’s

relationship with producer partners and efforts to provide good work conditions, fair wages, safety,

environmental sensitivity, financial transparency and more. Tenfold makes every effort to use recycled or

sustainable materials, from consignment finds for its displays, to the handmade cabinetry, crafted of local

pine. All packaging and wrapping consist of reused or 100% post consumer waste.

Not exactly sure what fair trade means? The main goal is to give craftspeople and farmers who are living in

areas of extreme poverty the opportunity to earn a living by selling their products in North America. These

relationships are formed honoring the 9 Fair Trade Federation principles which focus on fair wages, worker

safety, transparency, and more. Read all 9 principles at Fairtradefederation.org/principles.

Moldy Minutes Missing!! Please help Dan Riss, Archiviste-manque

We have minutes of Town Council meetings from 1891 through 1978. We cannot find minutes for 1978 or

1979. We are also missing Dec 1983, and the three and a half years from May 1984 through December

1987. Please rummage through those moldy files in the attic or garage or basement and send us copies of

our missing minutes.

6

Town Website Click here

Newsletter Information:

Editor: Christy Huddle

Layout: Leslie Stout

Next deadline:

May 9, 2014

Email for submittal rules and

deadline or to be added to the

notification list.

Planning Commission Update

In January, the Town Council asked the Planning Commission to take a second look at three of the proposed

zoning ordinance amendments after receiving additional public comment. The Commission carefully

reviewed all written public comments as well as input from the fourth public workshop held November 18.

Over a two month period, the Commission held four work sessions, a special Commission meeting and two

regular Commission meetings.

Most revisions clarify the original intent or make adjustments in accord with public inputs.

The Commission is continuing its work on short-term rentals of residential dwellings and has indefinitely

deferred consideration of Sec. 1313.04 Adaptive Reuse of Existing Historic Resources.

The Commission has submitted the revisions to the Town Council and has posted them on the Planning page

of the Town website. The submission includes a cover memo providing rationale for several of the significant

revisions. The Commission reiterated its support for a 160 room upper limit for a hotel project, based on its

original analysis. The Board of Zoning Appeals would be responsible for further limiting the number of rooms

based on testimony received by the applicant and others. The Commission also recommends a public

workshop to have an open dialog on these new processes under WV law and to answer any questions on the

revised proposal.

The Commission finds that the number of rooms, while critical to a business model, is a poor proxy for size or

many other issues that the community may be concerned about, such as height, bulk, footprint, parking, and

traffic. The Commission's recommended amendment sets maximum limits on these key features, but leaves it

to the Board of Zoning Appeals to further reduce these limits based on testimony received at their public

hearing. The Commission sees the goal for the town as encouraging a financially viable signature hotel that

captures the historic character of the East Ridge promontory for many future generations.

Communicating with the Mayor or Council

Mayor Greg Vaughn hfmayor@frontier.com

Recorder Kevin Carden kevin.carden@harpersferrywv.us

Council Betsy Bainbridge betsybainbridge@yahoo.com

Members Jerry Hutton jerwar@frontiernet.net

Dan Riss fdrfdr@comcast.net

Charlotte Thompson charlotte.thompson@harpersferrywv.us

Helen “Hap” Becker hap.becker@harpersferrywv.us

Town Hall Phone: 304-535-2206 clerk@harpersferrywv.us

Dru and Chris, Water Works

staff, working hard - on a sunny

warm day for a change!

Ants moving - a definite sign of

Spring!

7

“Unto Every Person There Is a Name” The Holocaust is a term used to refer to the period from 1933 to 1945, before and during WWII, when

Adolf Hitler and the Nazis systematically persecuted and murdered nearly six million Jews. The genocide,

or what the Nazis dubbed “The Final Solution,” occurred mainly at six death camps.

In 1933, when Adolf Hitler rose to power, he began implementing simple discrimination laws against Jews

and others who were “less than” in order to create his Master Race and restore the Germans to power.

Once WWII began, the Nazis ordered all Jews to wear a yellow Star of David on their clothing so they

could be easily targeted. Jews were forced to live in specific areas of the city called ghettos after the

beginning of WWII. In the larger ghettos, up to 1,000 people a day were picked up and brought by train to

concentration camps or death camps. In prison camps, prisoners were forced to do hard physical labor.

Torture and death within concentration camps were common and frequent.

The Holocaust lasted for 12 years, until 1945. Starting as early as 1944, the Allies were advancing on the

Germans and they began taking over their camps. In July 1944, Maidanek, a camp in Poland, was liberated

by the Soviets. This was followed by many more liberations and takeovers as the Americans and other

Allies slowly removed Hitler from power. In January 1945, Auschwitz was liberated. This was the biggest

camp in the Nazi territory and it was also the one where the most deaths occurred.

When the Allied forces finally invaded Germany in 1945, Adolf Hitler knew he had been defeated.

Whether out of cowardice and fear of punishment, or based on Nazi ideals of death before dishonor, Adolf

Hitler committed suicide in April of 1945 before the Allies had a chance to capture him.

In 1951, the Israeli Knesset declared that the 27th day of Nissan is to be Yom HaShoah, or Holocaust

Remembrance Day, a day of commemoration for the Jews who perished and for those who showed

resistance and heroism during the Holocaust.

www.factmonster.com , www.dosomething.org, www.howdidtheholocaustend.

Blast from the Past

123 years of Harpers Ferry Council Minutes

Curated by Dan Riss

7 may 1901 " It is moved…that The Town phone be placed in the Mayors residence on Camp Hill."

5 july 1905 donate $25 to Citizens Brass Band for uniforms.

7 july 1921 "It was moved & carried that Thayer Bros. be granted permission to bury a new gasoline tank

in Washington St. in front of their garage on Camp Hill in such a manner as not to interfere in any way

with traffic or result in injury to the public."

31 jan 1929 "be it hereby resolved the Mayor and Council Harpers Ferry hereby notify [Harpers Ferry

Electric Light & Power co] to make every effort to correct evils now existing with their line to stop

interference with the Radio. Mayor & Council of Harpers Ferry are receiving numerous complaints from

Radio owners and prospective owners. Realizing the Radio [is] a public Service Same as electricity and

also realize one public Service must not be permitted to interfer with the other."