Harpers Ferry Community Newsletter November 2013 Volume 10 Issue 11

Harpers Ferry Community Newsletter November 2013 Volume 10 Issue 11 Annual Tree Lighting 43 Annual Olde Tyme Christmas Friday, December 6, at 6pm ...
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Harpers Ferry Community Newsletter November 2013

Volume 10 Issue 11

Annual Tree Lighting

43 Annual Olde Tyme Christmas

Friday, December 6, at 6pm at the Town Gazebo. After the tree lighting, join in for some caroling down to Old Tyme Christmas. Light refreshments will be provided.

Join us for a Traditional Christmas Celebration as quaintly decorated streets come alive for the Holiday Season. December 6-8 & 14-15. See page 5 for a full schedule. Live entertainment, children’s activities & extended shopping hours.

Friendship Fires Christmas Parade

St. John Annual Holiday Bazaar

Saturday, December 14 at 2:30pm. Parade begins at the Visitor Center near Bolivar Heights Battlefield, and runs down Washington Street to Union Street.

Come join the fun !!! St. John Lutheran Church is having their Annual Church Holiday Bazaar on Friday, November 22 & Saturday November 23 from 9am-3pm located at 950 Washington Street. See page 2 for full details.

Holiday Party at the ATC

Inside this issue: Calendar & Events

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Council Report Construction Guidelines

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Blast from the Past Contacts

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Olde Tyme Christmas NPS Christmas Event

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Waffle Buzz

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The Appalachian Trail Conservancy will hold its Annual Holiday Party on Saturday, December 7 from 9am - 5pm, at 799 Washington Street. See page 2 for more details.

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

Town Calendar

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All meetings at Town Hall, unless noted otherwise. Nov 21 Nov 21 Nov 22-23 Nov 25 Nov 27 Nov 28-29 Dec 3 Dec 4 Dec 5 Dec 6 Dec 6-8 Dec 9 Dec 11 Dec 14 Dec 14-15 Dec 16 Dec 16 Dec 19 Dec 24 Dec 25

Trail & Town Alliance meeting, 5-7pm Water Commission meeting, 7-9pm St. John Lutheran Church Annual Church Holiday Bazaar (see below) Historic Landmarks Commission meeting, 7-8:30pm Harpers Ferry Foundation Board meeting, 5:30-7:30pm Thanksgiving Holiday, Town Hall closed Planning Commission meeting, 7-8:30pm Municipal Court, 7-9pm Tree Committee meeting, 7-9pm Lighting of the Christmas Tree with caroling (see page 1) Harpers Ferry Olde Tyme Christmas 2013 (see page 5) Town Council meeting, 7-9pm Parks & Recreation Commission meeting, 6-7pm Friendship Fire Company Christmas Parade, 2:30pm Harpers Ferry Olde Tyme Christmas 2013 (see page 5) Police Commission meeting, Bolivar Community Center, 8:30-9am Trail & Town Alliance meeting, 5-7pm Water Commission meeting, 7-9pm Christmas Eve Holiday, Office closes at noon Christmas Holiday, Office closed

St. John Lutheran Church - Annual Church Holiday Bazaar Come join the fun !!! St. John Lutheran Church is having their Annual Church Holiday Bazaar on Friday, November 22 & Saturday November 23 from 9am-3pm located at 950 Washington Street. We will have baked goods, homemade soup & sandwiches (country ham, steamers & hot dogs), holiday gifts, a silent auction and much more. If you have any questions, call 304-535-2487 or drop us an email.

Angel Band playing at St. Peters

Holiday Party at ATC Come celebrate the Holiday Season and enjoy homemade cookies and hot cider and shop for the holidays, The gathering will offer the opportunity to meet ATC staff, volunteers, members of the Harpers Ferry/Bolivar Trail & Town Alliance, and the community. ATC Executive Director Ron Tipton and his wife Rita Molyneaux will serve as hosts from 1-3pm and Brian King will sign his awardwinning book The Appalachian Trail: Celebrating America’s Hiking Trail from 10-12pm and 1-3pm. Volunteers will be on hand to gift-wrap purchases with A.T. themed paper for a donation. A Gregory backpack will be raffled at 2pm.

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Council Meeting Report At its November meeting, the Council:

Town Website Click here

1. Heard a brief statement from Mike Miller of SWaN Investors, who spoke about re-engaging negotiations on the Hilltop Hotel reconstruction project. 2. Selected winning bids for Town audit and for snow removal. 3. Postponed a decision on the addendum to a permit application for an enclosed rear deck, pending approval of new Historic District Standards and Guidelines. 4. Approved permits for a rear porch renovation and for an amendment to modify an outdoor fireplace. 5. Discussed possible revisions to the Police General Orders manual. 6. Approved a job description for a part-time Ordinance Compliance Officer. (This job description was modified from the one approved last month.) 7. Discussed a set of meetings to be held concerning the proposed zoning ordinance and related amendments, including a Planning Commission public hearing on November 18 and a Town Council worksession to be held on December 2. 8. Approved the first reading of Ordinance 2013-11 Municipal Court, which codifies a $50 court cost in addition to other fines levied for any infraction or conviction. 9. Approved a plan by the National Park Service to conduct drainage, street, and curb repairs on McDowell Street, adjacent to intersection with South Cliff Street. 10. Set the date for Christmas tree lighting at the gazebo for 6 pm on Friday, December 6. 11. Discussed a letter from a property owner requesting authorization to establish private paid parking on Potomac Street. 12. Discussed an unsolicited proposal to buy out the Town’s AT&T cell tower lease. 13. Discussed a letter drafted to request a WV Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion on the state’s Open Meetings Act.

What’s it like to be a Mayor…… Second graders at Shipley Elementary School give rapt attention to Mayor Vaughn as he attempts to explain his role as the Town’s leader.

Proposed Guidelines for Construction The Planning Commission approved a “Standards and Best Practices for Construction Projects” document at the November 5 Planning Commission meeting. This document will be sent to the Town Council for approval. These standards and guidelines are referenced in the draft Zoning Ordinance, Sect. 1316.03. The standards will preserve safety, security and commerce before, during and after the construction process and protect historic and natural resources from construction activities for large projects.

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. Town Hall in Christmas finery

Thanksgiving Fun Facts          

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91% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving. About 280 million turkeys are sold annually for Thanksgiving, which is about 7 billion pounds of turkey and $3 billion dollars worth of sales. It wasn’t until 1941 that congress declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Thomas Jefferson thought the concept of Thanksgiving was “the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard.” 50% of Americans put the stuffing inside the turkey. On the West Coast of the US, Dungeness crab is common as an alternate main dish instead of turkey, as crab season starts early November. Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be a turkey. More than 40 million green bean casseroles are served on Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving lasted 3 days. The annual Macy’s Day Parade tradition began in the 1920’s.

These fun facts came from: www.coolestthanksgivingfacts.com and www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving

Blast from the Past: Notes from 122 years of Town Council Minutes Curated by Dan Riss (with original spellings) 13 jan 1898 “on Motion the Council decided to pay to each Councilman beginning Jany 1st 1898 .50cts for each night that he is present at a regular meeting of the Town Council of Harpers Ferry. 10 aug 1899 “Ordered that the RR Co (B&O) be requested to stop the excessive whistling within the corporate limits of this town.” 2 feb 1909 “on Motion of G L Martin for the Opening of Saloons at 7AM and closing at 9P.M. is defeated by a vote of 2 to 5. On motion of W.B. Nichols for opening of saloons at 6 A.M. and closeing at 10 P.M is Carried by a unanimous vote.” 3 jun 1915 “It is ordered that any person bathing along the public road within the Corporate limits of Harpers Ferry be fined five dollars for each offence.” 15 jan 1942 “Motion...that the town pay its workers 30¢ an hour instead of 25¢ . Passed unan.”

Communicating with the Mayor or Council Mayor Greg Vaughn [email protected] Recorder Kevin Carden [email protected] Council Betsy Bainbridge [email protected] Members Jerry Hutton [email protected] Dan Riss [email protected] Charlotte Thompson [email protected] Helen “Hap” Becker [email protected] Town Hall Phone: 304-535-2206

Many well wishers turned out for the dedication of the new pavilion in Lower Town.

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Olde Tyme Christmas 2013 : Highlights Many events repeat. For a full schedule, click here

December 6 - Friday Evening 6:30 Reception - Shenandoah Street Tent 7 Opening ceremony - Yule Log Celebration on Shenandoah St followed by caroling up High St. 7:45 Archangels Choir at St. Peter’s; Christmas tree lighting following the concert with A Soldier’s Christmas poem “Pickets Christmas” by Paul Martz 8:15 Living Nativity at St. Perer’s. December 7 - Saturday 9-5 Appalachian Trail Center Open House, 799 Washington St. Cookies, hot cider & coffee. 9-5 Bake sale & soup sale at Thomas Hall (in back of St. Peter’s Church), also Sunday 8-11 Breakfast with Santa - Town’s Inn 10-5 C.W. Whitehair Book Signing at the Village Shop 12-5 Horse and Wagon rides - Shenandoah St 1 Barbara Bailey Bradford - Harpist at St. Peter’s 1-3 Elf Susie - Balloon Sculptures at the Train Station 1:30-3:30 Mr. & Mrs. Santa - Strolling High & Potomac St 2 Mountaineer Twirlers - The Pavilion at 180 High St 3 North Hagerstown High School Chorus at St. Peter’s 4:30 Angel Band at St. Peter’s 6 Living Nativity at St. Peter’s 7 S’mores Making - 189 High Street Luminaries lit at dusk December 8 - Sunday 1 Tuba Christmas - The Pavilion at 180 High St 3 Merlin’s Beards Concert at St. Peter’s 4 O’Be Joyful - Rick Garland at St. Peter’s December 14 - Saturday 1 Rolling Coyotes at St. Peter’s 2:30 Washington High School Camerata Chamber Choir at St. Peter’s 4:30 Jefferson High School Brass & Wind Ensemble at St. Peter’s 7 Girl Scout Troop 40922 & 40921 Caroling on High & Potomac St December 15 - Sunday 1 Manassas Chanticleers at St. Peter’s 2-3 Manassas Chanticleers Caroling - Strolling 3 Mike Miller Band students at St. Peter’s 3 Wonderment Puppet theater at the Train Station

NPS Christmas Event, December 7 & 8 Join this special Yuletide of 1864, “Captain Flagg’s US Quarter Master City: Approach of Peace 1864” when Harpers Ferry soldiers attempted to create Christmas in a war zone. Programs feature local citizens and soldiers preparing for the Yuletide, a Civil War-style Santa Claus dispersing presents to the soldiers, a Victorian Cotillion, Yuletide confections, special guided walking tours, and Horse & Wagon rides. Events are held “weather permitting.” Schedules, additions and changes will be posted at Lower Town kiosks, venues and merchant Association member businesses. Parking available at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, Cavalier Heights Visitor Center with Shuttle Service to the Lower Town Historic District.

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Waffle Buzz: our newest hotspot in Lower Town Owner and Queen Bee Rachel Quinn. opened Waffle Buzz in October at 180 High Street (on the staircase). Why the name Waffle Buzz? Waffles, ok. Buzz? Coffee !!!! Waffle Buzz specializes in homemade (from scratch!!!) Liege Belgian waffles: yeast risen dough with Belgian sugar pearls that melt into caramelized pockets. Mmmm They serve two soups every day, one meat and one vegetarian. Stop in during your lunch time and grab a soup lunch special with chips and a cold beverage. Chilly outside? Enjoy Kahwa espresso or coffee, or a Mighty Leaf tea. Waffle Buzz makes their own chocolate sauce for the steamed milked hot chocolates or flavored steamed milks. Seasonal drinks such as mulled cider and sun teas may also be available. The shop carries art from local artists on a rotating basis and features interesting glass pieces. These spiders were made by Rachel’s mom. Rachel says, “Our customers are great !! We get a mix of locals, tourists, park service professionals, and travelers who all have interesting stories and are eager to share recipes. We are open for commuters, so stop in and introduce yourself.“

Waffle Buzz opens during the week (except Wednesday) at 5:30am to assist the MARC crowd’s need to coffee and sustenance, and closes at 4pm. On weekends, the hours are 8-6. To contact them, call 304-535-4142. Like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/wafflebuzz or visit their website : www.wafflebuzz.com.

Newsletter Information: Editor: Christy Huddle Layout: Leslie Stout Email for submittal rules and deadline or to be added to the notification list.