Thanks to the all the heroes who came out to Stand for Marshall at the BOS meeting! Scroll down to see meeting video, below:
Thanks to the all the heroes who came out to Stand for Marshall at the BOS meeting! Scroll down to see meeting video, below:
The highly controversial One-Block Improvement Project for Marshall, VA was the topic that dominated Citizens' Time at Fauquier County's Board of Supervisors' monthly meeting on October 8, 2020, when the BOS planned to vote to award contracts. Meeting was held at the Warren Green Building, 10 Hotel Street in Warrenton, VA where citizens came to STAND FOR MARSHALL
In typical fashion, Fauquier Supervisors completely ignored the hundreds of residents and businesses within the Special Tax District who signed detailed form letters opposing this Project. FYI, the Special Tax District has approximately 906 properties, but fewer property owners, as some own multiple properties within it.
The Fauquier Times article of October 8 states "At the work session, board Chair Mary Leigh McDaniel (Marshall District) expressed confidence that if additional funding is ultimately needed that it could be raised from other sources, citing the 10% contingency built in to the project’s budget, as well as private donations."
Chairwoman McDaniel believes we don't have to worry about not having all the funds for the Project now because they won't be needed until the end of the Project, plus we have a "contingency fund" we can use if necessary. Contingency funds are supposed to be a cushion for unexpected and unknown expenses, NOT intended to be used up for an unfunded, yet known expense. The Fauquier Times article says: "McDaniel expressed confidence that if additional funding is ultimately needed that it could be raised from other sources, citing the 10% contingency* built in to the project’s budget and private donations. "
*Contingency fund: a reserve of money set aside to cover possible unforeseen future expenses.
At the door, Citizens were initially wrongly denied the right to speak about the Project during Citizens' Time (there was no public hearing for it and there has not been since 2015), but we reminded the County of the rules of Citizens' Time and were thus allowed to speak on it.
Citizens of all ages and those with disabilities were forced to stand and wait over an hour outside in the cold during COVID-19 because the Supervisors will not move their meetings to one of the larger spaces in the area, as they have done in previous times.
Citizens have been relegated to trying to watch the BOS meetings televised on outside screens with poor sound and visibility due to the need to social distance along the roadside.
Even if your home or office in Fauquier happens to have internet access, the County meetings, which are streamed, frequently glitch and always seem to stop streaming during critical info points of the County meetings and work sessions.
County Board Meetings have been held in alternative locations before and the County has had plenty of time and complaints since the onset of COVID-19 to arrange an alternate meeting location to accommodate its taxpayer audience while BOS conducts business.
All five Supervisors are making huge decisions that will greatly impact our lives here in our Marshall District. Time to pursue incorporation, but right now, we've got to Save Marshall from their Boondoggle Project! Visit us this Saturday, even if it the rains, on Main Street across from BB&T, from 10 am - 12 noon! See what you can do to help stop this!
Contact us, sign a form letter & petition, email the BOS, display a sticker, spread the word, and DONATE to help us stop this BOONDOGGLE project!
Believe it or not, you CAN make a difference NOW!
There is strength in numbers~Join with us now!
Your contributions will help the MBRA to continue to inform our community and will help our efforts to Cancel the Project Now! The MBRA is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. Contributions are NOT tax deductible. Donors may remain anonymous.
We are seriously pursuing all options available to us to stop this Boondoggle once and for all! We greatly appreciate your generous support towards that end!
The Fauquier County Attorney told the MBRA earlier this year that the decision to go forward with this One-block Main Street Improvement (Streetscape) Project is a political decision. A couple Supervisors who really want this Project have said that the only thing that would change their minds is if they see that the majority of people are against it.
Of special interest are the Marshall Minute Newsletters from October and November of 2018. They cover detailed minutes of the two MBRA Community Meetings where we hosted the County covering the Marshall Main Street Project.
The County recently informed us that there is no ordinance nor law that the Board of Supervisors have passed that mandates that this Project must happen. The County also told us they have no evidence that this Project will benefit Marshall, nor has the County done any stress tests to gauge the effect on businesses due to the 600-days the County is allotting for undergrounding.
If you do not want this Project, but instead want it Cancelled so that VDOT will no longer wait to pave our Main Street and repair and maintain our sidewalks, then stop by anytime between 10 am and 12 noon this Saturday, October 3rd, and walk, stand, or sit with us along Main Street to help us express that to Chairwoman Mary Leigh McDaniel and fellow Board Members. We'll have stickers for you. Spread the word and help us show that the Marshall community does not want this Project! Be a Champion for your town, small businesses, and neighbors!
~Join with us along Main Street this Saturday! ~Look for us there with the blue CANCEL PROJECT stickers!
Don't let them silence us!! Show up, bring a mask, and wear a sticker we'll have for you at our station. Even if it's just for two minutes, please stand, walk, or sit with us along Main Street sidewalks this Saturday from 10-12 noon to show you want the One-Block Project Cancelled!
Whether the County votes to award the contracts for this Project in September is a political decision, according to the County Attorney. The ONLY obligation our County Supervisors have is to follow the law. There is no law that says they must go forward with this Boondoggle.
We will also have petitions and form letters for you to sign, if desired. Ask us for a car sticker!
Also, help to make your voices known to the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors! Email them and cc the MBRA to make sure your email does not get lost! See below button to send emails.
See our Main Street Tab, above, to view Feb. 14, 2013 Board of Supervisors' Resolution for a 400% increase in Marshall's Special Lighting Tax (MELBID) on the 816 residential and business properties located within this district. Whatever your opinion on this project is, let your Supervisors know.
Their contact info is on our "Main Street Tab."
Simply go to www.ShapingMarshallTogether.com to access petition
You may also email us at mbraeditor@gmail.com
We had a great meeting with dinner and conversation at the Marshall Ruritan building Tuesday night! We greatly appreciate having key people associated with the project present to answer questions that the MBRA Board had provided the County in advance.
Since our Board has been carefully studying the details of the project as they became available to us the past few months, we collected many questions that we had regarding the project. The MBRA Board has diverse opinions on this subject from those for, those against, or anywhere in between, and the questions were representative of them. Many were questions we had also heard from the community.
Especially with a project that will have the largest impact on Marshall that we have seen in a long time, it is important that people have the opportunity to get answers regarding this project that will be paid for, in part, by the Lighting Tax District (Special Tax District, MELBID).
Over 70 people attended to hear approximately 25 questions answered directly from those who had the answers.
Great thanks go out to our Marshall District Supervisor Mary Leigh McDaniel, former Marshall District Supervisor and Project Manager Peter Schwartz, Current Project Manager and Director of Office and Management and Budget Erin Kozanecki, and former Project Manager Paul Lawrence. It was very informative to have all of them assembled and participating in this community forum on such an important topic of discussion around Marshall.
We applaud the above four individuals for answering some tough questions in a clear and time-efficient way so that the audience could gain information directly. Such an open and transparent event helps the community come together by addressing community concerns and involving them in the process. This was a great step forward together in government-community relations and we look forward to continued good communications in the future!
As we get more information, we are posting it on our website (see "Main Street" tab above) or go to MyMarshallMainStreet.com. For a chance to post and see pros and cons, as well as alternative ideas to the planned project, see the non-MBRA website: ShapingMarshallTogether.com.
To view VERSION B, pdf of County's Rural Lands Plan Draft, May 9, 2019 edition, click here and scroll down for "Draft Chapter 8 (Version B) Rural Lands"
