Meeting Minutes for Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Bluemont Citizens Association
Meeting Minutes for Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Bluemont Citizens Association Meeting Minutes May 4, 2022
Hybrid Zoom/Henway Cider
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In Attendance: (16)
Peter Weeks, John Constant, Dave Ewald, John Sullivan, Cynthia Morris, Tom and Marilyn Rust, Gail Kelly, Lori Seeley, Kate and Hailey Zurschmeide, Peter Durand, Bill and Barbara Bogard, Alana Boyajian, Lisa Seeberger – no attendees by Zoom
Meeting called to order: 7:06 PM, Peter Weeks – presiding
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President’s Remarks:
This past weekend was really the start of summer in Bluemont with the opening of the museum exhibition and our Farmers’ Market. Over the last few years, the Farmers’ Market has not only re-established the Lake store as a place where vendors serve our community, but it has become a local gathering place where people come together. The market also draws people to the museum and the museum brings people to the market. They go hand in hand and have kicked-off our season of returning to public events. Likewise, the Bluemont Community Center will be holding Jammin’ on the Porch this summer and our annual Spring Fling will be held on May 22. Be sure to come out and support these important events!
I will end my remarks with additional good news… I was upset after seeing orange and white fiber optic poles installed along Snickersville Tnpk. and in front of our historic E.E. Lake building. Scott Seeberger was also upset and noted the same poles were being placed on the mountain. After some research, Scott discovered a collapsible version of the pole is available that would allow the marker to remain flush with the ground. I contacted Tony Buffington’s office who then communicated with the contracting company, Segra. The company has agreed to replace the poles with the collapsible version. This just shows how important it is for everyone to remain vigilant!
Treasurer’s Report:
All records have now been moved to QuickBooks online. Vendor invoicing for the fair will also be done on QuickBooks and vendors will have the option of paying online. There has been some discussion on using contactless card readers via QuickBooks, as the plan is to integrate everything through the same system. In the future, we may consider advance ticket sales for the fair.
Standing Committees:
• Bluemont Fair – A huge thank you to Dave Ewald and Lori Seeley for hours spent recreating vendor forms online. The winning entry for the poster contest has been selected and includes a depiction of Henry Plaster’s barn. This year’s winner is Holly Talada – a former middle school art teacher from Loudoun. She will also be creating a graphic design for the wine and beer glasses. The fair will be dedicated to both Henry Plaster and Evelyn Johnson. As has been done in the past, committee members will wear a special emblem on their t-shirts to honor Henry and Evelyn.
• Bluemont Heritage – The museum exhibit is now open! It was a rainy start, but the response has been favorable. Scott Seeberger did a walk-through of Snickersville Academy and noted some issues/repairs, which John Sullivan will follow up on. Maria Nicklin has hundreds of plants for the academy grounds. She has created a walking trail off to the right before the bridge and will also be taking over mowing the grass.
Community Organizations/Events:
- Loudoun Historic Villages Alliance – PEC has offered $600k for the Aldie Assemblage. This will likely be the winning bid and they will take over restoration of the property.
- Community Center/Parks & Rec – The first Jammin’ on the Porch will be Friday, May 20, from 6:30 – 8:00 PM on the front lawn of the community center.
- Snickersville Turnpike Association – Henry Plaster’s family requested donations be made to the assoc. in lieu of flowers. A large number of donations have been received and acknowledgments will be sent out soon. It will be difficult to figure out the direction of the assoc. without Henry, but members will carry on in his honor. Henry was a huge proponent of preserving the Civil War history of Bluemont, and the turnpike has much to do with that. A recent article in Wander magazine discusses the significance of the old stone walls in our area. One thing that has helped preserve the turnpike all these years is these stone walls. The assoc. will be making an effort to focus on the walls this year. The next meeting is Tuesday, May 17, at the Lake Store and all are welcome to join.
Old Business:
- Lake Store Renovations – Work has been completed on the gutters and roof. There is still patching that needs to be done, realigning doors, filling open air gaps, and restoring the second-floor windows to their original condition. Considerations are also being made for interior storm windows. This is a building we want to have around for generations to come and the county is committed financially to making that happen.
- Arbor Day – The ceremony was a huge success and we gave away over 60 trees. A representative from the Dept. of Forestry presented Bluemont with a large Tree City USA flag and answered questions re trees, planting, etc.
New Business:
- Bluemont Vineyard/Dirt Farm – Wedding season has begun! The Experience Bluemont team will also be welcoming a new hospitality director… be sure to ask him about “the cows and the cruise ship.” The Boulder Crest Foundation Ruck-A-Thon will be held at Dirt Farm on May 14. Pints + Paws adoption event with be at Dirt Farm on May 15. For more info on these and other evets, visit https://www.experiencebluemont.com.
- Spring Fling – Our Spring Fling (free food, music and drinks) will be held on Sunday, May 22, from 12:30 – 2:30. We have a new caterer, Blue Water Kitchen from Upperville, andthe Short Hill Mountain Boys will be performing. The county will be dropping event items off on Friday and volunteers are needed to help setup.
- Announcement – Maura Walsh-Copeland will be setting up a Zoom meeting for those interested in hearing more about the county zoning re-write and how to respond.
The conduit currently being installed along Snickersville Tnpk. extends fiber-based internet to remote county facilities, such as the Bluemont Community Center. The county contract with Segra did not allow for fiber to be extended to private residences. The contract did, however, allow for extra cable to be installed in the conduit. This makes it possible for a third party to come in and provide fiber internet to homes. We need to determine who can do this.
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Adjournment: 8:13 PM
Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 1, 2022 @ 7:00 PM
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Notes by: Lisa Seeberger
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