Petition to Proceed with the Town Square Beautification

Reva

Washington

Thank you for giving us the ability to respond and support the town and businesses of Washington, VA.

Here's more of the TRUTH from the real online discussion: It’s great you support your town government, but, when laws and promises are broken regardless of the good intent of the town government – the town government needs to be held accountable. It was the town government that made mistakes in the actions taken to implement the town beatification project. Read the Rappahannock News article where Attorney Bennett was quoted as taking the blame for not adding specific language about separation of church and state. The Mayor himself stated (according to the news article) that “our critics have not chosen to accuse us as purposely doing so….” Since when does a “170-foot stub end of Middle Street of Main Street to the Inn” (ref: 3/11/2015 Rappahannock News) just be given to a private company? For absolutely nothing in return? With one of the members of the town council as the owner (wouldn’t this be a conflict of interest)? If the town government had funds, why didn’t the town government directly fund the beautification project? Your written statements of the myths/facts are distorting the truth. Where did you get your facts? Please give references for the myths and facts you are using as a basis for the petition. I’m not sure what the petition will do for you and anyone who signs it. There are serious questions being raised about the legality of the transactions that have taken place (inadvertently or not).

Fact: Many Rappahannock residents dislike improvements of any sort because they fear it will destroy the idyllic nature of our county. They decry on differing levels, business, financial incentive, tourism, events and even the arts if means "the evils of growth." Fact: it is just that kind of ignorance that could easily have our comprehensive plan scuttled in Richmond with just one challenge to our comprehensive plan with a class action law suit. Imagine: a county hunkering down unprepared for changes that could easily turn route 211 into a gasoline alley like Manassas' Sudley Road. If we do not work -with- controlled growth with business owners, Rappco will wind up just like Gatlinburg TN: Fast food joints, strip malls, bars, crime and road side attractions, like sideshows honoring ancient TEEVEE shows glorifying ignorant hillbillies.

What dolts started this petition? How many signatures are required before you can break the law? I hope before you sign this you actually read more than the bland, blanket, grossly misleading statements associated with this petition. Please review the appropriate Town Council minutes and pertinent newspaper articles. This petition misrepresents the facts of this seedy situation! Plus it accomplishes nothing. Shame on whoever started it!

Jeff and I love this town, and support this plan. How could beautifying a town ever be viewed as a bad idea?

Amissville

thank you for initiating this.

Washington

every other town would welcome a beautification effort

Washington

Thank you!

Having been residents in Washington, VA for 7 years we recently moved to Flint Hill but applaud the beautification project and strongly support the proposed petition.

Washington

i strongly support the Town of Washington's local government in its beautification efforts!

Washington

Thank you for this ability to show support for the town of Washington, Virginia, it's town council, businesses, and citizens.

A Complaint for Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Relief was filed today in the Circuit Court of Rappahannock County, Virginia against the Town of Washington, Patrick J. O'Connell, and The Inn at LW, LLC. The grounds of the Complaint are: (1) violation of the Virginia Public Procurement Act and the Virginia State and Local Governments Conflicts of Interest Act; (2) violation of the Constitutional prohibition against establishment of religion under Article IV, Section 16 of the Constitution of Virginia, the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, and Virginia Code Section 15.2-953; and (3) non-compliance with Virginia Code Sections 15.2-2006, 15.2-2008 and 15.2-2100. The Complaint seeks, inter alia, rescission of the Town Council's June 17, 2013 appropriation of $20,000 paid to the Inn at Little Washington, and its July 15, 2013 "Resolution of Vacation" of a portion of Middle Street next to the Post Office, all in connection with the so-called "Town Square" project. The complaint does not seek any damages, only return to the Town's treasury of the funds unlawfully appropriated to the Inn for the benefit of Patrick J. O'Connell and conveyance of Middle Street back to the Town. As noted in the Complaint, the so-called "beautification" works he promised to complete by the Fall of 2013 have not even been started, much less finished, some twenty months after the street was purportedly given to him, and some seventeen months after the Town gave him the $20,000.

Great to see the support the town is receiving from folks that live and work in Washington as well as folks from the county and beyond.