PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This article was published with the assumption that the information about the Milnes Bridge was current. It was in fact presented from a historical perspective.
We regret any confusion it has caused.
Content for this article was taken from notes provided by the Town Clerk.
~ PVN staff report
SHENANDOAH, Jan. 9 — During a Shenandoah Council meeting earlier in the month, the council received information from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) stating that the Milnes Bridge on Route 602 would no longer be able to carry heavy commercial loads, directly impacting at least two local businesses.
The VDOT inspection of the bridge resulted in weight restrictions due to safety concerns. Those restrictions, in turn, “impacted a local business to the point of deciding whether to relocate or close,” according to a report from Town Manager Charlie Jenkins.
Hensley Logging on Long Avenue has trucks that are too tall to travel under the 11’2″ height restriction in place at the railroad tunnel. The only other access to the business was across the Milnes bridge.
Trucks leaving Frazier Quarry with heavy loads were rerouted through Elkton in order to reach Page County job sites by way of Route 340.
Following a more in-depth VDOT bridge inspection, the Town was told the weight restrictions were being redistributed by the number of axles on the trucks, alleviating the immediate weight issues for Hensley Logging and most of the companies loaded with stone from Frazier Quarry.
In other business at its Jan. 9 meeting, the Shenandoah Council took the following actions:
• Unanimously approved a recommendation from the Personnel Committee to hire Tonya Southers as Deputy Treasurer at a rate of $17 per hour with a six-month probationary period. Council also unanimously agreed to advertise for the Town Clerk position.
• Heard a report from curator Lora Jenkins that the Town of Shenandoah Museum and Welcome Center had 293 visitors in December. Of those, 156 came to see Santa on Dec. 2 and Dec. 9., and 74 attended the handbell concert. Musician Austin Shifflett will be performing at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27. Austin plays a lively mix of Americana roots music on guitar and harmonica. He likes to talk to the audience members about the history of the music he plays.
• Unanimously approved the recommendation of Brenda Haggett to the Page County Board of Supervisors for appointment to the Page County Planning Commission as an advisory member with no voting rights representing the Town of Shenandoah. The county is trying to provide additional help to an overworked planning commission, while not actually growing its membership. A big project coming up is the review and update of the county’s comprehensive plan.
• Received letters from both Massanutten Regional Library and Shenandoah Community Library thanking the Town for a $1,200 donation, which will be used to buy children’s books and books that are on the Best Sellers List for adults.
• Heard a report from Councilwoman Denise Cave that she had spoken with the developer about the Family Dollar/Dollar Tree project, and through no fault of the Town’s, they have pulled out for 2024. She added this affected about 150 tentative stores nationwide, so it was not just the Town of Shenandoah. Councilwoman Cave also stated they would possibly look at this site again for 2025.
• Heard a report from Police Chief Paul Davis that alarms have been installed and activated for Town Hall and the Musuem. He added that the alarm system can be expanded at any point.
• Unanimously approved a 48-month contract with Ricoh-USA for a new black and white only copier at a rate of $160.44 per month. The previous lease with Ricoh-USA expires next month. Previous rate was $159.91 per month.
• Unanimously adopted a proclamation to recognize National Burn Awareness Week for February 4–10. The theme is Flammable Liquids. Burn injuries continue to be one of the leading causes of accidental death and injury nationwide, where tragically, children, the elderly, and the disabled are especially vulnerable to burn injuries, and almost one-third of all burn injuries occur in children under the age of 15. The CDC reports 276,086 people received medical care for treatment of unintentional burn injuries in 2020, with 3,028 deaths from fire and smoke inhalation. Of 87 hospitals reporting to the American Burn Association registry 91,875 people were treated in hospitals for burn-related injuries with 32 percent of those being for scalds.
• Unanimously awarded a construction bid to A-Team Construction for the Maryland Avenue Sewer Repair Project for $334,452. Bids were opened Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. Work is expected to commence soon. Council also unanimously appropriated $140,000 in ARPA funding for the project. A reserve fund that council set aside for the project contained $279,500. The combined funds are expected to cover the $420,000 total cost.
• Unanimously approved two tap applications submitted by Clara Secrist for her home on Liberty Avenue.
• Unanimously approved a request by Town Manager Charlie Jenkins to purchase of a new flow meter for the Tenth Street well from Fortiline Waterworks for $10,000, which includes the new flow meter with power supply and installation. The current meter has been rebuilt twice, and now the numbers are becoming illegible.
• Unanimously approved the purchase of two Dell Inspiron desktop computers ($499 each) for the sewer plant and shop. Each location was using outdated Windows software.
For more information about the Town of Shenandoah,
visit https://www.townofshenandoah.com/
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