Bertaut, Milan have two different views for Purcellville

By Valerie Cury

During the Sept. 16 Purcellville Mayoral Forum at the Carver Center, candidates Mayor Stan Milan and Council Member Chris Bertaut differed on their positions regarding growth, utility rates and spending. Milan spent his time trying to justify his switch to pro-growth policies and high double digit utility rate increases and increased public spending. By contrast Bertaut continued with his consistent agenda of slow growth, low utility rates and disciplined spending based on his understanding of what citizens want.

While saying he has kept his campaign promises of slow growth, debt reduction and controlled spending, Milan, defending his votes to the contrary, said he changed his stance because when he began signing his name on checks that exceed $300,000, he wondered, “Where is it going, and where is this money coming from?”

“My eyes as mayor are truly opened to the reality moving forward.” As a council member “I was not exposed to how funds were spent and to whom it was paid.” He said he didn’t want “men in dark suits and sunglasses knocking at his door saying, ‘We are here from the government, and we are here to help.’” Milan said, “Supporting businesses is an integral part of my strategy.” He said the town has a revenue problem.

Bertaut opened his remarks by saying his top priority is to bring relief to “our town’s residents for the high water [and sewer] rates. Right now, the current plan in place is for our utility rates to double in the next five years, and that is unacceptable and it doesn’t work for residents who are on a limited income or realistically speaking—anyone.”

He said he will look at the structure of the water and wastewater fund as well as the general fund—which is tied into the utility fund. He said he has already identified a number of opportunities for bring relief to the high-rate increases.

One way to do that, he said, is to create a town policy to devote a portion of the town’s $3.1 million meals tax to the utility fund. The town’s financial advisor David Rose, Senior Vice President and Manager of Public Finance with Davenport & Co. has said this can be done if the town has a policy in place. 

Bertaut said it is unfair for the town to ask “the residents to tighten their belts to pay their [utility] bills, and not to ask the town to do the same.” He said the amount of over $1 million the general fund employees charge to the utility fund for supporting the department has to be addressed. 

Milan linked the Fitch AAA rating to the majority of council raising the utility rates by 16 and 18%. 

Fitch upgraded the town’s bond rating for many reasons including the fact that over the last 10 years the town has kept healthy reserves in the general fund and reduced the debt by $10 million under former Mayor Kwasi Fraser. Fitch has stated the town has a good outlook due in part to the town’s ability to further tax residents.

Addressing traffic and speeding, Milan said the General Assembly has allowed municipalities to lower speed limits. He said he is also looking at putting in rumble strips. He wants the county to do a regional study—which for over eight years the town has been asking for.

Bertaut said the solution has to be a comprehensive one regarding traffic issues and part of that is enhanced enforcement. He said rumble strips are not supported by the fire and rescue services because they damage their vehicles.

On the issue of the Northern Collector Road Bertaut answered right away, “I am not in favor of the NCR. I don’t believe it’s needed for connectivity in town.” He said the proposed road “places our residents at risk in Mayfair.

“I support removing it from the Townwide Transportation Plan.” He said it would only take a town council vote to do so. 

Bertaut has already twice made a motion to remove the NCR from the town plan—only to have it defeated by Milan, Rayner, Stought Wright and Williams. He said a study wasn’t needed to put the NCR on the plan—and it wasn’t needed to take it off.

Bertaut said the County will remove the NCR from their plan when Purcellville does it first.

Milan said that taking the NCR off the transportation plan “is just words.”

When asked how both candidates would use the general fund, Milan answered he would use it to improve the atmosphere of the small-town charm and to improve our economic development—like having town business summits and implementing the Main Street Program which “allows us to get loans and grants.” Milan said he wants the downtown to be vibrant and livable. The Main Street Program addresses programs for affordable and workforce housing as well.

Bertaut said he assumed the question meant “discretionary funding or small amounts of the general fund, as much of it has been already committed.”

He said he was in favor of revitalization on 21^st Street, and he said the town has spent $2 million on improving the roadways and sidewalks in that area. “Businesses have already invested in revitalization in that area and spent over $2 million.

Bertaut said the grants associated with the Main Street Program are very small in relation to “the use of staff time to chase grants that are associated with this program.” 

He said he “would like to see a skate park and recreational opportunities for the residents of this town.” 

To the question of whether the candidates support the annexation of the Valley Commerce Center, across from the Mayfair community, Milan said that “the applicant has an annexation proposal, and all we are doing is asking for additional information on that project to see if it’s in the best interest of the town … and not shut our eyes and say no without knowing what is the best for the town.”

He lamented that Valley Springs Estates (across from Blue Ridge Middle School in the County) should have been annexed into the town when the town had a chance to do so. “So if you have the first time at bat and you don’t take it, you face the consequences.” 

At the time when the previous Valley Springs owner came to the town asking for an annexation, the town council said no because the citizens overwhelmingly didn’t want the property to be annexed and developed at in-town densities.

To the question of the Valley Commerce Center annexation, Bertaut answered, “I’ll give a quick no.” He said some engineering data was asked for but it’s against both the town’s Comprehensive Plan and the County Comprehensive Plan. 

“This project is not going forward if we do not annex it. We are not giving up control—it’s already controlled in the County as JLMA-3—they can’t do that development under JLMA-3. 

The County is not going to rezone it because the project itself is more than 1.2 million sq.ft. of industrial space” and at that requested density if it were to remain in the County, it could not get the density with alternative septic systems.

“The citizens have said they do not at this time desire annexations,” said Bertaut.

Later in the forum when addressing annexation again Milan said, “We can’t put a moat around Purcellville. It’s coming.” Milan said if a developer wants to put in more affordable housing, “we have to accommodate the community.”

The developers of Vineyard Square have broached the subject of puting multi-family housing in historic downtown on their properties. 

When Milan and Bertaut ran on the same slate four years ago—what happened? This was the next question.

Milan said he was “misled.” Bertaut said he has heard “quite a number of explanations” regarding Milan’s about face on the issues he ran on. Bertaut said one has to “weigh and determine for yourself what the truth is here.”

On whether either candidate has received developer money, Bertaut asked, “And we have three minutes to answer this? No,” he answered. His largest donor is a farmer whose 90-acre in town property is in a conservation easement. 

Milan didn’t answer the question but reiterated he has changed. 

Milan has received a campaign donation of $2,000 from a property owner next to the Valley Commerce Center property which is up for annexation. If the Valley Commerce Center is annexed then the donor’s property—along with others—would have to be annexed as well. 

When the question of trust came up, Bertaut said he has kept his campaign promises during his four years on town council. “I am committed to this body; I am committed to this town. I will keep my promises going forth—I have no intention of changing my mind.” 

He said he wouldn’t come before the citizens of this town and “announce that I’ve changed my mind. I was given bad information, but not tell them what led me to it.”

Milan said he has kept all his campaign promises. He said there has been no growth in four years. He added that the town needs to expand economically and “we need to build 21st Street. We need attainable workforce housing.”

“I haven’t changed my mind. I just got new information,” said Milan. 

Bertaut concluded, “I will commit to the voters to do their will by always being mindful of the health, safety and welfare of every single one of our residents. I will never commit tax payer funds in support of a single owner of land in this town under the guise of business development, and frankly it’s crony capitalism.

“I’d like to close by asking each and every one of you, ‘How can you be sure the incumbent isn’t still being fooled.’”