EDINBURG NEWSLETTER      

As I sit writing this we have finally seen the lifting of our Drought Watch and the mornings, if not the days, are getting cooler. Leaves are slowly turning into fall colors and gently falling to the ground. Whether these leaves turn a beautiful color, or fall to the ground green, it’s a sure thing that we will be raking leaves. The Town’s leaf vacuum might have already started making its rounds as you are reading this.  Please contact the Town Office at (540) 984-8521 when you have your leaves out to the street for pickup and we will schedule the truck to come by. This is always a popular service every year and a great help to us all.

While the leaves and the temperatures continue to fall, we also know what might not be too far behind, SNOW! The Edinburg Town Maintenance crew is gearing up for the coming of winter.   

Once again I’m hearing that we are going to have a rough winter with lots of snow. We certainly are due some snow based on the limited amounts received in recent years, but as always we are going to have to deal with whatever comes our way. The Town is ready to assist VDOT here in Town again this year as well as taking care of Rt.11 and a couple other roadways.

As always, the Town Crew will continue to help as much as possible with sidewalk snow removal, especially on Main Street. However, please keep in mind that the sidewalk in front of your home or business is actually your responsibility.  So if you are able to, get out there and enjoy some fresh air and exercise; or consider hiring someone to help you out. If you are, or know someone, interested in being hired to shovel snow, please provide your contact information to the Town Office.  This will allow us to give people a list of names and numbers if they are seeking assistance.

While this isn’t normally the time of year that we talk about the Town Park, I want to bring you up to date on some recent happenings there. New asphalt was placed on the 2 Tennis Courts in October and we will be restoring the playing surfaces in 2025. Planning has also begun on improvements to the playground area. We have had a number of folks show interest in fund raising and volunteering to help at the Park recently and hope to make a real impact in the coming year.

Speaking of making an impact, if you were a Sprint phone customer you have probably been dealing with a real change in your local reception since T-Mobile took over; this too should be changing in the coming year. It took us a while to decide to do it, but we have entered into a contract with T-Mobile to place 9 antennas on top of our elevated water tank. They are limited to just 9 and they will be painted to match the main body color of the tank. In addition to greatly improving cell phone reception this will come with the benefit of a monthly rent of $2,500 paid to the Town. At this time we plan to put this money toward the payment of a new dump truck loan and improvements at the Town Park. As these projects wind down, we will continue to use this income to fund a variety of projects and improvements that we might not have been able to do without considering an increase in fees or taxes.

We will be holding a Public Hearing prior to our November 12^th Town Council meeting to get input on a proposed amendment to the Town Code. Some of you might know that the Town Code currently does not allow pigs or hogs to be kept within the Town. And some of you might also feel that certain pigs make good pets. The Town Council is going to consider allowing 3 particular breeds of pet pigs to be owned by Town residents. The three breeds that are considered to be good pets are the Pot-bellied pig, the Miniature pig (also known as a teacup pig) and the Kunekune pig. Because it is recommended to keep at least 2 Miniature pigs the amendment will allow a maximum of 2 pigs at any one residence. The pet will be required to spend a portion of each 24 hour day indoors and will need to have a confined area on the pet owner’s property when it is permitted outside. At no time will the pet pig be allowed to run free within the Town. We feel that this proposed amendment is the correct thing to do at this time. A pig might not be everyone’s choice for a pet; however, a great big snake as a pet never seemed like a good idea to me and there are lots of folks that have them. I can assure you that the Town Council tries to look at all sides of an issue before moving forward with any amendment that will affect us all. We are interested in hearing from you as we contemplate making this change.

One thing that never changes is that nothing brightens up Edinburg like when the Christmas decorations are lit; whether it’s the lights on the Town tree or a single strand along someone’s front porch.  Edinburg always shines brightly during the holiday season with the lights wrapping our light poles, decorations on the Gazebo and the outlining of the Town Hall welcoming visitors coming in on Stony Creek Blvd. And each year we see more folks around town adding to the holiday glow everywhere you look. 

We will once again be recognizing all of this effort with the Edinburg “Outdoor Decorating Contest”. Each year we see more and more folks decorating and the Judges will be out this year during the week of December 9-15. We are hoping we can count on even more folks this year to decorate and who knows, you just might claim one of Edinburg’s coveted outdoor decoration awards. I have always decorated for my own pleasure and the joy of seeing the lights come on when the switch is thrown; that is enough of an award for me. Although, there is no denying that there is something cool about hearing you are the best decorations on your block.

The Official start to Christmas in Edinburg will be on Thursday, December 5th with our annual Christmas Parade. Vice Mayor Steve Wood is organizing the Christmas Parade again with the Line-up starting at 5:00 pm and everything getting underway at 6:00 pm. The Town Office, (540) 984-8521, has registration forms and information for anyone interested in participating in the Parade. I believe Edinburg might have had the longest Christmas Parade in the County last year.

Then plan on sticking around for the Tree lighting right after the Parade.  We are planning on the High School Bands joining us as in years past. They will be in the middle of the parade line-up to give them some extra time to set up at the Gazebo to perform your favorite holiday songs right after the last float crosses the finish line. This is always a popular part of the evening and we hope you can be there to enjoy it.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be near the middle of the line-up again this year. This will give them time to join their elves waiting in the Edinburg Fire Department for the annual Children’s Christmas party right after the tree lighting.  We got back on track last year with the full blown affair that includes Hot Dogs, Rt 11 Chips, Cookies, Hot Chocolate, Christmas Games and Crafts. Everyone had a great time last year and we can promise more of the same this year. Santa’s elves will once again be handing out gifts after he and Mrs. Claus hear all of the children’s Christmas wishes for this year.

If you are interested in helping with this popular event, please contact the Town Office, (540) 984-8521. We can always use help with the Crafts and Games, Cookie Donations, and Monetary Help if you are so inclined.

In the last Newsletter, I told you all about the WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA program coming to our Cedarwood Cemetery on December 14^th. Since that time our count of the veterans to be honored has grown to almost 270 ranging from the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and up through the more recent campaigns. We will be placing flags at each grave site in honor of Veterans Day on November 11^th and they will remain in place to assist those placing Wreaths on December 14th.

As I explained last time, the plan is to divide the Cemetery into 3 sections and have the wreaths at 3 locations: one for each section. At each location we will have printed postcards for those Veterans located in that section. These will identify the Veteran and the location of the headstone where the wreath will be placed.

Our hope is to eventually have a family member or friend on hand to actually place the wreath for each Veteran.  Please contact the Town Office (540) 984-8521 or town@shentel.net if you have a Veteran that you would like to place the wreath for. It is important that we know this prior to the December 14^th event. Volunteers will be placing the wreaths for those Veterans that we do not have a family member or friend identified as doing so. We are thinking that we will need 6-8 volunteers at each wreath location depending on how many family members sign up for placing a wreath. Please contact the Town Office if you are interested in helping with this as a volunteer.

We aren’t sure yet when the wreaths will actually arrive, but we are also looking for volunteers to assist at that time. The wreaths will need to be taken out of the boxes to be fluffed and have the ribbons straightened prior to moving on to the cemetery on December 14^th.

Wreath placement is going to begin on December 14^th at 12:00 Noon and continue until 3:45 if needed. We realize this first year is going to be a learning experience for all of us involved and ask for everyone’s patience as we work through what it will take to make this event run smoothly.

On behalf of the Town Council and Staff, I wish you and yours the very best of this
Holiday Season.

May all your dreams and wishes come true during this most joyous time of year; may all paths lead to home and may you be filled with a child’s wonder and awe this Holiday Season.

Please stay safe; and let the bells of peace finally ring loud and clear throughout the world, while keeping those far from home safe and in our thoughts and prayers.

Have a Great Thanksgiving, a Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years!  Your Mayor, Dan Harshman