Harpers Ferry News and Events

Due to the inclement weather, and to the possibility of thawing and refreezing, causing potentially dangerous icy conditions, the Town Council meeting scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Monday, 14 January 2019 has been POSTPONED. A rescheduled meeting date will be announced and posted once determined.

Each customer serviced by the Harpers Ferry Water Works should take reasonable precautions to prevent their water pipes from freezing. Frozen lines from the water main through the meter box are the responsibility of the Water Works, while frozen lines from the meter box to the home are the responsibility of the customer. If the pipe freezes, call the Water Department emergency number at 304-676-4659 for assistance.

The full Frozen Pipe Policy can be read here.

Elections will be held for Mayor, Recorder, and five Council members on Tuesday, 11 June 2019. Terms of office begin on 1 July 2019 and end on 30 June 2021. Notice is hereby given of the following important dates leading up the 2019 Harpers Ferry elections.

• 1 January 2019: First day to receive applications for absentee ballots from military and overseas voters ONLY.
• 14-25 January: Candidate filing period. If submitted in person, the Candidate Certificate of Announcement must be submitted at or before close of business (4:30 p.m.) on Friday, 25 January. If sent by mail, the Certificate must be postmarked no later than 12:00 midnight, 26 January. The Candidate Certificate of Announcement can be accessed by clicking here and will also be available at Town Hall during the filing period. Note that the Announcement must be notarized before it can be accepted. Applicable filing fees are as follows: Mayor, $50.00; Recorder, $15.00; Town Council members, $10.00.
• 19 March: First day to receive applications for absentee ballots by mail from all other voters.
• 2 April: Drawing for ballot positions. The drawing will be held at Town Hall at 9:00 a.m. Candidates or their representatives are invited to attend.
• 23 April: Deadline for write-in candidates to file.
• 26 April: Mailing of absentee ballots begins.
• 21 May: Last day to register to vote for the 2019 municipal elections.
• 29 May - 8 June: Early voting in person from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., including Saturdays. (Early voting will not be conducted on Sunday, 2 June.)
• 5 June: Deadline to receive mail-in absentee ballot applications.
• 10 June: Deadline to receive hand-delivered absentee ballots.
• 11 June: General election day. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• 17 June: Canvassing of elections. Results will be declared at end of canvass.
• 19 June: Certification of results of canvassing for races without a recount request.
• 1 July: New terms begin.

For more information concerning the Harpers Ferry municipal elections, contact Recorder Kevin Carden at recorder@harpersferrywv.us.

Mayor Bishop has issued a notice concerning Harpers Ferry's actions during the Federal Government shutdown. Read the official notice here.

By order of Governor Jim Justice, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve will be full-day state holidays for public employees. Previously, both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve were officially listed as half-day holidays.

“In recognition of the hard work accomplished throughout the year by our public employees, it is fitting and proper that they spend an extended and enjoyable holiday with their loved ones,” Governor Justice said.

Most local government authorities in West Virginia, including the Corporation of Harpers Ferry, follow the State holiday schedule.

Source: Governor's Statement.

At the Town Council meeting on Monday, 10 December 2018, planning consultant Steven Ball delivered a memorandum outlining fee estimates for the Hill Top House Hotel construction project. The estimate, including conditional use and site plan review, as well as construction management and inspection fees, totals $364,798.10. The memorandum and supporting figures can be accessed here.

During a special meeting on Wednesday, 22 August, the Town Council heard from a number of residents of Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, and surrounding areas concerning the proposed Rockwool production facility in Jefferson County. Following action by Council, an official statement was released and sent to stakeholders, including Roxul USA, the Jefferson County Commission, the City of Ranson, the City of Charles Town, the Corporation of Bolivar, the Corporation of Shepherdstown, the Jefferson County Board of Education, and the Jefferson County Development Authority (JCDA). In addition, Council directed the Corporation of Harpers Ferry's official representative on the JCDA Board to vote in opposition to any proposed bonds that would support infrastructure to the proposed facility site.

The official statement from the Corporation of Harpers Ferry can be read in its entirety here. A summary statement has also been released, which can be read here.

The Corporation of Harpers Ferry is actively seeking volunteers to serve on the following boards of the Town government:

• Tree Committee (one vacancy)
• Municipal Charter Committee (ad hoc, one vacancy)
• Board of Zoning Appeals (up to three alternates)

Those individuals interested in seeking appointment to either of these committees should send a letter of interest to Recorder Kevin Carden (recorder@harpersferrywv.us).

During the Planning Commission's special meeting that was called on 15 May, SWaN Legend's project and design team presented the formal Concept Plan for the Hill Top Hotel reconstruction project. This submission included three key components:

• A written Concept Plan, plus an addendum to the Concept Plan;
• A 3D model of the concept; and
• A Historic Resources Plan (note large file size: 38.9 MB).

Additionally, SWaN Legend's project and design team presented a Ground Level Landscape Enhancement Plan in August, which included the following documents:

• The initial landscape plan submission from April 2018
• The August 2018 Landscape Enhancement Plan
• A narrative discussing the proposed changes

The individual submission items may be accessed by clicking the links above. They are also available for review at Town Hall in hard copy. Contact staff at 304-535-2206 for more information on reviewing these items at Town Hall.

After conducting a public hearing on 22 February 2018, the Town Council approved the second and final reading of Ordinance 2017-09, which increases water rates in two steps. The first step of an increase of 5% on water service rates only (not sewer service) went into effect at the 1 June 2018 billing.

The second step, a 29% increase on water service rates, will take effect 60 days prior to the closing on the USDA loan for the water system infrastructure project, expected to occur in the spring of 2019.

Ordinance 2017-09 can be read in its entirety here.

Harpers Ferry has instituted three paid parking zones to improve safety and better regulate the very limited parking within the Corporation. Two of the zones, 7510 and 7520, are on Washington Street (Alt. U.S. 340). The third is on Potomac Street in Lower Town. The cost for parking is $1.00 per hour in Zone 7510, $2.00 per hour in Zone 7520, and $3.00 per hour in Zone 7515. Parking may be purchased in half-hour segments. Payment may be made using the Parkmobile cell phone app. To use Parkmobile, open the app, enter zone number, select amount of time desired, and pay by major credit card or PayPal. Visitors may find it easier to download the app to their cell phones before visiting Harpers Ferry to simplify their parking experience at the following link: http://us.parkmobile.com/mobile-apps.

Paid parking is strictly enforced in all three zones between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. Violators may be fined and /or towed. Parking is free in all paid parking zones after 6:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. Sunday through Saturday.

All sides streets within the Corporation of Harpers Ferry are parking by residential permit only. Violators may be fined and / or towed. Permits for residents and their guests may be purchased at Town Hall.

Harpers Ferry Water Works customers can pay online.  To learn more, click here.

The Corporation maintains a list of operators and companies licensed to perform business in Harpers Ferry. These businesses have volunteered to appear on this public list. To review the list, click here.