Settle reinstated, still Culpeper council faces myriad issues

It's been a tough couple of weeks for the Culpeper Town Council, what with the termination of Town Manager Kimberly Alexander, the trial of former Culpeper Police Department officer Daniel Harmon-Wright and an investigation into actions by police Capt. Chris Settle.

Settle was reinstated Wednesday and retained his rank of captain.

Finding a new town manager and dealing with community concerns regarding the Alexander and Harmon-Wright situations -- as well as formulating a fiscal year 2014 budget – will likely be on the collective minds of councilmen as they hold a special meeting tonight and the regular February council meeting Tuesday.

Chris Hively, the assistant town manager, is now in charge of the day-to-day affairs of the town. Council has not made public the process it will undertake to seek a permanent town manager.

The new fiscal year begins July 1. It's budget time.

At the top of the list for the special meeting are three money-related items: a mid-year review, contributions to outside agencies in FY 2014 and an FY 2014 classification and compensation study.

These items – and others on the agenda – may be further discussed at the regular Tuesday meeting.
Among the other considerations are:
• Use of the former police department building
• Culpeper Parking Authority
• Requested review of November odd-year elections
• A streetscape update
•Relocation of the post office
• Downtown vision plan update

The council will also have a second reading regarding adoption of certain sections of the commonwealth maintenance code.
The above items are only tentative topics of discussion as Town Council agendas are not finalized until the Monday before meetings. Final agendas are available at meetings and online at: culpeperva.gov.

Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. in the Board of Supervisors meeting room, 306 N. Main St.