Madison County recently made yet another national magazine’s list of popular destinations. But this time, the county is being recognized as one of the top 10 places to build a log home.

The Madison Town Council’s 7 p.m. Thursday, July 2 meeting is expected to include a vote regarding the council’s desire for the planning commission to reconsider a previously proposed town zoning change that would have allowed new stores to share their buildings with single-family apartments.

If Madison County ever has its own “Octomom” school officials may need to ensure all eight siblings are placed in the same classroom. A new Virginia state law now requires that public school boards develop policies to allow a parent of twins or “higher order multiples” (triplets and so on) to request that the children be placed in the same classroom or separate classrooms if they are in the same grade level at the same elementary school.

A case against an 18-year-old Pennsylvania man – who was charged after officials say he used a stolen pickup to deliberately strike a Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s cruiser twice during a June 1 chase – will now head to a Madison County grand jury.

The Madison County Board of Supervisors recently adopted a new county employee personnel policy, which one local official says will remove the board’s role in hiring and firing upper-level employees.

After years of incorrect Madison County governmental phonebook listings, it seems the foul-up has been fixed. “It’s finally right,” Madison County Emergency Communications Director Robert “Radar” Finks said of the listings of various Madison County government offices included in the 2009 Verizon Piedmont Virginia phonebook.

A Madison County two-vehicle, head-on collision kept Route 231 closed for nearly two hours Tuesday morning as firefighters battled towering columns of fire and smoke that roared up again and again from the car involved in the crash. Yet in spite of the blaze that repeatedly engulfed the 2002 Lincoln sedan driven by a Rochelle women, both that woman and the Culpeper woman driving the second vehicle, a 1996 Chevy truck, escaped injury, a Virginia State Police spokesman said.

UPDATE
Due to some late-arriving grading information (it was announced June 11, after the current print edition of The Madison County Eagle went to press), it turns out Julie Eaheart is this year’s Madison County High School valedictorian – the highest academically ranked student in the graduating class. The class salutatorian – the second highest ranked student – is Claire Jackson.

Although Madison County and the town of Madison have co-existed for more than 200 years, a lack of communication between the two entities continues to raise concerns. County officials’ recent move to do away with its motor vehicle decal fee and other related tax bill changes has left town residents concerned about being “double taxed.“

Eight Madison County residents have officially thrown their hats into the ring, vying for three soon-to-be open board of supervisors seats. None of the incumbents up for re-election on the board – Bill Crigler, Bob Miller and Clark Powers — chose to file the necessary forms to be placed on the ballot in the Nov. 3 election. 

Madison County High School seniors won’t throw their caps into the air until June 13 but the party leading up to the Class of 2009’s graduation has already started. While munching on some snacks during lunch last week, MCHS senior Jennifer Edwards barely seemed to notice the dollops of cornstarch wisped across her face nor that her lower legs were covered in the substance. 

Work on the Madison County Courthouse is going smoothly, but May’s frequent downpours will likely delay the project’s completion into mid-February of next year. On May 28, the Madison County Board of Supervisors put on some hard hats, got their shoes dirty and took an inside look at the ongoing renovation and expansion work.

UPDATE
An 18-year-old Pennsylvania man already wanted on various charges faces multiple new ones — including attempted capital murder – after authorities say he repeatedly rammed a Madison County deputy’s cruiser Monday while fleeing in a stolen truck.

A Washington, D.C.-based company is asking Madison County officials to once again consider its offer to purchase the former Criglersville Elementary School buildings and their surrounding property. Last week, The Craftsmen Group Inc. – a historic restoration and preservation company – re-sent its offer to buy the 1940s-era structure for $167,000, according to the company’s president, Christian Kelleher.

Now that “spring has sprung,” officials are taking a closer look at all of the mowing, weeding and other grounds maintenance that fill up Madison County employees’ time. There’s about 30 different pieces of property that require some type of upkeep by the county – from mowing to weeding to cleaning to building maintenance, according to a chart provided to the board of supervisors by Madison County Administrator Lisa Robertson.

Madison County officials recently received state funds to cover Sheriff Erik Weaver’s attorney’s fees in his successful appeal of a lower court ruling that he willfully violated Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act. The $12,647 of state taxpayers’ money the county accepted from the state compensation board fully covers the bills the county has received, and paid, so far from Weaver’s attorney, Harrisonburg-based Mark Obenshain, according to Madison County Finance Director Teresa Miller. (The county’s finance director said that the county might receive additional bills from Weaver’s attorney.)

Madison resident Dan Painter will fill the vacancy opened following the recent resignation of longtime Madison Town Councilman Charles Carter. Although most of the 20 town property owners and area residents who attended the council’s special May 14 meeting – including Carter – seemed pleased with the choice, much of the meeting was filled with heightened voices as citizens raised other concerns they have with the council.

May 18-29

About 20 town business owners and area residents initially filled the town meeting room May 7 expecting a discussion surrounding Carter’s surprise, immediately effective resignation, and his replacement.But within minutes, the meeting had been cancelled, and those who attended were forced to use the parking lot in front of the office as forum for their thoughts.

UPDATE
Madison County officials pulled the roving recycling trailer out of service last week following ongoing issues with what they say were inappropriate items being tossed into the trailer.

Madison County officials may look into knocking down the former Criglersville Elementary School building and transforming the property into a park.
“We’ve discussed the Criglersville school since I’ve been on this board,” Supervisors Chairman Eddie Dean – who started serving in 2004 – told the supervisors at their April 30 workshop meeting.

Madison County school officials are taking extra precautions to ward against a virus that continues to spread across the world, and into Virginia. A public health emergency was declared in Virginia last week following the ongoing spread of the H1N1 flu virus – more commonly known as swine flu – a respiratory disease that causes regular outbreaks in pigs as well as less common infections in people.

UPDATE
Madison Town Councilman Charles Carter resigns.

“Honey, I Shrank the Schools,“ sounds like it could be the title for a Rick Moranis comedy movie sequel. But shrinking schools are no laughing matter to Madison County school officials. Although the physical dimensions of Madison’s school buildings are staying the same, fewer students are walking the halls these days. That could mean less state money for the school system.

UPDATE
After The Eagle’s April 23 issue went to print last week, both Madison County School Board Chairman Jeff Early and member Doug Farmer responded to requests regarding their plans to run for re-election in November, telling The Eagle they had not yet made final decisions regarding their plans.

The Freedom of Information Act required that Madison County Sheriff Erik Weaver give names of members of his citizens advisory board to a Brightwood woman who requested them. But because the sheriff’s failure to follow FOIA statutes wasn’t done “willfully and knowingly,” the woman – Leigh Purdum — didn’t prevail. That’s the gist of the April 20 ruling by Judge Jay Swett in the sheriff’s appeal of a December 2007 lower court decision that he had willfully violated Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act.

Madison Piedmont Chapter of Questers President Jacqueline Mow, a Syria resident, presented the Madison County Historical Society a check for $1,000 on March 27 for the Kemper Residence Slave Quarters Restoration Project.

County students may soon be able to develop Web design skills, explore geographic technology or master their culinary arts talents. The Madison County School Board recently entered into an agreement with Rappahannock County that will allow some students to freely enroll in classes not available at Madison County High School.

Madison County officials were in and out of the county’s April 14 public hearing in mere minutes. Less than 10 local residents showed up for the evening meeting during which the Madison County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved its proposed $34.7 million 2009-2010 fiscal year budget and corresponding tax rates. (Supervisor James Arrington was absent from the Tuesday meeting.)

Town officials’ decision last week to leave a zoning ordinance untouched left some local property owners visibly upset. Despite ongoing discussions regarding changing the town’s zoning rules to allow apartments within business properties, most Madison Town Council members decided to quietly pass over the ordinance revision.