Northern Virginia Daily

Article date: July 02, 2004

Town agrees to chip in on Skyline Soccerplex

Under accord, five parties will fund $567,378 project at Superfund site

By Jonathon Shacat

The Front Royal Town Council on Monday unanimously approved the town’s portion of a five-party agreement for the first phase of the proposed Skyline Soccerplex.

The agreement is between the town, Warren County, the Economic Development Authority, FMC Corp. and U.S. Soccer Federation Foundation Inc.  It is designed to outline the financial and administrative responsibilities of each party regarding the project’s development.

The Soccerplex will be developed on a 32 acre portion of the Avtex Superfund site along Kerfoot Avenue.  Officials anticipate the first phase of the project will be completed next spring, according to County Administrator Douglas P. Stanley.

Funding for the project totals $ 567,378, according to the agreement.  The town’s responsibility is to fund $ 72,378, but it has already committed an additional $40,500 to water and transportation improvements that serve the site.  The county will fund $225,000.  The soccer foundation is giving a $120,000 grant.  FMC is making an in-kind donation valued as $150,000 for work and services at the site.   The EDA won’t provide any direct financing.

The town is also responsible for providing the labor and equipment to mulch and chip wood debris, branches and trees of less than 6 inches in diameter on the site.  The county will provide the labor and equipment needed to grind stumps and tree debris with a diameter of 6 inches or more using an outside contractor.

FMC, which is one of the principals responsible for the cleanup of the Avtex Superfund site, has agreed to clear trees, grade land, transport wood chips and install a storm water retention pond.  The work is currently in progress according to site manager E. Douglas Bement.

The EDA will supply technical assistance and administer the project, including working with Painter-Lewis PLC, a Winchester based engineering firm, on bidding and construction management.

During Monday’s Town Council meeting, Councilman Hollis L Tharpe made the motion to approve the agreement.  However, Vice Mayor J. Daniel Pond III added an amendment to his motion.

“ I read through this agreement and basically I think it kind of has the spirit of what we agreed to , but it doesn’t quite specifically say what we agree to.  Basically, the way it is read, it’s left open that if the funding goes beyond the amount that we have originally agreed to fund, that we could be asked to fund the additional private components.” Pond said.