Town fills council seat, BAR posts

Gordonsville has filled a number of open positions: one seat on the town council and five on the still-in-its-infancy board of architectural review.
Council member Robert Hall resigned from his seat on the Gordonsville Town Council a few months back due to health concerns. Since then, council members have been considering applications from individuals who hope to fill Hall's seat.
At a Nov. 24 meeting, the town council appointed Cadmus Drive resident Wendy Hartsook to Hall's former seat. Her term will expire Dec. 31, 2010. Martyn said Hartsook's was among three applications.
In addition, applications have come in from folks with an interest in serving on the town's brand new five-member board of architectural review. That board will administer the provisions of the town's newly adopted historic overlay district, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2010.
The overlay applies to major exterior renovations, demolitions and new construction on about 100 residential and commercial properties located within the limits of the overlay-generally from the traffic circle down Main Street to the Exchange Hotel. Buildings within the overlay will be required to get architectural review board approval for exterior renovations and additions, as well as demolition.
Gordonsville Town Manager Sabryna Martyn said town officials had received applications from a number of individuals just after announcing that the board would be created several weeks ago. When they met Nov. 24, Gordonsville Town Council appointed the five members of the board of architectural review: Theo Van Groll, Will Stewart, and Ronald Higgins were each appointed to four-year terms; Maryvonne Gasparini will serve a two-year term; and Gordon Reagan will serve for one year.
And as far as Gordonsville Mayor Bob Coiner is concerned, the town's new board of architectural review is a dream team. Coiner said with well credentialed members like Van Groll, Stewart and Higgins on the board, (each of whom are professionals in planning or architecture), and with Reagan and Gaspirini, (who he said are forward-thinking and active participants within the community), Gordonsville's BAR is better qualified than similar boards in major metropolitan areas like Richmond and Williamsburg.