City Council Approves Appeal to Change School Start Times

City must win OK from Virginia General Assembly to change charter.

At the urging of schools officials, the Manassas Park City Council on Tuesday adopted a measure that would allow the school system to start classes before Labor Day. It would amend the city charter and requires Virginia General Assembly approval. Superintendent of schools Dr. Bruce McDade and school board Chairman Michael Wine addressed the council at a public hearing on the matter. Both said it was best for the school system. “I wholeheartedly endorse the resolution,” McDade said. “We in Manassas Park know better than anyone what we feel is the best interests of our students.” The state mandates starting dates for almost all the schools in the state, this year it was after Labor Day. A bill to allow schools in the state to adopt their own…

• Photos (1)

UPDATE Mayor: Manassas Park Emergency Operations Center Open

Emergency officials, other city personnel are all working at the EOC at the Manassas Park Police station.

Manassas Park's state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center is now activated and staffed, Frank Jones, the city's mayor said Monday morning. The center, located in the the Manassas Park Police Station on Manassas Drive, is the command center for city personnel in emergency situations. The numbers to the EOC are: 703-335-8800 and 703-361-1136.  The lines are being answered by city employees and CERT volunteers, Manassas Park city manager James "Jim" Zumwalt said. If the first number doesn't answer after five rings, city officials recommend using the latter number, which is the Manassas Park Police Department non-emergency line. Manassas Park Fire Chief James Dixon and Fire Marshal Mark Joyner along with Police Chief John Evans,Zumwalt, …

• Photos (2)

Remains of 'Large Animal' Sparked Sept. 19 Police Investigation, VRE Delays

Testing on remains that halted trains for several hours have not been completed, Manassas Park Mayor said.

It was the remains of a “large animal” found Sept. 19 on the railroad tracks near Manassas Park — not a human — that sparked a police investigation, fears of foul play and an interrupted evening commute for nearly 2,000 people last month. Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones said Thursday the exact type of animal that was discovered remains undetermined. To his knowledge, specific testing on the remains have not been conducted, the mayor added. Virginia Railway Express officials said police investigations told them body parts were found on the rails around 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19. On Sept. 20, Manassas Park Police later said the Virginia Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that the remains were not human. Trains were stopped south of the Burke …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Manassas Park Election Guide

The candidates, incumbents and issues that will be affecting Manassas Park.

As we look ahead to November’s elections, Manassas Park Patch is devoted to bringing you the information you need about every race in town. Here's our start on the candidates and issues we'll be covering as November draws near. Bookmark this page for updates. Voting Info Absentee voting has already started and continues into early November. Information about absentee voting (how, where, and whether you qualify) is available here. On Nov. 6, polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Look up your voting precinct here. You can also look up what is on your ballot through the State Board of Elections website. Manassas Park City Mayor Incumbent Mayor Frank Jones announced he is running unopposed for re-election. He is seeking his third term in office…

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

City Council Rejects Proposed Downtown Development

Governing body turns down $4.56 million upfront payment.

In a heated meeting where, at moments, council members came close to yelling at each other, the Manassas Park City Council on Tuesday narrowly rejected a proposed multiphase residential-commercial development  and a one-time $4.56 million payment that would have helped the city balance its books. On a 4-3 vote, the council turned down the development, tentatively called Park Place at The Station, that would have had 40,000 square feet of retail for 10 to 12 stores and 304 apartments. The project would have had a 20-acre footprint and the first phase would have been built along Manassas Drive and Railroad Drive near the VRE commuter station. The owners of the proposed development, Digital Park LLC, were present for the vote but did not …

•  23 Comments
• Photos (1)

Manassas Park Borrows $4 Million to Cover Annual Shortfall

Deal with Alliance Bank covers city's projected shortfall.

The Manassas Park City Council renewed a $4 million loan with Alliance Bank so it will have enough cash on hand to run city operations until December, when it receives more tax revenue. The loan, actually called a Revenue Anticipation Note, was approved by a unanimous vote Tuesday night during a council meeting at city hall. The loan is a renewal of an arrangement the city initiated with Alliance last year. The city is forced to borrow money because residents and businesses pay taxes twice a year. The city borrows money to pay for essential operations, like salaries, until taxes are due again at the end of the year, said Manassas Park City Manager Jim Zumwalt. The loan also gives the city a cushion against a catastrophe or major failure of…

• Photos (1)

City Opens Cooling Centers For Residents Fleeing Heat

The Manassas Park Community Center and the city's Department of Social Services in city hall will both serve as "cooling centers" for residents who need it.

Manassas Park city officials have designated two cooling centers for residents seeking shelter from mid-week soaring temperatures. The Manassas Park Community Center on 99 Adams St. and the city's Department of Social Services offices inside city hall at 1 Park Center Ct. will both be open to residents who need an air conditioned place to stay, city officials said Tuesday. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. Temperatures will be between the middle to upper 90s but the heat index will make it feel like anywhere between 100 or 105. Frank Jones, the mayor of Manassas Park said that residents should seek shelter and stay cool, but not forget to check on their elderly neighbors and family …

• Photos (1)

Mayor Frank Jones Seeks Third Term

Jones is seeking re-election as the mayor of Manassas Park. Before joining the city's governing body, he served on the Manassas Park School Board.

  From Mayor Frank Jones: I am seeking re-election as mayor of Manassas Park.  As a federal civil servant, the Hatch Act requires that I run as an independent.  As a result, I was required to obtain signatures on a candidate's petition (to be qualified as a candidate, the signatures of at least 125 registered Manassas Park voters must be collected on the petition.)  I have obtained the required signatures, turned them in to the registrar, the signatures have been validated and I have been certified as eligible to run.  The deadline for candidate petition submission to the registrar was 7 p.m. (Tuesday); as of that deadline, no one else had submitted the paperwork for the position of mayor, so I believe I will be running unopposed.  My …

• Photos (1)

New Fire Chief to City Council: 'I'm Right at Home'

This is Manassas Park Fire Chief David Dixon's first week on the job. He hails from the Norfolk City Fire Department.

David Dixon, a former battalion chief with the Norfolk City Fire Department, officially began his role as the new Manassas Park fire chief this week.  Dixon, a 36-year firefighting veteran, was introduced to the public at a Manassas Park City Council meeting Tuesday night. He was selected from an applicant pool of about 50 candidates and will serve as the new chief of the 27-member City of Manassas Park Fire Department. Dixon replaces Fire Marshal Mark Joyner, who was the acting interim fire chief.  Dixon told the council that the city reminded him of his first paid firefighting job in Williamsburg in 1979—both are small cities that radiate a sense of community.  “The city of Manassas Park is a great city by any standard,” Dixon said, “…

• Photos (3)

The Editor's Notebook

Mayor Calls Special City Council Meeting

City council to discuss personnel matter during closed session.

Manassas Park Mayor Frank Jones called a special meeting of the governing body to discuss a personnel matter. The governing body will meet today at 7 p.m. in its chambers at city hall and immediately go into a closed (executive) session for the discussion.   Personnel and legal matters are often discussed in executive session, but any action by the body on these matters is done in public. Residents are welcome to come to the city council chambers for tonight's meeting, but may be asked to step out when the body goes into executive session. If city council takes any action as a result of this meeting, it'll be posted right here on Patch.

• Photos (1)