5 minute read
No Transfer Portal for Town Manager Danny Davis
No Transfer Portal for Town Manager Danny Davis
By Leonard Shapiro
As far as Middleburg Town Manager Danny Davis is concerned, a seven-year itch to switch is the farthest thing from his mind. After six years on the job, he adores the town, and the feeling is definitely mutual among most of its 700-plus residents, business owners all around and countless colleagues at the town office.
“When you think about what you do, in my case it’s all about people,” Davis said. “Who are you serving? Who can you work with? You have a sense of ‘let’s do what’s best for the community, let’s do what’s right.’”
It didn’t take long for Davis’s own mettle to be tested. A year after the Atlanta native came to town, Covid hit and “that created a whole separate whirlwind from what was normal,” he added. “Then we went from that into building the new town hall. All of that definitely kept us busy.”
New issues arise all the time—zoning, utilities, infrastructure, personnel and so much more—but the town also is in excellent financial shape, with $12 million on the books. Of that total, $8 million in savings is held in abeyance as a so-called rainy day fund to deal with any major emergencies.
“In terms of savings and revenues, we’ve been blessed with a financial situation that gives us great flexibility to invest in major programs,” Davis said. “We have the funds for projects like the Asbury Church renovation, streetscape projects, water and sewer programs that are planned for the future or already underway. It allows us to keep moving forward and not be stretched financially.”
Davis, Mayor Bridge Littleton and the town council also get plenty of feedback from local residents, and are more than willing to listen.
As an example, a number of long-time town inhabitants had become increasingly concerned about a growing trend of larger homes being built in the Ridgeview neighborhood between Route 50 and the Salamander resort, an area with traditionally smaller housing and lot footprints. In response, the council recently changed its zoning laws to reflect those concerns, with a formula based on lot size that limits new homes to a maximum of 3,700 square feet.
“Infrastructure is also a major issue,” Davis said. “Our water and sewer systems have a lot of old pipes that need to be repaired or replaced to get the system back fully operational before it becomes an emergency situation. Last year, a sewer line collapsed near Windy Hill, and that was $250,000 repair. We’re trying to deal with the problem before it becomes a really major problem.
“We’re also doing infrastructure work on sidewalks, trying to reduce tripping hazards and encouraging visitors to go down some of our side streets. It’s important to our businesses that are not on the main street.”
Davis was asked if he was at all worried about the number of empty village shops in recent months, places like the iconic Fun Shop or Highcliffe Clothiers. Both closed when their owners decided to retire.
“I think businesses coming and going are all part of the town’s natural order,” he said, pointing out that some of the recent shop vacancies have already or are about to be filled with new businesses.
The Salamander Market, for example, has recently been sold, with a new restaurant in the works. TriCounty Feeds in Marshall will have a branch in the old Highcliffe space. An antique business is opening in what used to be a wedding emporium on Madison Street. And work is still being done on the Fun Shop, with a new steak house still expected to open.
“We obviously have to stay on top of these things and not ignore it,”Davis said. “But I don’t see any major concerns. Like everyone else, we’re watching the economy. I can’t change tariffs or the stock market. That’s out of our control. We just have to be cautious and aware.”
Davis is clearly bullish on Middleburg’s future, but also said it’s “important to maintain the proper balance. We’re still a small town with great people who live here and love their community. Yet, we also draw thousands of visitors every weekend. We just want to make sure we’re not losing what makes us special in the first place.”
And Mayor Littleton is definitely bullish on Davis.
“Danny has been an amazing asset to the town from the first day he joined us,” he said. “He’s an incredibly thoughtful public servant who’s focus is doing well by, and for, others. Since arriving, he’s brought a strategic focus to how we think about our town infrastructure, budgeting, and management to ensure we always run in the positive financially and operationally, balancing both the need for investment in things such as our utility infrastructure and supporting, in a balanced way, our tourism based economy.
“I know I speak for the entire council, past and present, to say we’re very fortunate to have Danny leading our Town office.”
Davis, his wife, Angela, and their three daughters live only a few miles down the road near Gilbert’s Corner, an easy commute that’s also a pleasant perk of his job.
“I will say that I love it here,” Davis said. “I’ll be here as long as the town council is happy with me and it works for my family.”
For Danny Davis and the town of Middleburg, it’s been so far, so good, and clearly no seven-year itch to scratch.
