Mayor selling home; council soon to shrink

Three-bedroom, two-bathroom rambler for sale in Haymarket. Asking price, $325,000. See Mayor John R. “Jack” Kapp.

Haymarket’s Town Council is shrinking. Whether Kapp moves from Haymarket or not, the council will be seeking two new members at the Aug. 4 meeting.

Kapp listed his 14947 Madison Court home with Long and Foster agent Nancy Nielson on July 7. Kapp had no comment when questioned about his house Thursday. Wednesday, Kapp’s wife said just because they are selling their home doesn’t mean they are leaving town.

“The mayor will make a statement when he sees fit,” Shirley Kapp said. “We’re not divulging anything right now.”

Councilwoman Michelle Neal-Heard stepped down in May. Councilwoman Lynda Farr will be resigning at the Aug. 4 council meeting.

Haymarket’s town council should number seven, including the mayor. After Neal-Heard and Farr’s resignations come through, the council will be down to four members plus the mayor. The council requires a quorum of three members, excluding the mayor, to meet or vote. The council has two options to fill the empty seats: it can accept applications and appoint members or it can hold a special election. If the council doesn’t fill the seats itself, the Circuit Court has the power to fill the seats by Virginia law, Kapp said.

A public hearing is scheduled before the Aug. 4 town council meeting for people to submit applications. Farr said the Council will probably go into executive session and vote to fill the two seats from among the applicants. The hearing will be at 6:30 p.m.

“As you can see from Monday night’s [town council] meeting, we can’t have two against two. Jack [Kapp] is the tie breaker and he has historically voted for the developers,” Farr said.

Farr is moving to Ithaca, N.Y., to be nearer to her son, who is in graduate school there. July 19 is her last day of business at Hairmarket, the massage studio and haircuttery Farr started in Haymarket in 1985. Farr said she plans to work strictly as a massage therapist.

“I’m retiring from doing hair. I’ve been doing hair for 30 years. I’ll get up there and just play it by ear,” Farr said in a phone interview Thursday. “I’ve loved living here and being part of a small community and I’m sad to leave.”

Neal-Heard wrote a letter explaining her reasons for resigning when she left the board. A copy was not available at press time.

Farr encouraged Haymarket residents to apply for the open council seats.

“Anyone with an interest in Haymarket … please come forward and seek a seat. The more people involved, the better things will go,” Farr said. “It’s very fun, very fulfilling, and it gives a nice sense of accomplishment.”

Staff writer Maria Hegstad can be reached at (703) 369-6594.