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From the Mayor

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Thurmont

 Mayor John Kinnaird

With the last two weeks of February surprising us with amazing weather, I think we are all looking forward to the warmth of the spring and summer months.

Now is the time to plan to attend many of our amazing events in the coming year. Here is a listing of some of the events we have planned for this summer: 2023 Concerts in the Park at Memorial Park, Green Fest, Restaurant Week, Thurmont Business Showcase, Thurmont Farmers Market, Art and Wine Strolls, Plein Air, Colorfest, Gateway to the Cure, and Christmas in Thurmont.

Information on these and many other events are available at thurmontmainstreet.com.

Questions, comments, or suggestions? I can be reached at 301-606-9458 or jkinnaird@thurmont.com.

Emmitsburg

Mayor Don Briggs

So many good things happened in February. One good thing is the town has been approved, for the tenth year, with Community Legacy Grant (CLG) funds for facade improvements of properties located in the historic area. This began when the state approved Emmitsburg as a Sustainable Community during my first year in office. A gauntlet lies ahead for property owners who choose to apply, including the Maryland Historic Trust approval. From humble beginnings, more formalized protocols have developed. Currently, after advertising the availability of funds, a committee of residents with both technical construction knowledge and community service resumes beyond reproach review the applications. All members of the committee have been approved by commissioners over the years for services to the community and some on more than one occasion. To date $455,000 in 50/50 grants have been dispersed, resulting in $988,000 in improvements. Thank you to the committee members for setting aside the time for this commitment.

Another good thing, on the first Friday of February, Conrad Weaver, my grandson Tyler Myles, and I attended the 17th Annual Ukrainian National Prayer Breakfast, held at Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. This is an event I have looked forward to attending after two Zoom meetings with Mayor Ihor Poishchuk of Emmitsburg’s Ukrainian Sister City Lutsk. We joined well over 300 people for a breakfast that featured a Ukrainian chorale in traditional dress; other recognized Ukrainian singers; Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant clergy, and Evangelicals. Also in attendance were three U. S. ambassadors, as many as six congressmen, one governor, and at least one mayor. More than 10 countries were represented, including Israel. To me, the most special attendees I had the opportunity to meet included Veteran soldiers, some bearing noticeably serious injuries from the ongoing defense against the invasion by Russia, and 10 children who lost their fathers in the war. They were touring the U.S. as part of a healing process program sponsored by a Ukrainian-American group, UKRHELP Foundation, based in Bellevue, Washington; Yurii Bezpiatko, member of our Sister City Lutsk City Council; and Ukrainian Ambassador to U.S., Oksana Serhiyivna Markarova. The ambassador may visit us in Emmitsburg.

The town council discussion on water rates was postponed until the March 13 town meeting. This will be the fifth time over the last year this topic has come before the council. There have been hours of discussions that included selecting a consultant to study water rates and reviewing the consultants’ findings. A lot of information is floating about, but the facts are that water rates were not raised during the last 12 years because the council approved raising sewer rates significantly twice during that time to accommodate the new $19.5-million sewer plant the town was required to build by the state. To note, if the commissioners come to an agreement on an increase in the water rate, only the water rate will increase, not the combination of water and sewer rate.

Another President’s Day has come and gone. Not much recognition attached to it any more it seems, just a day off as a part of a three-day weekend. The roots of the holiday are worth remembering. President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is on February 12, and President George Washington’s birthday is on February 22. These two were amazing people who rose from very humble beginnings to be presidents. Their lives are worth learning more about and not forgetting.

Ash Wednesday fell on February 22 and marked the beginning of a 40-day Lenten period that leads up to Easter, which falls on April 9 this year. It’s a good time to do things for those in our community who are more in need, starting with, perhaps, being more respectful.

Take care and enjoy the off-and-on days of sun and warmth as we get ready for all the many spring youth events.

Woodsboro

Greetings to all! Our February 14 meeting was a busy, productive meeting.

The town commissioners and I went through the recommendations on an ordinance to allow chickens in town. Chickens are currently not permitted in town per the town code that was implemented in 1972. After several deliberations and changes, the vote was 3-1 to allow chickens in town. Yards less than one acre in size will be allowed up to five hens, and lots larger than an acre in size will be allowed up to 12 hens. No roosters will be allowed. This is the tentative approval. As per code, we are required to have a public hearing before amending the code. The public hearing meeting is scheduled for April 11 before our regular town meeting. At that point in time, unless the commissioners change their votes, the code change will be solidified, and all of the requirements will be codified. We will also be adding an additional code change proposal at the meeting, concerning residents’ grass height. The current code states grass can be 18 inches high. We will be proposing a change to a 9- or 12-inch height maximum.

Our planning and zoning committee sent the drawings back to the engineer for the site plan for our town hall building at their February meeting due to it not having enough green space up front to fit a sign and flagpoles. The engineer will have the revised plan back to P&Z for their March 6 meeting. If they approve it, then it will come to the town council at the March 14 meeting. If the commissioners approve the site plan, the next step is that it will be sent to the county for the permitting process to begin.

A reminder: Woodsboro has elections coming up on May 13. There will be two town commissioner seats up for election. To be eligible to run, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident within the town limits for a minimum of one year before the election. If you have an interest in running, please reach out to Mary in the town office.

We have started projects for grants that we have been approved for. Our three new flag poles have been installed at the Veterans Memorial where we will now be able to fly our American, Maryland, and Woodsboro flags all simultaneously on their own poles. In addition, construction will begin soon on the approved pavilion to be built in the upper side of the park by the disc golf course. I have also started the process of getting electricity run to the upper side of the park and will be working on getting the bathroom built up there as well. We were approved for a $214,000 grant for these projects so we will be beginning them soon. My goal is to have the electricity run before Woodsboro Days in October. In addition, we submitted a grant request to remodel the concession stand and upgrade the bathroom as well. We will have the answers for that when the governor’s FYI 2024 budget is approved.

 As always, I encourage everyone to support Glade Valley Community Services (GVCS) if you have clothes or food donations as they are always in need of items for members of the community. For more information, please contact GVCS by email at gvcs.inc@verizon.net, or call 301-845-0213.

If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, or compliments please feel free to reach out to me at hbarnes@woodsboro.org or by phone at 301-401-7164.

Woodsboro Town meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. In addition, Planning and Zoning meetings are at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of the month as needed. If you have an item for the agenda, it needs to be submitted 14 days before the P&Z meeting. The current location for meetings is the St. Johns United Church of Christ located at 8 N. 2nd Street, Woodsboro, MD 21798. The public is always invited to attend.

Town Hall Report

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Thurmont

Town Issues Water Notice

The Town of Thurmont sent a health-advisory notice to residents on town water that the Maryland Department had detected elevated levels of PFOS/PFOA in water samples MDE tested. Although residents did not need to take corrective action, the notice did advise that people with “a severely compromised immune system, have an infant, are pregnant, or are elderly, you may be at increased risk and should seek advice from your healthcare providers about drinking this water.”

The chemicals have been used in products for decades and most people have been exposed to them. You can read the entire notice on the town website.

Town Recycling Center Will Close

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners voted to close the Moser Road Recycling Center. Since Frederick County stopped running regional recycling centers, the Town of Thurmont started running it with a $10,000 annual contribution to the costs.

However, the cost of running the center has escalated, in large part because of the non-recyclable items and trash that have been left around the recycling bin. Another factor has been rising inflation and fuel costs that have increased the cost of the program.

In recent years, the market for recyclables had all but disappeared. Income from selling recyclables helped offset some of the costs of the program.

In Fiscal Year 2021, the total cost of the program was $11,480, and after the county contributed its portion, the final cost to Thurmont was $600. In Fiscal Year 2023, the expected program cost is $38,220, with the town expected to pay $28,220.

“It’s getting to the point where it’s costing us too much to host it,” Mayor John Kinnaird said during a town meeting.

Another Step Made on Thurmont Boulevard

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners agreed on an ordinance that, if approved, will allow the town to borrow up to $6 million to complete the Thurmont Boulevard project. This is a project that has been in the works for years without much having been done.

Although the ordinance would allow up to $6 million in debt for the project, the preliminary estimate currently is that it will cost $4.4 million.

The next step in the process is to hold a hearing on the ordinance. Following public input, the commissioners can approve, change, or disapprove the ordinance.

Commission Appointments

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners reappointed Kirby Delauter to serve on the Board of Appeals and Ed Hutson to serve on the Police Commission.

Police Station to Get Heat Pump Replacement

The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners voted to award Holtzople Heating and Air Conditioning $27,602.96 to replace one of the heat pumps at the police station. This pump is no longer functioning and beyond repair. The money will come from the town’s unrestricted fund balance.

Emmitsburg

Ritz Nearly Accuses Mayor of Ethics Violation

Commissioner Joseph Ritz, III, raised concerns of a “potential ethics violation” during the February Emmitsburg town meeting. In recent years, the town has received a matching Community Legacy Grant from the Maryland Historical Trust for $50,000. Because the grant is competitive, the town’s Sustainable Community Workgroup decides who is awarded grant money.

Ritz said because the mayor appointed all the members of the workgroup, it may be a conflict of interest for Briggs to apply for the grant. The mayor said he did nothing wrong and said it was a petty matter, pointing out his record, so far, of bringing $8 million in improvements to the town.

Ritz replied, “A perceived conflict of interest is not a petty matter. You never know what people are thinking. You never know what people may say. I don’t think that’s petty at all.”

The Frederick News Post reported that Briggs chose to avoid the possibility someone might think he had a conflict of interest and asked his wife to withdraw the matching grant application for $12,500.

Ritz also had concerns that the applications that had been left at the podium during a meeting for anyone to see were not completed as stated in the directions, and the workgroup meetings were not broadcast.

Town Benefits from Park Grants

The Town of Emmitsburg received a Community Parks and Playground grant for $146,263 to replace the old swing set and playground tower and install a half-basketball court at the Silo Hill Playground. The playground equipment and basketball hoop have been installed; once the weather is warmer, the concrete for the court will be poured.

The town received a Program Open Space grant of $6,000 (requiring a $2,000 match) to install two pairs of permanent concrete cornhole boards in Community Park. These will also be installed once the weather is warmer.

The town also received another POS grant for $8,250 (requiring a $2,750 match) for an outdoor storybook trail in Community Park. For this trail, 30 pedestal exhibits will be installed along the trail. The exhibits will hold exchangeable storybook pages to tell a story as the trail is followed. This project is being coordinated with the library.

The town received two Community Parks and Playground grants, totaling $120,686, for Memorial Park. The grants will pay for a playground addition and a half-basketball court.

Pump Station Change Order Approved

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a change order from Rummel, Klepper and Kahl for work on the Creamery Road Pump Station replacement project. The amount of $251,660.75 will cover the need for full-time construction inspection services by a resident project representative. The original control only included part-time services. It also covers engineering construction administration and post-construction support.

Town Receives a Clean Audit

Michelle Mills and Addie Blickenstaff, CPAs with Deleon and Stang, presented the results of the annual independent audit of Emmitsburg’s financial statements for Fiscal Year 2022. They gave the town an unmodified or clean opinion, which is the highest rating that can be given. The auditors had no difficulties performing the audit or had any disagreements with the management.

Citizens Advisory Committee Appointments

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners appointed Shelia Pittinger, an out-of-town representative, to the Citizens Advisory Committee for a term running from February 6, 2023, to February 6, 2025, and Amber Phillips to the Citizens Advisory Committee for a term running February 6, 2023, to February 6, 2025.

A Lasting Love

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Carl and Jeanne Angleberger’s love story began when Carl’s mom suggested he take Jeanne on a date. One day, after leaving the office where Jeanne was a dental assistant (in Thurmont), she rode home with her aunt because her car was in the garage, and she needed a ride home. Carl’s mom, Alma, and Jeanne’s aunt worked together at Moore Business Forms in Thurmont. Jeanne met Carl’s mom that day, riding in the car less than two miles. When Carl came home from work, Alma told Carl that she “met this nice girl today,” and he needed to ask her out. Carl had a girlfriend at the time. But his mom insisted that he ask Jeanne out. And, finally, Carl took her advice! Maybe a month or so later, Carl and Jeanne met at a dance at the Casablanca in Thurmont and started dating. The year was 1964. Carl had finished serving four years in the Navy at the time.

Carl and Jeanne were married on August 20, 1966. In those days, newlyweds started with nothing except their love for each other! Carl and Jeanne rented a small apartment in Emmitsburg. Their rent was $65.00 a month. The newlyweds started out with used appliances and living room furniture. They purchased a bedroom set and a small television.

For a wedding gift, they received a new card table and chairs and used that for their dinner table. They each had a car payment. “We had to make it work! It’s what newlyweds did!” said Jeanne.

Now 56 years of marriage later, you may wonder how Carl and Jeanne manage to have fun and continue to enjoy life to the fullest, side by side.

Carl says Jeanne always supports him. Jeanne says it’s about being a team. Marriage is about give and take. When Carl started his police career in 1967, he needed Jeanne’s support. It was Carl’s dream to become a policeman, and he enjoyed every moment of his police career for 39 years. Today, they are both grateful for this decision made early in their marriage because the career path Carl chose gave him job security and provided healthcare for them both. And for Carl, it was a dream come true. Today, his law enforcement career is providing life benefits in their retiring years. In addition, Carl was an active fireman in the Frederick County Volunteer Fire Service for 40 years. Besides extensive training by Carl, it also required team effort by Jeanne. Carl enjoyed serving Frederick County as a volunteer, not knowing a Length of Service Award was available to him upon his retirement.

Jeanne always put their marriage on the front burner. “Pay attention to your feelings and your love for each other. Stay romantic!” said Jeanne. Friday night is the couple’s date night. They go out to dinner with another couple. “Romance comes naturally when a couple is in love. Holding hands is easy.” They always exchange holiday and anniversary cards and take the time to choose the perfect card. The words must read what they want to say. When opened, Carl reads his and Jeanne reads hers. “It can be emotional and sometimes it is,” said Jeanne.

Healthiness and happiness go together! This is an absolute motto of Carl and Jeanne. Jeanne believes gratitude and appreciation must be part of the marriage walk. Saying thank you may be simple, but it means so much.

Keeping romance in their marriage is special and exchanging “I love you” is repeated each and every day. A loving marriage is easily demonstrated by the actions of a husband and his wife. They easily hug each other no matter where they are. Carl opens the car door for Jeanne. He speaks highly of Jeanne, and Jeanne speaks highly of Carl. Smiling at each other is a sure sign you’re happy; showing kindness to one another and complimenting each other. Jeanne’s cooking and baking is true love to Carl! During the pandemic, the couple posted skits on Facebook, with Jeanne taking Carl’s order from a menu. The fun was reading the comments! Occasionally, friends still comment on those Facebook pandemic postings.

Every day, Carl and Jeanne listen to 60s music—the same songs they heard and loved during their dating days. You may find them dancing either in the kitchen or the garage.

Carl and Jeanne’s son, Chris, gave them a “Kissing Bell” on their anniversary. “To start each day, we ring the bell showing our love for each other,” said Carl. 

Their favorite adventure is cruising on the high seas. They love the shows and the music at the nightclubs. Their most recent cruise was last month in January to celebrate Jeanne’s birthday. Carl and Jeanne usually plan three cruises each year. Their first cruise was taken in 1976, celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary.

Carl and Jeanne’s lives have rarely been interrupted by disagreements or arguments. Above all else, they both say that how good your life can be will largely come down to how you choose to look at life and marriage. “It really is in the attitude. Everyone has challenges. Look for solutions within every situation. Usually, there is a lesson waiting to be learned. By all means, communicate! Marriage is a man and woman uniting as one. Work things out together.”

Carl and Jeanne truly are a team and always work things out together, looking for the best solution in all of life’s challenges and situations. Jeanne would tell you that some solution findings take longer than others! The key is to stick it out together. And to not forget to have fun together along the way. Carl has always been a big advocate of this! Jeanne is so glad!

Fifty-six years of marriage and looking forward to many, many more, Carl and Jeanne’s picture could be placed in the dictionary, right next to the definition of “love.”

It is obvious they are committed, that they are a team, that they love deeply, and that throughout their marriage, they have worked together to keep it healthy and strong.

Carl and Jeanne’s sentiment: “Stay positive. Enjoy the present moment. Live, laugh, and love!”

Carl and Jeanne Angleberger’s wedding day, August 20, 1966.

Photos Courtesy of Carl & Jeanne Angleberger

What To Watch For With Online Dating

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Blair Garrett

Love is in the air.

February is a time of appreciating the love we do have, whether it’s for your significant other who’s always there to listen to you, your family who is always there to care for you, or your friend who is always there to make questionable decisions with you. Love comes in many forms, and in the modern dating world, things are tremendously different than they have ever been.

The trend to find a partner is going virtual, with nearly one in four relationships starting online since 2020. Among many things, technology has completely revolutionized the way we date. Instead of vetting potential mates based on what you know about them and your in-person experiences with them, we can now decide based on a few pictures and a conversation or two, should you decide to go the online route.

Meeting partners online gives singles access to meeting fun and interesting people, no matter their current circumstances. In the adult world, it can be hard to branch out and meet new people if you’re living in unfamiliar territory. Say you get a new job away from home, or you’re going to school out of state. There are hundreds of apps and outlets to start friendly or romantic relationships online, and the connectivity of the internet has made that more available than ever before.

Beginning relationships online does have its drawbacks, though, and before you enter that world, it’s good to educate yourself on what you might be getting into.  

Online dating emphasizes quantity over quality when choosing dates. The general idea is the more feelers someone puts out, the higher the chances of them landing a potential date. While that has become the norm, it may not always lead to success when venturing out into the virtual dating pool.

The problem is that it can degrade the level of communication when your focus goes from one person to many. Think of it like a flashlight. A concentrated beam of light shows great contrast and detail, but when you greatly widen the scope, you may pick up more of the surroundings, but the shine may not be as bright on the things right in front of you.

The tendency is often to match, send a low-effort pickup line, and repeat. Some people cut straight to the chase, immediately stating their intentions, but that also takes time and effort.

When it’s a numbers game, people put less and less thought into their connections, because it takes more time to do so. The less time and energy someone has to dedicate to a stranger, typically the less lively and engaging the conversations end up being.

One of the big pitfalls of online dating is the lack of context with your match. Without body language and other physical cues, it can be hard to pick up on a person’s real thoughts or opinions on subjects that may be important to you. That can, of course, be alleviated by meeting up for the first time and assessing the chemistry, but that, too, has its inherent problems when not approached with caution.

With social media being as volatile as it is, there’s no shortage of contention when someone can throw insults from the safety of their home. It can be difficult to iron out exactly who you’re talking to until you meet in person.

While there are certainly dangers when going out to meet a stranger for the first time, the general guidelines are to meet in a public place, have a backup plan in case things go south, and have someone you trust know your location. Most modern smartphones have a share location feature, which allows you to share your current location at any given time with an individual of your choosing.

Terrible daters are out there, and an alarming amount of both women and men have horror stories about first dates. If you think that can’t happen to you, guess again.

That’s not to say that online dating is all bad, though, as it gives people who are especially crunched for time a chance to date on their time and on their terms.

It provides people with an opportunity to connect with so many more people than they ever would have, and that’s a really valuable thing.

So many people have found success stories through the internet when dating online, but with a little attention to detail, you can weed out the duds from the studs. One thing that may be helpful is to really pay attention to the things that you need in a partner and the things that you know do or don’t work for you when meeting someone new. If you have values that are near and dear to you, compromising on those for a new boyfriend or girlfriend can spell failure down the line.

Red flags are there for a reason. They stand out, and if something doesn’t feel right with a person’s reaction or demeanor toward something important to you, you’re better off playing it safe than sorry. But fear not, everyone’s perfect person is out there somewhere. It’s just up to you to put in the effort to find them.

When Elephants Roamed Maryland

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Richard D. L. Fulton

One would hardly expect to see a wild elephant wandering about the landscape in Maryland today unless it was a zoo or circus escapee, but there was a time when the sight of them would not have seemed to be so out of the ordinary.

In fact, there was a time when Maryland served as the home to three different types of elephants.

The state’s indigenous elephants plodded the Maryland landscape from 12 million years ago until about 10,000 years ago, some having likely been hunted by prehistoric humans, who followed animal migration trails that led through Maryland.

The oldest elephant among the state’s prehistoric ones was the Gomphotherium, meaning “welded beast” in Latin, so named in reference to its tusks. The species of Gomphotherium, whose remains have been found in Maryland, is Gomphotherium calvertensis, named for the Calvert Cliffs on the Chesapeake Bay, the area in which a number of teeth were discovered.

Gomphotherium calvertensis was initially described and named in 1950. The animal lived during a period of time designated as the Miocene Epoch, which lasted from about 18 to 5 million years ago, when much of Eastern Maryland was submerged under the Atlantic Ocean.  It’s been estimated that Maryland’s Gomphotherium lived about 12 million years ago, according to Stephen J. Godfrey, Calvert Marine Museum (CMM)’s curator of paleontology.

Gomphotherium lived when the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean extended westward beyond Washington, D.C. The CMM has a number of this elephant’s teeth, as they were buried in marine sediments, having been washed there via rivers that emptied into the sea.

Godfrey wrote in Maryland’s Prehistoric Elephants (CMM’s Bugeye Times, Winter 2009-2010) that Gomphotherium stood some ten feet tall at the shoulders and weighed in at around four to six tons. 

The unusual feature of this creature was that it possessed four straight tusks, a pair of upper tusks and a pair of lower tusks. In spite of the unusual array of tusks, it is held that modern elephant of today descended from Gomphotherium stock. 

The Miocene Epoch was superseded by the Pliocene Epoch, which lasted from five to two million years ago, and during which period the gomphotheres eventually became supplanted by more modern types, one of which was the American mastodon (specifically Mammut americanum). The name Mammut means “earth burrower,” referring to the one-time belief that their remains that had been found in Russian fields were left by burrowing animals.

The presence of mastodons in Maryland was established by the finding of two isolated teeth, one of which was dredged from the Chesapeake Bay near the nuclear power plant, while the second was found in a stream located in Anne Arundel County, according to Godfrey.

Adult mastodons averaged ten-feet tall at their shoulders and weighed an estimated five tons. 

The mastodons in Maryland were also joined by the appearance of another elephant during the Pliocene, the far-more renowned hairy and aptly named Woolly Mammoth (the animated hero of the movie, Ice Age). With regard to the prehistoric elephants, mammoths are the most closely related to the present-day elephants.

Godfrey noted these behemoths stood up to 12 feet in height at the shoulders and could have very well weighed eight tons.

The period of time following the Pliocene was called the Pleistocene (Ice Age) Epoch, which lasted from two million years ago to 11,700 years ago, and both the mastodon and mammoth shared their territories during the entire epoch, as well as into the subsequent period of time known as the Holocene Epoch (which began about 11,700 years ago with the commencement of the period of global warming the Earth has been continuously experiencing since, to date).

One of the highly interesting aspects of the Ice Age in Maryland, is that, while there were no glaciers in Maryland, so much water was tied-up in continental ice that Maryland’s land mass extended to the east for some 300 miles, meaning that much of the land in Maryland that served as home to the mastodons, mammoths, and prehistoric humans is today under the sea.

The mastodons and mammoths were both hunted by early man, which likely also took place in Maryland given that the elephants and prehistoric humans coexisted in the state. Both elephants, however, eventually became extinct around 10,000 years ago.

*Cover Photo: Public Domain Mammoth, Courtesy of Needpix.com

Gomphotherium

Gomphotherium Illustration by Tim Scheirer, Courtesy of CMM

Gomphotherium Tooth: Photo by S. Godfrey, Courtesy of CMM

Mastodon

Mastodon Illustration by Tim Scheirer, Courtesy of CMM

Mastodon Tooth: Photo by S. Godfrey, Courtesy of CMM

Mammoth

Mammoth Illustration by Tim Scheirer, Courtesy of CMM

Mammoth Jaw: Photo Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History

Town Hall Report

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by James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont

For more information on the Town of Thurmont, visit www.thurmont.com or call 301-271-7313.

Residents Overwhelmingly Vote Down Annexation

During January’s special election, Thurmont residents voted 834-157 to not annex 16.7 acres of agricultural land into the town for high-density development. Although part of the property is already in town, and the lot in question was in the town’s master plan for residential development, residents gathered enough votes for the special election on January 17.

Frederick-based developer Cross and Company planned on a 24.5-acre mixed-use “intergenerational community” on the property. It would have included 172 homes, a day care center, and an assisted-living center.

With the vote results, the current plan cannot move forward, although something can be done with the portion that is already in the town boundaries.

Pavilion Rental Fees Increased

The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners voted to increase the rental fees for the pavilions in the town parks this year. The small pavilions will now cost $40.00 to rent and the large pavilions at Community Park will cost $60. The pavilion at Eyler Road Park is not included in this.

Purchases Approved

The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners recently approved some capital purchases for various town departments.

The electric department is purchasing a pick-up truck from Fitzgerald’s in Frederick for $42,909.

The wastewater treatment plant will be installing an emergency generator system in the plant for $370,500. This will cover the cost of the machinery and the initial $5,000 fuel charge. Most of the funds ($322,000) come from the American Rescue Plan. The remainder will come from the town’s budget surplus.

The streets department is purchasing a dump truck from Crouse Ford for $103,923. Most of the cost ($100,000) was a budgeted capital expense. The remainder will come from the town’s unrestricted fund balance.

Nearly Five Acres Added to the Town

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners approved a resolution to annex 4.881 acres of property owned by Apples United Church of Christ and town-owned property into the Town of Thurmont.

Liaison Appointments

The commissioner liaison appointments for 2023 will remain the same as 2022: President Pro Tem – Wayne Hooper; Planning and Zoning – John Kinnaird; Thurmont Addictions – Wayne Hooper; Parks and Recreation – Wes Hamrick; Thurmont Ministerium – Wes Hamrick; Police – Bill Blakeslee; Board of Appeals – Bill Buehrer; Senior Center – Bill Blakeslee; Economic Development – Bill Buehrer; Special Activities – Wayne Hooper.

Zoning Changes Made

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners made some adjustments to the town’s zoning ordinance and how land can be developed.

The mayor and commissioners repealed the Traditional Neighborhood Floating Zone. This was a development option that had never been used in Thurmont. It had been applied for once, but not approved.

The mayor and commissioners also approved a Planned Unit Development zoning option for the town.

Emmitsburg

For more information on the Town of Emmitsburg, visit www.emmitsburgmd.gov or call 301-600-6300.

Frailey Farm Developer Backs Out

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners announced during the January town meeting that the developer who was seeking to build new housing on the property was not pursuing the project. The reason given was that the economy was slowing and financing for the project was becoming more expensive.

The proposed plan would been to have the town annex the 118-acre farm and then the developer would build 300 homes on it. Although the farm was in the town master plan for future residential development, some residents were not happy with the idea.

System Upgrade Approved

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved $56,937 for the ChemScan system at the wastewater treatment plant. A similar upgrade had been made at the water treatment plant and has been very successful.

Change Order Approved

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a change order for Bearing Construction to have trees removed on the dam at the Silo Hill Basin. This was something that Frederick County Soil Conservation required per MDE guidelines. The cost for the change is $47,185. The board also approved an agreement with Barton and Loguidice for the Silo Hill Basin tree removal engineering services. This was part of the change order request that was not in the initial scope of work.

  The cost of the work is covered by the grant that is funding the project.

American Rescue Plan Monies

Emmitsburg received $3.2 million in American Rescue Plan funds. The first payment was in 2021, and the second payment of $1.6 million came last August. The money can be spent to support public health expenditures and address negative economic impacts; replace lost public sector revenue; provide premium pay for essential workers; and invest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.

The first payment was used for the water clarifier and pump station projects. Town staff recommended that the second payment be used for water infrastructure projects such as the 16-inch main water line, with which the commissioners agreed.

Amending Development Fees

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners amended the town ordinance to approve changes to the subdivision, plan review and annexation, and forest conservation procedures. The goal is that the developers will pay the legal costs the town incurs for work related to proposed developments. This will keep the taxpayers from having to pay for work on proposals that ultimately go nowhere.

From the Mayor

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Emmitsburg

Mayor Don Briggs

The New Year brought some excitement with Rutter’s opening Tuesday, January 17. With town approvals in hand and most of the county approvals, too, the protracted construction was complicated by supply chain issues, state highway approval, and state environmental approvals, but FINALLY, it is open. The station offers wide, spacious access to the many pumps, along with an attractive, open interior convenience store and deli. Lots of people were taking pictures and selfies. A good day for our community!

The Frailey Farm annexation intrigue as to its potential impact is no more. The developers notified the town over the Christmas holidays of their intent to not move forward with the project. They appreciated the time given by the community. Their reasoning centered around the timing and economic climate. The good news is it allows the community to assess where we are and what we want to see.

Duck and cover! COVID variations, flu bronchitis, and common colds seem to be flowing through the community. Finally, the flu got to our town office staff, which caused the moving of the town’s regularly scheduled meeting to Wednesday, January 18, 2023. A summary of the agenda items are as follows:

For consideration, approval of Bearing Construction change order for removal of trees on the dam at the Silo Hill Basin. Mandatory requirement from Frederick County Soil Conservation per MDE guidelines. Approved unanimously by the board members present, Commissioner O’Donnell not present.

For consideration, approval of agreement with Barton and Loguidice for Silo Hill Basin tree removal engineering services. Part of the change order request that was not in the initial scope of work. Approved unanimously by the board members present, Commissioner O’Donnell not present.

For consideration, approval of the HACH estimate for the ChemScan upgrade at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The Board previously approved a similar upgrade at the WTP. This was included as an asset project for the WWTP in the FY23 budget. Approved unanimously by the board members present, Commissioner O’Donnell not present.

For consideration, approval of Resolution 2023-01 bond reduction request for the Irishtown Road project. Approved unanimously by the board members present, Commissioner O’Donnell not present.

For approval, designation of the second tranche of the American Rescue Plan monies. Approved unanimously by the board members present, Commissioner O’Donnell not present.

For consideration, approval of Ordinance 2023-03 amendment to Title 16 changes to subdivision fees. Approved unanimously by the board members present, Commissioner O’Donnell not present.

For consideration, approval of Ordinance 2023-02 amendment to Title 17 changes to zoning fees. This ordinance will amend the collection process for zoning fees. Approved unanimously by the board members present, Commissioner O’Donnell not present.

 There are lots of events planned for the year: Earth Day, Tree City, Arbor Day, Community Heritage Day, National Night Out, just to name a few. I hope you join us! Dates and information to follow.

With the gathered gusto, as usual for the new year, comes a reluctant resolve to move the belt in a notch or two, again. So be it, the days are getting longer…

Thurmont

 Mayor John Kinnaird

As everyone must be aware, the referendum opposing the annexation of the Simmers property was successful and that project is now halted. This is a great example of residents getting involved in the processes regarding the growth of our community. Moving forward, I hope that more residents make themselves aware of what is happening with our master plan and planning and zoning topics before the need for public referendum arises. The agendas for planning and zoning, the board of appeals, and the board of commissioners are all posted on the website, Thurmont.com. The agendas identify the topics being discussed and those that action will be taken on. These agendas can be viewed on the video streaming page, along with videos of past meetings.

This spring and summer will see several public works projects starting. The first will be the replacement of the water line on Old Pryor Road. This work will include the replacement of outdated water mains and the installation of a new line tying into the Hillside subdivision. Only residents on Hillside Circle and Old Pryor Road will be impacted by this work. Next, we will be upgrading the stormwater catch basins on Frederick Road. The basins will be rebuilt and may require single-lane closures on Frederick Road, so please follow traffic control measures during this work. Once the catch basins are completed, we will be milling and repaving Frederick Road. This work will also require lane closures during the work. A new ball field will be constructed at East End Park to feature lighting for nighttime games. Construction of this new field should not impact residents. A new pavilion will replace the existing one at East End Park. This will involve removing the old pavilion and pad, then installing a new pad and a metal pavilion. Later this year, we will begin with a large project on North Church Street. This will involve replacing all the water and wastewater lines on North Church Street and installing new water service lines and lateral lines where needed. This will require long-term line closures during the project, with limited inconvenience to residents in the area as the work progresses. Once completed, North Church Street is scheduled to be resurfaced.

Please keep in mind our neighbors, friends, and family members in need of food and warm clothing over the winter months. Donations of non-perishable food, sanitary items, baby food, diapers, and cash donations to the Thurmont Food Bank will help ensure nutritious meals are available to those in need. Donations can be dropped off at the Thurmont Food Bank at 10 Frederick Road. Clothing donations to the Thurmont Clothes Closet at Thurmont United Methodist Church at 13880 Long Road in Thurmont will help families keep warm. Donations can be dropped at the donation box at the Clothes Closet. Any jackets, coats, and warm clothing you donate will be greatly appreciated.

Luckily, we have managed to dodge any accumulating snowfall, but that will probably end soon. When it snows, please try to keep vehicles off the streets wherever possible, so our snow crews can clear the streets to the curb. As much as you want to clear your driveway, try to wait until the trucks are finished, so they don’t plow your driveway shut. Sidewalks must be cleared within 24 hours of the snow stopping or within 36 hours if more than eight inches of snow accumulates. Snow cleared from sidewalks, driveways, etc. cannot be placed onto any streets. If you would like to volunteer to help senior citizens with snow removal, please contact the Thurmont Police at 301-271-0905.

As always, I am available at jkinnaird@thurmont.com or at 301-606-9458 if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. I hope everyone has a great February!

From the Burgess

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Woodsboro

Burgess Heath Barnes

Happy February! We are over halfway through winter, with seven more weeks until spring. I am personally grateful for the mild winter we have had so far, and I am looking forward to spring.

At our January 10 meeting, we held a public hearing about whether to allow chickens in Woodsboro. The current town code, written in 1972, does not allow them. We opened the meeting up with this topic and allowed any town resident up to three minutes to speak on the issue. We had several town residents in attendance, and the majority present spoke in favor of allowing chickens. With the information that was provided, the council voted 3-1 not to take the vote that night but rather to let our planning and zoning committee who met on January 23 to put in place what the regulations would be: herd size, distance from property line for chicken coops, etc. The Woodsboro Town Council will vote on the measure at the February 14 meeting.

During the January 10th town meeting, I gave an update on the town hall progress. Our engineer and architect are working diligently on it, and our engineer feels that there is a good chance we could see shovels going into the ground by late spring. I, as well as many others, will be happy to see this progression happening.

This month has been very quiet in the town, so there isn’t much more to report on. Next month, there will be more.

As always, I encourage everyone to support Glade Valley Community Services (GVCS) if you have clothes or food donations as they are always in need of items for members of the community. For more information, please contact GVCS by email at gvcs.inc@verizon.net, or call 301-845-0213.

If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, or compliments please feel free to reach out to me at hbarnes@woodsboro.org or by phone at 301-401-7164.

Woodsboro Town meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. In addition, Planning and Zoning meetings are at 6:00 p.m. on the first Monday of the month, as needed. If you have an item for the agenda, it needs to be submitted 14 days before the Planning and Zoning meeting. The current location for meetings is the St. Johns United Church of Christ, located at 8 N. 2nd Street, Woodsboro, MD 21798. The public is always invited to attend.

German POWs Helped Save Adams’ Agriculture

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Richard D. L. Fulton

Note: Cover Photo (Never before published) Nazi medical officer poses near the High Water Mark on the Gettysburg Battlefield, 1939 (Source: National Park Service, Gettysburg). It was found by an NPS archivist while searching for materials for my book.

(Adapted from ‘Nazis’ in Gettysburg: World War II Comes to a Civil War Battlefield by Richard D. L. Fulton, pending publication.)

It’s amazing how much history has transpired on the Gettysburg battlefield that did not occur in 1863 and did not involve the collision of Union and Confederate troops.

One of those non-Civil War events occurred when the battlefield served as “home” to hundreds of German prisoners of war (who were referred to as PWs – POW being a post-World War II acronym).

As to why they were here, the war had drained the availability of military-aged men in the county (and in the country as a whole), that farmers were concerned over the resulting shortage of labor, that much of their produce would be lost before it could be harvested.

Given that the Geneva Convention allowed for the use of POW labor, as long as it was not directly employed in the production of war materials, a proposal was put forth and approved to establish POW camps around the country to house Germans to help in harvesting and other agriculturally related activities, thereby providing an opportunity for Adams County farmers to receive the much-needed labor.

The prisoners ultimately did not only help in the fields, but also in pulpwood cutting, and even in the canneries.

The first of what would be three PW compounds was constructed in 1944, when a 600-foot by 400-foot rectangular prisoner of war compound (paid by the Adams County Fruit Growers Association) was erected, paralleling Emmitsburg Road and Long Lane.

The compound consisted of rows of squad-sized tents for the prisoners, the German command tent, a canteen, the compound kitchen, two mess tents, wooden showers and latrines with concrete floors, and an exercise ground.  Adjacent to the POW compound was a section that included the quarters and associated structures utilized by the camp guard and support staff, shower and latrines, a kitchen, mess tent, administration tent, and storage and supply tents.

The entire compound, except for the portion inhabited by the army guards and staff, was surrounded by barbed wire, with a guard tower at each of the four corners of the barbed wire enclosure. Joan Thomas, daughter of the camp’s commander, Captain Laurence C. Thomas, noted that the camp guards were armed with machine guns.  This camp held 400 prisoners.

As winter approached, it was then decided to establish a new compound in the old, former Civilian Conservation Corps (which had also served as the headquarters—dubbed Camp Sharpe—for various units of the Ritchie Boys in preparation for their deployment on D-Day). 

The prisoners at the Emmitsburg Road camp had been reduced to 200 PWs, and these, along with the Army guards and staff, were relocated in November to the old CCC camp, located off West Confederate Avenue on the western slope of Seminary Ridge, which had been further modified by moving some of the structures and adding others. 

During December, the number of PWs grew to 42 German non-commissioned officers and 448 German enlisted men. The abandoned Emmitsburg camp was then dismantled. Captain Thomas was initially in command, but he was subsequently transferred to Camp Michaux (a secret World War II camp in Michaux State Forest for interrogating prisoners of war), and Captain James W. Copley (and later, Captain Clarence M. Morfit, Jr.) assumed command.

During the winter, PWs were mainly employed for cutting pulpwood. However, as spring approached, farmers became concerned that there was still not enough labor to handle the harvests and canning. This resulted in a third PW compound being constructed, directly fronting West Confederate Avenue, not far from the compound that had been established in the old CCC camp.

Although the new camp shared the same military identification as the CCC camp, it was, in fact, considered a separate camp with its own command structure, headed up by Captain Clarence K. Randall.  The compound was a tented camp as per the abandoned Emmitsburg camp. It appears that the tented encampment was to be replaced with actual barracks, which were not constructed, as the result of the end of the war with Germany.

By September 8, 1945, four months after Germany’s surrender, both West Confederate Avenue camps housed a combined total of 83 German non-commissioned officers and 799 German enlisted men and covered a combined total of 70 acres.

The Gettysburg compounds experienced a smattering of escape attempts, but all in all, there seemed to be little interest in attempting such an adventure. For one thing, the prisoners were safely out of the war and away from the poorly maintained camps overseas. 

The prisoners were also well-fed, and a little on the spoiled side, as farm families insisted that each soldier fill their pockets, or anything else they might be carrying, with farm goods.

But there were a few attempts to escape for various reasons (attempting to escape an enemy POW camp is not a crime. In fact, under international law, attempting to escape is part of a soldier’s duty.  An escapee cannot be shot while attempting to escape, although some were on both sides. They cannot be tried for attempting to escape, but they can be tried for any other crime that might have occurred during the escape).

On July 3, 1944, Thomas Kostaniak, 27, and Axel Ostermaier, 22, escaped from the Emmitsburg compound through a drainage conduit that ran from the camp and under Emmitsburg Road (the conduit is still there!), thereby having triggered a two-state manhunt that lasted for days.

The duo managed to elude capture for some 30 miles, when, by the time they reached the York area, hunger and fatigue compelled them to surrender to a farm wife, Rachel Bentzel, and her daughter-in-law, Grace Bentzel. The duo was subsequently turned over to the York police, and then the FBI, who returned them to the camp.

As to the motive for the attempted escape… they were trying to get to Atlantic City, having assumed by the name it must be a major seaport in which they could make their way aboard an outgoing ship and head back to Germany.

To illustrate the opposing extreme in escapes, during October 1945, two POWs escaped from a work detail and headed into Gettysburg Borough.  It was reported that apparently the two Germans had no real intent of escape and had merely grown bored at the camp and decided to go off on an adventure. The adventure quickly came to a conclusion when the two POWs were spotted by two off-duty camp guards, and the “escapees” were taken into custody.

As for a motive, it was reported the two wanted to see a movie (Captain Eddie: Story of Rickenbacker was playing at the time) but were refused entry because the theater would not accept their POW vouchers (script).

Prisoners of war would not have had any actual cash placed in their hands for their labors, or the result of any other source of income, their earnings being “banked” by the government and the prisoners being issued script at their encampment canteens.

Following Germany’s surrender on May 7, 1945, German POWs remained in the tri-state area. At the beginning of repatriation, Pennsylvania, along with Maryland and Virginia, served as “home” to more than 35,000 German prisoners of war. The War Department began to set into motion their effort to send the one-time enemy combatants housed in the tri-state area home in November 1945.

Before being released, the Germans had to go through “de-Nazification,” which included watching German death camp films and other exposed atrocities. Upon repatriation, each prisoner also received the money the government had “banked” from their labors.

Source: NPS, Gettysburg

Aerial view: The former CCC camp that was coverted to hold German POWs.

Sources: NPS, Gettysburg & Adams County Historical Society

Emmitsburg Road POW camp tents.

A Most Unusual Set  of Triplets

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James Rada, Jr.

Photo Courtesy of Findagrave.com

The Tracey triplets (from left): Mabel, Bessie, and Edith.

In 1886, Emma Catherine Tracey of Fountaindale gave birth three days in a row.

Mabel Viola was born around noon on April 4, weighing 6 lbs. Her sister, Edith Grace, was born the following day around noon, also weighing 6 lbs. Finally, Bessie Barton was born on April 6 around 6:00 p.m. and weighed 7 lbs. Dr. Abram Pierce Beaver of Fairfield, Pennsylvania, delivered the children.

A total of 54 hours separated the births.

Because of the expense involved with raising triplets, the Traceys took pictures of them on August 26 and began selling them as postcards for 25 cents each (about $11.00 in today’s dollars). One side of the card had the picture of the children. The other side had information about them and their unusual birth. However, it misspelled Mabel’s name as Mable and listed Bessie’s birth time as 4:00 p.m.

The card also mentioned that Mother Emma had been born with only one arm. Her health seemed perfect otherwise. Not only did she survive the birth of her triplets, she lived until 1949 and was 91 years old.

The girls lived long lives, marrying and having children of their own. When they were 79 in 1965, it was reported that they were the oldest living triplets in Pennsylvania, and possibly, the country.

Bessie, the youngest of the triplets, was the first to die. She passed away on February 24, 1966, shortly before turning 80. The cause of her death was listed as “Ovarian carcinoma & metastases.”

Mabel and Edith died the following year on January 17 and March 20, respectively. Mabel’s cause of death was listed as “Recurrent myocardial infarction & hypertensive cardiovascular, due to severe disease and thrombus in the left ventricle.” Edith’s cause of death was listed as “Myocardial infarction, acute, due to [illegible] heart disease and generalized arteriosclerosis.”

The sisters are all buried in Green Hill Cemetery in Waynesboro.

Nowadays, triplets make up only about 5 percent of births, and that number has been boosted because of fertility drugs. In 1886, it was even less frequent, so the Tracey girls began life as an oddity. As the Waynesboro Record Herald noted in 1950, “The rarity of their births 64 years ago was made more significant last month when three babies were born on consecutive days, but within a much shorter span of time, to a woman in Jonesville, Louisiana. When this phenomena was learned, press associations over the world proclaimed the three-day birth series as having occurred perhaps ‘the first time in medical history.’”

But it had happened before.

Love Is Like… (Teenage Edition)

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by Helen Xia, CHS Student Writer

Is teenage dating more common now than in the past?

Not necessarily. In 1992, 15 percent of students in twelfth grade had never dated; in 2017, that number jumped to 49 percent. According to the Pew Research Center, only about 35 percent of teenagers have had some experience with dating or romantic relationships. From the same study, it was found that, unsurprisingly, older teens—those ages 15 to 17—are “around twice as likely as those ages 13 to 14 to have ever had some type of romantic relationship experience.”

Technology and social media have played a big role in dating, just as they have played a role in every other component of life. Specifically, though, only 8 percent of teenagers have met a romantic partner online. About 50 percent have expressed their interest in someone through social media apps, whether that may be through friending or following their account, liking and commenting on their posts, or direct messaging the other person, to name a few common interactions (Pew Research Center).

It’s notable that while social media helps bring potential lovers together, it also gives rise to undesirable sentiments. To demonstrate, 27 percent of teenagers say that these apps spark feelings of envy or doubt about their romantic relationships, and 69 percent express how “too many people can see what’s happening in their relationship on social media.” (Pew Research Center).

Even with the statistics, love is an intricate concept that’s often difficult to put in words. Despite this, to help me define the essence of love, I asked my peers (who are more knowledgeable in the topic than I am) a few questions surrounding the matter.

For starters, I asked them: What is a romantic relationship?

“For me, dating is the process of trying to find someone who I want to marry,” one respondent said. “That’s why I’m very intentional about why I’m dating, because if you’re only dating just to date, you’re dating to get your heart broken. While dating to find someone to marry can lead to heartbreak, if you’re seeking out a committed, serious relationship, I feel like that’s the type of relationship you’re more likely to find. While I’ve waited what’s considered a ‘long time’ amongst most teenagers before starting to date—since I’ve been intentional about dating for marriage—I’ve been able to get the benefits of a more committed, serious relationship with someone I love and hope to someday marry, than I would have if I had decided to just date around.”

Another teenager replied, “Dating is finding that special person that makes you feel happy and completes your life—they fill up the other half of your heart. As teenagers, some have dated multiple people, however, I waited longer than most until I was comfortable and more mature. I feel now that I’ve made the right choice, as now I’m more likely to have a serious and life-long relationship that could ideally lead to marriage. Dating isn’t just something you can be goofing around with, ‘cause in the end, you’re hurting yourself and someone else. Wait until the perfect time and the perfect person. They will be put in your way at the right moment.”

What is communication in a relationship? We’ve all heard the proverb that “communication is key” in any relationship, but what is it on a more detailed level? According to many experts, part of good communication is paying attention and listening when your partner is speaking, listening to understand rather than to respond. Is communication something that comes naturally or is it more of a conscious effort? Curious, I asked these questions to fellow high-school students. Right away, it was agreed that communication is one of the pillars of a fulfilling romance.

“Communication means a lot to me,” a classmate explained, adding, “It’s necessary for a healthy and strong relationship.”

In regards to describing what it entails, one student replied, “Communication is destroying the language barrier between you and your partner’s hearts.”

Another responded, “Communication in a relationship, to me, means trusting [one another] enough to get vulnerable without fear or ridicule.”

When asked whether communication is deliberate, a junior in high school answered, “Yes, most of the time, it’s deliberate. It shouldn’t feel uncomfortable to talk about your feelings in a relationship, but it also takes effort to do. And, even in dating, it’s difficult sometimes. With us being so young, we don’t really know who we are yet, ourselves, so it’s tricky explaining who we are to somebody else.”

The final question I asked was: What do you value in a relationship?

Interestingly, all of the respondents mentioned honesty in some way.

“I find honesty and transparency essential (which is basically communication),” a close friend of mine told me. “Getting into a relationship there’s always going to be some kind of insecurity and being able to feel comfortable is important. Getting to know each other honestly not only brings you closer together as people, but [also] allows you to realize whether you’re really meant to be with each other.”

A second teenager’s take on this question was as follows: “One thing that I really value in a relationship is honesty—and not just toward the receiver, but also to yourself. It becomes a chore to fake your life to another person, because, at that point, you are lying and living two lives. One [life] is depression-inducing enough. We should, and need, to be honest to others and ourselves about how we feel. It’s a blessing when you can hang around your friends and loved ones by simply being you.”

So, what is romantic love? Put simply, it’s what you make of it, as long as your partner agrees! Even if the details may differ, depending on the couple you ask, a few themes remain constant, such as the value of communication, the importance of sincerity, and, of course, its inherent beauty. Valentine’s Day may have been a day for celebrating love and affection with your other half, but love toward everything—your parents, your pets, your hobbies, nature—should be celebrated every day. Gratitude is a timeless phenomenon.

Fun Valentine Facts

Did you know that National Lover’s Day is on April 23? It’s, essentially, a second Valentine’s Day!

There’s a town in Texas named Valentine, though it’s not a very popular one. It boasts a population of approximately 108 residents.

Sir Alexander Fleming’s discovery, penicillin, was introduced on Valentine’s Day.

In 2022, Americans spent $23.9 billion on Valentine’s Day. That was down from $27.4 billion spent in 2020.

Chocolates didn’t always mean love. Physicians in the old days would recommend chocolate to people who were suffering from a broken heart or pining after a lost love.

Valentine’s Day is going to the dogs. One in four people buy Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets, and almost half admit they cuddle with their dog more than their partner.

Emmitsburg Filmmaker Premieres New Documentary

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Film Raises Awareness About PTSD in First Responders

More than 400 people filled a darkened theater in Irving, Texas on November 3, 2022, for the world premiere of PTSD911, the most recent film from Emmitsburg resident, Conrad Weaver. PTSD911 is a relevant and timely documentary exploring the post-traumatic stress in first responders, as well as the importance of providing resources and training necessary to equip first responders with the tools they can use to mitigate the impact of the traumas they experience on the job.

The comments after the premiere in Texas were very positive. Samantha Horwitz, a former Secret Service Agent and now the co-host of A Badge of Honor Podcast, said, “Wow! Wow! Wow! The emotion, vulnerability, and reality of what [Conrad] captured was astounding. You could feel it in the theatre last night.” Her comments were echoed by Monica Million, former president of the National Emergency Number Association, “Thank you for the care with which you told this story.  It was very moving and impactful.  All in our community need to see it, including decision makers.”

Weaver began working on the film after spending time with local law enforcement and emergency service agencies while shooting his previous film, Heroin’s Grip. After a few ride-alongs, he began to research how traumatic scenes affect first responders and uncovered the issue of PTSD within the first responder community.  He discovered that the risk of suicide among first responders is exponentially higher than among the general population, and many first responders are afraid of losing their job if they ask for help. These experiences inspired him to create this film.

“We expect first responders to show up when we call and take care of us on our worst day, but many times—more often than not—the first responders themselves are not doing well. We must do better. We can do better, and we show that in this film,” said Weaver.

PTSD911 follows the wellness journey of three first responders: a firefighter from Anaheim, California; a dispatcher from Boston; and a former Frederick City Police officer.  Their stories are the backbone of the film, but Weaver also weaves in stories from other first responders, as well as commentary and informative content from mental health experts who work with first responders. Weaver captured b-roll footage for the film from several Frederick County agencies, including from the 9-1-1 Emergency Call Center and the Vigilant Hose Company in Emmitsburg.

The goals of this film are to:

1. Raise Awareness

Most civilians don’t know or understand the issue of post-traumatic stress in first responders. The goal is to educate the viewer and stimulate change in people’s behavior and attitudes toward our nation’s first responders. First responders are heroes who not only deserve applause, but also deserve to have access to the support networks that can help mitigate the ongoing stress that trauma can bring.

2. End the Stigma

To help first responders realize it’s okay to ask for help. The case studies featured in the film depict individuals and agencies who are helping their members realize that it is okay to raise one’s hand and ask for help.

3. Inspire Systemic Change

No one should get fired just because they are struggling with the traumas they have faced, and they have asked for help. It is vital to implement healthy changes and training within first-responder agencies so that their members get the mental health help they need and can continue to be productive in their public service to our communities.

Weaver and his team are now bringing the film to cities all across the United States, including a multi-city Bike and Film tour in the summer of 2023. Weaver and his friend John will ride bicycles from Astoria, Oregon, to Ocean City, Maryland, stopping at 25 cities along the way to show the film. They will be coming through Frederick County on July 13, when they plan on showing the film at a local venue. Tickets for the Frederick County screening will be available on the website: ptsd911movie.com.

Following their film tour, Weaver will release an educational toolkit, which will contain the film and additional video footage, as well as resources for first-responder agencies. The film’s production was sponsored in part by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Lighthouse Health and Wellness, and the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation among other organizations and hundreds of individuals from around the globe.

To learn more about the film, watch the trailer and learn where it can be seen, including the bike and film tour. Visit www.ptsd911movie.com.

Conrad Weaver (left) with Tom Morris Jr, LIVE-PD, who Emceed the Premiere Q&A.

Principal cast and producers of PTSD911.

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Conrad Weaver (left) during a PTSD911 ride-along with Anaheim Fire in 2021.

Hamiltonban’s Prehistoric ‘Money Pit’

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Richard D. L. Fulton

Beneath the rolling hills of Hamiltonban Township, a township in Adams County, Pennsylvania, lies a land before time, a terrain that existed when even the first life upon Earth was just beginning to evolve into a myriad of more complex forms. Many of us know it as the ‘Grit Mill’ that is visible from Route #16 at Blue Ridge Summit, PA.

Some billion years ago, there was but one continent dubbed Rodinia. But continents—over the course of millions of years—tend to come and go, and 575 million years ago, Rodinia was about to drift away into the annals of time—literally.  Rodinia was beginning to break apart into subcontinents due to continental drift.

Continental drift, resulting from the breaking up of continental plates—or even the collision of them—tends to generate the epitome of violent geological events, usually entailing massive earthquakes and/or the outbreak of severe volcanic eruptions.

The series of events resulting from the slow-motion demise of Rodinia, which impacted the geologic future of Hamiltonban Township, extended from South Central Pennsylvania through Maryland, and into Virginia. The sequence of events preserved in the rocks of that period has been dubbed the Catoctin Formation, according to the National Park Service.

Principally, this earthly disruption created fissures in the Earth’s surfaces in the above-noted region, allowing massive amounts of lava to flow out onto the surface, which, over time, hardened into a rock called basalt. But geophysics was not yet done with these hardened layers of basalt. 

When the African plate collided with the North American plate around 250 million years ago, the collision, which crumpled up the land into mountains, exerted such intense force that it restructured many existing rocks into new forms…so much so, that it altered the basalt into a green, fine-grained form called metabasalt (meaning altered basalt). The effects of erosion over the course of millions of years weathered the mountains down, and within the Hamiltonban area, exposed the long-buried beds of metabasalt.

The first humans to dig into the ancient lava beds were those seeking native copper during the 1800s, which occurred in seams that subsequently formed within the Catoctin Formation via fractures within the rock. The long-abandoned mines can still be found in the Hamiltonban area, but most are far too dangerous to enter.

Then came Specialty Granules, LLC (SGI), a Hagerstown-based subsidiary of Standard Industries—in obviously more recent times—who began quarrying the metabasalt in Hamiltonban Township and pulverizing the rock to be used primarily in the production of roofing shingles. If one were to run their hand over one of these shingles, the rough surface granules one would feel are the particles of pulverized metabasalt (this weather-resistant rock helps prolong the life of the shingles). 

Aside from the use in shingles, SGI also produces building materials and agricultural products using the metabasalt, according to Allison Devlin, senior communications and marketing specialist for SGI at their Hagerstown headquarters.

The Hamiltonban facility and quarry is known as the Charmian Plant, while the quarry itself has been dubbed the Pitts Quarry.

Matthew McClure, Specialty Granules vice-president of Roofing Operations, stated that the Hamiltonban metabasalt quarry operation initially began in 1923.  McClure stated that the quarry is now some 1,500 feet wide from west to east and 2,000 feet wide from south to north, and that the operation mines the metabasalt deposit to a depth of approximately 400 feet.

The vice president also stated that the company mines approximately 1.5 million tons of metabasalt, annually, and that the metabasalt formation presently being quarried/mined should continue to be productive for 40 to 50 more years, “based on current mining volumes.”  The company presently employs 160 individuals in conjunction with the Hamiltonban facility.

SGI is ”a leading mining and mineral processing company that specializes in the development of roofing products, building materials, and soil amendments for agriculture,” according to Devlin, further noting that SGI operates four nationwide surface mines, where it sources highly specific rock for its products, with the corporate headquarters and a fully equipped research and development facility, all located in Hagerstown. 

And it all began… with the lost continent of Rodinia.

First miners at Pitts Quarry, 1930s.

Excavating metabasalt in Pitts Quarry.

1944: The ‘Nazi’ Mason-Dixon Invasion

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Richard D. L. Fulton

(Adapted from ‘Nazis’ in Gettysburg:  World War II Comes to a Civil War Battlefield by Richard D. L. Fulton, pending publication.)

It seemed like just another routine and ordinary morning in 1944 in tranquil Frederick and Adams counties to the casual observer, but something was about to occur which would be beyond the routine and the ordinary – perhaps even horrifying – in these rural counties.

As Mason-Dixon residents went about their normal business, perhaps starting their day at their kitchen tables having cups of coffee or enjoying their breakfasts and reading over their local newspaper on the events transpiring in a far-away war relegated in faraway places most Mason-Dixon residents would likely never see.

America was only a few months away from D-Day and the invasion of Normandy, but as many rural area farmers and their families went about their routine chores, a few of them might have noticed a disruption in the nearby tree lines, unusual activities in a distant field, or something not quite right about vehicles rumbling their way down a little-used dirt road.

Suddenly it became clear, as events began to transpire within more reasonable fields of vision, that the individuals who could be identified appeared to be armed men in uniforms – German Wehrmacht uniforms.  At first a few individual German soldiers appeared, as if scouting, then squads and platoons began to walk out of the woods. 

Before residents could decipher any meaning to it all, German armored vehicles could be seen rumbling along the rural roads.  As the vehicles progressed closer, observers could observe the readily distinguishable and distinct Balkan crosses on the fronts and sides.  Even more disturbing, two war planes – also bearing Balkan crosses on their wings and sides – could be seen flying low over the fields, as if scouting ahead of the converging enemy.

Slowly, as the unbelievable seemed to be unfolding before those who were observing the remarkable events, the sole reason behind it all could only suggest one thing – the unthinkable.  The Germans were on the move, not in Europe, but in Maryland…in Frederick County, and making their way northward along the rural dirt byways, apparently, for all intents and purposes, completely undetected by any military authorities or local law enforcement.

How could this be?  There had been no warning.  Some of the local inhabitants might have been a little surprised, at least initially.  There were, after all, several hundred members of the famed German Afrika Korps “encamped” just outside Gettysburg.  Sure, they were just prisoners of war (referred to as PWs in that period of time) housed in the Gettysburg battlefield compound, but had the Wehrmacht launched a surprise raid on American soil to liberate them?

Several of the advancing Germans were “captured” by local farmers, who thought they could also be escaped prisoners of war and held them until they could be turned over to the military or police, but to their chagrin, their patriotic effort would ultimately have been as being proven to have been for naught.  The farmers could make little sense of what their prisoners were trying to say – their captives, not surprisingly, could only speak German.

Certainly, to whatever local farmers and residents who might have been witnessing this seemingly unanticipated “invasion,” there must have been somewhat of a sigh of relief when groups of American GIs began to appear on the scene to essentially “save the day.”

Finally, after more than a week of apparent hit-and-run tactics having been employed by the Germans, triggering similar responses by the American troops at hand, the sounds of warfare began to taper off, until the only thing anyone within hearing distance might have heard were demands that the German forces surrender, being made by the Americans, spoken in German, and being broadcast from loudspeakers. 

The American broadcasts announced to the Germans proclaimed that the Germans were surrounded, that resistance was futile, and that there was no sense dying when they could surrender and be treated in full accordance with the Geneva Convention.

 As the invasion slowly began to grind to a halt as more groups of American troops began rounding up surrendering Germans and removing them from the scene—as well as liberating members of the enemy who had been taken into custody by shotgun-wielding locals.

Why had the infamous and renowned German Wehrmacht given up so easily? Perhaps the main reason was because this German “invasion” had not been plotted and orchestrated in Berlin. The planning for this “attack” on American soil began just outside of Gettysburg within a forested area of the old Gettysburg battlefield known as McMillan Woods, at a former Civilian Conservation Corps camp which had recently been re-dubbed by the military as “Camp George H. Sharpe” (see The Ritchie Boys” From Antietam to Gettysburg in the November issue of The Catoctin Banner).

The week-long invasion had been orchestrated as a training exercise for the approximately 800-man 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Mobile Radio Broadcasting companies, who would be responsible -upon deployment on D-Day – for attempting to coerce enemy troops into surrendering or retreating, and to spread factual information from behind enemy lines to the allies and generate “fake news” broadcasts to the enemy.

Because of the secretive nature of the exercises, the residents could not have been notified by the military in-advance, as it could have potentially jeopardized the covert nature of the operations emanating out of Camp Sharpe.  The civilian population would not learn of the truth behind the invasion until after the close of the war.

As to the column of German vehicles, George Mandler recorded in Interesting Times: An Encounter With the 20th Century 1924 – that the shells of simulated German tanks were also constructed of plywood and mounted on Jeeps.  Other types of German vehicles were nothing more than cardboard shells mounted on various other vehicles. 

And as to the two German “Messerschmitt” fighters seen overhead during the engagement, The Baltimore Sun reporter Bready wrote that the simulated aircraft strafing was being recreated by two “Cub trainers, based at the Waynesboro airport.”  Some of the German soldiers were actually German prisoners of war who had volunteered to participate in the maneuvers rather than just sit in PW camps.

But what about the distinct sounds of battle heard?  The (Frederick) News reported in 1945, “speakers had been planted in strategic locations and used to broadcast actual combat noises.”

Making mention of the few German troops captured by local farmers, Hanna and Walter Kohner wrote in Hanna… Walter: A Love Story, “The German front was so carefully duplicated that some of the soldiers dressed in German uniforms not only were captured by our own units and interrogated, but also by some Gettysburg farmers, who took them for escaped POWs.” 

Reporter Bready, jokingly referring to the farmer-captured Germans, stated, “Fun might be had counting up, in the hospital records at Ritchie, that cryptic entry, ‘Wound, buttocks, buckshot.”

Remnants of the “Nazi” Mason-Dixon Invasion still exist in the fields and woods of the affected woods and fields to this day.  “The hills and forests surrounding the camp will be giving up souvenirs for years to come,” The (Frederick) News reported in 1945, a statement recently reinforced with the discovery of German World War II equipage and medals recovered by relic hunters at an undeveloped parcel of land off East Route 30, near Gettysburg. 

Likewise, Sun reporter Bready wrote, “Long after the Jeep tracks and hoofprints are gone, the surrounding hills and forests will store up for future ages such memorials as C-ration cans, spent cartridges, and forsaken tent-pins.”

For additional information, see documentary “The Ritchie Boys”, Menemsha Films (menemshafilms.com).

Two German soldiers with rifles.

Source: Unpublished German photograph: Personal collection R. D. L. Fulton

Cartoon Source: The Baltimore Sun, December 16, 1945

New Year,

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    New We

by Helen Xia,

  CHS Student Writer

When a new year rolls around, it’s a perfect time to set new goals. I’m certainly not the only one who thinks so. We have an entire tradition dedicated to that practice: New Year’s resolutions. Not only do these resolutions give you something to work on for the rest of the year, but they also offer a valuable period for self-reflection. What’s really important to you as an individual?

Although people may choose to keep their yearly aspirations private, it is interesting if you get the chance to read some from those around you. In my case, I distributed quick questionnaires to people attending Catoctin High School’s annual Christmas event, Santa’s Workshop. Santa’s Workshop offers festive activities, such as crafts, free of charge for children to complete. This allowed me to garner a wide range of respondents, from toddlers to guardians and teachers. From these participants, a general trend can be observed: We are all seeking to improve ourselves in some way. Yet, the ways in which different people approach that task are rather diverse. Moreover, I’ve found that New Year’s resolutions often reflect what stage of life we are living. For instance, of the teenagers who submitted their 2023 goals, about half of them wished to either graduate high school, attend college, or take steps toward driving.

I’ve always treated New Year’s resolutions like birthday wishes: Maybe, if I think hard enough, I will wake up with a million dollars at my bedside. Similarly, Jamie, age 42, penned that she would like to “Hit the lotto!!” Eight-year-old George also reported that he would like to “get rich” in 2023, too. I’m glad that brings us all together. May we all obtain our riches this year!

Another trend is evident throughout the resolutions I’ve accumulated: The desire to learn something new. Eleven-year-old Shyloh wrote, “In 2023, I would like to be able to do an aerial.” Comparably, 14-year-old Jared would like to play two songs on the guitar; 15-year-old Doug would like to learn how to play the drums; and 33-year-old Felipe wants to start learning a new language. (Supposedly, six-month-old Cecilia would like to learn how to walk!)

Truly, learning is one of the greatest beauties of living. It’s one of the few constants in life. Amid ever-changing conditions, the opportunity to learn and grow never dissipates.

As one may expect, several goals were career focused. For example, Mr. Felmet of Catoctin High School aims to “put on the best musical CHS has ever seen.” Likewise, 15-year-old Lillian strives to “be the best tennis player.” Sixteen-year-old Colette aspires to “be the best Color Guard member ever.” A handful of younger students want to earn good grades.

Various resolutions, coming from all age groups, are relatable for many. Namely, 14-year-old Griffin would like to “procrastinate less,” and 17-year-old Seth wants to “work out and be happy.” Fifty-six-year-old Trish wishes to “reduce the stress in [her] life!” These goals sound like valid pieces of advice anybody can benefit from. Let’s all procrastinate less, exercise, manage our stress levels, and, above all, be happy this year.

Other responses were more quirky, albeit still relatable for some. Four-year-old Thomas craves more cake in 2023, five-year-old Lucy would like to go on more camping trips, and six-year-old Chandler is seeking to go to Legoland. Additionally, 16-year-old Darrin is aiming to “not be mean.”

My favorite answer that I received came from eight-year-old Avetie, who noted their resolution to be a singular word: “play.”

Why did I include the ages of everybody who submitted a resolution? At the start of this article, I expected to be able to distinguish between age groups by their aspirations alone. During this process, I found that goals from all ages resonated with me, and even resolutions as simple as “play” can be applied to more people than one may think. Sometimes, taking a break from working is as valuable as working itself. We all need time for ourselves to recharge.

While our experiences in life vary immensely, we can all learn from each other. Many times, we learn the same lessons about life, even if said lessons are taught through unlike means. We are more united than we think!

The Story of Lewis D. Crawford

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Joan Bittner Fry

This is the story of Lewis D. Crawford, father of Miss Ethel Crawford, the Thurmont Elementary School teacher who students remember as the owner of “Oscar,” the paddle. Although I never had Miss Crawford for a teacher, I understand she really did dole out punishment with Oscar. Her family’s history follows from Scharf’s History of Western Maryland.

The Hon. Lewis D. Crawford, member of the Maryland Legislature of 1904, principal of the Deerfield public schools, Deerfield, Maryland (now Sabillasville), son of the late George H. and Laura E. (Birely) Crawford, was born in Sabillasville on November 9, 1868. Mr. Crawford’s grandfather, Thomas H. Crawford, was born in Ireland, where his childhood and youth were spent. He came to America in early manhood and settled near Sabillasville, Hauvers district, Frederick County, where he was employed as a laborer. He married, and among their children was a son named George H. Crawford.  Thomas H. Crawford and his wife died at their home near Sabillasville.

The late Lieutenant George H. Crawford, father of Lewis D. Crawford, was born at his father’s home near Sabillasville. He was educated in the public schools of Sabillasville and taught for a short time before the Civil War.

In 1862, Mr. Crawford enlisted in Company D, Sixth Maryland Infantry. This company was drawn from Sabillasville and Thurmont and was in the field for three years.  He took part in a number of severe battles, saw hard fighting in the Battle of the Wilderness, and lost his left arm in the battle of Cedar Creek. He was promoted several times for bravery on the field and was mustered out as lieutenant of his company. After the close of the war, he returned to his profession, but was forced to abandon it on account of failing health, caused by the wound he had received. He was then appointed to an office under the Federal Government at Washington, D.C., but his health was so broken by his wound that he was unable to discharge the duties devolving upon him. Lieutenant Crawford was married to Laura E., daughter of John and Susan (Miller) Birely, whose father was prominent among the elder residents of Sabillasville. Their children are: 1. George M., a farmer of Hauvers District; 2. Blanche S, married to Alfred Taggart, a farmer residing near Smithsburg, Washington County; 3. Maud M. (Mrs. Adam H. Anders) of Sabillasville; 4. Lewis D.; 5. Bruce L. of Blue Ridge Summit.  Mr. Crawford and his wife were members of the German Reformed Church in Sabillasville. He was a liberal contributor and an active worker in the church. He died in February 1872 and is buried in the cemetery of the Reformed Church in Sabillasville. His widow resides in Sabillasville.

Lewis D. Crawford was only three years old when his father died. He received his education in the public schools of the district, and remained on the home farm, assisting his mother until he married. When he was 20, he began teaching in Eyler’s Valley. He afterwards taught in Emmitsburg, and from there removed to Deerfield, where he has been teaching successfully for the last 18 years. He is a prosperous man and owns his beautiful two-story frame dwelling in Deerfield.  Mr. Crawford is one of the leading Republicans of Hauvers District. In 1903, he was elected by the party of the Legislature of Maryland and took his seat in that body in 1904.  He is a member of Acacia Lodge, of No. 155, A.F. and A.M., of Thurmont; of the I.O.O.F. and A.M. of Thurmont; the J.O. of S.M., No. 25, of Buena Vista. Mr. Crawford is highly esteemed as a businessman, a successful instructor and as a good citizen.

Lewis D. Crawford was married to Edna M., daughter of Maurice and Flora (Shafer) Sheffler, whose father is a prominent farmer of Fairfield, Pennsylvania. They have two children: Helen K. and Ethel L. (1906-1983), both at home. Mr. Crawford and his wife are members of Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in Sabillasville.

From the Mayor

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Thurmont

 Mayor John Kinnaird

Welcome to the New Year! I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. I remember my parents telling me that the older we get, the faster time seems to pass. This past year really seemed to fly by for me, but looking back, I had a great time.

With winter upon us, be sure to be prepared for snow and ice. Keeping a bag of cat litter and a small shovel in your trunk can help you get out of snow and ice. Make sure your cell phone is charged when you go out and bring along warm clothing just in case you get stuck somewhere. Also, be sure to keep an eye on your elderly neighbors when bad weather hits. They may not be able to get out for groceries or to doctors’ appointments. When we do get snow, try to get your cars off the streets so that our plowing crew can clear the streets more effectively. Keep your pets indoors in the cold weather; otherwise, make sure they have clean bedding, fresh water, and ample food. In case of electric outages, keep your doors closed to retain heat in your house. Our electric crews respond to outages 24/7 and work hard to get repairs completed as soon as possible. If you or a neighbor depend on a medical device, such as an oxygen generator or respirator, you can call the non-emergency Fire/Police/ Rescue at 301-600-2071 and ask that the fire department provide an emergency generator. If you are elderly and can not clear your walkway, call the Thurmont Police Department and ask if any volunteers are available to help you clear your walkway.

There will be a special vote on January 17 regarding the Annexation of the Simmers property on Apples Church Road. Eligible Thurmont residents can vote on the annexation at the Guardian Hose Company Activities Building at 123 East Main Street in Thurmont. Voting will run from 7:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. This vote will be done with paper ballots. Results will be available after the votes are counted the following day.

The new calendar of important Thurmont dates, covering trash pickup, bulk trash, yard waste drop-off, etc., will be showing up in one of the town bills. One of the first important dates will be January 14 for bulk trash pickup and yard waste drop-off. Contact the town office at 301-271-7313 to see if you need stickers for any bulk trash items. Even if you don’t have anything that requires a fee or a sticker, be sure to let them know you will be putting out bulk trash. Yard Waste drop-off will be held the same day at the location on Moser Road. This service is for Thurmont residents only; be sure to have your permit showing when you arrive.

Please keep our less fortunate friends, neighbors, and family members in mind all year, but especially during these difficult winter months. Your donations of non-perishable foods and sanitary items to the Thurmont Food Bank and warm clothing, hats, and gloves to the Thurmont Clothes Closet will make a positive change in our community. Both organizations also accept cash donations.

I hope everyone has a great January! If you have any question, comments, or recommendations, I can be contacted at 301-606-9458 or by email at john@thurmont.com.

Emmitsburg

Mayor Don Briggs

According to a recent article predicated on Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics information, inflation slowed down as consumer prices grew by only 0.1 percent in November. The same study found that for the period of September 2020 through March 2022, food prices increased 12.2 percent and energy costs increased 13.0 percent. Hmmm, whoever ran those calculations at the bureau, with a good measure of certainty, Lib and I can say they do not shop in Northern Frederick County where we do.

At the December 6th regularly scheduled town meeting:

        Dianne Walbrecker was reappointed to the Board of Appeals. 

        Jack Pollitt was appointed to the Parks and Recreation. 

        Valerie Turnquist was appointed to the Planning Commission as an alternate member.

        Mark Walker was reappointed to the Citizen’s Advisory Committee. 

Agenda Items:

        A public hearing for consideration of Ordinance 2022-12 that would increase water and sewer rates over a three-year period. Tabled deliberation until February 2023.

        For consideration, approval of Ordinance 2022-13, which would change Board of Commissioners meeting to 7:00 p.m. Passed.

        For consideration, approval of the three-year sewer relining bid. Bid approved.

        For discussion and consideration, an offer from Richard Lindsay to purchase three acres from the Town of Emmitsburg, located near the WWTP. Accepted the Lindsays’ offer to purchase three-plus acres from the town of land they have cared for more than over 30 years.

        For consideration, approval of revertible forest conservation easement with Daughters of Charity.

        Daughters of Charity are providing a 9.2013-acre revertible forest conservation easement to the Town to plant trees for the 2023-2028 MS-4 permitting term. Parcel located on east side of US 15.  Approved.

        For consideration, amending the hours of the Farmers Market. Hours will be extended to 2:00-8:00 p.m.

The Christmas tree lighting went well. As part of the evening plan, an Ukrainian tribute to Lutsk our sister city was held. Thank you to DJ, Ramius Entertainment; the Christ Community Church Children’s Chorale; the Emmitsburg Community Chorale; and touching remarks by our guest tree-lighter, Natalie Randall, a native Ukrainian, now U.S. citizen. We invited V. Rev. Elia Yelovich of the Emmitsburg Orthodox mission church to bless the tree and all in attendance, as he did. To the follow up photos sent by staff to him, the V. Reverend responded, “…by far the best tree-lighting ceremony I have been to.” Let’s carry that perspective into 2023. We can do it. Emmitsburg is that special.

Thank you, Lions Club, Seton Center, businesses, and all of our churches for what you do for our children and elderly every day of the year. A special thank you to the Carriage House for delighting all with their generous annual Evening of Christmas Spirit.

Lib and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and you and your family have the best New Year ever!

Town Hall Reports

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by James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont

Annexation Comings and Goings

The town suspended the Simmers Property 16.7-acre annexation, which the Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners had approved last year.               

Thurmont residents submitted a petition with 1,154 verified signatures. The group, Envision Thurmont, collected the signatures and submitted them to the town office. Only 906 verified signatures (20 percent of Thurmont’s registered voters) were required to put the annexation to a referendum vote.

Now that the annexation has been suspended, a special referendum vote will need to be set to put the issue before the town.

In November, the town also introduced two more annexation requests. Apples Church United Church of Christ and a portion of town-owned property comprising 4.881 acres is requesting annexation. Thurmont United Methodist Church, a 4.3135-acre parcel, is also requesting to be annexed. Both of these properties will be zoned institutional if the annexations are approved.

East End Park Picnic Pavilion to be Replaced

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners voted to replace the East End Park picnic pavilion with a new 30-foot by 30-foot pavilion to be built by Playground Specialists. The cost is $89,999 and will be paid for with a Program Open Space grant. The town will be required to pay $22,500 of the amount, which has already been budgeted.

Town Receives a Clean Audit

Mike Samson and Alison Burke with Zlenkofske & Axelrod, LLC, presented the results of the annual independent audit of Thurmont’s financial statements for Fiscal Year 2022. Samson gave the town an unmodified or clean opinion, which is the highest rating that can be given. The auditors had no difficulties performing the audit or had any disagreements with the management.

Town Makes Gateway to the Cure Donation

Economic Development Manager Vickie Grinder recently told the Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners about the town’s 9th Annual Gateway to the Cure efforts for 2022. This year’s events generated $22,174 for the Patty Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund, which is more than $4,000 above what the town raised last year. The money will stay within Frederick County and go toward direct patient care.

Emmitsburg

Developer Wants Frailey Farm Annexed

Water and Sewer Rate Increases Postponed

Reluctant to drastically raise the town’s water rate for residents, the Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners postponed making a decision on the increases. Instead, they asked staff to prepare some additional scenarios in the hopes of finding one that isn’t so drastic. They arrived at the decision after hearing from town residents and discussing it among themselves.

Rates are expected to rise. The question is just how much. The new rates are expected to be approved by the end of March so that they can be in effect for the following billing cycle.

Sewer Relining Bid Approved

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a three-year sewer relining bid of $5,992 from Guyer Brothers in New Enterprise, Pennsylvania. The company utilizes a new technology that uses steam to thermo-cure the lining. It does not involve the use of chemicals like current technology, and the work is guaranteed for 10 years.

Meeting Time Changes

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners voted to change the meeting time for its monthly town meetings from 7:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This should provide the board with a little extra time each month since the meetings have tended to run around three hours each month and sometimes longer.

Moving and Expanding the Community Garden

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners is considering moving the present community garden to a location next to where the Farmer’s Market sets up. This would also allow the garden to be expanded.

Appointments

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners made the following appointments and reappointment during its December meeting.

•   Dianne Walbrecker to the Emmitsburg Board of Appeals, with a term of December 15, 2022 – December 15, 2024.

•   Jack Pollitt to the Emmitsburg Parks and Recreation Committee, with a term of December 6, 2022 – December 2, 2024.

•   Valerie Turnquist as an alternate member to the Emmitsburg Planning Commission, with a term of December 6, 2022 – December 6, 2027.

•      Mark Walker to the Emmitsburg Citizen’s Advisory Committee, with a term of November 7, 2022 – November 7, 2024.

From the Burgess

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Woodsboro

Burgess Heath Barnes

Happy and blessed New Year. Welcome to 2023! I hope this new year is a good one for all. I also hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.

Our December 13th meeting was rather quiet, with very few things on the agenda, so this month’s article will be rather short. We reminded the residents of the upcoming public hearing concerning allowing chickens in town that will be held on January 10, 2023, beginning at 7:00 p.m. All residents are welcome to attend to voice their opinions.

I gave an update on the town hall progress. We have signed a contract with an architect, and I have had a call with them and the engineer to begin the next steps. I have been asked, “Didn’t you have an architect?” The answer is, yes, and we had a drawing; however, with the now-larger lot that we have, we can build a larger and more sustainable building, as the lot is almost twice the size of the other lot. This means we must have new drawings, but the process is moving along.

We have had several issues of vandalism in the park over the last few weeks. The latest is that the port-o-potties that are placed in the park have been damaged beyond repair. We will need to buy those from the rental company and replace them with new ones. Due to the ongoing damage, the decision was made to remove them from the park and not to replace them. We will continue to have our permanent facilities open April 1 through November 30 of each year, but, unfortunately, the port-o-potties will no longer be available.

We had a great turnout of children and adults alike for our annual Santa run that was once again planned and implemented by the Woodsboro Volunteer Fire Department. We had a great time and look forward to next year.

As always, I encourage everyone to support Glade Valley Community Services (GVCS) if you have clothes or food donations, as they are always in need of items for members of the community. For more information, please contact GVCS by email at gvcs.inc@verizon.net or call 301-845-0213.

If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, or compliments, please feel free to reach out to me at hbarnes@woodsboro.org or by phone at 301-401-7164.

Woodsboro Town meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. In addition, planning and zoning meetings are at 6:00 p.m. on the first Monday of the month as needed. If you have an item for the agenda, it needs to be submitted 14 days before the P&Z meeting. The current location for meetings is the St. Johns United Church of Christ, located at 8 N. 2nd Street, Woodsboro, MD 21798. The public is always invited to attend.

“A Home to End All Homelessness”

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Lisa C Cantwell

On Hansonville Road, about nine miles south of Thurmont, sits a big, three-story whitewashed house with an inviting front porch that seems to personify the word “home.” And, home it will be, very soon, to a group of special young men, ages 16 to 22 years, who are transitioning out of foster care to independent living. They will need guidance and support, and this is the place with a unique and innovative program that will help them succeed. 

This home, christened “STEADFAST” (Standing Firm Against Youth Homelessness), is due to open in 2023. STEADFAST, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been the dream and mission of its founder and executive director, Cindy Morgan, since 2018.

Morgan knows the challenge to end homelessness in Frederick County is a tall order, but if anyone can start the process to break the cycle, it’s this determined former CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and her team of dedicated board, staff, and volunteers.

The need to support homeless or unaccompanied youth with no parent or guardian is well-established, according to the statistics reported within STEADFAST’s mission brochure that states:

“More than 23,000 children age out of foster care each year. Fifty percent of transitional youth will experience homelessness within 18 months of emancipation. There are at least 145 homeless youth in Frederick County.” 

Morgan’s late father, Robert Jefferson Hemby, Jr., was the major inspiration behind the concept of STEADFAST.

“From the age of four through high school, my father grew up in foster care. At one point, as a teen, his foster mother died and his foster father moved out. He lived by himself and had no electricity.  He fished to eat. It snowed more inside than outside the farmhouse,” said Morgan. “He survived. All my dad wanted was a home and family. By age 29, he had five kids with my mother, his high school sweetheart.” 

Along with her right-arm and house lead, Kelly Christiano, (MSW/Case Manager), Morgan hopes to complete the final phases of fundraising and hiring before the grand opening.

“The atmosphere will be less like a shelter and more like a dorm, not a group home,” said Morgan, adding, “This is not a crisis center, although counseling will be available. We’re more of hands-on, mission-focused, transformational environment.”

Although this opening phase will serve young men, plans are being formulated to serve young women at a future location as well. 

The residents will include referrals from various agencies throughout Frederick County.  Individuals in need may also submit an application. The program-based environment will require goal-setting of its residents upon arrival in the form of an individual life plan. They will be required to work, attend school, and take in-house courses in life skills such as financial planning, resume writing, workforce training, cooking, and laundry duties.

All will be encouraged to earn their high school diploma or GED and a driver’s license. Employment is a must. In fact, each resident will pay rent based on their income, with 90 percent allotted to a savings account, which they will receive upon graduation from the program. Residents may live up to three years in the home. Once they leave, they will have a lifetime of caring support from the staff of STEADFAST, just like a model family.

“This will be home base as they work and go to school,” Christiano said. “We will provide stability and safety in a home-like environment and help them build strong relationships so they can become healthy, independent adults.” 

Recreational and volunteer opportunities will abound, as no young person’s homelife should be all work, school, and no play. For example, a light-hearted, home-cooked “Sunday Dinner” is planned as the highlight of every week, where all of the STEADFAST residents will gather around the table to sup and converse about the stuff of life, just like family. One of the first activities of welcome for residents is to decorate and personalize a dining room chair, which they may take upon graduation.  

Several fundraisers are currently underway, as individual and corporate donations are the lifeblood of this nonprofit. Currently, STEADFAST has a lighted mini-airboat in the charity fundraiser, “Sailing Through the Winter Solstice” on Carroll Creek, now through March 4.  A contribution to their cause gets their boat a vote for each dollar given. A trophy is awarded to the boat and charity with the most votes. Also, for Christmas giving, a beautiful STEADFAST ornament has been created by the glass artist, Yemi. This item can be ordered through his website at yemiart.com. Corporate donors may contribute through the “There’s No Place Like Home” campaign which offers commemorative naming opportunities of rooms within the home. The Founders’ Club is another donor program which offers memberships at many levels of affordable giving to benefit the residents.

Morgan and Christiano are grateful for all of the volunteer and community support they’ve received for STEADFAST to finally become a reality. Morgan is especially indebted to Frederick Christian Fellowship (FCF) for graciously providing the home, rent-free, that will serve as a place of stability, support, and love for the future residents of STEADFAST. “We’re so close to opening,” Morgan said. “It’s in God’s hands that final funding will come and we can open our doors.”  

Follow STEADFAST on Facebook at “Steadfast, Standing Firm Against Youth Homelessness.”

For more information about STEADFAST, donor/giving, and volunteer and staffing opportunities, contact by email at info@steadfastmd.org, online at www.steadfastmd.org, or call 301-304-9133.

Cindy Morgan (left), founder and executive director, and Kelly Christiano (right), lead house manager, prepare to open STEADFAST, a home for young men transitioning out of foster care.

Cindy Morgan (left) and Kelly Christiano (right) stand on the porch of STEADFAST.

Courtesy Photo

Energy Saving Debunked

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Richard D. L. Fulton

A universe of misinformation swirls around us regarding alleged measures that homeowners and renters can take in order to conserve energy or reduce energy costs, and yet, individuals don’t generally have the time to sort out the reality from the fiction.

Leading most lists is the belief that fans, including ceiling fans, cool rooms. Yet, in fact, according to experts, they do not. Fans move air around, but they do not cool the air. According to Think Energy (mythinkenergy.com), air flow generated by fans may make individuals in a room feel cooler, but fans do not affect the room temperature. Further, Think Energy reports, “Leaving a fan on when you leave your home is simply wasting energy, while the room temperature is not cooling off at all.”

Handwashing dishes, rather than using a dishwasher, is actually using more hot water than dishwashers use. Obviously, it takes energy to heat water. When looking to save energy by using a dishwasher, it actually matters how you load dishes and cookware into a dishwasher (search the internet for instructions on how to do this).

Does turning off appliances when not in use, and turning them on when needed, help in reducing energy use? Not necessarily, because some electronics, such as computers, televisions, gaming systems, lamps and lighting fixtures, phone chargers, and small kitchen appliances can continue to expend energy even in the off mode (and, thus, are sometimes referred to as “energy vampires” or “phantom energy”). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, unplugging the aforementioned items can reduce home energy use by up to ten percent monthly. 

Another common myth is turning up the air-conditioner or furnace higher in the hopes of cooling or heating the home more quickly. That actually doesn’t work, because no matter how much higher or lower you set the system, air conditioners and furnaces cool or heat at a constant rate at the moment they are turned on. Saveonenergy.com recommends setting the air conditioner or furnace at a rate that one would feel comfortable, instead of trying to force it to get to the desired temperature faster.  Saveonenergy.com also recommends setting the air conditioner at 78 degrees during the summer and 68 degrees in the winter for maximum energy savings.

In a related issue, another myth suggests closing the heating/cooling vents in rooms that are not being used in order to reduce energy use. Saveonenergy.com reports that this practice not only doesn’t reduce energy use but could simply increase the amount of heat or cooling being lost through leakage in the duct system, “Furthermore,”  Saveonenergy.com states, “closing your vents may cause additional pressure on your system, causing it to work harder, wear out faster, and consume more energy in the long term.”

Bonkers.ie offers a number of tips on saving energy in the kitchen, including minimizing the amount of time the refrigerator door is kept open, or opened and closed repeatedly, noting that “it takes 45 minutes for your fridge to reset to its original temperature for every 10-20 seconds its door is left open.”  Furthermore, the website states that overpacked freezers will require the refrigerators to expend more energy by trying to maintain a freezing temperature.

And with the advent of the holidays, more energy-saving opportunities present themselves to be considered, courtesy of touchstoneenergy.com: (1) Use LED holiday lights (LED lights are brighter, last longer, and use less electricity than the traditional, incandescent lights; (2) Use timers to control when the celebratory-illuminated displays are to be lighted or turned off; (3) Bake multiple batches of goodies at one time, rather than at different times; and (4) Turn the thermostat down when company and guests are present (“Those extra bodies mean free heat!” –touchstoneenergy.com).

For additional information on debunking common energy beliefs and for more energy-saving tips, visit these online sources: touchstoneenergy.com; saveonenergy.com; mythinkenergy.com; bonkers.ie; and energystar.gov.

Christmas 2022: Give a Horse “The Gift of Life”

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Richard D. L. Fulton

There are, on the average, some 200,000 “unwanted” horses in the United States, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH), many of whom are slaughtered and sold for their meat, are saved by rescue facilities, or are given sanctuary on federal lands.

So how do these horses end up “unwanted?” The Unwanted Horse Coalition reports that, generally, unwanted horses include “horses which are no longer wanted by their current owner because they are old, injured, sick, unmanageable, fail to meet their owner’s expectations, or their owner can no longer afford them,” among various other causes.

Abandonment of a horse generally applies to transporting the animal off the owner’s property and leaving it at some other location. Some abandonments—the lucky ones—have even been found mingling with horse herds on other farms.

Animal cruelty generally entails inflicting harm upon a horse. In some cases, animal cruelty can go hand in hand with neglect. Neglect of a horse refers to simply not providing good, humane care of the animal. An example occurred in Maryland a number of years ago in which more than 100 horses were seized from a Maryland farm where investigators also found the scattered, skeletal remains of more than 25 dead horses.

Horses removed by law enforcement are considered seizures, and the rescued horses who do not need to be euthanized can be turned over to horse farms who accept them.

In Maryland, the aforementioned offenses are considered misdemeanors, but the degree of the offenses may vary from state to state.

Many horses are surrendered, meaning their owners do not or cannot continue to care for or keep the horses. There are many horse farms and rescue operations who will accept surrendered animals. In addition, the federal government provides sanctuary to unwanted animals and 100,000 unwanted horses are maintained on land owned by the Bureau of Land Management, according to the NIH.

As if the above-mentioned circumstances were not traumatic enough for the horses, there is actually a worse fate that awaits many.

According to the NIH, 82,000 to 150,000 “unwanted” horses are annually sold and transported out of the United States to Mexico and Canada to be killed, butchered, and sold on the global horse meat markets.

While the federal government in the United States has issued bans on killing, slaughtering, and selling horse meat in this country, they have not actually codified any prohibitions by law.

Horses turned over by their owners for sale for their meat are kept in “kill pens,” awaiting buyers for shipment primarily to Canada and Mexico, where the horses are killed and slaughtered and sold overseas or shipped live to be killed and slaughtered in other countries.  “Kill pens” are, according to wildhorseproject.org, “the worst environment for determining the future of a disenfranchised horse.”

From there, the sold horses are trucked to Canada or Mexico, all bets are off as far as treating the doomed animals. Hanaeleh, a non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of horses, notes that in some cases in Mexico, “horses are repeatedly stabbed with ‘puntilla’ knives until they bleed to death. In Canada, the horses are hit with ‘captive bolts’ which are supposed to kill the horses immediately. Unfortunately, these bolts were designed to slaughter cows, not horses, and the horses often have to be hit repeatedly, causing them extreme pain and suffering.”

Individuals can help save “unwanted horses” by donating cash and/or volunteering at local sanctuaries to help with grooming, rehabilitating, or any number of other tasks. Several local facilities include: Izzy’s Love Equine Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit rescue located at 9739 Dry Bridge Road in Emmitsburg. Deborah Dempsey owns the facility and is assisted by her daughter, Izzy, for whom the sanctuary was named.  The operation may be contacted at 410-903-3303. 

Life Horse Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located at Breezy Hill Stables, 15117 Mud College Road, Thurmont, is operated by Vice-President Elizabeth Walker and President Joseph Topper.  The operation may be contacted at 240-674-3856.

Rocky’s Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation, Inc, located in Thurmont, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and is operated by President Sharon Burrier and Vice-president Danny Burrier. The facility may be contacted at 240-367-7256.

KODAK Digital Still Camera

Reese Topper, 4, daughter of Life Horse management Elizabeth Walker and Joseph Topper, grooms rescued mule, Bert.

Rescued “kill pen” horses with auction tags.

Izzy Dempsey is shown with rescue, Stephanie. 

The New You in 2022

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BY Terry Pryor

Writer, Poet, Life Coach, and Student of the Mind

Note: This is the ninth month of action described in a series of motivational articles. Take some time each month to complete these action items, and you’ll see a “New You” emerge. Enjoy!

Power Action #10: Energy Flows Where Attention Goes

Here is something to remember today: Energy always flows to where our attention goes.

You can see this in the following example: Your friend stops by to chat. Before long, a juicy morsel of gossip is mentioned. Does it stop there? Nope. Another comment is made about the person who is being gossiped about and then another and another. Pretty soon, 20 minutes of gossiping has transpired, and the conversation has all been moving in a negative direction. It’s not that you meant to be vindictive, but your attention, which was on the flow of gossip, gathered speed and intensity—and “Once you flow, on you go!”

Here’s another example: You have just received notice of an inheritance. In a few weeks, you will be wealthier than you ever imagined. You begin to see what you will do with the money: the new house, car, vacations, travel, all that you could possibly desire. You are focusing on delight, joy, and pleasure. As you do, more and more delights enter your mind. Again, you can see that energy flows where attention goes.

It’s vitally important that you watch your own mind. It can have a party without inviting you! When you begin to watch what you think, you will become excited over the fact that you can change that flow of thought at any time. You have the power and all the tools at your disposal. Use them often and miracles will occur.

Before beginning today’s work, go to your quiet space and do your “Twenty Minutes a Day” visualization exercise. What do you want your future to look like? Remember, energy flows where attention goes. Place your attention on good things, on success and joy. Settle yourself by taking several deep breaths. Relax. Get out your mind’s movie camera and picture yourself having the life you desire.

Feel the excitement you will have. Feel the power in knowing you have control over what you desire. Feel the energy flowing through you that empowers you with confidence and well-being. Allow yourself the freedom of anticipation and the knowing that you are much, much closer to the “you” you see yourself becoming.

It’s December 2022. These past 10 months, you’ve been on a journey with me, with The Catoctin Banner, and with yourself. We are grateful for your readership. We are hopeful of the future as we manifest and create even better versions of ourselves in the moments, days, months, and years to come. I provide counseling on this topic, so please feel free to get in touch with me at TerrysWildDivine@gmail.com

From the Mayor

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Thurmont

 Mayor John Kinnaird

Here we are, already in December! Thanksgiving has come and gone. I hope everyone was able to celebrate with family or friends. By the time you read this, Christmas in Thurmont will also be no more than a pleasant memory.

We are still left with the better part of December ahead of us! Getting together throughout the month with our family and friends while shopping, or at meals, parties, and faith-based events, we can all enjoy the spirit of the season. This is a season of personal reflection, of expressions of love for others, and of giving and sharing. Come Christmas Day, we will be watching children open gifts, enjoying a delicious meal with those close to us, and for many, the relaxation of a well-deserved afternoon nap. All too close to Christmas will follow the eve of the New Year, with more partying and celebration.

Please keep in mind those of our community that may not be as fortunate as others. Join in the Christmas spirit by making donations to the Thurmont Food Bank and Thurmont Clothes Closet. This is a great way to help others experience the joy of good hot meals and warm, comfy clothes for the cold months ahead. Food Bank donations of non-perishable foods and toiletries can be dropped off at their 7 Frederick Road location. There is a bin in front of the building for donations. The Thurmont Clothes Closet is located at the Thurmont Methodist Church on Long Road. There is a bin for donations at the rear of the church near the Clothes Closet.

I want to leave you with the final passages of one of my favorite stories. This story is about a man who had forgotten the value of both kindness and caring for others. He was reminded of these virtues during a night of reflection, terror, and joy. He discovered that it is never too late for us to mend our ways even as others laugh, and he promised to live out his life with kindness and caring in his heart and in his actions.

“Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a man as the good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world. Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh, and little heeded them for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as have the malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed and that was quite enough for him. He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Everyone!”

Karen and I wish everyone the Merriest Christmas and the Happiest New Year. Please be careful in your travels and watch out for others.

Questions or comments? Contact me at 303-606-9458 or by email at jkinnaird@thurmont.com.

Emmitsburg

Mayor Don Briggs

At the November 12th regularly scheduled town meeting, the commissioners concurred with the mayor’s recommendation to appoint Dan Garnitz to serve as a regular member of the planning commission for a term of November 7, 2022, through January 18, 2027. Additionally, the board concurred with the mayor’s recommendation to appoint Jack Pollitt to serve as an alternate member of the board of appeals for a term starting November 7, 2022, expiring October 1, 2025.

At the direction of the board of commissioners, predicated on an independent study of the water/sewer rates, water bills will increase 44+/- percent annually for the next three years, starting in January 2023, then 2024, 2025, and thereafter, an increase of 3 percent annually. 

The commissioners voted 4-0, with one member abstaining, to deny approval of an ordinance to allow the private shooting ranges in the industrial zone and the use of firearms at private shooting ranges in the town of Emmitsburg.

The commissioners relaxed some of the hunting restrictions and recreational usage at Rainbow Lake and watershed. Certain small game will now be allowed to be hunted during deer season.

The Maryland Mainstreet staff paid a visit to Emmitsburg for a tour of the town. The town currently is a Main Street Affiliate. For over a decade, the town has been recognized as a Maryland Sustainable Community which entitled, among other things, access to grants for private property facade improvements in the historic district that has contributed to over $1 million. Ultimately, full Mainstreet membership is the goal but can only be accomplished responsibly in terms of town staffing and funding capabilities.  

I attended a wonderful presentation on Ukrainian Icons by Kateryna Dovgan at Mount Saint Mary’s University. The slides of Ukrainian Icon art complemented Ms. Dovgan’s extensive knowledge and love as an expert art conservator that she poured into the presentation. The town and the Mount were joint sponsors for the event, with all donations going to the victims of Russo-Ukraine war.

I made a special presentation to the fourth-grade class at Mother Seton School on being mayor and what is going on in town. These presentations are always a joy. I try to alternate between schools in town; next year, I will visit Emmitsburg Elementary.

Congratulations to Emmy award-winner town resident Conrad Weaver on the rollout to a sold-out crowd of the world premiere of his latest film, PTSD911 (Post Traumatic Stress), on November 3, in Irving, Texas. Conrad put in well over three years of work, dozens of interviews, and lots of miles of travel in the production of this film. Next summer, Conrad plans to ride a bicycle across the country as a part of the rollout of the film to 25 cities nationwide.

Recently, Conrad and I had the honor to welcome Michael Zhorvrin, a Ukrainian ex-patriot, now USA citizen, up from Naples, Florida. Mr. Zhorvin played an important role in uniting the town of Emmitsburg to the City of Lutsk as a sister city. Mr. Zhorvin will deliver our town proclamation recognizing Lutsk as such personally to Mayor Ihor Poiishchuk within the next few weeks.

Don’t forget that December 5th is the town Christmas tree lighting, starting at 5:00 p.m. DJ and Christ Community Church child choir is at 5:45 p.m., the Emmitsburg Community Chorale is at 6:00 p.m., and Santa and the tree lighting is at 6:15 p.m. at the community center. This year, a special tribute to our sister city Lutsk in Ukraine will be incorporated into the program. Then, everyone will go down the street to the Evening of Christmas Spirit festivities at the Carriage House Inn.

Lib and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and our best wishes to you and your family for the Christmas season and New Year.

Town Hall Report

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by James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont

Bond Sale Approved

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners recently approved the sale of $513,207 in bonds to finance the replacement of the Old Pryor Road water line. It is a 20-year loan from the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The project will replace the old water main, install new house services and meters, and replace asphalt pavement.

Guyer Brothers was previously approved as the contractor for the project. The company has already ordered material and is waiting for delivery.

PTA Asks to Keep More of Parking Fee

During a recent town meeting, members of the Thurmont school PTAs asked the Thurmont Board of Commissioners to reconsider the $4.00 fee they collect for the town for each vehicle they provide parking for during Colorfest.

During the festival, groups providing parking typically charge $15.00 for each car, of which $4.00 goes to the Town of Thurmont to help offset the town costs for security, buses, trash collection, and porta-potties. The PTA provides the volunteers to staff the lots, and they keep the difference between what they charge and the $4.00 fee to the town. It is a large fundraising opportunity for the groups.

Christy Donnelly, treasurer of the PTA for the elementary and primary schools, asked the town to consider not charging organizations a parking fee and instead raising the cost for vendor permits.

The commissioners did not support this, but they did agree to have the shuttle bus stop at the middle school to pick up and drop off people who park there.

Simmers Annexation May Go To Referendum Vote

Thurmont residents submitted a petition with 1,253 signatures that could put Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners vote to annex 16.7 acres of the Simmers property and rezone it for a high-density development to a vote by residents.

The group, Envision Thurmont, collected the signatures and submitted it the town office. The signatures will be verified, and if there are at least 906 verified signatures (20 percent of Thurmont’s registered voters), the issue will be placed before town residents for a vote.

Potential plans for the property include building up to 194 homes, an assisted-living center, and a day care center.

Emmitsburg

Developer Wants Frailey Farm Annexed

A developer wants to build nearly 300 homes currently outside Emmitsburg, but he wants the property annexed into the town. A small portion of the Frailey Farm, which is southwest of Emmitsburg, is already within the town’s borders.

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners heard a preliminary proposal for the annexation. Jeff Ott of OPi Holdings told the commissioners that the development would offer townhomes priced in the $300,000 range, small single-family homes in the $400,000 range, and larger homes in the $500,000 range, although these are preliminary prices. It would also include a park and hiking and biking trails.

The property is in Emmitsburg’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan as being an area for future residential housing.

The commissioners expressed a number of reservations, but the process is just starting.

No Shooting Ranges in Emmitsburg

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners heard from town staff, their planning consultant, the town attorney, the applicant and his attorney, and other members of the public about an ordinance that would allow private shooting ranges in Emmitsburg. The commissioners voted 4-0 with one abstention against the ordinance.

Small Game Hunting

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a policy that allows small game hunting in the town’s watershed during the same time as deer and turkey hunting will take place.

Appointments Made

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners accepted the resignation of Dan Garnitz from the Emmitsburg Board of Appeals. The commissioners then appointed him as a regular member of the Emmitsburg Planning Commission, with a term running from November 7, 2022, to January 18, 2027.

They also appointed Jack Pollitt as an alternate member of the Emmitsburg Board of Appeals, with a term expiring October 1, 2025.