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Town Hall Report

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by James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont

Water Main Replacement on Old Pryor Road Approved

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners approved the replacement of the water main on Old Pryor Road, which is a project the town has wanted to do for many years. Funding for the project comes from a Maryland Department of the Environment Water Quality Financing loan. The town received five bids for the project, with Guyer Brothers of New Enterprise, Pennsylvania, offering the winning bid of $475,191. The project is expected to be completed in November.

New Softball Field Approved at East End Park

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners approved a new softball/baseball field at East End Park. The low bid was $440,275 from Green Ridge Contractors. The project had to be scaled back a bit because the bids were so much higher than the $262,000 grant funds from the Local Parks and Playground Program. The commissioners decided to fund the difference of $178,275 from its American Rescue Plan funds. The project is expected to be completed by September.

Emmitsburg

Crime on the Rise in Emmitsburg

According to the Emmitsburg Community Deputies, crime is on the rise in town. “There’s been an uptick of everything in town,” Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputy Ahalt told the Emmitsburg Mayor and Commissioners during a recent meeting.

The town is seeing drugs, thefts, and assaults. Where robberies from cars used to be a crime of convenience if the car door was unlocked, thieves are now smashing windows to grab items from inside the cars. Two hot spots for crime are 2 E. Main Street and the DePaul Street Apartments.

The town is looking into having the community deputies authorized for overtime so they can patrol more. Also, the sheriff’s deputies in the north county area have been asked to drive through town when the community deputies aren’t around.

On the bright side, it is believed that the vandalism problem in the ball parks has been taken care of with the perpetrators and their parents.

Mount to Have a Building in Town Limits

Mayor Don Briggs told the Emmitsburg Commissioners that Mount St. Mary’s Seminary would soon have a presence within the borders of Emmitsburg. The Mount will be using the C-Wing of St. Joseph House complex. First-year seminarians will live there, and it will be called the “Blessed Stanley Rother House.” The wing will be renovated and is expected to open in August 2023.

Hostels Recommended to be Allowed

Village Liquors’ goal to create a new liquor store with a hostel above it is moving forward. The Emmitsburg commissioners voted to forward a recommendation to the Emmitsburg Planning Commission to add hostels to the town code. This wouldn’t have had any impact on the project from the town’s perspective. It was a request of the project’s financial partner. What was new was that the project could be used as housing for Mount St. Mary’s University or National Fire Academy students.

Town Hall Report

By On · Add Comment · In Featured Articles

by James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont

Mayor and Commissioners Get First Look at Budget

The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners got their first look at the Fiscal Year 2023 town budget.

•   General Fund: Revenues-$4,768,518; Expenditures-$4,278,662; Capital Expenditures-$489,000.

•   Water Fund: Revenues-$1,062,150; Expenditures-$838,257; Capital Expenditures-$222,000.

•   Wastewater Fund Revenues-$1,764,009; Expenditures-$1,471,239; Capital Expenditures-$292,770.

•   Electric Fund Revenues-$5,760,224; Expenditures-$5,633,798; Capital Expenditures-$125,000.

The budget needs to be approved before June 30 because it takes effect on July 1.

Micro-Breweries Approved as a Thurmont Business Use

The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioner approved a text amendment to allow small-scale micro-breweries to operate in general business and town business zoning districts in Thurmont. Josh Bollinger, with Bollinger’s Restaurant, made the request to the Thurmont Planning and Zoning Commission in February. They approved it and sent it to the commissioners. Bollinger intends to expand his current business with a small micro-brewery. Under Maryland law, a micro-brewery can produce no more than 15,000 barrels of beer a year.

Easements and Rights Of Way Approved for Hammaker Hills

The Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners approved the phase 1 easement and rights of way for the proposed Hammaker Hills Subdivision. The easements are for utilities and three parks. The rights of way are for two roads. The commissioners gave the subdivision conditional approval last year if the easements and rights of way could be secured. With this approval, the subdivision can now move forward.

Emmitsburg

Commissioners Get First Look at Budget

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners got their first look at the Fiscal Year 2023 town budget. The general fund revenues have increased 8 percent to $2,053,217, and it includes a 5 percent cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) for town employees to try and keep up with inflation. Tax equity revenues from Frederick County are up over this year, but still lagging behind what the town received in 2021 and 2020. Currently, $1,880,067 has been budgeted with the difference marked to be used for capital projects. The budget needs to be approved before June 30 because it takes effect on July 1.

Changes to Parking Begin

The Town of Emmitsburg is looking to update how it handles parking in town. A 5-year plan was introduced to the board of commissioners in May and tabled for future consideration. Among the things the town is looking to do is purchase parking boots and digital meters. The new meters would also be able to accept digital payments. The town is also looking to install meters at the community pool parking lot, although parking would still remain free for pool patrons.

The town has already made one change to parking. Tickets are now white instead of orange because of a new system the town is using. Also, the town now accepts payment of parking tickets and permits online at the town’s website.

New Wayside Approved

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved the 12th wayside exhibit for the historic walking tour of Emmitsburg the down is developing. This wayside will feature St. Euphemia School and include the fact that the school integrated 10 years before the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling in 1954. The exhibit will be in front of the apartment building at 50 DePaul Street where the school was. The total cost is $7,095, including town funding and an in-kind match of $3,548. The installation of the wayside is expected to be complete by June 15.

Town Adding to Bike Trail

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a proposal to construct a new quarter-mile section of trail. It will line the green and yellow multi-user trails at Rainbow Lake.

Parks and Recreation Committee Members Re-appointed

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners re-appointed Shannon Cool, Glenn Blanchard, Sandy Umbel, Steve Starliper, and Amanda Ryder to the Parks and Recreation Committee. Their terms run from December 3, 2021 through December 3, 2023.