Town Hall Report

by James Rada, Jr.

Thurmont

Changes to Municipal Parking Lot Plan

Economic Development Manager Vickie Grinder provided updates on some issues that had arisen with the plan to make improvements to the municipal parking lot. The engineer working on the original plan left out stormwater management from the plan, which will add $75,000-$100,000 to the plan’s cost. Grinder was able to get the state to reallocate grant funds to this project. The new plan developed by town employee Jim Rice for the parking lot improvements includes 17 additional parking spaces, trees, a bench, and a kiosk. The goal is to have the work completed before Colorfest.

Bids Approved

The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners approved an $81,560 bid for the transformer control cabinets at the Moser Road substation. QEI, LLC will perform the work. Once this is complete, the substation transformers will need to be rebuilt/refurbished for a future project.

The mayor and commissioners also approved a bid to resurface Ironmaster Drive, Furnace Court, Victor Drive, Stoney Park Way, Woodland Avenue, Apples Church Road (patch work only), W. Main Street (patch work only), E. Moser Road (patch work only), and Thurmont Boulevard. The work will also include curb repairs/replacement and striping. C. William Hetzer of Hagerstown won the contract with a bid of $424,135.65.

The town’s Highway User Revenues will pay for the project. This will leave $74,627 in Highway User Revenues. The town will put this toward the municipal parking lot improvement project.

Gold Star Families Memorial Nearing Goal

Julie El-Taher recently updated the Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners on the effort to raise the needed funds to have a memorial to Gold Star Families installed in Memorial Park. These memorials have been installed in parks around the country to acknowledge the sacrifice of our country’s veterans and the loss their families have suffered. The black granite memorial is 8 feet tall. The Woody Williams Foundation would install the memorial, but the town would be responsible for pouring the concrete pad on which the memorial would sit.

The project still needs $9,000 of its $60,000 goal and is expected to be placed in the park on September 9. A dedication ceremony is currently planned for September 27.

Correction: In our June issue, we mistakenly reported the Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners had passed their tax rate and budget for Fiscal Year 2027. That was the public hearing. Both passed in the amounts reported, but not until the following month. The votes were 4-1, with Commissioner Marty Burns opposed.

Emmitsburg

State Law Changes Affect Town’s Code

The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners heard from staff about a series of changes that needs to be made to bring the town’s code as now required by new state legislation. The changes have to do with how accessary dwelling units are dealt with. Changes will be needed in three sections of the code: Zoning, Public Services, and Adequate Public Services. The proposed changes will go to Planning and Zoning Commission for its review and recommendations.

Rainfall Needed

The Emmitsburg area received 2.23 inches of rain in May. While helpful, the town is still showing a deficit of rainfall over the past six months of 5.84 inches. Rainbow Lake continues to remain at the spillway level, but four of five town wells are down.

Two New Fire Hydrants

Emmitsburg has two new fire hydrants to increase fire safety in the town. One hydrant is at First Avenue and East Main Street. The other one is in front of the Dunkin’ Donuts on Silo Hill Parkway.