Town Hall Reports January 2017

Emmitsburg Statue of John Armstrong to be Erected Emmitsburg’s famous gunsmith, John Armstrong, will have a statue erected to him at the Route 15 Visitor’s Center. Armstrong was the best-known of the local gunsmiths during the early 1800s. So distinct were their rifles that they came to be known as the Emmitsburg School of Gunsmiths. Armstrong is most famous for the variation of the Kentucky long rifle. His rifles are highly sought-after collector’s items today. One collector wrote, “His pieces often draw comparisons to Swiss watches and Rolls Royce automobiles—classics that defy time.” Gary Casteel, the sculptor who repaired the Doughboy statue when it was damaged, has been talking with town staff and Mayor Don Briggs about creating the sculpture. The catch has been trying to find an appropriate location for the statue to be displayed. The visitor’s center was finally selected. Briggs explained that it is considered part of Emmitsburg, since it is on the town’s water and sewer systems. Town Planner Sue Cipperly sees this as a possible start to creating more heritage tourism sites in town. “We have these craftsmen here in town, and they should really be memorialized,” she said. The statue could be dedicated as early as this spring. The Town of Emmitsburg is considering installing a new system that uses cutting-edge technology to destroy algae in the water of Rainbow Lake. Bill Kramer, with Kershner Environmental Technologies, spoke to the commissioners about LG Sonic. The company’s algae-control technology actually destroys algae in the water. The company is located in the Netherlands and has been around since 1999. Although the technology is used in roughly 10,000 places around the world, in the United States, it has only been installed in New Jersey. The technology uses ultrasound waves to destroy algae. It modulates the ultrasound frequency to target different types of algae to prevent them from rising to the surface to reach sunlight. Without sunlight, the algae die and sink to the bottom. Most of the systems use solar panels to power the technology, so there is little energy consumption. “Getting algae out of the drinking water has a lot of positive benefits,” Kramer said. The cost of the system for Rainbow Lake is $160,000 with about $15,000 annual in maintenance costs. It is projected to pay for itself in under two years. Savings would be seen in lower operating costs and more efficient water filtration. Kramer said that the company and town staff would come up with benchmarks to determine the system’s success over a year. If the system didn’t meet those benchmarks, a portion of the funds would be refunded and the system would be removed. The commissioners will continue discussing whether or not to move forward with this system during their February meeting.   Lions Collecting Winter Clothing The Emmitsburg Mayor and Commissioners agreed to allow the Emmitsburg Lions Club to set up a collection box between the town gym and Emmitsburg Library. The Lions will be collecting scarves, hats, gloves, and coats, which will be donated to area schools to be given to students who need them. This project is part of the Emmitsburg Lions Club “Make A Difference Month.”  

Thurmont

Town Makes Donation to Thurmont Food Bank The Town of Thurmont donated $2,750 to the Thurmont Food Bank in December. This is in addition to the food donations raised at the annual Halloween in the Park event. Pastor Sally Joyner Giffin told the commissioners that the food bank provides food to an average of 300 families monthly. In November, it provided food to around 400 families.   Thurmont’s Heroin Problem Thurmont Police Chief Greg Eyler recently told the Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners that twenty-five people overdosed on heroin in Thurmont in 2016, and of that number, three of them died. The rest were saved when Narcan was administered. Commissioner Marty Burns called the number “staggering,” and pointed out that it didn’t include residents who overdosed outside of the town boundaries.   Commissioners Approve Civitan Club Inclusive Playground The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners approved the first phase of the first all-inclusive playground in Frederick County. It will replace the old playground at East End Park. The park has been in the planning and fundraising stages since July 2015. The new equipment will be paid for with a $25,000 Program Open Space grant that the town received and a $50,000 grant that the Thurmont Civitan Club obtained from Civitan International. Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick said, “This will be a one-of-a-kind playground in the area. There’s nothing close by. This is going to be something that kids with all disabilities and non-disabilities can come and enjoy.” The playground is not only designed for physically challenged children, but also children with emotional problems such as autism. The overall cost of the playground is expected to be about $280,000 and to be completed in three phases. Playground Specialists in Thurmont is helping with the design and will be installing the new equipment.   Police Commission Openings Filled The Thurmont mayor and commissioners selected from among four candidates to fill two open positions on the Thurmont Police Commission. Shawn Martiak and Greg Seymour will fill out the seven-person commission. Community Park Winter Closing The Thurmont mayor and commissioners voted to close Community Park during the winter. This was done to discourage vandalism, which had occurred at the back end of the park during the winter when few people use it. The front parking lot will still be open for families who want to use the playground on Frederick Road. A few of the picnic tables will be moved closer to Frederick Road to be available for anyone who might want to use them. The commissioners also allowed town staff the leeway to open the park on warm days or to end the closing early if winter weather ends sooner than expected.