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Page 4 May 2018 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com

T o wn H all R epor ts Thurmont

A p r i l 2018 For more information on the Town of Thurmont, visit www.thurmont.com
by James Rada, Jr. or call the town office at 301-271-7313.

Commissioners Working Through made up with money saved from a car
Emmitsburg Budget purchase the town made.
For more information on the Town of Emmitsburg, visit www.emmitsburgmd. The Thurmont Mayor and The existing signs, which are ten
gov or call 301-600-6300. Commissioners have been working on years old and still in good condition,
developing the town budget that will will be repurposed to other areas of
Updating the Emmitsburg Parking Town Will Continue Town Planner go into effect on July 1. Currently, the town. The remaining two signs
Policy and Rates Position the operating budget is $3.67 million, will be replaced at a future date.
which is up $122,061 over the current
Although the money had been
Many of the Emmitsburg parking With the retirement of town fiscal year. Based on changes initially allocated for this use in the budget,
rates haven’t been raised since 2003, planner Sue Cipperly in July, made to the general fund, there is a Commissioner Marty Burns felt that
so the mayor and commissioners Emmitsburg Commissioner Elizabeth projected $53,000 shortfall. the cost was too expensive, and the
have started considering updating Buckman suggested that maybe “So, we’ve got some trimming to money could be better used for a
the parking policies and raising it was time for the town to do do somewhere,” stated Mayor John more-pressing need, such as fighting
the parking rates. While it does away with the position and use Kinnaird. drug abuse in Thurmont, fixing
not appear that the meter rate the Frederick County Planning The final budget approved by bridges, or paying down town debt.
will change, some parking fines Department to fill those duties. the commissioners will have to be Commissioner Bill Buehrer said
and permit fees may be increased. She said that there isn’t a lot of balanced before it is approved. that maintaining the signs was “a
The increased fines that are being growth in the town, and “Many of The commissioners are also cost of promoting our community.”
considered are for left-side parking, the community members don’t see it working on the capital budget, water The commissioners voted 4-1
parking in a snow emergency route, as needing to be a full-time position.” fund, sewer fund, and electric fund. to have Shannon-Baum Signs of
and parking for 48 consecutive hours Town Manager Cathy Willets These require separate budgets. Eldersburg do the work. The new
in a metered spot. noted that the town has multiple Once the commissioners agree on signs are expected to last twenty-five
One of the suggested ordinance subdivisions still being built, and a budget, it will be presented to the years.
changes was not to allow parking the planner is also in charge of code commissioners for public input and
within 25 feet of a stop sign. enforcement and town ordinances. comment. Commissioners Approve Bond to Pay
This caused a lot of concern for Most importantly, Willets said, for Water and Sewer Replacement
Commissioner Joseph Ritz, III. “They [Frederick County] don’t do Commissioners Discuss Program The Thurmont Mayor and
“There’s going to be a lot of issues that anymore.” Open Space Projects Commissioners voted unanimously
with that if we put that in,” Ritz However, Buckman said that she The Thurmont Mayor and in March to borrow $2,945,000 to
said. Specifically, he said that North wanted the town to look into the Commissioners discussed their pay for water and sewer replacement
Gate had a lot of violators. pros and cons of making the change. priorities for potential Program along North Church Street. The
Town Manager Cathy Willets Open Space (POS) funds. Among money will be in the form of an
pointed out that it was just making Town Water Shortage Over the potential uses for such funds infrastructure bond from the
the town ordinance consistent For the past few years, the might be another Community Park Maryland Department of Housing
with Maryland state law. She said Emmitsburg town wells have usually pavilion, lighting for the Thurmont and Community Development.
that it was a safety issue, dealing been well under the optimum level to Trolley Trail, a new sand volleyball
with visibility of the stop sign and meet the demands for water in town. court, and skateboard equipment. Inclusive Playground to Get ADA
intersection. At April’s Emmitsburg town meeting, One thing that the town probably Restrooms
Ritz then wanted to know if it Town Manager Cathy Willets told won’t be getting with the funds is The Thurmont Mayor and
was state law why it needed to be the commissioners, “Our well levels trees to replace the ash trees killed Commissioners accepted a bid
in the proposed ordinance, because are the best we have seen in a very by the emerald ash borer. Chief from Blue Line Construction in
he felt the ordinance was overly long time.” Administrative Officer Jim Humerick Emmitsburg to renovate an unused
long. Willets and Commissioner Tim Rainbow Lake is also at the told the board that trees cannot be building at East End Park to make
O’Donnell explained that having spillway level. During February, 58 purchased with POS funds. them ADA-compliant restrooms. The
it in the town ordinance gave the percent of the town’s water came Requests for POS funds are cost will be $33,100.
town parking enforcement officer from Rainbow Lake, 37 percent due May 5. The following month, The bid was $5,200 more than
the authority to take action against came from wells, and 5 percent came Mayor John Kinnaird will meet the amount of grant funding the
violators. from Mount St. Mary’s. with representatives from all of the town has for the project. Chief
Other items were also discussed, The treatment plant also treated Frederick County municipalities. Administrative Officer Jim Humerick
and a few changes made. 782,000 GPD, of which two-thirds Each municipality will have its own told the commissioners that the
“These ordinances aren’t done was wild water. Treating this water wish list of projects to be funded, difference could be made up out of
to target or punish people,” Willets cost the town about $25,000. The and the leaders will have to decide on the parks department budget.
said. “It’s to keep people safe.” plant also had exceeded its treatment how to allocate the POS funds that
The suggested updates have been capacity thirteen times during the the county receives. Mowing Contract Approved
in the works for six months. month. The Thurmont Mayor and
New “Welcome to Thurmont” Signs Commissioners approved a bid of
Key 2018 General Election Dates Get Funded $71,750 a year for two years to
The Thurmont Mayor and have Mountain View Lawn Services
June 5 – Close of voter registration and party affiliation. Commissioners approved spending do the mowing of town properties.
June 14 – Early voting begins for the primary election. $30,342 to construct and install two Although this bid is significantly
new Thurmont Gateway signs. The
greater than the $44,000 per
June 21 – Early voting ends for the primary election. new signs will replace two of the year that the town was paying,
June 26 – Primary election. existing four signs. The existing signs Chief Administrative Officer Jim
October 16 – Close of voter registration for general election. are on the major routes leading into the Humerick said this increase was due
October 25 – Early voting begins for the general election. town. The town had allocated $24,000 to added acreage as well as pesticide
application.
for the purchase. The difference will be
November 1 – Early voting ends for the general election.
November 6 – General election. w w w . t h e c a t o c t i n b a n n e r . c o m
Ser ving Northern Fr eder ick County, Maryland, Since 1995