From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird Here we are heading into October. Where has the year gone? School is back in session, Labor Day has passed, cooler days are here, and the leaves will soon be changing. One of the best things about living in this area is the experience of enjoying four distinctive seasons and the wonderful…
Thurmont Receives $1.5 Million Grant for Flood Mitigation Project
The Town of Thurmont has received notification from the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) that they have been selected to receive a grant from the Maryland Water Infrastructure Financing Administration (WIFA), which will be used to fund the Emmitsburg Road Flood Mitigation Project, a project that has been in the planning stages since 2021.…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird School is back in session. Please be aware of children crossing the streets and intersections, because they may not be watching for traffic as they should. Children will be walking, riding bikes, and possibly riding scooters. Also, keep in mind Maryland laws regarding passing school buses. In almost every instance, when a…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird This year, the Town of Thurmont celebrates its 275th anniversary; and, yes, we are 25 years older than the United States of America. Way back in 1751, our forefathers decided to settle here because of the running streams, ample wildlife, and rich soils. After several years, the community adopted the name Mechanicstown…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird I just returned from the Maryland Municipal League (MML) Conference in Ocean City. The MML offers municipal leaders and staff members dozens of courses and seminars on topics of interest to our communities. I attended seminars on Policing-Immigration-Community Trust, De-Escalation of Confrontational Situations, Stretching Revenues, 2026 Legislative Recap, 2026 Federal Briefing, Maryland…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird I was in the medical lab one day last week getting my monthly bloodwork. I need to go regularly to make sure the chemotherapy drugs I am taking don’t damage my kidneys. While I was there, I heard a technician ask another patient about their bad sunburn. The patient said that they…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird This year, the United States is celebrating its 250th anniversary. I expect that there will be lots of opportunities to celebrate this milestone accomplishment! Interestingly, here in Thurmont, we are also celebrating a special anniversary. This year will be the 275th anniversary of the founding of our community by settlers from Pennsylvania.…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird After record-breaking cold temperatures, snow that wouldn’t melt, and crazy storms, we are hopefully in store for some nice spring weather. Currently, the Maryland State Highway Administration is working to repave Emmitsburg Road from North Church Street to just past Eyler Road. Be careful when driving in the area, and watch for…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird Thurmont will be celebrating its 275th Anniversary this year, having first been settled in 1751 by families of Pennsylvania-German descent. The settlement grew into a successful community of small businesses dependent on Hunting Creek to power mills and machinery. The town was initially known as Mechanicstown due to the number of manufacturers.…
From the Mayor
ThurmontMayor John Kinnaird As I write this article, we are in the beginning stages of our first major snowstorm of the year, and probably our biggest storm in several years. It looks like we may be headed into an exceptionally cold and snowy winter. There are steps we should all take when faced with this…
From the Mayor
THURMONT Mayor John Kinnaird Karen and I hope that everyone had a very Merry Christmas with family and friends, and that the New Year brings good health and happiness. The New Year is traditionally a time when we make resolutions about changing things in our lives, like losing weight, spending more time with our family,…
Simmers Annexation Approved Again
James Rada Jr. In what has been a contentious development project and annexation process, the Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners approved the annexation of the 16.7-acre Simmers property for the development of 61 single-family homes after a public hearing. The parcel is currently zoned for agricultural use. Following the end of the public hearing…
From the Mayor
THURMONT Mayor John Kinnaird First, I want to thank everyone who voted for me and for your continued support. My thoughts after the election are that we, as a community, can continue to work toward our common goal of making Thurmont the best it can be, and I look forward to playing a part in…
From the Mayor
THURMONT Mayor John Kinnaird Here we are in fall, with the beautiful foliage brightening our view. If you haven’t had a chance to get out and enjoy the colors, be sure to do so soon. Colorfest has come and gone, and we just had Halloween in the Park. Colorfest had a great crowd on Saturday,…
From the Mayor
THURMONT Mayor John Kinnaird Here we are at the end of September already! Schools are back in session, and autumn is coming fast. With the changing season will come the nice cooler temperatures, colorful leaves, and fall events. We just celebrated the 69th Annual Thurmont & Emmitsburg Community Show, and I am looking forward to…
From the Mayor
THURMONT Mayor John Kinnaird Kids are back in school, so please be aware of them going to and coming from school. This means kids crossing streets without looking both ways and sometimes riding their bikes in travel lanes or darting out from between cars. If we all pay attention, we can make sure our kids…
Sheetz Reopens in Thurmont
Alisha Yocum A large crowd gathered in front of Sheetz in Thurmont as part of its ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the reopening on July 15. Included in the crowd were Sheetz staff, elected officials from the Town of Thurmont and Frederick County, as well as many local patrons, who were eager to take advantage of…
From the Mayor
THURMONT Mayor John Kinnaird It’s hard to believe that we are halfway through the year already! Schools are out for summer vacation, and our kids are exploring and playing. Be extra careful on residential streets and near parks and playgrounds. Kids don’t always look both ways when crossing roads and often cross where there are…
Thurmont Names New Chief Financial Officer
Suzanne Saxton has been named the new chief financial officer (CFO) for the Town of Thurmont. Saxton replaces former CFO Linda Joyce, who retired on April 30. Saxton has worked in the accounting field since 1987, most recently serving as the controller for Structural, LLC in Thurmont. She has a BS and an MBA in…
American Legion Post 168, Thurmont
May was a very wet poppy month. We even had to dodge rain drops to meet with Mayor John Kinnaird to present him with the first Poppy of the season. For God and Country is Sunday, June 8, at Camp West Mar at 1:00 p.m. To the Legion’s founders, service to country was service to…
