Thurmont
Mayor John Kinnaird
It’s hard to believe that Colorfest has come and gone! We had beautiful weather both days with nice crowds. I am certain that our local organizations did very well and the funds they raised will benefit our community. Colorfest is the largest fundraising opportuntiy of the year for many local non-profits and civic groups. The money the thousands of guests spend during Colorfest helps support the programs and services they provide.
As everyone knows, the infrastucture work on North Church Street is now complete. Over $4,000,000 in American Recovery Act funds have been invested in the infrastucture improvements to upgrade services for residents along the street. Since this is a state road, the repaving of North Church Street will be completed by the State Highway Administration. Unfortunately, we were just notified that the repaving will not be done this fall as orginally planned. The work will now be done in March or April of 2025. Due to this delay, our contractor will be adjusting the manhole and water valve covers to remove some of the bumps we are all experiencing while driving on North Church Street. I encourage everyone to drive a little slower until the road is repaved. This will lessen the concerns with the uneven driving surfaces.
We have been working to improve roads in several neighborhoods. The Town of Thurmont receives Highway User Revenue (HUR) directly from the State of Maryland to help with the upkeep and repairs to our streets. These funds come from the fuel taxes we all pay at the pump and from licensing and registration fees. We typically receive around $400,000 yearly to fund this work. About 15 years ago, the state cut HUR funding by almost 90 percent, dropping our allotment to about $35,000 yearly. It has taken several years for the state to bring the funds close to the previous levels. Because of this drop in HUR funds, we have lost almost $3,000,000 of funding to invest in our streets. The work we are currently undertaking will cost nearly half of the funds we are getting this year. The balance will be used to target improvements on other streets. Due to the loss of HUR funds, we have not been able to keep up with all the street repairs needed. I am pleased to announce that we are receiving $1,000,000 through the efforts of our Federal Elected officials. These funds will be used to make much needed improvements to Carroll Street. These improvements will include infrastructure work to the water, waste water, and storm water systems and repaving.
The replacement of the tennis courts at Community Park are nearing completion. The contractor will be finishing the installation of fencing, nets, and painting of the courts and lines in the coming months. This has been a long time getting done, but it will provide new tennis and pickleball playing surfaces with new lights for nighttime play.
The weather is rapidly changing, bringing cold days and the possiblity of snow or ice on our roads. When it snows or we get icing, please keep your vehicles off the streets until our crew can treat the ice or plow the snow. Our streets crew are very responsive and get the streets cleared as soon as possible; with your help, the work can go much smoother.
Karen and I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. We also want to remind everyone that Christmas in Thurmont will be held on December 7. There will be lots of activities for all ages, including entertainment, games, crafts, prizes, and a visit with Santa. Be sure to look for details coming soon!
With cold weather coming, be sure to donate to the Thurmont Food Bank and Clothes Closet. Healthy and nutritious food and warm clothing will be greatly appreciated by all those in need in our community. Cold weather brings additional hardship to many families, and our generosity can help bring comfort to young and old. As always, I can be reached by phone at 301-606-9458 or by email at jkinnaird@thurmont.com.
Emmitsburg
Mayor Frank Davis
Time flies when you are having fun, and it is hard to believe I have just completed my first year in office. So, this month, I want to share some of our accomplishments and, of course, our challenges, too.
We have added two new staff positions to our workforce: one in the office and the other in the water/sewer department. Both positions are vital to the town’s success as we continue to grow and expand services and activities for our citizens.
New parking meters are now operational, and we have received many compliments for advancing to the new optional pay system. While you can still use coins, you now have the option for a credit card or the Park Mobile App.
We have expanded our offices to better serve our citizens. The office is now open from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for your convenience.
With the challenging work of staff, we saw an increase in interest income of 75 percent. This allowed us to complete projects that were long overdue but had to be delayed because of funding. Unfortunately, this fiscal year might not be quite as good, due to investment interest rates already dropping.
Our new youth soccer league, “Catoctin Mountain Futbol Club,” is up and running at full speed. We have approximately 80 youths participating in this great program. Thank you to the organizers, Andy Crone, Jesse Ensor, Carlos Valerio, and David Ventura, for your hard work and dedication.
Several new businesses are at various stages of operations and more are in the pipeline. I will give more details in an upcoming article.
I want to update you on a major challenge that we continue to work through.
Approximately two years ago, our water fund was on the brink of operating in the red. There were several factors that contributed to the funding decline, and most have been identified and corrected. But we still have a ways to go. Unfortunately, you have endured a cost increase on your quarterly utility bills. I take this increase seriously and understand the last thing any of us needs is higher bills. While the town will take some of the blame for the increase, we continue to be bombarded by state and federal unfunded mandates. While some may be necessary, I am not convinced that some are worth the paper they are written on. These are the same people that several years ago told us that paper bags were going to ruin our environment and that we must go plastic. Well, guess what? Paper bags are back. We are exploring options and looking to cut costs and will continue to keep you updated.
As always, feel free to reach out to offer your suggestions. Please call the office to set up a time to meet or drop me a note.
Woodsboro
Burgess Heath Barnes
Greetings and Happy November. We are officially in the holiday season. Thanksgiving month is a good time to think of things you are thankful for. Remember that many people do not have family or resources to have a great holiday season. This is also the perfect time of the year to donate time or resources to help a person or family less fortunate if you can.
Woodsboro Days was a wonderful event in town on October 18 and 19. Several town residents started the weekend on Friday with yard sales throughout the town and the annual large one at the Woodsboro Lutheran Church. Saturday’s weather was wonderful, and it was great seeing so many people out in the park for the music, food truck, and vendor festival. Next year, we are looking for an even bigger and better festival. Mark your calendars for October 18, 2025, for next year’s event.
As far as the town hall update, which I know seems to be going on and on, things are happening. The last of the permits and filing were submitted to the county, and there is a good chance we will see the ground being broken in November—the goal is still to get the ground broken and the building started before the hard cold weather sets in.
We have had several concerns brought forward with quarter three water bills, which were the first bill with the new water rates. I understand the concern about the increase. We discussed this at multiple town meetings leading up to the budget before voting for the increase. The vote was unanimous by the council for the increase. Increasing the water rates was the last thing we wanted to do, especially during an economy like we are in; however, several factors led to the decision. First, over the last 20 years, there have been two very minimal increases, which have increasingly led the town’s water and sewage funds to run in the negative each year. This could not continue, as the water and sewage account must be run separately from the town’s general fund budget and has to run self-sufficiently and pay for itself. We cannot continue to borrow from the general funds to cover it year over year. If there had been a 1-2 percent increase year over year to cover the inflation and rising costs of all things, we could have been at the point of covering the costs without a drastic increase at one time. Second, our water operator, who has been with the town for several years at $75,000 a year, resigned. After a two-month search, the best rate we could find was a new company at $200,000 a year, so that increased our expenditures as well. I know increases are never what anyone wants to see, but I wanted to clarify the reasoning, as there have been questions raised to the town clerk, myself, and on social media regarding the rate increase. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or attend any town meeting.
As always, I encourage everyone to support Glade Valley Community Services (GVCS) if you have clothes or food donations, as they are always in need of items for members of the community. For more information, please contact GVCS by email at gvcs.inc@verizon.net or by calling 301-845-0213.
If you have any questions, concerns, complaints, or compliments, please feel free to reach out to me at hbarnes@woodsboro.org or by phone at 301-401-7164.
Woodsboro town meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. In addition, planning and zoning meetings are at 6:00 p.m. on the first Monday of the month, as needed. If you have an item for the agenda, it needs to be submitted 14 days before the P&Z meeting. The current location for meetings is St. Johns United Church of Christ, located at 8 N. 2nd Street, Woodsboro, MD 21798. The public is always invited to attend.
Woodsboro town meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. In addition, Planning and Zoning (P&Z) meetings are at 6:00 p.m. on the first Monday of the month, as needed. If you have an item fo r the agenda, it needs to be submitted 14 days before the P&Z meeting. The current location for meetings is the St. Johns United Church of Christ, located at 8 N. 2nd Street, Woodsboro, MD 21798. The public is always invited to attend.
