Town Hall Report
by James Rada, Jr.
Thurmont
Gold Star Families Memorial Considered
The Mayor and Commissioners of Thurmont are considering placing a Gold Star Families Memorial in Memorial Park. Gold Star families are families who have lost a loved one in one of the country’s military conflicts.
“You have a lot here that would make this a nice tribute to our families, and it would mean a great deal to our Gold Star families,” Gold Star Mother Julie El-Taher told the mayor and commissioners.
These memorials have been installed in parks around the country to acknowledge the sacrifices of our country’s veterans and the loss their families have suffered. The black granite memorial is eight 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 mayor and commissioners expressed their support of the idea, but they want to hear what the American Legion and AMVETS think of the idea. In particular, the American Legion first established the park in honor of the town residents who died in World War I.
New Minimum Street Width Approved
The Mayor and Commissioners of Thurmont recently voted to enact new regulations for minimum street widths in town. The new ordinance makes 32 feet the minimum width for new roads in town. This ensures traffic won’t be impaired in developments and emergency vehicles will be able to reach locations where they are needed.
New Roof Approved for Main Street Center
The Mayor and Commissioners of Thurmont approved a bid of $14,250 to replace the roof on the Thurmont Main Street Center on Water Street. Three bids were received, and P.J.’s Roofing of Frederick was the low bidder. The project is funded with a $15,000 façade grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
Mayor James F. Black Scholarship Awarded
Aaron Morales, a student at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, was recently awarded the Mayor James F. Black Scholarship at a Thurmont town meeting. He hopes to become a toxicologist and work for law enforcement. The scholarship was named in honor of James Black, who served 16 years as the mayor of Thurmont. Since the scholarship was established, it has awarded over $50,000 to the children of employees of the Town of Thurmont.
Emmitsburg
Vacant Property Tax Considered
The Mayor and Board of Commissioners of Emmitsburg are considering implementing a vacant property tax in town on properties that are unoccupied for an extended period of time. The goal of the tax is to encourage property owners to maintain their properties and keep them occupied. When this happens, it will reduce blight and safety hazards and promote housing availability. The discussion ranged over the types of property that could be taxed, what the property standards will be, the length of time that a property would have to be unoccupied, and the amount of tax to be charged.
Temporary Taking of Vehicles Repealed
The Emmitsburg Mayor and Board of Commissioners voted to remove a section of the town code dealing with people who temporarily take a person’s vehicle. Town code considered this a misdemeanor, but state law already covers this topic and so it was redundant.
Resignation Accepted
The Emmitsburg Mayor and Board of Commissioners voted to accept the resignation of Sheila Pittinger from the Citizen’s Advisory Committee.
