Town Hall Reports
Town Hall Report
by James Rada, Jr.
T h u r m o n t
Town Makes Annual Contributions
The Town of Thurmont recently presented checks to different organizations in town that provide needed services to town residents. The donations were:
Guardian Hose Co. — $30,000
Thurmont Community Ambulance — $30,000
Thurmont Food Bank — $6,000
Thurmont Ministerium — $3,000
Bids Approved
The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners awarded a $13,531 bid to Atlantic Machinery Company in Hampton, Virginia, for a push-pull camera that the town’s wastewater department will use to check sewer lines for leaks and damage.
They also awarded a bid for $82,320 to Reff Services of Dundalk. The company will prepare the surfaces and paint the three secondary clarifier tanks at the wastewater treatment plant using a new laser technology.
New Public Art Project Installed
A new public art project, Thurmont’s second, was installed at Mechanicstown Park on June 28. It is part of the Inspire Thurmont program the town is running. Thurmont Main Street Manager Vickie Grinder said the art piece “is representative of all generations of people living in Thurmont.”
Constant Yield Rate Approved
The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners approved the constant yield tax for property tax for fiscal year 2026. The rate approved was .278 cents per $100 of assessed value. They also set the personal property tax rate at .62 cents.
Emmitsburg
FY26 Budget Approved
The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a $2.7 million town budget during their June meeting.
Although the town budget is increasing 6 percent, the property tax rate will remain the same at 34.64 cents per $100 of assessed value.
In the water fund, the water rate will increase 15 percent, rather than 36 percent. The larger amount was part of a plan to get the town water system out of the red as many needed repairs and updates are needed for the system. Beginning in 2023, water rates were supposed to increase 36 percent a year for five years and then 3 percent a year afterwards.
Part of the justification for lowering the water rate increase has been to shift as many expenses from the water fund, which is partially supported by out-of-town customers, to the general fund, which is funded by resident taxes. The most recent example of this is that roughly $80,000 in employee benefits from that accounting best practices would place in the department where the work is done to placing it with the employee’s home department. Both funds also get funding from loans and grants.
The budget also includes a 3 percent cost-of-living salary increase for all town employees. They can also expect a 1-3 percent merit increase. The town planner and superintendent of water and sewer will also receive additional increases above 3 percent to bring their salaries more in line with similar positions in other towns. Ahsan’s is 4 percent and Brantner’s is .2 percent. The latter is due to a lack of money in the water fund.
Free Pool Day Made Permanent
The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners unanimously approved making the town’s annual Heritage Day celebration also a free day to use the town pool. This year’s Heritage Day was on June 28.
Grants Awarded
The Town of Emmitsburg has recently been awarded two new grants, both are Program Open Space grants from the Department of Natural Resources. A $40,000 grant (with a 25 percent town match) for the Community Park bathroom/concession stand. A $7,650 grant (with a $850 town match) for a new scoreboard with a wireless control board at Field 7 in Memorial Park.
Changes Made for In-Town Student Housing
The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners made some changes to the town ordinance on what type of student housing could be established in town and requirements for the housing. Some of the changes made include that each bedroom in the property must have a corresponding off-street parking space, trash receptacles need to be kept on the rear of the property and screened from public view, no more than one student shall occupy each bedroom, the building must meet the requirements of the International Building Code, and the property can’t be within 500 feet of an existing student housing or boarding house.
