Town Hall Reports
by James Rada, Jr.
Thurmont
Rezoning Hearing Held
The Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners recently held a public hearing about a rezoning request from property owners of 13 properties in town, and some that town staff identified that needed to be compatible with their zoning.
Town Planner Kelly Duty reviewed the properties with the Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners, what zoning change was being requested, and what the Thurmont Planning and Zoning Commission recommended. The changes made were: 210 Boundary Ave. — R2 Residential to General Business; 402 E. Main St. — Institutional to Mixed Use Village 2; 424 N. Church St. — R2 Residential to General Business; 142 Water St. — R2 Residential to General Business; 427 N. Church St. — R2 Residential to General Business; 400 E. Main St. — Institutional to Mixed Use Village 2; 30 Elm St. — R2 Residential to General Business; Town SWM property on Long Rd. — R1 Residential to Open Space; Town Park on Thurmont Blvd. — General Business to Open Space; 304 Apples Church Rd. — left as R5 Residential; 145/147 Water St. — left as General Business; Unaddressed Cody Dr. property — left as R5 Residential; Unaddressed Water St. property — left as Open Space.
Solar Lighting Approved for Eyler Road Park Exercise Trail
Capital Electric won a contract to install 26 solar light fixtures and poles along the Eyler Road Park exercise trail in Thurmont. Capital Electric’s bid of $19,191.01 was the low bid among the five bids the town received. A Program Open Space Grant of $27,000 will pay for the project. Thurmont Administrative Officer Jim Humerick asked that the excess grant money be used to purchase additional lights that will allow the lights to be placed closer together along the trail and allow better lighting.
Accessory Dwelling Units
After making some final tweaks to the accessory dwelling unit text amendment, the Thurmont Mayor and Board of Commissioners approved the ordinance. It went into effect on January 13, 2026.
Commission Vacancies
The Town of Thurmont has the following vacancies on town boards and commissions they are looking to fill:
Board of Appeals: 1 regular member, 1 alternate member
Ethics Commission: 1 alternate member
Parks and Recreation Committee: 1 regular member
Police Commission: 1 regular member
Anyone interested in serving on these commissions/boards, please drop off your interest letter to the town office. The submissions are due by February 13.
Burns Walks Out After Heated Exchange
Thurmont resident Sabrina Massett spoke about her feelings for why she felt Thurmont Commissioner Bob Lookingbill should resign from the Thurmont Board of Commissioners after he entered an Alford plea to second-degree assault and fourth-degree sex offense charges last October. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgment that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict.
When she finished speaking, Commissioner Marty Burns came to Lookingbill’s defense. He said, “Bob and I have talked a lot about this. He’s going to church. He’s talking to a preacher, and that doesn’t mean because he’s guilty. I go… but the last thing I’m going to do is judge somebody.”
When Massett rose to respond, Burns told her that there was not going to be a discussion and she had had her time to speak, saying, in part, “You’re done speaking. I think you need to sit down.”
Massett persisted to try and respond, but returned to her seat when asked to by Mayor John Kinnaird. By that time, Burns had risen from his seat and walked out of the meeting. He refused to return when Kinnaird asked him.
Emmitsburg
Vacant Property Tax and Registration Program Approved
The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners approved a vacant property tax and registration program for nonresidential properties in the town. The town is hoping this program, along with the penalties that it can bring, will reduce vacant and blighted properties in town that work against the town’s efforts to revitalize its downtown. Violations of the ordinance occur when property owners don’t register their properties and/or maintain them.
Commissioner Rosario Benvengi acknowledged the fines could become expensive, but the problem had been going on for too long and that the property owners needed to “fix what needed to be fixed.”
Properties deemed vacant can have a special vacant property tax rate applied against them that can be as much as five times the current town real property tax rate.
Council Approves Downtown Revitalization Proposal
The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners recently voted to fund the first year of a proposed plan from Retail Strategies to develop an action plan for downtown revitalization. Part of the proposal includes a custom market analysis and a 5-year strategic action plan focused on short-term strategies that are practical and implementable. Retail Strategies will work with local action teams to develop these. The cost of the first year of the proposal is $45,000.
Town Sees Solar Savings
The Emmitsburg town government is powered by solar energy generated by two solar fields, and excess power generated from the fields leads to a rebate to the town. A report made to the Emmitsburg Town Council showed that the town saved at least $224,519 in Fiscal Year 2025 by using solar power compared to non-solar power.
Town Manager Cathy Willets told the commissioners, “You are paying less for energy now than you were 10 years ago.”
The solar fields power the water plant, the community pool, the streetlights, Vigilant Hose Company, the wastewater treatment plant, and Christ Community Church (which rents a building from the town). In addition, this fiscal year, the EV charging stations and the new restroom/concession stand were added to the solar power the town generates. The new pump station and water clarifier will be added as well.
Town Renames Ski Liberty Mountain Property
The Emmitsburg Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a renaming of 531 acres of the “Ski Liberty Mountain,” bounded by Annadale Road and Scott Road (Scott Road Farm) and up along and crossing Crystal Fountain Road, in Frederick County. The new name of the property will be The Don and Libby Briggs Family Wildlife & Recreation Reserve.
New Grant
The Town of Emmitsburg recently received a $200,000 Program Open Space grant to purchase property in downtown Emmitsburg to develop a green space/pocket park and parking. The grant requires no match from the town.
