Emmitsburg
Mayor Frank Davis
As we head into the summer months, I want to give you an update on the projects that have been ongoing for the last several months.
The new sewer lift station on Creamery Road is up and running and appears to be operating as designed. This project replaced another piece of our aging infrastructure and will not only operate more efficiently but will also prevent overflows during heavy rain events. Much of this project was funded by grants which saved the town over $1 million.
The water clarifier project is on schedule and should be up and running by December. This will be another addition to updating our water treatment process, which is over 50 years old. Over $1 million of this project was grant-funded and will reduce the cost of producing water.
The new restroom and concession stand are completed and up and running in the E. Eugene Myers Memorial Park. Baseball and softball have always been a bright spot in the history of sports in Emmitsburg, and we have found a way to honor all the athletes who played the game. The front walkway leading to the concession stand has been lined with bricks that may be purchased to give you the opportunity to display the names of individuals and teams. You may purchase bricks until July 1 to be included in the first installation of the commemorative area. You can contact the town office or go to our website for more information.
The new parking area at Rainbow Lake has been completed and has added much-needed parking for fishing and trail users.
The DePaul Street Waterline Project is complete, which was a much-needed improvement to our water delivery system. We have made the decision to install sewer cleanouts for all properties before paving the entire street. With the addition of these projects, completions and paving are projected to be completed by mid-summer.
Finally, the Emmitsburg Community Garden is in full bloom and community involvement has been over and above projections. The town has approved the expansion of the garden area, with future growth expected.
As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions and concerns, and thank you for your continued support in making Emmitsburg a better place to live and work.
Woodsboro
Burgess Heath Barnes
Happy summer! My favorite season is here. It is time for family, friends, pools, BBQs, etc. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer. Watch out for the children as school begins to let out for the year. They will be out and about more. Congratulations to all the Woodsboro graduates in the class of 2025. Seniors, best of luck as you graduate and move on to the next chapter in your life.
I would like to say thank you to the town of Woodsboro residents who came out in record numbers at the town election on May 10. I am honored to have received your vote of confidence to serve another four-year term as burgess. Congratulations to Denise Hahn on your election to serve as a commissioner, and congratulations to Jesse Case on your re-election to serve another term as commissioner. Thank you, David Williams, for your willingness to step up and run to serve the community. Thank you to the outgoing commissioner, Bud Eckenrode, for your four years of service to the town. The new council will be sworn into office at the town meeting on June 10.
One of my primary goals this term is to see us getting into the new town hall, which will hopefully be completed by October. I will continue to go after grants to lower the amount of the loan that we will have to take out. So far, we have had $593,000 in grants approved toward it, with another $100,000 requested. Another priority is to have workshops with the council to update the town code, as we have several things that need to be updated. Another project we are going to work on is trying to get the pond in the park dredged before it is completely taken over by algae. Commissioner Rittelmeyer has been doing some research on it, and hopefully, we can find some ways to get this fixed in an affordable manner.
Some good news was able to be shared concerning the unfortunate situation that happened a few months ago regarding the driver hitting the fire hydrant, which cost the town over $40,000 to repair. After filing an insurance claim, the claim was covered, and all we are responsible for is the $500 deductible. This was great news, as our town’s water and sewage fund is always very tight and this would have put a large dent in our funds.
Woodsboro Days will be October 18 this year. I am looking for one to two people who would be willing to help plan and organize Woodsboro Days with me. We are also looking for two to three volunteers to help with community events to serve on a community events committee, which includes Woodsboro Days, the annual Easter Egg Hunt, and some other potential events that may be added for the town.
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 the St. Johns United Church of Christ, located at 8 N. 2nd Street, Woodsboro, MD 21798. The public is always invited to attend.