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With a new year comes New Year’s resolutions
and new goals and Thurmont is not different
from a person.
One change residents will see this year will
be in the budget Mayor Martin Burns presents
to the commissioners.
“Not that it wasn’t transparent before, but
this will show a lot more detail to the
commissioners and the public,” Burns said.
The budget will also project out the budget
for five years.
Burns said his hope is to maintain the current
tax rate or lower it to the constant yield
rate. However, given the sewer issues the town
is facing, he is not sure if lowering the
sewer rate will be possible.
The town will also make decisions on whether
or not to annex the Drees Homes property
and/or the Lawyer Farm into town.
The town’s update of its master plan should
also be completed this year, which will
include a comprehensive rezoning of properties
within the town.
“It will be interesting to see if those people
who are against annexation are for rezoning in
the town,” Burns said.
The new police building will be opening around
the middle of the year, which Burns said
should be a boon for the town and the new
library should also open this year, which will
bring more people into the town since it will
be a regional library.
Thurmont Main Street Manager Vickie Grinder
said in addition to the normal events Thurmont
First hosts, she would like to add a town yard
sale at the carnival grounds.
“Tourism is going to be one my main focuses in
2008,” Grinder said.
This will include producing a new brochure
about the town with the tag line, “Get away to
the gateway.” She is also working on obtaining
grants and other funding for new signage to
help direct tourism around the area.
“It’s going to be a pretty full year,” Grinder
said.
