Sarah Harrington

(12/1) Town Commissioner Joe Ritz, who serves as the town liaison to the Citizens Advisory Committee of Emmitsburg presented some of the committee’s recommendation on opportunities to improve the quality of town life at last month’s Town Council meeting.

Recommendations include controlling after-hour activity near the ballfields near Southgate; improving the communication of election date (this year’s turnout for town council election was exceptionally low and it causes concern for the elections that are yet to come in future years.)

The committee also recommend Emmitsburg look into becoming a Main Street Community. A Main Street Manager would help bring events and business to the town and help determine what type of businesses should be in town. Both the Main Street Managers from both Taneytown and Thurmont said they would be willing to give a presentation at a future town meeting to explain the program and it’s benefits.

One of the concerns raised by the committee was the loss of businesses in the Town Square area. The committee recommend some types of businesses that would be beneficial additions to the town, these include a ski shop, with the town’s close location to Ski Liberty and the traffic that comes through the town during ski season it would be ideal and a bike shop; with the opening of the new trails near Mount St. Mary’s University it seems ideal to add this type of shop to the community.

In addition, members of the committee proposed the town to consider a Sister City. Suggested cities included Eppelheim, Germany and the city here the Emmitts came from in Scotland.