(7/20) At the July 13 meeting, Mayor Jim Kinnaird announced that Thurmont has received full funding for three of the five potential Program Open Space Projects submitted to Frederick County for the annual grant funding.

Program Open Space Project funds open space projects through grants that Frederick County receives from the State of Maryland. Frederick County splits the grant 50-50 with the municipalities. They keep half and then split the other half amongst the municipalities for new equipment, to maintain parks or to buy new park land area.

According to Town Manager Jim Humerick, Frederick County allocated $2,592,988 million dollars for funding, which leaves $1,296,494 to be split amongst the municipalities. Humerick explained that the latter amount is then divided further: 75% or $972,370.50 for development and 25% or $325,123.50 for acquisition. The acquisition fund is what goes to the municipalities for Program Open Space.

This year, Thurmont submitted five projects to the program: Hunting Creek Pedestrian Bridge, a new parking area at the Eyeler Road Park, expanding the East End Dog Park, the Mountain Gate Trail and additional pickle ball courts. In April, the Parks Commission and Town Council agreed that the Hunting Creek Pedestrian Bridge and a new parking area at the Eyler Road Park are the top two priorities for this grant funding.

The town received full funding for Hunting Creek Pedestrian Bridge, Eyler Road parking area and the Mountain Gate Trail.

Humerick said that total funding requested was about $40,000 over the acquisition budget. To lower the requested amount, Kinnaird rescinded the request for $99,000 to complete the additional pickle ball courts while at the negotiation meeting with the other mayors. The project will be set aside until funding is available.

The town asked for $255,000 to fund the new parking area at Eyler Road Park, but only received $35,000 for that project. At the town meeting, Kinnaird suggested returning the money for another municipality to use since it covered so little of the cost, to which the other commissioners agreed. "This will come back and benefit us because it shows that we are concerned and considerate about other municipalities’ projects," Kinnaird said.

Humerick said that the town has the opportunity to apply for Community Parks and Playgrounds Program through the State of Maryland to fund the Eyler Road Park and pickle ball projects. "My intention is to apply for both of these projects that weren’t funded through Program Open Space through Community Parks and Playgrounds," he said. "There’s no guarantee we’ll get it, but it’s certainly our intention to get funding elsewhere." The application for Community Parks and Playgrounds is due in August.