Ed Waters Jr.
Frederick News-Post

(5/1) Heroin is a problem in Thurmont, and town officials are planning a meeting to educate parents on the issue.

"The kids know where to get it. This meeting is to educate the parents," said Mayor Martin Burns. The meeting is set for 7 to 9 p.m. May 16 at Catoctin High School.

Burns said town officials, police and a representative of the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office would be at the meeting to discuss what can and can't be done legally.

Burns said the deaths of two young people, one in Emmitsburg and a Thurmont resident who died in Anne Arundel County, illustrate the dangers of the drug.

The town has allocated $30,000 for a drug-sniffing dog and training for a town police officer to work with the dog. That should be in place in June. After that, Burns said, he would like to have frequent checks at Catoctin High School and perhaps other schools for drugs. The permission will be up to the principals of the schools.

"If we can catch one person, that is a good start," Burns said. In the meantime, anyone seeing anything suspicious should contact the Thurmont Police Department.

"There are people in this town already under surveillance," Burns said.

Charter changes

The commissioners will review changes to the town charter. Most of the changes deal with elections such as moving to Nov. 1 the first day for newly elected officials to take office instead of Dec. 1; requiring registration 28 days prior to an election instead of seven days as is now in place; and expanding the number of election judges from three to four.

Changes will be approved or not by the commissioners by the next meeting, May 7, and then advertised for two weeks before a public meeting on the changes.

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