Thurmont News-Briefs

Danielle Ryan

(5/25) Thurmont Main Street Farmers Market returns

The Thurmont Main Street Farmers Market will open Saturday June 4, from 9am til noon at Thurmont Municipal Parking Lot on South Center Street Behind the PNC Bank. The farmers market occurs every Saturday, rain or shine, and will run through September 24.

This year the farmer’s market will feature the Thurmont Green Team, a team of dedicated volunteers that has been working hard on obtaining the Sustainable Maryland Community certification. The Green Team will be promoting a plant swap this year by offering residents an option of 3 varieties of tree samplings native to the Thurmont Catoctin area: red bud, locust and tulip.

The vendors this year offer a wide range of locally grown produce and fruit as well as an assortment of fresh baked goods. Come out and support your local growers!

Replacement of Town Dump truck

Commissioners voted to purchase a 2017 Ford dump truck from Hagerstown Ford in the amount of $102,319. This dump truck will replace the current year 2000 model, and will have a ten-foot snow plow attachment, stainless steel bed and safety warning lights. The replacement is necessary as current truck has a large amount of corrosion on the chassis and the body. The funding for this purchase has been escrowed in the budget cycles over the past few years in order to accommodate for the cost.

The current amount funded through the Escrow account is $99,000, which means that an additional $3,319 is needed to make up the difference in cost. Commissioner Burns modified the motion to take the difference in cost out of the General Fund.

Linda Joyce, the Chief Financial Officer, stated that the additional money needed would be taken out of the Fund Balance and an amendment to the budget would be made in order to accommodate the change. The vote was carried unanimously.

Replacement of Digger/Derrick Truck

The Town approved the replacement of a 1997 GMC Digger/Derrick Truck, better known as the pole truck. Funding for the truck is available through the Electric Department Loan. This loan originally consisted of $2,006,938, and included the cost of the replacement of this truck. There is approximately $1.2 million left on the loan, some of which was used to purchase the truck.

The new truck will accommodate the replacement of poles throughout the town, having the capability to set 55 foot poles. The current truck is a smaller version of the new Derrick truck and is unable to safely set poles any larger than 40 feet. This stands as an issue because there are 50 foot poles currently located in town.

A bid from National Joint Powers Alliance for a 2016 freight liner chassis, priced at $208,749 was brought to the Board. The new truck will have a service bucket so it could be used as a third bucket truck if needed. Delivery was promised within 90 days of purchase.

The Board voted and the motion was carried unanimously.

Thurmont Sustainable Procurement Policy

Thurmont is currently working toward their accreditation for the Sustainable Maryland Certification. In order to obtain this certification, the Town must come up with a green purchasing policy. Chief Administrative Officer Jim Humerick researched different policies currently in place within other municipalities and reviewed the template provided by the University of Maryland.

The purpose of this policy is to "ensure that the Town recognizes its responsibility to minimize the negative impacts on human health and the environment while supporting a diverse and vibrant community and economy." This policy also ensures that the materials and products purchased by the Town adhere to a certain level of sustainability in regards to environmental and economic standards.

Humerick settled on a Sustainability Procurement policy based off of the one used in the Town of Boonsboro, which has been successful thus far for their Town. Some discussion was had over the concern over the potential for some external force that could possibly play against the Town in choosing one product over another. The Board voted and the motion was moved unanimously.