Town election nears with no official candidates

(7/24) Two seats on the Emmitsburg Town Board of Commissioners will be up for election in September, with no one as of yet having filed as candidates.

The town election will be held September 24. The two seats that will become vacant are those presently occupied by commissioners Patrick A. Joy and Jim Hoover. Both of the positions up for election are three-year terms. Commission members are compensated $4,000 annually. Candidates wishing to be listed on the printed election ballot must file 30 days prior to the election. Individuals interesting in becoming write-in candidates must file within 15 days of the election.

Although not having filed to run for the seats, Joy did tell the News-Journal, “I plan on running.” Joy, who is employed at the Federal Department of Health and Human Services, was elected to his first term on the board in 2010, and would thus be running for his second term as a commissioner.

He has previously served on the town Planning Commission “for a couple of years” and the town Parks and Recreation Committee “four or five years.”

Regarding the next three years, Joy said we would like to see the commission “continue keeping the budget in line, and continue to get the town square developed.”

“We have enough focus on the sewer plant and that’s going along fine,” he said.

Regarding the past three years, Joy stated that the accomplishments of the board on which he is serving “have been able to keep the taxes down haven’t had to raise taxes. We found (budget) cuts where necessary.”

The board of commissioners during his tenure have also “been pushing for transparency so people know what’s going on. There’s nothing hidden going on behind the scenes.”

Hoover has not yet indicated if he will be running. He previously served as a town commissioner and mayor, but lost his mayoral seat to current Mayor Bon Brigs in the 2011 election. He was appointed earlier this year to finish out the term of Commissioner Glen E. Blanchard following that commissioner’s resignation.

Candidates elected to either of the two seats will sworn-in and assume their position on the town Board of Commissioners on October 7.