Ingrid Mezo

(2/9) Estimates from the four architecture firms that Thurmont officials asked to design a new town police building independent of the county came back last week.

The estimates were less than the estimate for the joint Frederick county and town police building, Commissioner Bill Blakeslee said Tuesday. Exact figures could not be obtained by The Gazette’s press time Wednesday.

The town has not yet decided if it will build a new building on its own to house only the Thurmont Police Department, or partner with the county on a joint building, as proposed in August.

While county staff had originally estimated a cost of $150,000 for the design of the joint building in August, they told town officials in December that design costs would be closer to $235,000, Mayor Martin Burns said.

Town and county officials agreed to pay $75,000 each in design costs when they met in August. The town’s police commission will meet with county officials at 7 p.m., Feb. 16 to discuss plans for the building, Blakeslee said.

Officials to vote on bond ordinance

During the Thurmont town meeting Tuesday, town officials introduced an ordinance allowing the town to issue and sell infrastructure bonds not to exceed $3 million to the state’s Community Development Administration.

The town will use proceeds from the sale of the bonds to refinance bonds the town sold in 1996 to provide funds for the Moser Road Substation, and to obtain a loan from the Community Development Administration.

Town officials will vote on the ordinance during the next town meeting, Tuesday.