(8/1) Thurmont appears likely to get around $7 million in money from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, half of which was recently received.
Mayor Kinnaird stated at the Town Council’s sole-July meeting that it appears the town will be entitled to receive a potential total of about $7 million, split between a 2021 allocation and the remainder in 2022. He said the 2021 half was just received, amounting to $3,396,000.
As part of the federal American Rescue Plan, the act established a $65.1 billion fund for state and local infrastructure and other improvements. Municipalities receiving funding through the plan are permitted to use the funds of a number of potential projects, but are held to specific categories, one being projects relating to water, wastewater, and storm water infrastructure.
Relating to water infrastructure, the commissioners approved a $12,800 contract to Arro Consulting to produce a study to try and generate options dealing with the habitual flooding that occurs on properties along Emmitsburg Road. The topic was brought before the board by Commissioner Burns, as the result of ongoing concerns expressed by residents.
The contracted study is expected to produce recommendation regarding options to remediate the flooding which frequents the affected areas during heavy rainfalls, including determining exactly where the massive amount of stormwater inundating the properties are originating during heavy rainfalls, and to determine the potential cost of the options,
Once the options, and costs of each, are known, the commissioners can then tackle how the funds needed can be secured.
Noting that work that had been done by the state in the past may have exasperated an already flood-plagued situation, it was suggested that the state could be approached to provide funding for part of the solution, and/or prospective developers on lands in the impacted areas could be tapped for contributions, or even a tax-rate could be applied to affected properties to generate revenue for relieving a problem involving their properties.
Regarding the potential to have developers contribute toward ‘the fix,’ and the concerns about allowing developments in the afflicted areas, Burns stated, "If you allow developers to come in (and propose projects in the affected areas), something can get fixed," adding, "If no developers are allowed, nothing will get fixed."
