Issues

It's vitally important that we preserve our vision for the Town as described in the Master Plan.  Our newly-updated Master Plan describes a clear vision of growth that doesn't outpace our services and public facilities capacity, and a dedication to high quality living.  From the recently completed 2023 Master Plan:

Our TOWN VISION for 2033

This plan is written with the intent of Mount Airy remaining a “small town” throughout the next decade, where our environment, safety and health are protected, where limited growth does not create congestion in our schools or on our roads, where adequate (or even surplus) water and sewer capacity exists, and where a revenue stream supports the necessary increases in public services and amenities (e.g. public works, parks / recreation, library, and community center).  All of these characteristics of the 2033 Town of Mount Airy will reflect our unwavering determination to maintain a high quality of living, and to have every resident conclude that they are a part of a close-knit and caring community.

In order to maintain the quality of life that we’re here for, and to maintain our vision for our Town and our community, we must approach growth and development decisions with the questions, analysis, and facts consistent with this Vision. 

Our Senior community is refreshingly forthcoming about their needs.  They need access to health services, whether they're in town or out of town.  And they need a vibrant, up to date senior center that facilitates social and healthy activities.

Mount Airy is home to longtime business partners as well as newly-established businesses that have been welcomed into the community.  The Main Street corridor especially needs constant, innovative support and promotion.  

Additionally, the town has business zones and development opportunities that are not on Main Street.  There are plenty of opportunities for the Town and the Economic Development Commission to lure businesses and services that will compliment our community and clean up blighted properties in the process. 

The current facility was always meant to be a temporary home for the MAPD.  It’s rented office space in a building occupied by a variety of businesses that include medical services and an accountant.  According to state and county guidelines, a proper station should have bullet proof glass, reinforced walls, outside reinforcements to prevent a vehicle crashing into the building, electrical back up, and a secure way to transport accused offenders from a cruiser to a cell.  And it obviously shouldn’t be a shared space with businesses and civilian services.

Is abandoning the MAPD realistic?  No.  

Abandoning the force would be wasteful in three ways:

• First, it would be a waste of Human Resources
  • Not only have we invested in the people that make up our team of Police, but they’ve invested their time and talents in our community.
• Next, reverting back to the MSP would be Fiscally irresponsible:
  • Bringing Maryland State Troopers back to Mount Airy would cost an estimated $1.2M per year now.That’s slightly more than our salaries and wages budget for our entire force.
• Lastly, we are safer now than before the MAPD, and this has a positive impact on our lives:
  • Banks and convenience stores were getting robbed and shopping center parking lots conveniently located just off I-70 served as drug deal rendezvous spots.

So for these reasons, it’s time to begin the transition from a temporary Police station to a proper permanent one.  Our responsibility is to do this in the most efficient manner possible, with respect to financing, location, and timing.

The citizens have spoken, and we should exhaust all other options before demolishing the Flat Iron Building.  Demolition has a high cost and the site is rather small, so if we can rehabilitate the building through fundraising and grants so that it can be useful to the town, let's be patient and make it happen.

Water availability is of course of paramount importance, and Town officials must and will work with the MDE to make sure growth does not put our water supply in danger.

Unfortunately, we’re one of 4 Towns with higher than recommended levels in the area.  The others being Myersville, Middletown, and Thurmont.

But fortunately, our Town Staff has been problem solving this since they were notified.  It will take approximately $2M per pumping station to mitigate the issue and the Town has secured the $8M needed in both grants and forgivable loans.  

I am of course committing to assisting the Mayor and our Staff in getting us through this health issue that affects all of us, with its cause and effects not yet fully understood.