By James Rada Jr.
News Editor

THURMONT, Md. – One vote can make a difference. Thurmont Planning and Zoning Commissioner Randy Cubbedge supported recommending to the Thurmont Mayor and Commissioners the annexation of the Myers Farm north of town. However, when he left the July 26 planning and zoning meeting to pick up his family at the airport, Commission Alternate Sabrina Massett became a voting member. Her vote against recommending annexation led to the 2-1-1 decision by the commission not to recommend annexation to the town commissioners.

“I think it shows it’s not a cut-and-dry issue by any standard,” said Tom Hudson, who is seeking to develop the Myers Farm. “If anything, I think it was a split decision last night.”

The vote came after the planning and zoning commission heard public comment about the proposal to annex 210 acres into Thurmont for residential and commercial uses. Of the three dozen people in attendance, about half spoke during the public hearing.

Russ Delauter of Thurmont pointed out that town property tax rates, sewer rates, water rates and electric rates have all gone up this year. He felt a larger tax base could have minimized some of those increases. “Think about the young families, retired families and people on fixed incomes,” Delauter said.

“Regardless of what we say tonight, this proposal is about money,” John Brown of Thurmont said in his opposition to the proposal.

Chairman John Kinnaird said the proffers shouldn’t be considered in the commission’s deliberations, but many people spoke to the benefits the additional cash offers or tax revenues would bring. The commission was supposed to make their decision based on how it fit with the 1995 town master plan.

During the July 31 town meeting, Planning Commissioner Ray Williams said that one of the reasons he supported the annexation because, “Not to take any of the information we’ve gathered in the past year and a half is silly.”

The speakers at the public hearing were fairly evenly split between town residents and non-residents and those for and against the annexation.

“I don’t think we can take a look at this annexation without taking a look at the woes of the town and the woes of the town are many,” said Paul Nolan of Thurmont.

It became apparent as the attendees spoke, that despite a speaker’s position on the proposal, most people recognized the project had many advantages and disadvantages.

“With growth comes more people with ultimately more problems,” said Stacey Brown-Hobbs of Thurmont.

Brent Dugan of Thurmont told the commission, “You can’t choke housing off and not expect housing prices to go up.” He pointed out that the town only grew by five people last year and added, “If we were to slow it down any further, we would have to start demolishing houses.”

The dominant concern among both supporters and opponents of the proposal was how traffic would be handled in and out of the development, particularly accessing Route 15. The frequently discussed option of J-turns was proposed by most people. However, the Maryland State Highway Administration won’t weigh in on what it wants to see at the site until there is an annexation.

After the meeting, Hudson said he had heard that J-turns have little support. “We need to find another way to address this,” Hudson said.

Many speakers supported the idea of the urgent medical care facility as part of the commercial development and Brown-Hobbs suggested a retreat center, which many people seemed to favor.

Though Cubbedge’s early departure changed the vote’s outcome, the final vote did reflect the feelings of the majority of the board including non-voting alternate Randy Waesche and Kinnaird, who only votes in the event of a tie. Town Commissioner Wayne Hooper abstained from the vote so he can vote when the decision comes before town commissioners.

“It really makes no difference,” Kinnaird told the town commissioners on July 31. “It’s a recommendation. You’re going to make the final decision.”

The town commissioners don’t have to follow the commission’s recommendation and a date for a public hearing before the town commission hasn’t been set yet.

Mayor Martin Burns said on July 31 that the issue has drawn a lot of attention in the county. “There’s been more lobbying done by county commissioners and special interest groups than any developer ever has done in this town,” he said.

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