Parks
to lend their
support to town sewer effort
By James Rada Jr.
News Editor
THURMONT,
Md. – Superintendents from Catoctin Mountain Park and
Cunningham Falls State Park plan to add their voices to those
of Thurmont officials who are trying to get state and federal
grants to help repair the town’s sewer system.
The
commissioners discussed options concerning the town sewer
system with Catoctin Mountain Park Superintendent Mel Poole
and Cunningham Falls Superintendent Cindy Ecker. Though the
parks aren’t within Thurmont’s town limits, both
are connected to the town’s sewer system and use about
600,000 gallons of sewer capacity a quarter.
Terminating
the sewer contract with the parks has been discussed as an
option to reduce strain on the sewer system, though no decision
has been made yet.
“I
believe the sentiment on the board exists to do this (terminate
the contract),” Commissioner Glenn Muth said.
If the
commissioners vote to terminate the contract, the parks would
then have six years to find another way to handle their sewage.
“I
can’t get a sewer system built in six years,”
Ecker said. “If we don’t have it, I guess we’ve
have to shut down.”
Both
Ecker and Poole also told the commissioners that their lines
that connect to the towns system have been checked and updated
to minimize any problems with inflow and infiltration.
“Our
system, as far as we know, is fairly current,” Poole
said.
Burns
explained that the town has sought help at all levels of government
to fix a problem that will easily cost $15 million to fully
address.
“We
have enough money to fund the next phase of the project, but
we’re killing our residents,” Burns said, referring
to the increasing sewer rates.
Poole
suggested that the town and the park pay a joint visit to
the town’s congressman and senators to make the town’s
case.
“Environmentally
and economically, it makes more sense for us to support the
system in place now,” Poole said.
The
commissioners accepted the offer and Poole will be setting
up the meeting.
