The town is advertising for the position, which oversees a workforce of 60 employees, with an annual salary range of $95,000 to $110,000. Benefits are included.

“The town administrator handles the day-to-day operations of the town,” Mount Airy Mayor Larry Hushour said. “The town administrator oversees planning and zoning, the police department, public works, community development and engineering. That’s most of the town employees.”

Hushour said the current town administrator, Heather Smith, will remain on the job until someone is hired. Smith, who has been with the town for 25 years and has served as administrator for two years, said she is returning to her previous position in the accounting department.

“The ideal candidate will have a well-rounded background with an understanding of municipal government operations covering many of the following areas: supervisory management, infrastructure maintenance and development, financial management and budgeting, general knowledge of planning and land development, as well as creating collaborative initiatives with the State and County to promote economic development and plan for capital improvement projects,” the advertisement states.

The town wants someone with “superior” communication and leadership skills with an employment history that includes customer service and an ability to work with residents, employees and local businesses.

The administrator, who reports directly to the mayor, oversees the town’s $7 million budget and works with county and state officials on a host of issues, Hushour said.

The position requires five to 10 years of experience working in local government or management. A bachelor’s degree is preferred in public administration or a related field.

To apply, send a cover letter, resume and salary requirements to Cheryl Knight at P.O. Box 50, Mount Airy, Maryland. 21771 or email cknight@mountairymd.gov.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

Gordon made the unexpected motion to allocate the funds during Priority Carroll, a time set aside before each regular weekly meeting for commissioners to talk about events they recently attended, and update residents on upcoming issues. The items discussed are not advertised on the weekly agenda, and votes are not typically taken during this informal time.

But Gordon made the motion, because a federal judge ruled on June 21 that the Public Service Enterprise Group, the contractor hired to build the $424 million powerline, could be given access to more than 100 properties in Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties, over objections from landowners, in order to conduct land surveys.

“Obviously this is considered to be Priority Carroll, so I think it’s only proper to mention something that I think is urgent and clearly a priority in our county,” Gordon said. “…Obviously we’re very disappointed with the outcome of the federal case regarding the property rights and regarding the MPRP powerline.”

Commissioners have been vocal in their opposition to the controversial Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project. In January they filed a “petition to intervene” with the Maryland Public Service Commission, which will allow them to participate in the legal process, present evidence and attempt to influence the outcome.

The Maryland Public Service Commission is the state agency that regulates public utilities and has the authority to make the final decision on whether the project will be built.

“When we’re being told that someone can actively access private property for an unknown amount of time with no timeline of a project that’s been approved or when they need to be off the property, I think that speaks volumes to both the concerns of the county, but also the people that live here, and the residents we all were elected to serve,” Gordon said.

“We as commissioners have to do more, to step up,” he said. “I know this is a huge fight, I know this is a fight that’s far from over. With that being said, I’m going to ask my colleagues to do something that is not typical this morning. I’d like to see us take $100,000 out of the reserve or contingency fund, to be set aside, that we will potentially use later to fight this fight.”

But Gordon’s suggestion faced board opposition, essentially because the suggestion was not on Thursday’s agenda.

District 2 Commissioners’ President Ken Kiler was confused.

“We’re taking money out to fight this, we already have attorneys fighting this,” Kiler said.

But Gordon countered that property owners in the path of the powerline are upset over Friday’s ruling.

“Yes, we have attorneys fighting this, but we also have a community who can’t fight this on their own,” he said. “I would like to see us, at the very bare minimum, set some money aside, as a good faith movement, toward those that we support that are part of our community, and let them know we have their backs.

“I know we all want to fight this,” he said. “… We have people that are absolutely panicked right now. I’ve had at least 30 phone calls since Friday night, and it concerns me.”

But District 5 Commissioner Ed Rothstein questioned why Gordon brought the topic up during Priority Carroll.

“This is out of left field,” Rothstein said. “I think we need to put it on the agenda. Have our legal adviser and our management and budget come in and have this conversation with us. There’s a lot that should be done before we allocate and execute our taxpayer dollars.”

But the discussion became heated when Gordon then countered that the board in March unexpectedly voted to increase budget funding to Carroll County Public Schools by $13 million, after learning that the school system would seek a waiver from some of the requirements outlined in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

“We were at a meeting three months ago, where something was brought up which was not discussed by all five of us,” he said.

Rothstein countered that the $13 million increase was discussed for months at town halls with residents, and meetings with the school system.

“It was not a new event that happened,” he said.

Kiler agreed.

“… I brought up the $13 million,” he said. “I gave the courtesy to everybody sitting here to discuss it multiple times. Everybody knew exactly when it was coming up. The budget was on the agenda. This has nothing to do with this. I didn’t do it as a cheap political scheme, secret from everybody else.”

Kiler said he was “offended” that Gordon informed residents before Thursday’s meeting of his plans to allocate the $100,000. Kiler said Gordon should have informed him before the meeting.

“I’ve been told by others this was coming up this morning,” he said. “… I find that very disappointing, and please don’t compare it to any motion I’ve made up in the two and half years I’ve been here. … I’m offended you even compare it to that.”

After some heated discussion, commissioners voted unanimously to add the issue of allocating $100,000 to the July 3 meeting agenda.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

Sen. Justin Ready and Dels. Chris Tomlinson and April Rose stated in a news release their intentions to run as a “team” for reelection in District 5, which includes a large portion of Carroll County, as well as a small part of Mount Airy in Frederick County.

All three in separate interviews said it is not an official slate, which by definition is a group of candidates that run in multi-seat or multi-position elections on a common platform.

“You can create a slate to raise money, but that’s not what we’re doing,” Tomlinson said. “It’s more informal as a team. We’ll [be on signs] together and on materials that we’ll hand out. But there are no plans to become an official slate to raise money.”

Rose agreed.

“We’re definitely a team, a good team,” she said.

The fourth lawmaker in District 5, Republican Del. Eric Bouchat, told The Baltimore Sun June 18, he is gearing up instead to run for governor next year.

Bouchat announced in September that he is not seeking a second term because it’s virtually impossible to effectively lobby for his constituents in Carroll and Frederick counties as a Republican in a chamber where Democrats hold the majority.

Steve Whisler, 56, of Marriottsville, announced his candidacy for the House of Delegates in March. The Carroll County Board of Education vice president, who is not part of the “team,” is also running as a Republican to represent District 5.

In Wednesday’s news release, Ready, 43, stated that Rose and Tomlinson are “great partners,” who stand up for their values while working to get things done for their constituents.

“It is an incredible honor to represent our community and be a bold conservative voice in Annapolis,” he stated. “Maryland is at a major crossroads. We must turn back from Governor [Wes] Moore and the Democratic Supermajority’s tax-and-spend policies that raise our cost of living and hurt working families.”

Ready served first in the House of Delegates from 2011 to 2015. In January 2015, following the resignation of Sen. Joseph M. Getty, who left to serve as the chief legislative officer to former Gov. Larry Hogan, Ready applied to fill the vacancy. He was appointed by Hogan in February.

Ready serves as the minority whip, the number two Republican leadership position in the Senate. He is also a member of the Senate Finance Committee.

Ready lives in Manchester with his wife, Ruth, and their two children, Brooklyn and Caleb.

In 2015, Rose, 56, was appointed by Hogan to fill the vacancy left by Ready. She currently serves as the assistant minority leader, the number three Republican leadership position in the House. She is also a member of the House Economic Matters Committee.

She and her husband, Mike, live in Westminster. She has four adult children.

“I’m thankful to have the opportunity to serve Carroll and Southeast Frederick County families, job creators and retirees,” Rose stated in the news release. “As an experienced professional in hiring in my private career, I’m proud to be leading the fight for a rational energy policy to get costs back down, reducing unneeded, burdensome regulations on small businesses and supporting education reforms that promote career and technical skill opportunities.

“Chris Tomlinson, Justin Ready and I work together as a team and we want to continue fighting for real change in Maryland,” she said.

Tomlinson, 38, was first elected to the General Assembly in 2022. He currently serves as chairman of the Carroll County delegation and is a member of the House Judiciary Committee.

“Serving on the House Judiciary Committee, I fight back every day against bills introduced by Democrats that are overwhelmingly pro-criminal and anti-victim,” Tomlinson stated in the news release. “On my committee, I am aggressively battling to end the opioid epidemic, pass legislation that will lock up criminals who are the worst of the worst, and reduce juvenile crime that has gotten completely out of control.

“Justin Ready, April Rose and I are committed to passing tough-on-crime laws that will lock up those who wish to harm our communities,” he said.

Tomlinson and his wife, Molly, live in Melrose with their daughter, Abigail.

For more information, go to JustinReady.com, DelegateAprilRose.com and TomlinsonforDelegate.com.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

Vigliotti said his passion for Carroll County is the driving force behind his decision to seek another four-year term.

“I ran for commissioner — and am running for reelection — for love of home,” Vigliotti stated in an email. “Home is where we build our lives and chase the American Dream, and Carroll County is still a place where the American Dream is possible.”

Vigliotti was first elected to the Board of Carroll Commissioners in 2022, after serving on the Taneytown City Council as mayor pro tem, and liaison to the Taneytown Police Department. He was elected to the City Council in 2013 and reelected in 2017 and 2021.

He graduated from Mount Saint Mary’s University in 2008, where he studied history, political science and philosophy.

Outside of politics, Vigliotti is a writer and a novelist, having just published his 24th book of fiction. His writing has appeared in numerous publications, and he’s currently finishing his first nonfiction work. Vigliotti is also a creative designer, specializing in writing, editing and graphic design.

Vigliotti, who serves as vice president of the five-member Board of County Commissioners, said he’s proud of what the board has accomplished, especially its decision to actively oppose the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, he said.

Commissioners in January filed a “petition to intervene” with the Maryland Public Service Commission, which has allowed them to participate in the legal process, present evidence and attempt to influence the outcome of the proposed 70-mile high-voltage transmission line through Carroll, Frederick and Baltimore counties.

Vigliotti points to several other accomplishments.

• Balancing budgets with no property or income tax increases.
• Ensuring the Carroll County sheriff has the funding and resources needed to protect residents, and the support of elected officials.
• Establishing the Carroll County Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, while supporting volunteer companies.
• Increasing the medical disability and pension for the sheriff’s department, corrections and fire and EMS.
• Increasing funding to Carroll County Public Schools.
• Protecting agricultural land as part of the county’s Agricultural Preservation Program. The county’s goal is to protect 100,000 acres. So far 80,000 acres have been protected.
• Road and infrastructure repair and maintenance, including the paving of remaining gravel roads for motorist safety and quicker emergency response.
• Renewing relationships and coordination with municipalities and the county’s delegation to Annapolis.
• Ensuring that rural villages and unincorporated communities are not forgotten, and receive services such as road repairs and line-of-sight improvements. This includes the completion and opening of the Charles Carroll Community Center in the Silver Run and Union Mills areas.

“I’m running for reelection for love of home – to continue to keep these policies and practices in place and continue to make sure that Carroll County is a place where the American Dream still thrives,” he said.

Finally, Vigliotti said the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project is the “greatest threat” Carroll County is facing.

“It strikes at the heart of everything we are in Carroll,” he said. “The MPRP is a brutal infringement of the rights of our citizens, their property, and their homes. It undermines local choice and determination, is poised to decimate our farmland and Agricultural Preservation Program, and devastate wetlands, wild areas and wildlife.

“It stands to make Carroll County (and Baltimore and Frederick counties) a mere highway between energy production in Pennsylvania and energy demand in Virginia, leaving Carroll’s citizens to pay for something for which they had no part in consenting,” he said.

If reelected, Vigliotti promises to continue to stand with those who oppose the project and will pursue whatever means the county has to stop it.

“… Our open land has been protected for a reason, and that reason is not for sale,” he said. “Home is not for sale. But everything I do as commissioner, and everything I seek to do if reelected, is all for love of home.”

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

The Maryland Municipal League, a nonprofit organization that represents incorporated cities and towns throughout the state, has recommended park improvements totaling $172,848. The funding comes from the state’s Program Open Space for fiscal 2026.

The program provides financial and technical assistance to local jurisdictions for the planning, acquisition and/or development of recreation land or open space areas. Each year, the league recommends how Program Open Space funding should be spent.

The Board of Carroll County Commissioners must approve acceptance of the funds. The board is slated to do so Thursday during its weekly meeting.

Since 1977, the county has had an agreement to allocate 25% of its annual Program Open Space funding to the incorporated cities and towns in Carroll.

The following are the recommendations.

• Wakefield Valley Park in Westminster: Pavilion improvements that include the installation of a concrete pad and electrical work, totaling $43,212.
• Union Bridge Community Center Park: Tennis courts and lighting renovations, totaling $43,212.
• New Windsor Maple Avenue Lion’s Club Park: Improvements to a pavilion that includes a new roof and soffit, gutter system, and repairs and painting to the interior and exterior, totaling $43,212.
• Taneytown Memorial Park: An expansion project including the construction of four natural grass multipurpose fields. The city will also construct a 5,000 square-foot multipurpose building, and two parking lots. Other amenities include bleachers, playground, concrete walking path, and multiple bioretention facilities, totaling $43,212.

The county commissioners’ meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., Thursday, in Room 311 of the County Office Building, 225 N. Center St., in Westminster. The meeting is livestreamed at youtube.com/@CarrollCountyGov. Anyone can make public comments at the meeting, in person or online.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

Robert (Bob) Jones started as the economic development director on June 6 at an annual salary of $58,154, City Manager James Wieprecht said.

According to Mayor Chris Miller, Jones is a longtime Frederick resident and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland’s College of Housing and Applied Design. He spent seven years as a Senior Facilities Planner at Litton Industries, then launched his own firm—Jones & Eberhardt Inc., where he worked for 20 years.

“Bob is a recognized community leader, playing a key role in the organization of The South End Coalition in Frederick, earning both a governor’s community service award and a U.S. Attorney’s award for his work on public safety and the South End Citizens Patrol. His service as commissioner and vice chair of the Frederick City Historic Preservation Commission highlights his dedication to safeguarding local heritage and fostering sustainable, people-focused growth,” Miller said in a Facebook post.

Wieprecht said the position isn’t new and Jones is the third person to fill the role.

“Bob’s primary focus for the near future will be helping to get our Main Street program back on its feet and to work with the [Maryland] Department of Housing and Community Development on administrative items related to revitalization grants,” he said.

Historically, the director of economic development has also served as the manager of the Main Street program.

” … At this time, we’re in a rebuilding phase for that program, so that’s expected to take most of Bob’s time in the short term,” Wieprecht said. “I’m suspect the role may shift over time, as council may set different goals or priorities in the future. But those are the initial areas of focus.”

The city is now advertising for a city attorney, asking for sealed bid proposals from qualified attorneys for the position, according to an advertisement. The deadline to submit a bid is at 3 p.m., June 30.

“The attorney’s compensation will be part of a law firm’s proposal, so we don’t have a stated salary range,” Wieprecht said.

The search for a new city attorney follows controversy surrounding former attorney, Jack A. “Jay” Gullo Jr.

In 2023, Mayor Christopher Miller announced at a City Council meeting that he had fired Gullo. Miller said at the time that Gullo’s relationship with City Council members was not impartial or professional and that Gullo put the wishes of individual council members before the needs of the city.

Council members were angry about not being consulted about the firing. In February 2024, the council unanimously passed a resolution stating Miller did not have the authority to fire the city’s longtime attorney. The council voted to reinstate Gullo, who had worked for the city for 20 years before he was fired.

‘When Mr. Gullo returned to serving as the city’s attorney last year, he committed to doing so through our May 2025 election,” Wieprecht said. “With that election completed, he has stepped away from the role of city attorney, however he is still providing services to the city as special counsel to help wrap up some items in which he’s been involved, and on an as-needed basis while we search for a law firm to represent the city.”

As of the 2020 census, Taneytown is home to 7,234 residents. The city government, under the supervision of the mayor and council, includes the police department, public works, the finance department, planning and zoning, the department of information technology, parks and the clerk’s office.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

All motions to dismiss filed by impacted landowners were denied.

PSEG wants temporary access to the properties to conduct survey work that is tied to the powerline project. As a result of the judge’s ruling, PSEG can now access the properties immediately — with just 24 hours’ notice taped to a door.

This access will continue until the Maryland Public Service Commission, the state agency with the authority to approve or deny the powerline project, makes its final ruling.

“This ruling doesn’t give PSEG the right to build anything yet — but it does allow their surveyors onto private land to gather data they need for the state approval process,” wrote U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson in a 52-page decision, according to FOX45 News. “Time is of the essence.”

State and county officials, along with hundreds of landowners from all three counties, have been outspoken in their opposition to having a powerline tear through their properties.

“I am incredibly disappointed by this ruling,” Sen. Justin Ready, of District 5, stated in response to the ruling. “I agree with the Stop MPRP, Inc. … that the fight is not over, not on access and certainly the longer-term fight to stop this egregious attempt at a corporate taking is still very much at a beginning.

“Our Carroll County and Frederick County Legislative Delegations and local governments are engaged 100% in this fight and standing together with the community across party/regional/ideological lines,” he stated. “I’d encourage people who are concerned, particularly affected property owners and neighbors, to follow and connect with Stop MPRP if you haven’t already.”

Property owners face the risk of being held in contempt of court if they obstruct survey crews acting under the court order.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct name of the judge.

Kiler, who represents District 2, promised on his June 18 podcast that the Board of Carroll County Commissioners will continue to fight solar projects going around a county ban by seeking approval from the Maryland Public Service Commission to build on agricultural property.

“Solar and ag, I try to bring up every time,” Kiler said. “We thought we settled it in Carroll, but the Public Service Commission and the state can overrule it.”

Commissioners voted in 2023 to ban solar farms from farmland, but the state agency will have the final say. Since the county zoning code prohibits solar farms on farmland, applicants have applied to the state. Should the agency issue the required certificates, the county’s zoning restrictions on agricultural land could be disregarded.

The solar battle is just one example of the county’s fight for local control. Commissioners have been vocal in their belief that the state has too much control over what the county legislates.

Kiler considers it an uphill battle, since the state regularly approves requests to build solar projects on farmland.

“They’ve allowed 98% of them to be approved,” he said.

In 2020, Frederick County attempted to appeal a decision by the Maryland Public Service Commission’s chief public utility law judge to grant Biggs Ford Solar Center LLC a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to construct a solar photovoltaic generating facility on Biggs Ford Road. Frederick County asked that the decision by the utility judge be reversed.

A Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity grants solar companies the authority to construct energy-generating systems or high-voltage transmission lines in Maryland.

The legal battle, which started in 2017 when Biggs Ford Solar filed their application with the county, ended in August 2020, when the judge’s decision was ultimately affirmed. Fast-forward to this year, and the solar facility is expected to be complete on farmland just outside the Town of Walkersville in Frederick County.

Of the eight solar-generating facilities proposed on farmland in Carroll County, Bear Branch Solar LLC, a 4-megawatt solar farm proposed on a 65-acre property along the eastern side of Route 97 (Littlestown Pike) north of Westminster, has been granted a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, giving the company permission to construct an energy-generating system or high-voltage transmission line in Maryland, according to a 9-page report from the Maryland Public Service Commission.

Carroll commissioners are now fighting two other projects.

In March, they filed petitions to intervene with the Maryland Public Service Commission, allowing them to participate in the legal process, present evidence and attempt to influence the outcome for two of eight solar proposals — one from Chaberton Solar Sunshine LLC at 940 Fannie Dorsey Road. The other project is from Spring Valley Solar 1 LLC for a 2.25-megawatt facility on 14.26 acres at 1500 Fannie Dorsey Road in Sykesville.

“They both sit on flat, fertile farmland,” Kiler said in March. “They sit too close to the road and there is not enough screening. … We decided to fight these two.”

Kiler said in his podcast that the public utility law judges on each case have been receptive to their concerns. But he believes they are “reluctant” to reject the applications.

“We need to keep fighting,” he said.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, commemorates the effective end of slavery in the United States. The day became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021, when former President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law. This made June 19th the date that commemorates the end of slavery in the country.

Most federal, state, and local government offices in Carroll County will be closed, including the United States Post Office.

• Carroll County Government offices
• Carroll County General Health Department
• Carroll County Circuit Court
• Carroll County Public Libraries
• Carroll County Workforce Development
• Community Foundation of Carroll County

The following are additional closures in the incorporated city and town offices:

• Town of Hampstead
• Town of Manchester
• Town of Mount Airy
• Town of New Windsor
• Town of Sykesville
• City of Taneytown
• Town of Union Bridge
• City of Westminster

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.

The Board of Carroll County Commissioners unanimously approved a $57,900 contract with Mechanical Engineering & Construction Corporation in Catonsville on Thursday, to install air conditioning for the kennels.

There is currently no air conditioning for the kennels that house the adoptable dogs, cats and small animals.

“Air conditioning is crucial for Carroll County Animal Shelter to protect animals from extreme temperatures, reduce stress, and support recovery from illness,” a county briefing paper states. “It enhances air quality, prevents overheating, promotes humane conditions, and ensures staff and volunteers can work effectively.

“With no current air conditioning in the kennels, this turnkey project is essential to immediately improve shelter conditions and promote the health and well-being of both the animals and their caregivers,” the briefing paper states. “This project will also bring the site into compliance with recent changes to state law.”

The Humane Society of Carroll County, which operates the animal shelter, was formed in 1945. In 1977, county commissioners directed the Humane Society to enforce domestic animal laws, sell dog licenses and shelter animals.

In 1981, a new county animal shelter opened at its current location on Littlestown Pike in Westminster.

Have a news tip? Contact Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@baltsun.com, 240-315-7029.