SMITHSBURG, Md. — Smithsburg will move ahead with plans to improve pedestrian safety around three schools and upgrade Water Street after the Town Council accepted more than $500,000 in grant funding at its latest meeting.
Council members also continued developing the town’s next trash and recycling contract, including possible townwide trash containers and changes to yard-waste service, and considered requests from residents facing unusually large water bills.
School safety
The council accepted two grants totaling $508,880, led by $308,880 for engineering and design of pedestrian-safety improvements along routes serving Smithsburg’s three schools.
The Safe Routes to School project is expected to include sidewalks, crossing signals and improvements at key intersections and corridors. The grant covers engineering and design rather than construction, prompting council members to ask how the eventual improvements would be funded.
Town officials said they are pursuing additional state funding to move the project beyond the design stage.
The council also accepted $200,000 for the Water Street streetscape project. Town officials said the money is expected to support storm-drainage work and improvements around the historic bridge at the end of Water Street.
Officials discussed putting approximately $130,000 toward the immediate project while using the remaining $70,000 for related work that could make Smithsburg eligible for another $250,000 grant.
Town Manager Brian Brandt said maintaining the town’s compliance with state requirements is important because it can affect Smithsburg’s ability to compete for future funding.
“We’re in compliance now,” Brandt said. “I do not want to come out of compliance.”
Council considers changes to trash service
Smithsburg is also beginning to shape its next trash and recycling contract, which is expected to take effect next July.
The council spent considerable time reviewing options for the request for proposals, including whether a future contractor should provide standardized trash containers and whether residents should have a choice of container sizes.
Republic Services, the town’s current contractor, participated in the discussion. Town officials said other potential vendors have also expressed interest and that the contract will eventually go through a competitive bidding process.
Council members discussed seeking prices for both the existing collection system and an alternative in which households receive standardized trash containers. If the town chooses the latter, members said they want to address who owns the containers so they do not have to be replaced whenever the town changes contractors.
Cost could be significant. During the discussion, officials estimated that supplying containers to roughly 1,000 households could represent an upfront expense approaching $100,000, depending on how the contract is structured.
The council also discussed whether additional yard-waste collections could be offered during months when demand is highest. Officials said Smithsburg previously offered twice-monthly collection but reduced it because participation was too low to justify sending a second truck through town.
Republic representatives also told the council that recycling has become more expensive than ordinary waste disposal in Washington County, where landfill tipping fees remain comparatively low.
The council made no final decisions on the service changes. The options will be refined before the town seeks bids.
Scouts seek help with food drive
Local Scouts are preparing for their annual Scouting for Food collection, with flyers scheduled to be distributed Nov. 7 and donations picked up Nov. 14.
An organizer asked whether Smithsburg could help produce approximately 1,000 colored flyers that would make participating households easier for volunteers to identify and distinguish the collection from another food drive. Council members agreed to obtain printing prices and revisit the request at their next meeting.
