Hagerstown Officials to Discuss Locomotive 202 Donation, Public Services, and Legislative Priorities

Hagerstown, MD – The Hagerstown Mayor and City Council are scheduled to convene for a combined Work Session and Executive Session on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. The meetings, held at City Hall, will address a range of important topics impacting the city’s future, including community development, infrastructure, public safety, and fiscal planning.

The day’s proceedings will begin with an Executive Session at 4:00 PM in the Council Chamber, located on the second floor of City Hall. This session is intended for discussions permissible under the Open Meetings Act, focusing on personnel matters such as the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluation of appointees, employees, or officials. Specific personnel matters to be discussed include board appointments for the Hagerstown Youth Council and the Hagerstown Housing Authority. Following the Executive Session, the Mayor and Council will reconvene in Open Session briefly to vote on closing the meeting for these discussions, as permitted by law.

At 4:15 PM, the Work Session will commence with a presentation from Elizabeth Scott Shatto, Executive Director of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, who will outline a request for support. This will be followed by a preliminary review of the upcoming agenda at 4:30 PM.

A significant portion of the Work Session will be dedicated to updates on major city initiatives. At 4:45 PM, Margi Joe, Community Development Manager, Rachel Paul, Planning and Outreach Coordinator, and Sean Griffith, Executive Director of the Hagerstown Housing Authority, will provide an update on the Choice Neighborhoods Final Transformation Plan. This plan, developed with community input, aims to revitalize targeted neighborhoods by focusing on housing, people, and the broader community environment. The team is seeking continued support for the plan as they prepare to pursue an implementation grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and explore alternative funding sources.

Further into the afternoon, at 5:00 PM, Eric Deike, Director of Public Works, will present an update regarding a donation agreement for Locomotive 202 to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. This discussion will cover the logistics and financial benefits to the city of donating Locomotive 202. The resolution to donate the locomotive is then scheduled for vote August 26, 2025 regular session.

Infrastructure and utilities will also be under discussion. At 5:15 PM, Jim Bender, City Engineer, will address a request for an access easement for Columbia Gas at 441 S. Potomac Street. Following this, at 5:20 PM, Nancy Hausrath, Director of Utilities, will present a request from U.S. Cellular for approval of a colocation agreement. This request pertains to the existing cellular tower site at 13500 Volvo Way, and is a continuation of previous approvals for co-location at the site.

Financial and operational matters will be covered next. At 5:25 PM, Michelle Hepburn, Chief Financial Officer, will lead a discussion on potential employee stipends for Fiscal Year 2026, in conjunction with a transition to a bi-weekly pay cycle. This change, driven by the implementation of new Workday software, aims to streamline payroll processes. A one-time stipend, equivalent to 20 hours of pay, is proposed for eligible full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees at the time of transition, which is anticipated in the first quarter of Calendar Year 2026. A motion to approve these stipends is slated for the August 26th Regular Session.

At 5:40 PM, City Councilmember Tiara Burnett will initiate a discussion on rent stabilization as part of the city’s Affordable Housing & Homeless Solutions initiative. The session will review examples of rent stabilization laws in other Maryland jurisdictions, such as Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Takoma Park, to inform potential local strategies. The council will consider further research and stakeholder engagement on this topic.

Two important ordinance discussions are scheduled for later in the Work Session. At 5:55 PM, Amanda Gregg, Chief Housing and Community Development Officer, and Paul Fulk, Neighborhood Services Manager, will present an ordinance concerning vending machines on public sidewalks. This will be followed at 6:10 PM by a discussion on proposed changes to municipal infractions, including fines, also presented by Gregg and Fulk.

Finally, at 6:25 PM, the Mayor and City Councilmembers will review legislative proposals for discussion with the Washington County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly for the 2026 session. This discussion will cover potential city priorities, including requests for bond financing for studies, tax exemptions for the Hagerstown Fieldhouse, and statewide legislation related to sober houses and property management companies. The city aims to formulate a priority listing of legislative proposals for their lobbyists and the delegation.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the City of Hagerstown.

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