Hagerstown City Council to Convene for Regular Session Addressing Annexation, Infrastructure, and Grants

The Hagerstown Mayor and City Council are scheduled to hold their regular voting session on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting, the 44th of its kind for the year, will take place in the Council Chamber at City Hall, located at 1 East Franklin Street. Residents can expect discussions on a range of topics, including a public hearing for the Cline Farm Annexation, the approval of minutes from previous meetings, and a comprehensive consent agenda covering numerous departmental expenditures. Additionally, the council will consider several new business items, including the acceptance of various streets, the establishment of permit parking zones, and the approval of multiple grant applications.

The agenda for the July 28th meeting includes a call to order by Mayor William B. McIntire, followed by an invocation and the Pledge to the Flag. Several announcements are slated, including updates on the rules of procedure, restrictions on cell phone use during meetings, and guidelines for submitting correspondence to elected officials. The council will also review the meeting schedule for upcoming work sessions and the subsequent regular session in August. Appointments to the Historic District Commission, for Robert Powell and Leslie Allen, are also on the docket.

A significant portion of the meeting will be dedicated to Citizen Comments, with a 30-minute window allocated for residents to address items germane to City of Hagerstown business. Those wishing to speak must pre-register online at http://www.hagerstownmd.org no later than 24 hours prior to the meeting’s start. Each registered speaker will have three minutes to present their comments. Following citizen input, a public hearing will be held concerning the Cline Farm Annexation, identified as A-2026-01. The council will then review minutes from meetings held on June 2, June 9, and June 23, 2026.

The consent agenda for the meeting is extensive, encompassing proposed expenditures across multiple city departments. The Engineering department seeks approval for a $19,000 software subscription for managing CCTV footage of storm drains, a $100,000 blanket purchase order for trash and recycling carts, and $53,687 in alternate bid work for the Wheaton Park Stage construction. Further engineering items include a $592,500 concrete box culvert installation, and a contract not to exceed $566,125 for CCTV inspection and cleaning of storm drainage systems over two fiscal years.

Within the Fire department’s proposals are purchases for a $750,000 Tempest Mobile Ventilator and a $1,500,000 Pierce Enforcer Pumper. Also, $30,842.65 is allocated for iBrid MX6 CO/H2S meters. Human Resources is requesting $1,160,275 for liability and property insurances through the Local Government Insurance Trust. The Information Technology department has several renewals and new acquisitions on the agenda, including annual maintenance for the phone system ($15,498), network storage for HPD ($49,675), Intellitime software ($79,289.04), MUNIS support ($332,413.07), Ninja RMM maintenance ($14,568.75), HPD Laserfiche software renewal ($10,285.79), and professional services for Sprypoint implementation ($524,000).

The Police department’s consent agenda includes $200,000 for upfitting departmental vehicles, and the purchase of several new vehicles: a 2026 Ford Explorer ST-Line for $47,000, a 2025 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility for $45,600, two 2026 Chevrolet Tahoes for $111,592, a 2026 GMC Acadia for $44,853, a 2026 Subaru Outback for $35,945, and four additional 2026 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility vehicles for $186,800. The department also seeks approval for $22,500 in entry-level recruit fees for the Washington County Police Academy.

Public Works proposals include $77,985 for City Hall gutter work, snow board replacement, and water table repairs, as well as $25,188 to replace existing refrigerant monitoring service at the Hagerstown Ice Rink. The Utilities department’s agenda features several significant purchases, including a 2026 Chevrolet Silverado for $63,389.76, Norfolk Southern rail crossing fees totaling $26,590, Magnafloc polymer for $50,805, and residual land application services for the R.C. Willson Water Treatment Plant at $204,000. A substantial item is the $528,373 SCADA upgrade for the R.C. Willson WTP. Additionally, the department is proposing the replacement of a tandem dump truck for $191,402.15, a change order for the Water and Wastewater Master Plan GIS at $1,470,452, $86,215 for airlift pumps for ENR filter modules, a change order for the Wastewater Pelletizer Roof Replacement at $57,981, $28,800 for odor scrubber chemicals, and a close-out of the Pump Station 33 Project for $9,525.25.

Under New Business, the council will consider the approval of several resolutions. These include the acceptance of various streets in Hager’s Crossing, the establishment of a permit parking zone during baseball games at Meritus Park, and authorizing a deed of easement with 1183 Luther Drive, LLC. The council will also vote on resolutions for FY 2028 Community Legacy Fund and FY 2028 Strategic Demolition Fund applications. Further resolutions pertain to a settlement agreement with Boulevard Contractors, an application for a Community Parks and Playgrounds Grant, and acceptance of the Arts & Entertainment District Security Grant, the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network Grant (MCIN), and a Recruitment and Retention Grant. The agenda also includes approval of a government relations engagement agreement with Compass GR Partners, acceptance of the FY 2027 Community Legacy Award from the State of Maryland, and approval of a lease holdover with the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The meeting will conclude with comments from the City Administrator and Mayor & Council members.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from City of Hagerstown Press Release

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