Tasty Tips from Tina
January 27, 2010
One of my New Year’s resolutions was to start cooking big meals again on Sundays. Considering I haven’t been back to the gym, religiously done two loads of laundry a day, given myself more time in the morning so I’m not so stressed on my way to work and become an overall kinder person I figured the least I can do is cook a good meal once a week.
Since there’s only been three Sunday’s so far it hasn’t been much of a streak. I enjoy preparing the menu, which is like trying to solve the Rubic’s Cube. This one doesn’t like this but the other two do. Kid A likes that but without mushrooms and Girlfriend B doesn’t like it at all. Husband A is fairly easy to please when it comes to dinners. I think he’s afraid to mess with me after I get all the colors lined up.
Dessert is the easiest part. Almost anything goes. This week I made “Dirt” which is nothing more than pudding and whipped cream combined and layered with crushed Oreos. I even used the truffle bowl for effect, fancy schmancy. My boys were teasing me because I put the little gummy worms in it but by the time they were done digging for them the poor dessert actually looked like the dirt from the front yard. So much for ambiance.
The best part of the meal was the visits I got from the family during the preparation. The kisses and hugs I got as they looked over my shoulder to see how much longer it was going to be. It dawned on me these days are numbered. In the midst of our busy lives they grew up. So if I don’t get to the gym and laundry doesn’t get done everyday oh well, but Sunday dinner is one resolution I plan on keeping.
This recipe came to me from a very old and dear friend.. His wife is one of the lucky women whose husband does most of the cooking.
Sea Food Bisque
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups coarsely chopped sweet red peppers. {3 large}
3 green onions, shopped
1 cup coarsely chopped celery, {3 ribs of celery}
2/3 cups of chopped carrots {2 carrots}
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. Dried tarragon leaves
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
4 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes {4 tomatoes}
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 pound lumped crab meat
shrimp or langostinos {if you want thicker soup}
In a 6-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add next 8 ingredients, cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, stir until well blended. Stir in cream and sherry. Reduce heat to low and and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and seafood and simmer 10 minutes or longer if seafood is frozen. Serve warm.
Anytime I go to an Italian restaurant I look for this on the menu. Turns out it is so easy to make.
Chicken Marsala
1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture
2. In large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet. Simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Thurmont police calls 2009
January 27, 2010
Thurmont Police Department Calls
Offense 2009 YTD
Murder 0
Rape 1
Robbery 1
Aggravated assault 9
Burglary 15
Theft 46
Vehicle Theft 5
Officers Assaulted 0
Calls for Service 7981
(Non-Traffic)
Traffic Citations 605
Traffic Warnings 1113
Municipal Citations 43
Municipal Citations 33@$1925
(Paid)
Patrol Checks 2527
Adult Arrests 1403
Juvenile Arrests 34
CDS Arrests 31
CDC Seized 17
Weapons Seized 6
DUI Arrests 32
Destruction of Property 58
Parking Citations 184
Total cases reported 484
Total cases closed 340
Unforgettable… that’s what you are! by Vickie Grinder
January 27, 2010
Have dogs taken on a different role in society? Oh yea! Fido has become an enormous role in our everyday family lives like never before. With that said pet portraits are popping up on walls everywhere. I recently discovered Nancy Houston; Surgical Assistant at Catoctin Vet Clinic is also a talented artist. Nancy has been painting for twenty five years and her specialty? Dog portraits. Ms. Houston tells us, “I’ve been painting for about 25 years. “I studied under Dennis Blalock at the Firedrake Studio here in Thurmont.” “He was a great mentor and is a dear friend.” Nancy has always wanted to be an artist, and says jokingly, “that is why I am a vet assistant!” Ms. Houston comes from a long line of painters. Her grandfather was a painter and was entranced by his studio from a very young age. “I used to go in and pretend I was painting by mimicking his strokes on a canvas with a dry brush.” Nancy added “I really just wanted to do what he did; his pieces were so vibrant and exciting.” Needless to say a vet surgical assistant coupled with artisan abilities would contribute to a natural extension of her pet portrait passion. Nancy commented it was a natural extension of the course of her life-similar to that of a marriage between her two passions. “I love to paint dogs, doing what dogs do; it’s the best of both worlds.” You can stop by Catoctin Vet Clinic, 4 Paws Place in Thurmont, to view several pieces of Nancy’s work on display. Interested in getting “Man’s (And female) Best Friend” portrait painted? Select that special Fido photo and Nancy will bring the picture to life as a memorable keepsake for years to come! A portion of the price of the portrait is donated to pet charities. Nancy may be contacted at 301.271.0156 or nancyzoo91@comcast.net
It’s Tax Time!
January 27, 2010
It’s Tax Time!
Melissa Wetzel, CPA, P.C. is offering several discount programs when preparing your tax return. This year Melissa will be offering free electronic filing. Melissa says this helps ensure her clients get their refunds in a timely manner, and that her filing will ensure your tax return will be entered into the IRS data base promptly and correctly. Another option is her $1 per canned food item (up to $5) brought to office when she prepares your tax return. What a great way to help others! Melissa Wetzel also offers a referral program where she will send you a check for $20.00 to any client who refers three new clients to her office. My favorite option is the “Patronize local business” discount. When you visit Melissa to have your taxes done, you show Melissa a receipt that is dated within the last two weeks from an independent business from Emmitsburg, Thurmont, Taneytown or Fairfield Business and she will take $2 off your tax return. This does exclude supermarkets, fast food chains and gas stations. Helping local businesses can help you as well. Melissa’s office will also be selling baked goods for the Non-Profit Organization, EOPCC (Dr. Portier’s Office), during tax season to help raise money for their cause. Melissa says, “Whether I am doing your taxes or not, people can stop by to purchase baked goods for this much needed cause.” She will be selling baked goods from February 10th through
March 31, 2010. Why take a chance on your tax return when you can have the return professionally prepared at an affordable price. Melissa offers not only individual tax returns but businesses as well. She also specializes in consulting, payroll taxes and notary services. Melissa Wetzel, CPA, P.C. is located at 301 West Main Street Emmitsburg, MD or contact her at 301.447.3797. Her hours are Monday through Saturday (Tuesday’s and Thursday’s late afternoon through evening).
Say What? by Mike Cady
January 27, 2010
SAY WHAT!
Caveat Emptor is Alive and Thriving! By Mike Cady
Caveat emptor is Latin for “let the buyer beware” and it is alive and thriving in many businesses, but none more than in the auto industry. For the past three years, I served as the Business Development and Internet Manager for a local car dealership and what I learned was a real eye opener. I understood that buying a vehicle was a negotiation process, but I did not know on how many levels. Now retired, I am happy to share with you a few thoughts that may save you thousands of dollars on your next vehicle purchase.
Most people do a fair to excellent job of negotiating the price of their new car purchase, but completely cave in when it comes to the value of their trade, finance rates, and after-market products, such as: extended warranties, gap insurance, car care services, and security systems to name just a few options. First, here are a few general rules to help you avoid making an emotional versus intellectual decision:
- Ø Research the vehicles of interest to you prior to contacting any dealership. Make sure you know which vehicles best meet your transportation needs and desires (e.g. style, size, power, fuel efficiency, safety ratings, price range, etc.).
- Ø Ask a friend or relative to accompany you when you visit a dealership. Make them promise not to let you sign any papers on your first visit.
- Ø Go to the dealerships closest to your home or place of work to test drive the vehicles of greatest interest and have all of your questions answered to your satisfaction. Be sure to get a quote on one or two vehicles that you want most.
- Ø After getting the quote, have your trade-in (if any) appraised. Do not let the sales consultant know of your trade until after you get the quotes you desire.
- Ø Do not reveal any financial data on the first visit (e.g., completing a credit application or how much down payment you plan to make). None of these factors should influence the price of your new car or the value of your trade.
Each visit should take less than an hour and it is imperative you take charge of the situation by staying focused on your objectives, not those of the sales consultant.
New Vehicle Sales Price - Having a minimum of three quotes on the sales price of your new vehicle and trade-in value, you are ready to do some serious marketplace testing. To get your best deal, use the Internet by e-mailing three dealerships within a reasonable distance from your home or place of work that sells the brands of greatest interest to you. For example: if you decided on a Ford Taurus, Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry, ask nine dealerships for their respective prices on the exact models (including options) you are considering. This includes the dealerships you visited. Quite often, you will get a better price through the Internet than on the showroom floor. Do not concern yourself with your trade at this time. This important issue will be addressed on your second and (hopefully) last visit. Also, do not give your phone number and insist all communications be by e-mail. Regardless of the responses received, do not accept any of them as being their best price. There is still room for further negotiations on your second visit.
Return to the dealerships you originally visited armed with your Internet quotes. Many dealerships say they will match or beat any written quote. Directly ask the sales consultant how much over invoice is their quote. Once answered, ask to see a copy of the invoice. If they refuse or the invoice presented does not match the quote given, leave at once as this dealership cannot be trusted. Now, you are ready to deal by making an offer less than any of the quotes received.
Start the negotiation by taking the lowest quote received and offering the dealership of your choice $500 less than this quote. Pay no more than the lowest quote received or an amount greater than factory invoice (less factory rebates and incentives).
Trade-in Value - Tax wise, it is to your advantage to trade your current vehicle rather than sell it on you own. Note: its value is even more important to negotiate than the new car price. Start by going to www.kbb.com and entering all of the information about your trade (including zip code, mileage, all options and general condition). It will give you a trade-in value. Simply stated, take a copy of this information to the dealership and accept nothing less.
Finance Rates - Dealerships are only too happy to arrange financing for you. Most of them work with multiple lending institutions, but not necessarily to get you the lowest rate. Instead, most (if not all) of them try to place your loan with the institution that gives them the most mark up. For example, the dealership may tell you the interest rate is 7% for 60 months and the bank is actually offering 4.9%. Thus, the Dealership makes a profit of 2.1% on the life of this loan, which can add up to hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars. To avoid this mark up applying to you, always request the exact interest rate being paid and the name of the lending institution. Then, while at the dealership, call that entity and confirm the rate being quoted. If you are a member of a credit union, check with it for its best rate prior to visiting the dealership. USAA, as an example, offers a much better rate than commercial institutions. You can leave a deposit on a vehicle confirming the purchase and trade values while checking out finance options in subsequent days. If your credit is good, you should not pay more than 4.9% on a new vehicle and 6.9% on a used one.
After-Market Products - After a deal is agreed upon, the dealership will sweep you off to a Finance Office where a very pleasant person will go over all of the paperwork with you. However, before doing so, they will try to sell you a whole litany of products. Some of them are very worthy of your consideration. However, all of them are subject to negotiation. Do not pay the price quoted on any of them without seeing their actual cost and the mark-up being applied. One dollar over cost for extended warranties is a good deal. Gap insurance may be required by the lending institution, but that rate is also negotiable. By now, you have seen and talked to a number of people and are worn out. If too tired to cope with the Finance Officer, ask if you can return the next day to complete the transaction. Just the thought of you leaving the dealership will encourage the Finance Officer to be more efficient with your time and offer you their best product prices. And, there is nothing wrong with refusing all of the offerings. You can always return in a reasonable time-frame and pay cash for the items of interest to you.
Remember, caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) usually refers to the actual business deal itself. Is the
Tasty Tips with Tina
January 27, 2010
One of my New Year’s resolutions was to start cooking big meals again on Sundays. Considering I haven’t been back to the gym, religiously done two loads of laundry a day, given myself more time in the morning so I’m not so stressed on my way to work and become an overall kinder person I figured the least I can do is cook a good meal once a week.
Since there’s only been three Sunday’s so far it hasn’t been much of a streak. I enjoy preparing the menu, which is like trying to solve the Rubic’s Cube. This one doesn’t like this but the other two do. Kid A likes that but without mushrooms and Girlfriend B doesn’t like it at all. Husband A is fairly easy to please when it comes to dinners. I think he’s afraid to mess with me after I get all the colors lined up.
Dessert is the easiest part. Almost anything goes. This week I made “Dirt” which is nothing more than pudding and whipped cream combined and layered with crushed Oreos. I even used the truffle bowl for effect, fancy schmancy. My boys were teasing me because I put the little gummy worms in it but by the time they were done digging for them the poor dessert actually looked like the dirt from the front yard. So much for ambiance.
The best part of the meal was the visits I got from the family during the preparation. The kisses and hugs I got as they looked over my shoulder to see how much longer it was going to be. It dawned on me these days are numbered. In the midst of our busy lives they grew up. So if I don’t get to the gym and laundry doesn’t get done everyday oh well, but Sunday dinner is one resolution I plan on keeping.
This recipe came to me from a very old and dear friend.. His wife is one of the lucky women whose husband does most of the cooking.
Sea Food Bisque
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups coarsely chopped sweet red peppers. {3 large}
3 green onions, shopped
1 cup coarsely chopped celery, {3 ribs of celery}
2/3 cups of chopped carrots {2 carrots}
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. Dried tarragon leaves
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
4 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes {4 tomatoes}
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 pound lumped crab meat
shrimp or langostinos {if you want thicker soup}
In a 6-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add next 8 ingredients, cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes, stir until well blended. Stir in cream and sherry. Reduce heat to low and and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice and seafood and simmer 10 minutes or longer if seafood is frozen. Serve warm.
Anytime I go to an Italian restaurant I look for this on the menu. Turns out it is so easy to make.
Chicken Marsala
1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture
2. In large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet. Simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Library Time
January 27, 2010
Library Thankful for the Thurmont High School Class of 1961
New & Noteworthy at The Thurmont Regional Library
By Erin Dingle, Administrator (edingle@FrederickCountyMD.gov)
It’s always a bittersweet moment when Connie Fox calls me at the library. I’m always happy to hear from Connie but since 1994, when I hear her voice, I know she’s calling me it is to let me know that the Class of 1961 from Thurmont High School has lost another friend and classmate. And why does she let me know this? This special class has made the Thurmont Library their special memorial project and it’s something for which I’ve sincerely thankful.
In 1994 when Susie Wolf passed, Margaret Krone was the manager of the Thurmont Library. Susie loved to read so Margaret’s daughter, Mary Lou, who was a member of the Class of ‘61, suggested to others that it would be a fitting memorial to Susie to have everyone donate money to the library to buy books. Classmates unanimously agreed, believing that it would be a wonderful way to give back to the community. Many of the classmates have moved away but all hold fond memories of growing up in Thurmont, the library and everything that small town America cherishes. Many of the classmates return for the yearly reunion and keep in close contact throughout the year. Connie Fox who still lives in Thurmont, and Gladys Baker who moved to Taneytown work together with the library to keep track of the donations.
And that’s how it all began. The most recent donation totaled $795 and so far the library has received in excess of $5000.00 from this generous group. We’ve been able to purchase books about the topics their classmates cared most about - children’s storybooks, gardening books, travel books and other subjects of general appeal. All of the books have a special bookplate noting that the book was purchased from a donation of the Class of 1961, Thurmont High School. Look inside the front of the book next time you check out a book out of the library - you may be enjoying the generosity of this very special group of people who value libraries, their hometown and most of all their fellow classmates.
Investment Time
January 27, 2010
Thinking Roth Conversion? You Need to Consider This First (Part 1)
First, Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and have a great start to 2010. For the next two issues or so, we will be discussing what seems to be the new kid on the block in the world of personal finances when, in fact, it really isn’t - Roth IRA conversions.
Today, we will examine why, for vast majority of Americans - probably including you - Roth IRA conversions may not be new at all. In subsequent issues, we’ll discuss certain details you must be aware of before taking the Roth leap, if you even find it necessary at all.
The general premise of Roth plans - as opposed to qualified plans - is that you contribute after-tax (nonqualified) dollars today and have access to those funds later (including any gains) tax-free, provided you meet certain conditions, which are laid out by Uncle Sam. All things being equal, given the fiscal climate of our nation and the bad tax planning advice most Americans receive when preparing for retirement, the Roth premise is better than traditional qualified plans for maximizing spendable income.
You most likely have already heard about the 2010 Roth Conversions, since almost every conventional financial institution and advisor is marketing them like mad as “America’s new tax break.” You may have even received materials about them in the mail, seen/head about them in the mass media, or had your advisor contact you about them.
Calculating MAGI
The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 eliminates the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) limits on Roth IRA conversions in 2010 and beyond. Until now, you were allowed to convert qualified funds only if your MAGI (before income from the conversion) was $100,000 or less, regardless of whether you were single or married.
You calculate your MAGI by adding back certain items to your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), which can be found on line 38 of your Form 1040; or line 22 of your Form1040A:
- Traditional IRA contribution deductions
- Student loan interest deductions
- Tuition and fees deductions
- Domestic production activities deductions
- Foreign income or housing costs excluded on Form 2555
- Foreign housing deductions taken on Form 2555
- Savings bond interest excluded on Form 8815
- Adoption benefits from an employer excluded on Form 8839
Yes, that’s quite a technical list. Our goal is not to make you tax experts, but rather to give you a bit of an understanding of the law so that you can fully appreciate our perspective.
Realistically Speaking
The fact is that millions of Americans - probably you included - do not have a MAGI of $100,000 or more. Meaning, they could have converted their qualified dollars under rules that have been in existence since the birth of Roth IRAs in 1997.
The even more interesting and unfortunate situation is that any investor - regardless of their gross income, AGI, or MAGI - could have achieved the same general benefits offered by Roth IRAs by maximum-funding an investment grade life insurance contract within the confines of sections 7702 and 7702A of the Internal Revenue Code.
So America’s new tax break is, in reality, nothing new. We believe the more serious questions that investors and some so-called financial experts should answer are:
- If the Roth principle is a preferable option for retirees - and we concur that to be true in most cases - why wasn’t the change initiated before now? Here in 2010, more than a decade has passed since 1997.
- Why are these same advisors still encouraging younger investors to fund qualified 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457s, and tax-sheltered annuities? Don’t they realize that they are literally building retirement-tax bombs, since these same so-called experts are, ironically, predicting an increase in future tax rates?
Are we saying that you should flat out avoid a Roth conversion? Of course not. We are, however, saying that you must demand nothing short of thorough analyses based on your specific set of circumstances, not generalizations provided by a marketing brochure, website, or commission-driven salesperson.
The majority of those investors we have seen were not even aware of certain critical facts they needed to consider before making such a move. In subsequent issues, we will bring you some of these need-to-know details, so that you can be better informed as you make your critical financial decisions. We encourage you to request a private, no-obligation consultation to assess your options by visiting www.LaserFG.com or by calling (301) 949-4449.
A senior financial strategist with Laser Financial Group, Samuel is an accomplished personal finance expert, a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, and author with years of experience in retirement-tax planning. He regularly contributes to and is featured by various media outlets, including TV and radio. To read his weekly columns or receive your no-obligation consultation, please visit www.LaserFG.com or call (301) 949-4449 today!
Food Bank Has Busiest Year Ever in 2009!
January 27, 2010
Food Bank Has Busiest Year Ever in 2009!
2009 was a very busy year at the Thurmont Food Bank and I’d like to thank everyone who helped make it possible to feed so many people in our community. There were 404 households registered at the Food Bank and each family can receive food twice a month. All together the Thurmont Food Bank gave out food to these families 2,514 times. If you include Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas food, we served these households 2943 times. This takes a lot of time and many, many contributions from the community. Over $60,000 worth of food was donated to the Food Bank in 2009 and this was supplemented by generous financial contributions that made it made it possible to purchase food and basic hygiene supplies for so many households. We estimate that our volunteers worked approximately 1737 hours, but I think this number is actually much higher! Volunteers collect food from area stores and organizations. They also organize, shelve and distribute food as well as keeping up the paperwork and helping to raise funds. It’s amazing how much work goes on behind the scenes to provide each bag of groceries.
People often ask who comes to the Food Bank. Of the 404 households registered to receive food most were from Thurmont with some from Sabillasville, Rocky Ridge, Lewistown, Creagerstown and Graceham. Some families visited once and some came each month. Sometimes people come only once or twice when they were desperate but then we have several elderly, chronically ill, and/or disabled people who rely on the food bank on a regular basis. There are also quite a few families with unemployed or under-employed breadwinners who ask for food until they can get back on their feet. If you know anyone who needs help providing food for their household please let them know they can come to the Thurmont Food Bank located in St. John’s Lutheran Church (next to the Fire Station)on Tuesday from 6 p.m.- 7:30p.m. or Friday from 3:30p.m. to 5:00p.m. Recipients must bring a valid i.d. showing they live in one of the areas listed above.
The Thurmont Food Bank is run by the Thurmont Ministerium but it’s definitely a project that requires the help of the whole community and we appreciate all the support we receive. Special thanks go out to St. John’s Lutheran Church that allows us to house the food bank in their social hall; to the Jermae community that does a food drive every week; to the Town Hall employees who provide a collection spot for non-perishable food; to the schools and organizations who do food drives; to our local stores, especially Food Lion and Weis who help us purchase food at reasonable prices; to all the churches that collect food and to all the volunteers, organizations, and members of the community who help out in any way.
Many, many thanks!
Pastor Sally
Thurmont Ministerium/ Thurmont Food Bank
A word from Emmitsburg Mayor Jim Hoover
January 27, 2010
A new year means new challenges and new commitments. As mayor for the past seven years I’ve been faced with many challenges, of course, not everything was accomplished as planned or expected.
Personally, I find it more and more challenging every year to provide the public with what some believe to be adequate information. In 1998 when I was elected as a commissioner the only source of information that the town had control over was cable channel 99 which meeting agendas were not advertised on. If you wanted information on any town issue you had to contact the town office by phone or visit the town office in person. Since 1998, we advertise all meetings with an agenda on channel 99; we’ve added a website and began televising town council meetings and planning commission meetings. But, the increased level of information that is now provided to the public is often criticized for not being enough informing and the town is often accused of making decisions prior to meetings, behind closed doors without due process and without voting. As a public body, the public has the right to witness the mayor and commissioners conduct business and, except for personnel records, legal matters, contract negotiations and a few other exceptions the town is required to provide writing copies of any documents requested by anyone. The mayor and board of commissioners value the public’s opinions but, as elected officials, we were elected to make decisions, however, not every decision is a popular one. When unpopular decisions are made it seems to create a justification to accuse the town of not providing adequate information and denying the public due process. None of the commissioners or the mayor accepted their positions because they want to do a bad job for the town. Each of us takes pride in our positions and we accepted these positions for the right reasons. Most of our staff does not live in town but, all of our employees care about the town and they take pride in the work they do for Emmitsburg. Obviously I a little frustrated, but my comments are not directed at anyone. I am asking that we look at things with the glass half full not half empty. Look back 5, 10, 15 years than look at the town today and focus on the improvements we’ve made along the way. I know we’re not perfect, there’s always room for improvement and that is our goal to make things better.
As far as providing information to the public, with today’s technology it’s impossible to satisfy everyone’s wishes. With computers, email, smart phones, text messages, web sites, twitter, face book, instant messages, cable TV, satellite TV its impossible to keep up. The Town staff will be linking agenda items on the town’s website which will provide an opportunity to review draft ordinance without coming to the town office or attending a town meeting.
I very much enjoy being the mayor and I sincerely appreciate the opportunity the Emmitsburg community has given me. I know that I will not always be able to give you the answer that you want but, I will always try to give you an explanation about why the town’s position and your position may not agree.
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