Feb. 20—FROSTBURG — Capacity upgrades are needed for Frostburg's water treatment plant to meet additional demands from the Lonaconing area.

The Maryland Department of the Environment on Jan. 17 ordered a boil water advisory for customers of the Midland-Lonaconing Water System due to high turbidity levels in its water.

The Maryland Environmental Service took control of the water system on an emergency basis beginning Jan. 25.

Remedial actions included connection to an Allegany County distribution system for Lonaconing Water Company customers to receive water from Frostburg.

"We are providing water to Lonaconing and Midland right now and it doesn't seem like that is going away anytime soon," Frostburg Public Works Director Hayden Lindsey said at the city's recent mayor and council meeting.

Permitted capacity for Frostburg's system is just under 1.55 million gallons of water per day.

Before the recent addition of the Midland-Lonaconing customers, Frostburg operated at approximately 850,000 gallons per day.

Now, the city maintains water capacity at just over 1.1 million gallons daily.

The upgrades, which were approved at the Frostburg meeting, will add storage capacity for treatment materials and processes, and are expected to cost less than $39,000, Lindsey said.

"Even once (Lonaconing) and Midland are off of our water, those changes are still beneficial to (Frostburg) anyway because they increase our future capacity," he said.

The city meeting covered a variety of additional issues.

An agreement was approved for the Frostburg Fire Department to conduct various hands-on training exercises in multiple residential buildings the city owns and plans to raze for infrastructure projects.

The fiscal 2023-24 budget preparation schedule was presented, a draft budget that includes the tax rate and utility fees will be discussed at the city's work session next month and the final budget will be voted on in May.

An ordinance that amends the city's ethics code to comply with state regulations was approved on second reading.

"It updated some language regarding conflicts of interest and other financial donation information," Frostburg Administrator Elizabeth Stahlman said.

An ordinance that adds restaurant use as a special exception to the city's Technology Light Industrial Zoning District was approved on first reading.

Certain projects were approved, others rescinded, under Frostburg's $8.379 million allocation through the State and Local Coronavirus Relief Funds as part of the American Rescue Plan Act.

Included was repeal of a rental housing relief program because a survey showed "the documented need was not sufficient," Stahlman said.

Construction of a childcare center, welcome sign, coal miner memorial park, and police taser and car computer upgrades were among items approved for the funding.

A portion of the ARPA funds was also approved for engineering and design of the Mechanic Street downtown parking lot.

An ordinance that changes language from "solicitor permit" to "solicitor registration" was approved on second reading.

"We had several complaints about certain solicitors in town that were selling a different energy utility provider," Stahlman said and added the term "permit" implies Frostburg condones the practices.

"The city is not," she said. "The city is just allowing them to go door to door."

Teresa McMinn is a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com.