Three town elections coming up: Smithsburg holding contested Town Council race

Five people are running for two Smithsburg Town Council seats in the May 10 election.

The Smithsburg election, which also includes the assistant mayoral post, is one of three local town elections being held within a week. The other two are Boonsboro and Keedysville.

The Smithsburg Town Council race is the only one among the three town elections where more people are running than seats are available.

The candidates include incumbent Jim Fritsch and challengers Ken Carpenter, Roberto Gonzalez, Jon Snyder and Jessica Warner. Incumbent Cassandra Weaver did not file for re-election.

Fritsch, 74, is owner of First Financial Group, an insurance and investment services company, and is a buyer's agent with Mackintosh Realtors. He was elected to serve on the council from 2012 to 2016.

Since his appointment to the council in March 2021, Fritsch said he believes he's helped move the town in the right direction. He cited a personnel promotion and hirings.

Fritsch and Gonzalez, who serves on the town's Economic Development Commission, both noted the need to expand an understaffed public works department.

Fritsch said he didn't think expanding public works would result in higher taxes.

Maintaining water, sewer, parks and other town infrastructure as Cloverly Hill is developed is a "pretty big job and I just feel strongly that that's one area we need to make a much more positive approach going forward," Fritsch said.

The water and sewer maintenance needs are part of what Gonzalez said is motivating his run for council.

Gonzalez, 35, owner of Vince's New York Pizza in town, said he's also running for council to give back after the shop's customers have "given me so much." He said he bought the longtime pizza shop from his father about four or five years ago.

Asked whether such improvements could lead to higher taxes or rates, Gonzalez said he thinks money can be "relocated." He also referred to American Rescue Plan Act funds the town is getting. As the town repairs things, those fixes could save money that can be reinvested in public works, he said.

Carpenter, 49, said he wants to be a "part of the bigger picture," would like to see the town grow and to see some things fixed.

Specifically citing old pipes, Carpenter said the town's water and sewer infrastructure need upgrading.

He said he'd also like to see more businesses come to town and for existing ones to be more profitable. Carpenter said he wants to review a town economic development study from a few years ago and that marketing might be an area where the town can help local businesses.

Carpenter said homeowners don't want to hear about tax or rate increases. The town will probably have to pass along water rate increases it receives from its wholesale supplier, the city of Hagerstown, he said. The town also plans to install new water meters, which could lead to customers seeing changes in their bills.

Carpenter said he'd like to keep taxes and rates as low as possible, but noted that sometimes an increase is necessary to secure financing for infrastructure improvements. He referred to an increase in water and sewer bills about five years ago that was needed for the town to qualify for a Maryland Department of the Environment loan used to replace an aging water-transmission line.

Carpenter said he is a concrete finisher for a Gettysburg, Pa.-based company and also owns a food truck, Fryzaholic. Carpenter first ran for Town Council in 2020. He has served on the town's planning commission.

Jon Snyder, 42, said he's running for council because he feels the "time is right. I have something to offer in my life experience."

"I'm all about teachable moments," Snyder said. A father who shares custody of his three children, ages 5 to 11, his older children are learning about civics.

Running for council is a "good opportunity. If you put in the time, listen and put in the effort, you can do good things for your community and yourselves and you can make a difference and make things better," he said.

Snyder said he is a registered nurse who works in Meritus Medical Center operating rooms. A former chief of Smithsburg Emergency Medical Services, he said he worked for the company as a volunteer and/or career staff member for about 10 years until around 2012.

Warner, 32, said her family moved into the new Mountain Shadows development in 2020.

Many town events have been missed by residents in part of town because they weren't aware of them, she said.

Warner said she wants to help "close the disconnect" between the community and Town Hall, to improve "communication and, really, representing the entire Smithsburg community and not just the loudest voice."

A stay-at-home mom, with a young daughter, and vice president of the Smithsburg Elementary School PTA, Warner said she "represents the everyday family coming here to grow (their) family."

The Smithsburg town election is from 7 am. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, at the Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Co., 22 N. Main St.

The only candidate for Smithsburg mayor is incumbent Donnie Souders.

The mayor gets $3,000 a year, while council members are paid $1,500 a year, according to Clerk/Treasurer Jenni House. The elected positions are for four-year terms.

The deadline for write-in candidates to file a certificate of nomination with the Smithsburg Town Clerk-Treasurer is by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, according to the Town Charter.

Candidates must have lived in Smithsburg for at least a year prior to the election and must be a qualified town voter, the charter states.

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Boonsboro election

The Boonsboro town election is from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 10, in the Eugene C. Smith Community Center at 37 Park Drive in Shafer Park, according to a town news release.

Councilman Anthony Nally is the sole candidate running for assistant mayor. Assistant Mayor Rickard Byrd did not file for re-election

There are two candidates, incumbents Terri Hollingshead and Ricky Weaver, running for Town Council.

With three council seats available, due to Nally running for assistant mayor, that leaves an opening that could be filled by a write-in candidate.

Robert Maricle, who is on the town planning commission, had filed for council but withdrew his candidacy.

Maricle said he had work-related and other concerns.

Write-in candidates can be written onto the ballot, but a checkmark or X is required next to the write-in name for the vote to count, said Kim Miller, interim town clerk for the election. Miller said voters writing in a candidate name should try to spell the name as accurately as possible.

Candidates must have lived in town for at least three years and be a registered voter to qualify, according to the town charter. Council members must be at least 21, while the assistant mayor must be at least 25.

Keedysville election

The Keedysville election is Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Town Hall, 19 S. Main St.

Assistant Mayor Brandon Sweeney and council members Judy Kerns and Matthew Hull are running for re-election to their respective seats.

All three provided statements about the election at the town's website at https://keedysvillemd.com/category/election.

Write-in candidates can be written on the ballot, but the X must be circled by their name for the vote to count, according to Town Administrator Lisa Riner.

To be on the council, a candidate must have lived in town for at least six months immediately preceding the election and be a qualified town voter, according to the town charter.

Funkstown election results

No need to break a tie this time.

Three Funkstown incumbents were re-elected Monday night: Mayor Paul N. Crampton and Council members Richard "Rich" Gaver and Gary Middlekauff.

This will be the fourth terms for Crampton and Gaver. This will be the first four-year elected term for Middlekauff after he was appointed to the council in October 2020.

Only 40 of the town's 550 registered voters cast ballots, Town Manager Brenda Haynes said.

Haynes didn't know if the low turnout set a new record, but said it was probably due to the incumbents running unopposed.

Crampton received 36 votes for mayor, Haynes said. There was one write-in vote for Conner Shank that could have been meant for Connor Shank.

In the council race, Gaver received 34 votes while Middlekauff received 31 votes, Haynes said. There were three write-in votes for Doug Stone and one each for Lyn Spalding and Shannon Gay.

The incumbents are expected to be sworn in at the start of the town's regular 7 p.m. meeting next Monday, Haynes said.

Four years ago, the council race resulted in a tie with the council eventually settling the tie by appointing the incumbent.

Earlier this year, the Town Council voted to amend the town charter to deal with election ties. Future ties will result in a special runoff election to be held within 10 days.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Boonsboro, Keedysville and Smithsburg all have local elections soon