Taneytown council affirms Main Street commitment, debates staffing approach and funding safeguards

Taneytown Mayor and City Council members signaled a renewed commitment to the Maryland Main Street program at a Jan. 29 special meeting focused on restarting local Main Street efforts and defining the city’s role, staffing and financial safeguards.

Council members and city staff emphasized that the city must comply with a letter of agreement from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that sets expectations for a designated Main Street manager and other program requirements. Jim (staff member) told the council that DHCD has been “stressing … the need to have a, 30 hour per week or full time Main Street manager,” and noted that the agreement is a written obligation between the state and the city.

The discussion centered on three linked issues: whether to hire an economic development director who would also serve as Main Street manager or to post and recruit multiple candidates; how many hours the Main Street duties should require; and how to protect program funds and improve oversight.

Public commenters urged a robust approach. Paul Cluth, who read a written statement from business owner Amy Goodell, said Goodell’s message was that the city should retain the Main Street designation, and Cluth read Goodell’s line, "I would like to say yes, we should be a member." Scott Davis, who said he co-owns Rust, told the council, "Main Street isn't only for business," and urged clearer bylaws, auditing and a nonbureaucratic operating structure for any future Main Street organization.

Council debate reflected competing views on speed versus outreach. Mayor Burton told the council he has at least one candidate he would like to present to fill the economic-development role and said, "If council doesn't like my nomination, we'll make sure it gets put out." Other council members said the position should be posted so the city can see what the market produces and consider multiple applicants. Several members said they would be willing to approve a local candidate if the resume and qualifications impressed them; others said an open recruitment process might bring stronger or unexpected applicants.

On hours and structure, speakers cited DHCD guidance that communities of Taneytown's size often expect a part-time or 25-hour-per-week arrangement, while other statements from DHCD referenced full-time staffing for some communities. Jim (staff member) and council members agreed the city must align the job description with the DHCD letter of agreement and provide clear expectations for any manager hired.

Council members also discussed protecting Main Street funds and improving accountability. One council member proposed creating a separate subsection in the economic development line in the city budget so funds destined for Main Street would be visible and, if approved by council, moved directly to a local Community Foundation account that serves as the program’s 501(c)(3) fiscal host. That structure, several council members said, would preserve program autonomy while making deposits and withdrawals auditable. The council asked staff to present a draft job description and to include a proposal for a Main Street budget line in the upcoming municipal budget.

No formal decision was taken to post the economic development/Main Street position immediately; the council directed staff to prepare materials and the mayor said he would present candidate credentials before any final vote. Council members expressed a consensus to retain an economic development position, with most saying Main Street responsibilities should be a clearly defined portion of that role rather than creating two separate full-time positions at this time.

Speakers and commenters repeatedly raised accountability and funding levels as key concerns. Public commenters noted the city’s current annual contribution of $12,000 to Main Street and called that amount insufficient for the program’s needs; they urged the council to consider reallocating funds and pursuing the typical DHCD funding mix of local, grant and private contributions. Several residents urged routine public financial reporting — at least quarterly — for any Main Street funds to show receipts, expenditures and oversight actions.

Next steps the council set for staff include producing a revised job description that explicitly lists Main Street responsibilities, presenting a budget line or subsection for Main Street, and returning for workshops to finalize the program framework and the initial staffing plan. The meeting closed after a motion to adjourn was seconded and approved by voice vote.

While the council resolved to proceed with reconstituting the Main Street program under the DHCD agreement, it left a number of implementation details — posting versus direct nomination, exact hours for the Main Street manager, and the mechanics of moving funds to the Community Foundation — to upcoming workshops and budget deliberations.