Keedysville officials press Washington County on golf cart rules, school capacity, first-responder credits and transit

Keedysville town leaders met with the Washington County Board of Commissioners to present a list of local concerns, including enforcement of golf-cart use on public roads, appearance and repairs to the county highway facility in Keedysville, the effect of new housing developments on school capacity and funding, and access to cardiac rehabilitation services in the Hagerstown area.

The delegation said they were not seeking immediate decisions but wanted county staff and commissioners to note the issues and follow up. "We're certainly not expecting any answers on all these tonight," the Keedysville representative told the commissioners as the town read the list of concerns.

Why it matters: The items raised touch countywide services — public safety enforcement, school enrollment projections and potential fiscal impacts, social services for people who are unhoused, and health-care access — and several require coordination between county departments, outside agencies and the Board of County Commissioners.

Law enforcement and vehicle rules

Lieutenant Grimm of the Washington County Sheriff's Office told the meeting that "golf carts cannot be operated on public roadways." He said Maryland traffic law does not provide a way to license or tag golf carts to allow them to operate legally on public roads, nor to require vehicle insurance for such use. Residents were advised to report observed incidents to the county nonemergency number so deputies can respond.

Roads and county highway facility in Keedysville

Andrew Eshelman, director of public works, acknowledged recent vehicle damage to the county highway facility on Route 34 near Kaufman Farms Road and said highway staff will meet with town officials to discuss repairs and possible landscaping. "He can have, either himself or highway staff meet with you to talk about maybe planting some trees," Eshelman said.

Schools and development impact

Keedysville officials and a town representative who attends the Board of Education enrollment committee urged the county to track how large new developments will affect school capacity, particularly in Boonsboro and areas that feed the Downsville school. Jill Baker, director of planning and zoning, was identified as the county point of contact for enrollment projections and for determining whether impact fees should be collected for school growth.

First-responder property tax credit

Town members asked whether Washington County might offer a property tax credit to first responders similar to neighboring jurisdictions. A county official explained the county already provides "over $10,000,000 of support" to volunteer fire companies for apparatus and personal protective equipment, and that converting emergency medical services to paid career staff is underway. The official cautioned that a hypothetical $2,500 credit for an estimated 2,500 eligible first responders would equal roughly $6,250,000 in foregone revenue and said "that would be $6,250,000 which is not sustainable and not affordable at this time." The county official said narrower options — for example, credits limited to surviving spouses of fallen officers — could be considered but would greatly reduce fiscal impact.

Homelessness and county services

County staff said many homelessness services are provided by outside agencies, including the Community Action Council, Interfaith Housing Coalition, REACH and HARC. The sheriff's office reported it had not observed a countywide increase in homelessness incidents in county-patrolled areas, and residents were advised to report encampments to the sheriff's office so deputies can follow up.

County 250th anniversary planning and events

County staff outlined multiple events to mark the county's 250th anniversary, including participation in a mummers parade, a July 4 celebration with vendors and a planned drone show, commemorative coins distributed to municipalities and a county "Birthday Bash" scheduled for 08/30/2026 at a county park. Staff provided a county email and website for towns to submit local events for the countywide calendar.

Opioid settlement plan and grants

The county's director of grants management is preparing an opioid settlement spending plan. County staff said that plan is expected to be completed within 30 to 60 days and will be brought to the Board of County Commissioners for approval before submission to the state; once approved and submitted, local organizations should be able to access allocated funds.

Transit and local service requests

Eshelman described the county's five-year transit development plan and said it "has included a pilot program for bus service to Smithsburg, Boonsboro, and Clear Spring" but currently does not include Keedysville. He asked for feedback on high-demand areas and service days for future study.

Access to cardiac rehabilitation

Residents told the delegation that cardiac rehabilitation in the Hagerstown area has been difficult to access: they said Hagerstown Heart moved local cardiac rehab from its previous site, the program had been closed for two weeks because of a staffing shortage, the rehab space can accommodate about five patients at a time, and there is a waiting list for evaluation. A county official said they would reach out to Dr. Joshi, identified in the meeting as CEO of Meredith Medical, to convey the concerns.

Shared police coverage and storm response

Town officials praised a shared-deputy arrangement that places a county deputy in South County towns and asked about rising costs. Deputy Dakota Watkins was mentioned by name as a well-liked officer who responds quickly. Commissioners described county storm response procedures, including opening transfer-station drop-off for storm debris free of charge for roughly two weeks after major storms, and coordination among highways, emergency management, emergency services and the sheriff's office.

Meeting outcome and next steps

The Keedysville delegation asked the county to follow up on the items and provide contact points. County staff identified Jill Baker (planning and zoning), Andrew Eshelman (public works) and the director of grants management as responsible contacts for specific items and said they would return with more detail where appropriate. A brief procedural motion was taken at the meeting's end (motion text not specified in the transcript) and was approved by voice vote.

Ending

Town leaders said they appreciated the county's time and expected county staff to follow up on the items raised. Several commissioners thanked the Keedysville delegation for traveling to the county chambers and reiterated county staff would contact the town with next steps.