Rising Sun to reopen Town Hall after October fuel-oil leak; cleanup underway, Jan. 6 target set

Town Administrator told the mayor and board of commissioners that a sizable fuel-oil leak in the Town Hall basement in October damaged equipment and filled portions of the building with fumes, prompting the building to be closed to the general public since October.

The administrator said the town moved the fuel tank and most piping outdoors to reduce the risk of a repeat incident, has undertaken heavy-duty cleaning (including carpet shampooing, wiping down surfaces and cleaning upholstery) and continues remedial work on the building’s HVAC and systems. He praised public works, police and staff for maintaining services and singled out several employees for their work on billing and permitting systems during the closure.

On the expected reopening date, the Town Administrator said, “we'll be able to open up the Town Hall Building on Monday, January 6 for our everyday traffic,” pending completion of outstanding cleaning tasks. The administrator also thanked residents for reporting issues during the closure and urged patience as the town finishes remediation.

Impact on services Officials said most day-to-day services continued virtually while the building was closed and that staff and departments have been handling resident needs remotely. The board did not set a new service schedule at the meeting beyond the Jan. 6 target.

Next steps Town staff will finish cleaning and HVAC work and confirm the building is safe for public traffic before reopening. No vote was required for the cleanup plan; the update was presented as a staff report.