Rising Sun honors retiring officer, approves extra Veterans Day holiday and outlines local projects

The mayor and board of commissioners of Rising Sun used their October meeting to honor Master Patrol Officer George Michael Benansky Jr. for 20 years of service, approve an additional Veterans Day holiday for town staff, and receive routine department and project updates.

In a public presentation, the mayor presented a mural citation to George Michael Benansky Jr. recognizing two decades with the Rising Sun Police Department. Multiple citations from county and state delegations were read and handed to Benansky during the meeting; he and others accepted thanks from the mayor and commissioners.

The board approved an additional holiday tied to Veterans Day under a personnel-manual provision that allows the elected body to declare an extra day when the holiday falls on a weekday. Town Administrator Calvin Bonenberger said this is an "additional holiday" rather than a move of the observed date; a motion was made and the board voted in favor.

Office manager Judy Melton delivered first-quarter financial highlights: the general fund is tracking solidly with about half of real estate and debt-service taxes collected, salaries/wages running below budget with an estimated favorable variance of about $100,000, a healthy water fund, and a temporary sewer-fund deficit attributed to an early USDA payment and a duplicate withdrawal that will be corrected. She also reported progress on online bill payments (about $50.50 currently, with a 75% target) and operational statistics including roughly 400 calls handled monthly and 31 public-works work orders completed.

Chief Peterson updated the board that an officer injured on a recent weekend had minor abrasions and bruising and is expected to return to duty; he also reported the department's new patrol car remains on order with an expected January 2022 delivery but cautioned that supply-chain delays could affect timing.

Town Administrator Bonenberger said line striping at Valley View will be completed in a short, 2-3 hour session with limited road closure and that the town executed a rural Maryland council grant agreement for a broadband/water-line replacement project on Mount Street, with KCI handling surveys and engineering. The town also conducted a footing inspection for a Habitat for Humanity house under construction on North Walnut Street.

Engineer Ron outlined a work plan to address inflow and infiltration into the town's sewer system and said the office awaits hydraulic modeling data from Chester Water Authority to finalize flow analyses. Scott provided a tentative two-week paving schedule for several roads as the contractor remobilizes after a weather delay.

The meeting concluded with routine announcements about upcoming meetings and the adjournment vote.