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Westminster leaders praise staff storm response; Wakefield ribbon cutting and housing waiting list updates announced
Summary
Mayor and council praised staff for snow and water-main responses after a severe cold snap, announced a Wakefield ribbon cutting on Feb. 20 and that the housing waiting list closed with 741 names; a successful CJIS audit and other departmental updates were reported.
Westminster’s mayor and common council spent the meeting thanking public works, streets, utilities and police personnel for sustained work during a severe snow and cold event that included multiple water-main breaks.
"I’ve heard nothing but compliments on the way the roads were treated in Westminster," the mayor said, praising rapid snow removal and utility work that kept Main Street open and limited service disruptions. Council members, department heads and residents singled out the streets superintendent, Steve Strasburg, and crews for round‑the‑clock efforts.
City staff reported three water-main breaks over a recent weekend and said crews worked overnight shifts to restore service without reported staff injuries. Human resources reported full staffing of the streets department prior to the storm and a successful Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) audit with no issues identified.
The city also previewed the Wakefield ribbon-cutting and open house on Feb. 20. Officials characterized the Wakefield project as roughly a $3,000,000 rehabilitation completed without using city taxpayer dollars for the building itself, funded instead with federal and state sources and project‑level grants and partnerships.
Housing staff said the affordable-housing waiting list closed on Feb. 6 with 741 people on the list; staff will systematically work through the list to reach a more manageable level. Recreation staff reported more than 100 attendees at an adaptive winter ball on Jan. 31 and brisk camp registration.
Public comment at the meeting was limited and included praise from a resident and a McDaniel College representative for the city’s interdepartmental coordination during the storm. The council adjourned and set its next regular meeting for Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.
