Hagerstown council approves leases, grants and contracts, forwards ARC projects
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Summary
At its March 24 meeting the Hagerstown mayor and council approved a package of consent items — including parking and easement agreements, grant referrals to county for ARC funding, a summer-camp contracting resolution and several municipal contracts — and directed staff on financing steps for a wastewater plant project.
Hagerstown Mayor William McIntyre and the city council on March 24 approved a broad set of routine and project-related items, voting to forward Appalachian Regional Commission requests, authorize summer-camp contracts, confirm energy and labor agreements and approve several easement and lease arrangements.
The votes — taken largely on the consent agenda and individual resolutions — included forwarding three projects to the county for possible ARC FY2027 funding: transmission line upgrades (estimated cost $1,000,000; request $500,000), an update to the city comprehensive plan (estimate $300,000; request $150,000) and completion of Marsh Runge Veil construction plans (estimate $150,000; request $75,000). Council member (speaker 13) moved the ARC referrals, which passed without roll-call vote count recorded in the transcript.
Council approved a resolution authorizing summer-camp contracts for 2026 with the Boys & Girls Club of Washington County, Girls Inc. of Washington County, and the YMCA of Hagerstown. The motion listed funding amounts as read from the motion: Boys & Girls Club $20,000; Girls Inc. $2,222,500 (amount as read in the record); YMCA $20,000. Staff and council did not elaborate on the source or budget line for those amounts during the motion.
Other approvals included a two-year parking lease to provide 32 spaces in the Hub City garage to the Maryland Judiciary district court beginning April 2, 2026, at $90 per space per month (the speaker read the annualized figure as $34,560), and easement agreements permitting wall murals tied to the Hagerstown Cultural Trail with Bowen Investing LLC and Guest House Hagerstown 28 South LLC. Council also rescinded a prior license agreement with NPR Inc. and approved a new lease for a monument sign with the Kilpatrick Woods Community Association.
On contracts and employee matters, the council confirmed a full-requirements electric service confirmation with BP Energy Company for delivery through Dec. 31, 2028, and approved a labor contract with Local 1540 (read in the record as “ASHME local 1540”) including a one-time stipend calculated on a wage-difference formula. The council approved the fiscal 2027 pavement preservation list and draft lists for 2028–29, and authorized a $5,000 donation from the Hagerstown Police Department operating budget to the police auxiliary.
A Community Legacy strategic properties proposal for 54 South Potomac Street with Bowman Development Corporation was approved conditionally: staff were authorized to issue a letter of commitment for a $185,780 grant toward a $371,560 project, with the stipulation that no funds will be dispersed until staff verify the work and expenditure requirements are met.
Council took these actions by voice vote on a series of motions and consent items; specific tallies were not recorded in the transcript. Where council members asked procedural questions (for example about the procurement outreach on the water/wastewater master plan solicitation), staff said multiple bids were received and a standard review process was followed.
The meeting ended after a city-administration report and brief council discussion.
The council will meet again in April for work sessions and a regular session, according to the schedule announced at the meeting.
