Council hears proposal to form "Sustainable Smithsburg" commission to pursue Sustainable Maryland certification

Kathy presented a proposal to create a Sustainable Smithsburg commission (working title) that would coordinate town efforts toward Sustainable Maryland certification.

Kathy said many sustainability activities in town already generate points toward Sustainable Maryland — examples cited included the town’s spring cleanup, a Born Learning Trail, and past school-related sustainability efforts — and that certifying at the silver level would open access to Sustainable Maryland staff support and grant opportunities the town is currently ineligible for. "It opens up resources and sustainability ... a lot of grants that we are not eligible for until we have that silver certification," Kathy said.

The proposal envisions a small, core coordinating group that would work with a broader set of stakeholders and commissions (parks, planning, the business community, historical society and public works). A separate green team — not yet created — would be a required element for certification; the council discussed how to structure membership, quorum requirements and whether to adopt a five-member core with bylaws as a next step. Councilors suggested consulting nearby towns with active programs and using existing bylaws as templates.

Next steps: Kathy was asked to draft bylaws and return the proposal to council for further consideration.

At the meeting several councilors supported the idea as a way to consolidate and better document existing activities; others raised practical questions about quorum size and how partner organizations would participate without counting toward a formal quorum.