Town Of Mount

The town of Mount Airy has established an account to collect donations for the families who lost their home and possessions in Tuesday's fire in the Twin Arch Crossing development. The fire displaced 13 people, including four children. Monetary donations can be given to the families through New Windsor State Bank. Checks should be made payable to "Family Fire Fund" and can be dropped off or mailed to Mount Airy Town Hall, 3 N. Main St., P.O. Box 50, Mount Airy 21771, or to New Windsor State Bank, 1001 Twin Arch Road, Mount Airy 21771.

The three-alarm fire that destroyed much of downtown Mount Airy this month isn't the first to sweep through the historic Carroll County community. Three devastating fires -- in 1903, 1914 and 1925 -- wrecked the town that was founded in 1830 alongside the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad's mainline, which crosses Parr's Ridge. On Feb. 26, 1903, a headline on The Sun's front page told of a "Large Fire at Mount Airy" that destroyed more than a dozen stores and frame dwellings, with a loss of "upward of $75,000."

Twin Ridge residents crossed a preliminary hurdle this week in their efforts to remove ball field lights from their neighborhood when a Frederick County judge ruled that the homeowners may proceed with their lawsuit against the town of Mount Airy.Circuit Judge John Dryer ruled Tuesday that the lawsuit, filed in October by 16 Twin Ridge residents, was not premature, as the town had claimed."We're very pleased; now we can proceed with the business at hand," said Joseph Glenwood Beall, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

The town of Mount Airy has established an account to collect donations for the families who lost their home and possessions in Tuesday's fire in the Twin Arch Crossing development. The fire displaced 13 people, including four children. Monetary donations can be given to the families through New Windsor State Bank. Checks should be made payable to "Family Fire Fund" and can be dropped off or mailed to Mount Airy Town Hall, 3 N. Main St., P.O. Box 50, Mount Airy 21771, or to New Windsor State Bank, 1001 Twin Arch Road, Mount Airy 21771.

The county Planning and Zoning Commission recommended yesterday that the county commissioners approve a waiver allowing the town of Mount Airy to rezone 137 acres of land north of Buffalo Road as part of an annexation request.The annexation petition was filed with Mount Airy in May by Magna Holdings Inc. of Baltimore, which has a contract to buy the farmland owned by Leo and Elizabeth Kraft.Magna plans to build 180 to 200 single-family houses if the annexation goes through.Currently the Kraft property is zoned for agricultural use. Mount Airy plans to rezone the land to low-density residential, allowing an average lot size of 18,000 square feet.

Neuman speaks out on ethics complaint Yesterday I received a letter from the Town of Mount Airy Ethics Commission releasing me from any confidentiality on the allegations pertaining to me. Up until this formal release from the Ethics Commission, I have been powerless to defend myself against these vicious leaks of this allegation before the Ethics Commission has concluded their work. I would like to offer you my statement on the allegation being considered by the Ethics Commission. I believe this complaint, now leaked to the press, is a low mudslinging attempt to discredit and gag me in my duties as a Town of Mount Airy Planning & Zoning commission member and now as a candidate for Town Council.

THE TOWN OF Mount Airy invites you to participate in the annual Spring Fling on Main Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 15.The event will feature craft and other vendors offering an array of goods, including food. Businesses, local nurseries and civic organizations will offer fun activities, demonstrations and entertainment for all ages.If you would like to participate, call Irene Brown at 301-829-3609 or Jennifer Heflin at 301-831-0735 to obtain a participant form.The form, along with two photographs of the products you plan to exhibit or sell and a check made payable to the Town of Mount Airy, must be returned no later than May 5.Vendor spaces are $25, and nonprofit organizations pay $5. Spaces will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

Twin Ridge resident Bob Beckwith has nothing against baseball, but he doesn't want to live across the street from a ball field surrounded by six, 70-foot high floodlights."

St. James Episcopal Church needs to expand, and parishioners are hopeful that newly purchased land at Route 27 and Main Street will be annexed into Mount Airy, allowing the 112-year-old institution to remain within town limits.Annexing the 12 acres north of the town limits would allow the church to tap into public sewer and water systems. The church is at 204 N. Main St., within town limits, serves about 125 families.`No seats left'"Our congregation seems to feel that this annexation is a good idea because there are no seats left at our worship services.

Mount Airy's town council voted to meet in closed session last night with members of the Village of Town Oaks homeowners' association and a town attorney to discuss problems the group has had with developer Jim Frey of Frall Development.Council members said they would hold a closed meeting after last night's regular session.In a three-page, single-spaced statement, Laurie Hagar, representing the homeowners, last night during the open session gave the council information supporting the association's stance on the problems.

Neuman speaks out on ethics complaint Yesterday I received a letter from the Town of Mount Airy Ethics Commission releasing me from any confidentiality on the allegations pertaining to me. Up until this formal release from the Ethics Commission, I have been powerless to defend myself against these vicious leaks of this allegation before the Ethics Commission has concluded their work. I would like to offer you my statement on the allegation being considered by the Ethics Commission. I believe this complaint, now leaked to the press, is a low mudslinging attempt to discredit and gag me in my duties as a Town of Mount Airy Planning & Zoning commission member and now as a candidate for Town Council.

BJ Dixon joined the town of Mount Airy in April 1979 as a planning and zoning clerk, but quickly began doing almost anything that needed doing, according to those who know her. Now, more than 26 years later, she's officially Mount Airy's town clerk and head of its permit department, coordinating the town planning commission and board of zoning appeals. But she also involves herself in a lot of other areas for the town. As a result, Dixon has been named municipal employee of the year by the Maryland Municipal League Inc. A plaque will be presented to her during the league's convention in Ocean City, scheduled for June 26-29, said Karen A. Liskey, assistant executive director of the league and its convention manager.

St. James Episcopal Church needs to expand, and parishioners are hopeful that newly purchased land at Route 27 and Main Street will be annexed into Mount Airy, allowing the 112-year-old institution to remain within town limits.Annexing the 12 acres north of the town limits would allow the church to tap into public sewer and water systems. The church is at 204 N. Main St., within town limits, serves about 125 families.`No seats left'"Our congregation seems to feel that this annexation is a good idea because there are no seats left at our worship services.

THE TOWN OF Mount Airy invites you to participate in the annual Spring Fling on Main Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 15.The event will feature craft and other vendors offering an array of goods, including food. Businesses, local nurseries and civic organizations will offer fun activities, demonstrations and entertainment for all ages.If you would like to participate, call Irene Brown at 301-829-3609 or Jennifer Heflin at 301-831-0735 to obtain a participant form.The form, along with two photographs of the products you plan to exhibit or sell and a check made payable to the Town of Mount Airy, must be returned no later than May 5.Vendor spaces are $25, and nonprofit organizations pay $5. Spaces will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

TELEPHONES in Mount Airy soon will be ringing up contributions for the American Heart Association during a local fund-raiser with a personal touch organized by Vernon "Ray" Simpson.Mr. Simpson, who represents the town of Mount Airy on the Carroll County board of the American Heart Association, reports that a two-evening Heart Fund Teleparty will be held locally for the first time next week.On Tuesday, Betty Ifert and her colleagues at the Town Office will call friends and associates from their Main Street office to garner donations.

Mount Airy Mayor Gerald Johnson got himself arrested yesterday. But it was all for a good cause.The mayor was taken into custody by Charles "Buzz" Norris, the town's unofficial policeman, for failing to pay Mr. Norris' special-issue parking tickets.The arrest was part of a fund-raising effort organized by Mount Airy Net, a nonprofit group organized by local churches that provides emergency help to Mount Airy families in need.Mount Airy Net officials hope to raise $2,500 from the arrest by collecting "bail" money for Mr. Johnson, said Diane Gittings, the group's treasurer, who organized yesterday's arrest.

Mount Airy Mayor Gerald Johnson got himself arrested yesterday. But it was all for a good cause.The mayor was taken into custody by Charles "Buzz" Norris, the town's unofficial policeman, for failing to pay Mr. Norris' special-issue parking tickets.The arrest was part of a fund-raising effort organized by Mount Airy Net, a nonprofit group organized by local churches that provides emergency help to Mount Airy families in need.Mount Airy Net officials hope to raise $2,500 from the arrest by collecting "bail" money for Mr. Johnson, said Diane Gittings, the group's treasurer, who organized yesterday's arrest.

A Good Word for County EditorialsFor some time, I have wanted to commend whoever writes the daily editorials in The Sun on Carroll County affairs. Responsible, incisive, unbiased, the writer consistently looks at Carroll County critically and with sincere concern.Thanks for a great job, well done.Phyllis W. MowbrayWestminsterRoad TrashI am writing concerning all of the trash we see along our streets and highways in Carroll County, the whole state for that matter. Most of it comes from motorists with open vehicles, like pick-up trucks.

Twin Ridge residents crossed a preliminary hurdle this week in their efforts to remove ball field lights from their neighborhood when a Frederick County judge ruled that the homeowners may proceed with their lawsuit against the town of Mount Airy.Circuit Judge John Dryer ruled Tuesday that the lawsuit, filed in October by 16 Twin Ridge residents, was not premature, as the town had claimed."We're very pleased; now we can proceed with the business at hand," said Joseph Glenwood Beall, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Twin Ridge resident Bob Beckwith has nothing against baseball, but he doesn't want to live across the street from a ball field surrounded by six, 70-foot high floodlights."