Hagerstown meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Hagerstown council to vote on annexations, $4M+ in contracts at Aug. 25 meeting

The Hagerstown Mayor and City Council held several work and executive sessions over the past two weeks to discuss business recruitment, nuisance codes, annexations, and a law enforcement diversion program. No public votes were taken at those sessions. The council's next regular session on Aug. 25 will include votes on multiple annexations and contracts totaling more than $4 million.

Recent meetings

Aug. 11 executive session

The council met in closed session to discuss a proposal concerning a business or industrial organization locating, expanding, or remaining in Maryland. No public details were provided.

Aug. 11 work session

The council reviewed an additional fireworks event at Meritus Park scheduled for Sept. 18, 2026, along with updates to the nuisance abatement and property maintenance code and the weed code. They also discussed the Cline Farm annexation. The agenda included approval of FY27 CDBG Subrecipient Agreements and a Year 3 contract with Granicus for the Meeting Management System, but no votes were taken.

Aug. 17 work session

The council held a strategic discussion on the Washington County Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. This was a discussion only, with no final decision.

Aug. 18 executive session

The council met in closed session to discuss a business proposal, board appointments (Charter Review Committee, Ethics Commission, Hagerstown Youth Council Partner Group, Hagerstown Housing Authority), and legal advice regarding a court order.

Aug. 18 work session

The council reviewed the preliminary agenda for the upcoming regular session, including acceptance of an urban tree grant, new full-time positions for Communications and the Hagerstown Police Department, and three annexation requests: Cumberland Valley Veterinary Clinic (17747 Virginia Avenue), Meritus Health Doey's House (11370 Caring Pathway Lane), and Burkholder-McDade Annexation. They also received an update from the Department of Housing and Community Development and discussed legislative priorities for the 2027 Maryland General Assembly.

Coming up

Aug. 25 regular session

The council will hold a public hearing on Land Management Code Amendments and consider annexation resolutions for Cline Farm (1140 Jefferson Blvd), Cumberland Valley Veterinary Clinic (17747 Virginia Ave), Meritus Health Doey's House (11370 Caring Pathway Ln), and Burkholder-McDade Properties. The consent agenda includes:

• Pavement Preservation Program FY27-FY28 (Craig Paving, Inc., not to exceed $1,300,000)
• Wastewater Pelletizer Facility Operations Contract (NEFCO, $1,768,387.87)
• HPD Police Mobile Annual Software Renewal (Keystone Public Safety, $165,462.00)

The meeting also includes appointments, a proclamation, and citizen comment periods. All recent meetings listed above were agenda-only; minutes have not yet been published.

Hagerstown Council's Recent Sessions Yield No Final Votes; Aug. 25 Session to Consider Annexations, Contracts

Over the past two weeks, the Hagerstown Mayor and Council held several work sessions and executive sessions, but no final decisions were recorded. All recent meetings were agenda-only, with minutes not yet published. The council's next regular session on Aug. 25 will include votes on multiple annexations and contracts totaling more than $4 million.

Recent work sessions

On Aug. 4, the council held a work session to discuss six items, including the ENOUGH Community Parks Initiative, presented by Keith Fanjoy; an update on the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area by Liz Schatto; a Sister City update by Mike Keifer; a review of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) subrecipient agreements by Letizia Turner and Margi Joe; and proposed changes to the 2026 Land Management Code, presented by Stephen R. Bockmiller.

On Aug. 11, a special work session agenda included approval of FY27 CDBG Subrecipient Agreements, a Year 3 contract with Granicus for a Meeting Management System, an additional fireworks event at Meritus Park on Sept. 18, a review of nuisance abatement and property maintenance codes, and a review of the Cline Farm annexation. No votes were recorded, as minutes have not been published.

Executive sessions

The council held four executive sessions during this period—on Aug. 4, Aug. 6 (twice), and Aug. 11—to discuss proposals from business or industrial organizations to locate, expand, or remain in Maryland, as well as legal consultation. These closed sessions provided no public details or decisions.

Upcoming meetings

The council will hold a work session on Aug. 17 to discuss the Washington County Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. This is a strategic discussion, not a final decision.

On Aug. 18, an executive session will cover a business proposal, board appointments (Charter Review Committee, Ethics Commission, Hagerstown Youth Council Partner Group, Hagerstown Housing Authority), and legal advice regarding a court order. A separate work session that day will review three annexation requests—Cumberland Valley Veterinary Clinic (17747 Virginia Avenue), Meritus Health Doey's House (11370 Caring Pathway Lane), and Burkholder-McDade—along with acceptance of an urban tree grant, new full-time positions for Communications and the Hagerstown Police Department, and legislative priorities for the 2027 Maryland General Assembly.

Aug. 25 regular session

The regular session on Aug. 25 will include public hearings on Land Management Code Amendments and votes on annexation resolutions for Cline Farm (1140 Jefferson Blvd), Cumberland Valley Veterinary Clinic, Meritus Health Doey's House, and Burkholder-McDade Properties. The consent agenda includes a Pavement Preservation Program contract with Craig Paving, Inc. (not to exceed $1,300,000), a Wastewater Pelletizer Facility Operations Contract with NEFCO ($1,768,387.87), and a HPD Police Mobile Annual Software Renewal with Keystone Public Safety ($165,462.00). These items total over $4 million.

Coming up

• **Aug. 17** – Work session: LEAD program discussion
• **Aug. 18** – Executive session: business proposal, appointments, legal advice
• **Aug. 18** – Work session: annexations, grants, new positions, legislative priorities
• **Aug. 25** – Regular session: public hearings, annexation votes, consent agenda contracts

Hagerstown Council Set to Consider Water/Sewer Fee Ordinances, Settlement, and Grant Acceptances; Budget and Charter Review on Work Session Agenda

Hagerstown's Mayor and Council have a full slate of recent and upcoming meetings centered on utility fee ordinances, a contractor settlement, grant acceptances, and early FY28 budget planning. Because minutes have not yet been published for the July sessions, the items below reflect what was scheduled on the agendas — not confirmed outcomes.

Water and Sewer Miscellaneous Fee Ordinances (July 28 Regular Session)

The July 28 regular session agenda listed two ordinances that would establish miscellaneous water and sewer fees across five fiscal years:

• An ordinance amending Chapter 238 to create Water Miscellaneous Fees for FY27 through FY31.
• An ordinance amending Chapter 240 to create Sewer Miscellaneous Fees for FY27 through FY31.

If adopted, these ordinances would set the fee structure residents and businesses pay for water and sewer miscellaneous services through FY31. No vote tally or dollar figures for the fees themselves appear in the agenda materials provided.

Settlement with Boulevard Contractors, LLC at 32 N. Potomac Street

A resolution on the July 28 agenda would approve a settlement agreement with Boulevard Contractors, LLC related to 32 N. Potomac Street. The same settlement item appeared on the July 21 work session agenda, indicating it was discussed before being scheduled for a vote. No settlement amount is listed in the provided materials.

Grant Acceptances on the July 28 Agenda

The council was scheduled to vote on resolutions accepting two grants:

• The Entertainment District Security Grant.
• The Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network Grant.

No dollar amounts for either grant appear in the provided agenda data.

Consent Agenda: Police Vehicles and Other Purchases

The July 28 consent agenda included a series of contracts and purchases, among them police vehicle acquisitions. One listed item is a 2026 Ford Explorer ST-Line at $47,000. The agenda also references utility system upgrades among consent items, though specific additional amounts are not provided.

July 21 Work Session: Charter Review Committee, Parking, and FY28 Budget

The July 21 work session agenda covered several items:

• A resolution to establish a Charter Review Committee.
• A proposed parking permit system for the Historic Heights Neighborhood.
• Water and sewer miscellaneous fee adjustments.
• FY28 Budget discussion.

These items were scheduled for discussion; no decisions are confirmed in the available materials.

July 21 Executive Session: Historic District Commission and Business Proposal

A separate July 21 executive session agenda included appointments to the Historic District Commission, consultation with city counsel for legal advice, and consideration of a proposal for a business or industrial organization to locate, expand, or remain in the state. No further detail on the business proposal is provided.

Coming Up

• **August 4 — Executive Session:** Closed-door discussion of a potential business relocation or expansion proposal, plus legal consultation.
• **August 4 — Work Session:** Presentations and reviews including the ENOUGH Community Parks Initiative (Keith Fanjoy), the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area update (Liz Schatto), a Sister City update on Hagerstown, Indiana (Mike Keifer), CDBG FY27 Subrecipient Agreements review (Letizia Turner and Margi Joe), and proposed Land Management Code amendments ZT-2026-02 (Stephen R. Bockmiller).
• **August 6 — Executive Sessions:** Two scheduled closed-door sessions, both addressing proposals for a business or industrial organization to locate, expand, or remain in the state.

All upcoming agendas are subject to change. Residents can verify details through the city's official meeting postings.