By Debbie Bowden
FEDERALSBURG - Nearly a year into the personnel turmoil in the town of Federalsburg, the Mayor and Council, with the support of current dedicated staffing, continue to manage the business of the town, discussing everything from budget and finances to building permit systems at their monthly meetings and workshops.
The town meeting agenda for Feb. 2, 2026, reflects the duties and tasks of the elected officials. Here is a recap of the business conducted by the Mayor and Council:
- Leslie Fraley, Interim Town Treasurer, suggested that a fee be considered to cover the cost for the town public works staff to shut off water to a user’s system. There were several calls during the sub-freezing weather during the last two weeks of January where public works crew turned off the water for both residential and commercial users. Fraley noted that the town incurred unplanned costs for this work that it will need to absorb. There was a discussion among the Mayor and Council about informing water users of their responsibilities, and for knowing where the shut-off valves are on their portion of the system. Mayor Kim Abner suggested instituting an awareness campaign for next winter. The question of imposing fees was not discussed further.
- Fraley reported that the FY2024 audit is not complete, and she continues to provide the required information to the accounting firm to complete the required audit.
- Owners of property at 308 Old Denton Road came before the Mayor and Council to get an update on their years-long process of getting sewer service. The owner’s town permit has been approved, but the actual document needs to be drafted for their property that straddles the town and county line. Jennifer Dindinger, an Associate with the town’s contracted law firm, Booth, Cropper & Marriner, PC, informed the property owners that they will need to go before Caroline County’s Planning Commission to request a change in the designation of their property in the County’s water and sewer plan. If approved by the county’s Planning Commission, the designation change request will then go before the County Commissioners. Dindinger commented that the process, while “a lot of paperwork,” isn’t difficult to navigate. In the meantime, the property is not classified as “in town” for water billing purposes and cannot be until the county’s water and sewer designation is changed. However, Councilperson Brandy James motioned to allow the property owners to pay the less expensive “in town” rates, and the motion carried.
- The Budget Modification agenda item was postponed until the next meeting to give Fraley time to finish inputting figures.
- During Mayor and Council Action Items, Councilperson Ian Ferguson suggested that public information that is currently posted digitally on social media and the website be augmented with physical displays. He suggested that the town install a notice cabinet at the town hall that would house agendas and other items of interest. There was consensus to move forward with the cabinet.
- Councilperson Ferguson also noted that agendas should be made available on the town’s website or through the online meeting service Town Hall Streams, “somewhere other than Facebook.” Consensus was to provide agendas on the website and on the pending notice display. The Mayor and Council again discussed the documentation of meetings, typically prepared as minutes that are reviewed and voted upon by elected body. Currently, the documentation of meetings and workshops is only available through the Town Hall Streams service. Councilperson James reminded the Mayor and Council that according to Town Attorney Lyndsay Ryan, that is sufficient to ensure compliance with open meeting requirements.
- Mayor Abner noted that they are in the process of evaluating two candidates for Town Manager.
