CONTENTS DATES TO REMEMBER Town Office will be CLOSED: website www.carr.org/~unionbr email
unionbr@carr.org The winter ice and snow storm was very hard on everyone. We hope by letting the town residents dispose of their brush and tree limbs at the tennis courts parking area helped. We will be putting the chain back up and “NO DUMPING” will go back into effect. Perry L. Jones, Jr., Mayor GRANT PROJECTS UPDATE Wetlands Park Trail Extension USDA Rural Development Municipal Truck Purchase Maryland Energy Administration For questions on these or any other projects, please call the Town Office at 410-775-2711. Jared Schumacher,
Town Consultant WEST CARROLL REC Next meeting dates will be May 12, 2014 and June 9, 2014. West Carroll Rec. is seeking a Union Bridge Town Representative to fill an open Board position. Volunteer must be a resident in the Union Bridge zip code, willing to attend monthly Rec. Council and Town Council meetings, and act as a liaison between the Rec. Council and Town of Union Bridge. If interested, please attend one of our upcoming meetings. For general information about West Carroll programs, contact Community Coordinator, Penny Rockwood at 410-775-1506. See our website:www.gowcrc.com or
like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gowcrc Another source to check for upcoming sports registrations is “RecZone”’ found in the back of the Sports section of the Carroll County Times on Sundays. FALL SPORTS Penny Rockwood, Community Coordinator Monthly Bingo -- second Monday of every month SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY SILVER RUN COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY SEWER LINE BLOCKAGES ATTENTION ORDINANCE 310-B BAY RESTORATION FEE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP EXEMPTION YARD WASTE PICKUP GRASS & WEEDS POST OFFICE UNION BRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER MD STATE POLICE DRUG TIPS HOTLINE
410-875-0936 PLEASE RECYCE REMEMBER THE PRIMARY ELECTION ON JUNE 24 
UNION BRIDGE NEWSLETTER
May/June 2014
From the Mayor's Desk
Grant Project Update
West Carroll Rec
Union Bridge Fire Company Events
Silver Run Community Food Pantry
Bay Restoration Fee Financial Hardship Exemption
Council Meetings
May 19 & Jun 23 – 7 pm.
Planning & Zoning Meetings
May 15 & Jun 19 – 6:30 pm.
Council Work Sessions
May 12 & Jun 2 – 6:30 pm.
Heritage Committee information, contact Jim Rowe 410-775-9939 or buttersburg@verizon.net
- May 26th (Memorial Day)
Articles for the July/August Newsletter are DUE
IN THE TOWN OFFICE June 15, 2014
On May 17th there will be a stream cleanup at Little Pipe Creek Habitat Area walking trail. This stream clean up will also take place in New Windsor along the Dickenson Run, starting at the skate park. The Carroll County Development of Land Use and Planning Department is working with a group called Monocacy Scenic River Citizens Advisory Board and Lehigh Cement. Volunteers are needed. If you are interested in helping contact the Carroll County Bureau of Comprehensive Planning at 410-386-2145. The event will be from 9:00 am till noon. Gloves and trash bags will be provided by Lehigh. Hope to have a gator that can be used to remove the trash bags. Charlie Stambaugh has given permission for volunteers to park on his parking lot at their shop.
The new pet clean up bags will be installed at the walking trail. Please clean up after your pets. There are a lot of people that use the trail with their children and they like to play in the grass area, where pets tend to do their business. The benches that were installed last summer are a nice addition to the trail for people to relax.
Please don’t forget to pay attention to the parking meters on Main Street. There are 15 minute parking meters in front of the business. The rest of the parking meters are only for 2 hours. You are not legal during business hours to park your car at one meter for more than 2 hours. You cannot just keep feeding the meter in the same spot. That will get you a nice parking fine.
There are a few very nice rental spaces for new business on Main Street, open space at the general store on Main Street, Vintage Restoration at 52 N. Main Street and the Dollar General location. Please stop by and look at the areas. If you have an idea talk to the property owners, and the Mayor and Council. We want to be business friendly.
Pothole repair has begun. Our streets are in bad shape and it will take time to repair them. Repairs will be costly and we are still not getting much revenue from Highway User Fees. Hopefully a new governor will restore the Highway User Funds in full to the municipalities. Union Bridge should be getting approximately $88,700.00 from Highway User Fees, but due to the reduction it looks like we will again only be getting around $13,000.00. This amount won’t begin to cover the cost of all the repairs that need to be done. Donald Wilson is in charge of streets, so if you have any questions or concerns about street repairs please contact him.
It is important to understand the budget process, and the grants that the town receives. The State has money that towns can apply for to use for parks and walking trails. That money can only be used for that purpose and not for street repairs or other needs the town may have.
CDBG West Broadway Reconstruction Phase Two Application-
The Town of Union Bridge was awarded a $138,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for phase two to the West Broadway Street project. Phase two will include work from Whyte Street to the dead-end.
The Town of Union Bridge completed grant applications to the State for the planned final phase of the trail system in the town’s Wetlands Park located off of Rt. 75. Once complete, the trial will “loop” around the park for a distance of approximately one mile.
Union Bridge recently completed an application to the Department of Agriculture for a grant to purchase an all-purpose, one-ton vehicle for various town needs including hauling, plowing, towing, road work, park maintenance, emergencies, etc.
The Town is currently working on a grant application for smart energy communities. This grant will help the town implement projects to reduce energy use and save money. Once approved, the Mayor and Town Council will decide what projects will provide the most savings and greatest energy efficiency.
West Carroll serves Union Bridge, New Windsor and the surrounding areas. Anyone interested in Rec Council programs or events is welcome to attend our meetings, which are held the 2nd Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Old New Windsor School/County Government Offices/Library Administration Offices in New Windsor.
Football
Contact: Pam Hunnell 443-472-7014
Cheer
Kristen Arrington 410-522-8009
Field Hockey
Contact: Laura Furbay Maring 443-605-3029
Soccer
Contact: Nicole Wilson 443-964-2419 a.nicole.wilson3039@gmail.com
Doors open at 5:30 pm
Games begin at 7:00 pm
Any questions call:
410-775-7891
Silver Run Community Food Pantry is now serving individuals from all over Carroll County; especially, Silver Run, Taneytown, Union Bridge and New Windsor. We are serving, on average, 27 households per week (we are open the first and third Wednesday of the month) which includes an average of 85 family members. If at all possible, please help support us by helping us get the word out in your area and / or attending this event. It is one of the main funding sources this year.
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
Saturday, June 7, 2014
9:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m.
St. Mary’s Evangelical Lutheran Church,
3978 Littlestown Pike, Westminster
RESIDENTS: If your sewer line becomes blocked please contact the Town
Hall at 410-775-2711 before calling a plumber.
FOR WATER AND SEWER EMERGENCIES PLEASE PAGE AMY KALIN 1-410-899-1200
The newsletter is posted six times per year: January, March, May, July, September, and November and may be viewed on the town’s Web site at www.carr.org/~unionbr Also, upon request, paper copies may be picked up at the Town Hall (410-775-2711) or at any local business.
On March 24, 2014 the Union Bridge Town Council approved budget Ordinance 310-B for FY 14/15, with expenditures and revenues of $840,668.00. The town tax rate to remain at $.30 per $100.00 of full value assessment of property in The Town of Union Bridge and the personal property tax rate to remain at $.75 per $100.00 of assessed value.
Union Bridge residents may apply directly to the Town for an exemption from the fee due to substantial financial hardship. Requirements and exemption application must be submitted to the Town each year between March 1 and June 1 to be eligible for exemption for the one (1) year period beginning the following July 1. For more information please contact Union Bridge Town Hall 410-775-2711
Yard waste pickup will begin in April. Bags for yard waste must be purchased at the Town Hall for $1.00. This charge helps to defray the cost of the pickup.
The town is getting calls about residents not picking up after their pets. Please consider those who come after you on your walk. Put yourself in their shoes – literally. Please be a good neighbor and pick up your animal droppings. Union Bridge Code, Chapter 10, The owner of every animal shall be responsible for the removal of any excreta deposited by his animal(s) on public property, including sidewalks, recreation areas or on private property.
The Town of Union Bridge Code, Chapter 130, 4; C2: Owners and occupants of occupied premises and owners and persons in charge of unoccupied premises, including vacant lots, are hereby charged with
the duty of maintaining an grass on such premises at a height of not more than six (6) inches, and the further duty of maintaining such premises free of noxious weeds and dense underbrush.
Union Bridge Post Office prohibits skateboarding, scooters and playing on their property. It is a very dangerous spot for children due to traffic.
Is available for weddings, parties and reunions. Call the town office at 410-775-2711 to inquire about renting the center for your function.
THEY CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOUR HELP!!!
The Town of Union Bridge is requesting that all residents of Union Bridge make an effort to recycle everything they possibly can. The cost for trash that is picked up in town is a combination of the cost for the pick-up of the trash plus the tipping fee at the landfill. When you recycle, the town pays only for the pick-up service; there is no tipping fee associated with recyclables. Therefore, the more we recycle, the less it costs the town. There is information at the Town Hall and County Office Building explaining what you can put in your recycle bins. Everything that is recyclable can be put into the same container, as Carroll County is doing single-stream recycling.
*IT’S STATE LAW.
*IT’S ENVIRONMENTALLY SMART.
*IT SAVES THE TOWN MONEY (YOUR TAXES).
*THE MORE YOU RECYCLE THE LESS TRASH YOU PUT INTO LANDFILLS.
If you are not registered to vote; Voter Registration forms are available at the Town Hall.