Town council talks Homecoming banners, ordinance approval
SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Shepherdstown Town Council held its in-person monthly meeting in a new location, at the Station at Shepherdstown, on Tuesday night.
Topics covered in the meeting ranged from the reminder of upcoming events to readings of ordinance amendments.
At the top of the meeting, Michael Hofe and David Deamer were given the time to discuss their proposed Site License Agreement. The agreement, if approved in the future, will act like a lease agreement with the Corporation of Shepherdstown, which owns the land Shepherdstown’s water tower is built on. With this agreement in place, Hofe and Deamer will be free to begin marketing the water tower as a possible location for broadband providers to attach their equipment, which they will then help attach to the tower. Hofe noted that the equipment is lightweight, and an engineering firm will be consulted to determine the locations and quantity of equipment that can safely be placed on the water tower.
If the Site License Agreement is approved in the future, and the Water Board continues to agree with pursuing the project idea, the Corporation of Shepherdstown will be able to look forward to receiving periodic payments from the broadband providers for allowing them the use of the space.
Following Hofe and Deamer’s discussion, Shepherdstown’s Jefferson County Development Authority representative, James Gatz spoke about how the JCDA is trying to not only attract new businesses to Jefferson County, but is also offering help to struggling businesses in the area.
“[The Jefferson County Development Authority] has the mission to bring new businesses into the county and, to a lesser extent, supporting existing businesses. We’re making an effort to retain businesses that are struggling, some don’t lose jobs,” Gatz said, mentioning the state-funded group is currently working on various marketing strategies to attract businesses here, that would fit into the county’s “environment.”
Local businesses interested in receiving help are encouraged to reach out to himself or the JCDA, Gatz said.
The Town Council then approved the second reading of ordinance updates proposed by the Shepherdstown Police Department, which will make the town in compliance with the state. They also approved the Planning Commission’s recommendation to amend another Code of Shepherdstown ordinance — section 9-905 subpart ii of chapter 9, title 9. The ordinance amendment, which would provide greater legal protection for town residents, will have to be read and approved in future council meetings, for it to pass.
Mayor Jim Auxer noted he has been in communication with FEMA, regarding changes that were made but not approved by the state to the flood planes around Town Run. If things currently progress as they seem to be heading with FEMA, and the thousands of dollars worth of effort put into addressing the flood planes is approved by them, Auxer said Shepherdstown residents can expect to see a decrease in flood insurance costs, if not a total lack of need for flood insurance at all.
The final noteworthy aspect of the meeting was regarding banners that will soon be displayed along German Street, advertising the term, “Shep’Town.” The banners will precede Shepherd University’s Homecoming Weekend, to hopefully popularize the term with Shepherd University’s students, according to Shepherdstown resident Ken Lowe.
“As I continue to email and text these past few years, I find myself printing ‘Shep’Town’ more and more. To me, many younger generations and others nowadays are looking for something descriptive, brief, quickly identifiable and ‘catchy,'” Lowe said, mentioning he hopes the term’s twist on the town’s name will peak students’ interest and lead them to learn more about Shepherdstown and its history.
The banners were paid to be made and displayed along German Street by Lowe, and are not related to a rebranding effort by the Corporation of Shepherdstown.