Jennifer Wabnitz, president of the Shepherdstown Community Club, along with her husband, Steve, share with Town Council members the proposed garden tour route for the upcoming Back Alley Garden Tour & Tea last Tuesday evening. Toni Milbourne

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Members of the Shepherdstown Council heard from several individuals seeking approval for different things last Tuesday evening, during their regularly scheduled monthly meeting.

While some presentations and requests were somewhat routine, others were not.

Mary Ann Alexander appeared before the council, representing Shepherdstown Area Independent Living (SAIL), to request that the Old Market House be utilized as a visitor’s center for the town. The Old Market House, the previous home to the Shepherdstown Public Library, is now vacant. The town owns the property and has been working to determine how to best put the location to use.

“This is an exciting time, coming out of COVID,” Alexander said, explaining it is an opportunity to provide a location that will work to promote Shepherdstown, its businesses, organizations and the university.

She added that she has spoken with several members of nonprofit organizations in town, who have agreed that the Old Market House would be an ideal location for the visitor’s center, as well as a space to promote artists, both from Shepherdstown and from Shepherd University.

Council members, along with Mayor Jim Auxer, listened to Alexander’s comments, with Auxer asking if she could leave a copy of her notes for later perusal, when a decision regarding the building’s use would be finalized.

Also coming before the council was Natalie Friend, who spoke about the reopening of the Shepherdstown Farmers Market. Friend requested approval to continue to hold the market in its same location behind the Old Market House on Sundays, beginning March 19.

“The market will be open every week from then to Christmas Eve,” Friend said.

She also added that there is a limited indoor market being held during the winter months on Sunday in the War Memorial Building, which opens to the public at 11 a.m.

The council approved the continuation of the market and closure of the streets that have been traditionally used by its vendors.

Jennifer Wabnitz, president of the Shepherdstown Community Club, advised council members and the audience gathered that the annual Back Alley Garden Tour & Tea has been scheduled for May 20-21.

“Last year, we had 799 visitors to the tea,” Wabnitz said, noting that many different members of the community make the event such a success.

Last year, she said, members of a local Girl Scout troop served tea, which they will continue to do this year. Joining them in serving at this event, will be a Boy Scout troop, providing bottled water at strategically placed watering stations throughout the tour route.

While the garden tour required no closure of streets or any other action by the council, the governing body did make a motion endorsing the event. That vote was approved unanimously.

Also, before moving into routine council business, the group heard an update from Phil Baker-Shenk on the ongoing review of the town’s comprehensive plan. It also heard from James Gatz, the town’s representative at the Jefferson County Development Authority, who shared information on what that department is doing within the county.

Members of the council asked Gatz to seek information from the JCDA regarding assistance to get a hotel to return to the Corporation of Shepherdstown or within its close proximity, as two of Shepherdstown’s hotels have closed over the past few years. Gatz agreed to take that request back to the next JCDA meeting.

The final public presentation was by John Loeffler, a member of the Shepherdstown Rotary Club, who presented samples of Shepherdstown vanity license plates the club will be making available for purchase.