Shepherdstown resident Joan Moossy discusses her plans to hold an annual Pride Month parade in Shepherdstown on June 1, during the October Town Council meeting. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Corporation of Shepherdstown held its monthly Town Council meeting in Town Hall on Oct. 9.

The meeting was the first to be held on the new schedule, moving the monthly Town Council meeting from the second Tuesday of every month to the second Wednesday of every month.

During the meeting, the Town Council unanimously approved the appointments of Robin McGrorty to the Tree Commission and of council member Marcy Bartlett to the Personnel Committee.

Also unanimously approved, was the return of the town’s Christmas in Shepherdstown celebration and the establishment of a new Pride Month parade every year on June 1, along with any necessary, related road closures.

The Pride Month parade idea was proposed by Shepherdstown resident Joan Moossy.

“I estimate that 20-25 groups will be marching in our first parade in 2025,” Moossy said, mentioning this was informed by her experience helping with the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown’s parades.

An update on the Market House renovation was reported on by Town Clerk Amy Boyd.

“Finishes continue to be completed, including painting, flooring and lighting. The plumbing fixtures will be installed once the flooring installation is complete. Doors have been installed, except for a single exterior door. The installation of the lift should be completed next week,” Boyd said, mentioning the only delay was related to the HVAC/mini splits. “Barring any further delays, the building should be substantially complete by the end of October.”

Boyd also gave an update on the installation of new play equipment at Bane Harris Park.

“Installation is complete and the vendor has been paid,” Boyd said. “The new equipment will expand the current play area and accommodate an age range from 5-12.”

Chief of Police Mike King then reported on the hiring of two new employees to the Shepherdstown Police Department. On Sept. 24, Daniel Gisler was hired, after serving for nine months with the West Virginia State Police.

“He brings a specialty to our department of accident reconstruction, which we had not had, ever. That would be for serious accidents and fatalities, which we do have occasionally,” King said. “He would be able to assist the sheriff’s department with the same type of reconstruction of accidents.”

The second person being hired is Alexi Ortiz, who will be starting the West Virginia State Police Academy in January. He is expected to be in the daily police rotation by July 2025.

“Ortiz completed an internship with the Shepherdstown Police in early 2024, which peaked his interest in working in this community, after he graduated from Shepherd,” King said, before noting that he will be bringing some much-needed skills to the department. “Ortiz will be our first bilingual officer. He is fluent in English and Spanish.”

The final town staff report, focused mainly on the Jefferson County Flood Restudy, was given by Planning and Zoning Administrator Andy Beall.

“In August of 2021, FEMA and WVEM initiated a restudy of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report for Jefferson County and its municipalities. Preliminary FIRMs and FIS reports were completed and issued on September 24, 2024,” Beall said. “In the ensuing weeks, FEMA will schedule a Consultation Coordination Officer meeting to discuss strategies and resources for public outreach, how to provide comments/appeals to the preliminary information prior to the new FIRMs becoming effective, the required ordinance update and adoption process. After the Consultation Coordination Officer meeting, the town and homeowners throughout the town will have 90 days to appeal, if it is believed adjustments to the FIRM are scientifically or technically incorrect.”

He noted that the results of the study will likely add 15-20 Shepherdstown homes to the floodplain, while removing about the same number of homes from the floodplain. Homeowners now living in the floodplain will be required to purchase flood insurance, if they purchased their homes with a federally backed mortgage.