Charles Printz, Jr. explains some legal concerns to the Town Council on Dec. 11. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The Shepherdstown Town Council met for its monthly meeting in Town Hall on Dec. 11.

The Town Council spent the majority of the meeting on public hearings for six ordinance amendments and the introduction of a new ordinance.

The new ordinance on ways to disincentivize property owners from allowing their storefronts to remain vacant for long periods of time was given its first reading during the meeting. It was tabled for later, as work still needed to be done on it, before it was ready for the Town Council’s consideration.

Five of the ordinance amendments were second readings. The amendment to section 9-103 on the requirements for membership on the town’s Planning Commission was sent back to the Planning Commission, who had suggested a requirement of 5-7 members, not realizing that a specific number is required by state law. The amendment to section 9-104 on changes to the Planning Commission’s planning, terms of office and vacancies was unanimously approved. The amendment to section 9-107 was approved, with one vote in opposition, which will require all personnel hired by the Planning Commission to be approved by the Town Council. The amendment to section 9-108, requiring the Planning Commission to meet on a monthly basis, was tabled and sent to town attorney Charles Printz, Jr. to simplify the wording. The amendment of section 9-1001 on the Board of Appeals, requiring it to possess five members who have lived in town for three years and removing the unnecessary requirement for them to be town taxpayers, was unanimously approved.

The final ordinance amendment was on section 7A-110. The first reading of this amendment was unanimously approved. If the amendment is approved during its second reading, the town will begin financially penalizing disorderly conduct in town. Without this amendment, anyone arrested for disorderly conduct would have to be charged under state law, which requires a fine to be paid to the state, which would not benefit the town.

Town Hall will soon be getting an update, according to Planning & Zoning Administrator Andy Beall.

“I met with a company out of Pennsylvania, Susquehanna Door, about putting handicap push button mechanisms on all of the Town Hall doors — actually, all of the town buildings, so the Market House, the Entler and the train station,” Beall said. “We currently have those quotes and will likely put the matter on the agenda to vote on, in an upcoming meeting.”

Shepherdstown resident Jim Schmitt was given the floor for 10 minutes, to propose the town start using Hometown Hero Banners, like so many other small towns have done throughout the region. He noted that the banners would be purchased by individuals who want to have a veteran, living or dead, to be honored on them. The only obligation to the town, would be to mount the brackets needed for the flags to be displayed throughout town, and to change the flags with the seasons.

“There is a deadline for ordering these for the next calendar year — March 30,” Schmitt said, mentioning the flags are supposed to be displayed from Memorial Day through Labor Day. “I’ve been fortunate to know a lot of veterans and had a number of them in my family. Once I saw these in Sharpsburg and knowing a couple of faces on them, I thought, ‘This is a great idea and Shepherdstown should be able to do this.’ We have plenty of poles and plenty of side streets in town to do this on.”

The Town Council did not vote on the matter, but agreed to consider it after further investigation into the subject.