Town Meeting

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Del. John Overington, R-Berkeley, announced that he will hold a town meeting Monday, April 26, at the Bedington Ruritan building to discuss legislation passed by lawmakers in the 60-day session and a possible special session on education. The meeting will be from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Ruritan building, which is south of Bedington Crossroads on the west side of U.S. 11. and about three miles north of Berkeley Plaza. Overington said in a news release that he is seeking suggestions to pass on to Gov. Joe Manchin to include in the call for the special session, which the delegate said could happen next month.

Bartlett to hold town meeting U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett will hold a town hall meeting in Hagerstown Tuesday to hear constituents' concerns. The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Washington County Free Library, 100 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown. "Meeting the people I am privileged to represent in the Congress, listening to their concerns and answering their questions is one of the most important and enjoyable parts of my job," said Bartlett, R-Md. - Laura Ernde

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. - Del. John Doyle on Saturday said a change to Jefferson County's annexation policy could be one of the county's only agenda items addressed during this year's regular session of the West Virginia Legislature. Because it is an election year, many politicians likely will be more concerned with giving speeches during the 60-day session than passing legislation, said Doyle, D-Jefferson. "There is a premium on posturing as opposed to production," Doyle said.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com WAYNESBORO, PA. - The borough will hold its first town meeting tonight, and residents are invited to voice their concerns about the borough and how it is run. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at American Legion Post 15 on East Main Street. The idea for the public meeting came from a council member, Borough Manager Lloyd Hamberger said. "One of the councilmen thought it would be a good idea to have a meeting and get some public input on the new street projects and whatever else may come up," Hamberger said.

RANSON, W.Va. - Ranson city residents will get a chance to learn more about their town during a town meeting scheduled for Oct. 25 at 5:30 p.m. at Ranson City Hall, 312 S. Mildred St. Ranson City Council members said Tuesday night during their regular meeting that the town meeting will give residents a chance to learn about new parks in the city, how the town plans to address snow removal and how the city is preparing for the downturn in the...

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - A town meeting Sunday, Feb. 23, at 3 p.m., in Wilson College's Allen Auditorium will examine the possibility of war with Iraq. The meeting is organized by local residents, including Alana Hartzog and the Rev. Doug Hodges, who are opposed to the war. Speakers will present the case against going to war with Iraq. There also will be time for audience members to ask questions and to express their own views, for or against a war. Allen auditorium is in Warfield Hall of Wilson College.

MERCERSBURG, Pa. -- The Tuscarora School Board will hold a town meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at Mercersburg Elementary School. Board President Jane Rice said she cannot remember any general town meetings that were held in her 11 years on the board, although meetings were held to address specific subjects like renovations. To provide opportunities for everyone in attendance, individual comments will have a time limit. Richard Burkett, assistant high school principal, will monitor time and the Rev. Harold Yeager will serve as moderator.

WILLIAMSPORT - Resident James T. Jewell on Monday proposed changes to the town's parking meter system. He suggested that the town issue color-coded monthly or yearly permits that people could buy instead of paying to use meters. He also recommended that the town hire two part-time meter readers, who would not receive benefits, instead of one full-time person. Jewell said the changes would help turn around a deficit in the parking meter program. "This is the only moneymaker we have," he said.

charlestown@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - After touring parts of the Eastern Panhandle Monday, members of Gov. Bob Wise's Cabinet took note of the rapid rate of growth in the area and said expansion of some state offices could be considered to keep up with it. Wise's Cabinet members made the remarks at a town meeting Wise held at Orchard View Elementary School Monday night. It was the culmination of a long day in which Cabinet members met with officials in their respective fields.

Del. John Overington has scheduled two town meetings to gather input from residents. The first will be Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Bedington Ruritan Building, south of Bedington Crossroads on the west side of U.S. 11. The second town meeting will be Feb. 16 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Marlowe Ruritan Building. To reach the Ruritan building, take U.S. 11 to Marlowe Elementary School and turn onto Broad Lane. The Ruritan building is on the right. “This will be my 29th year of holding these meetings at the start of the 60-day legislative session which begins Feb. 13 at noon and concludes on April 13,” Overington, R-Berkeley, said in a news release.

Funkstown's monthly mayor and Town Council meeting has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 17 at Town Hall, Town Clerk/Treasurer Brenda Haynes said. Mayor Paul N. Crampton Jr. asked to have the meeting, originally scheduled for Sept. 10, rescheduled due to a conflict in his schedule, Haynes said. - Julie E. Greene

U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, R-Md., faced dozens of questions Tuesday at a town hall meeting he hosted in Funkstown. About 30 people attended. The audience used the opportunity to ask about a range of topics - health care, Social Security, education, illegal immigration, energy and more. Bartlett is trying to win an 11th term as the 6th District representative in Congress. He is facing two challengers in the November general election: John Delaney on the Democratic line and Nickolaus Mueller on the Libertarian line.

U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., will hold a Town Hall meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Funkstown Volunteer Fire Co.'s social hall, according to an emailed news release from his office. Funkstown's fire hall is at 2 S. Westside Ave.

Boonsboro resident Heidi Welsh said she did a study in 1993, talking to area residents who were for or against the Civil War Railroad Trail, but things have changed since then. “At that time (the representatives) did the wrong thing,” she said. “They showed up in people's backyards with survey stakes, and people felt pretty attacked.” She said that 20 years later the issue has been handled differently. “The commissioners should be commended for doing this public participation,” she said.

People with strong opinions for and against a possible 23-mile bike trail packed steamy Boonsboro's fire hall Thursday night. The proposal is in its early, formative stage. Joseph Kroboth III, Washington County's public works director, said there's no local, state or federal money committed to the project, which has been estimated to cost about $16 million. Some at the meeting spoke in favor of the appeal of a new avenue for healthy exercise, and the possible tourism and economic development draw that a trail might have.

Only one person filed to run for three open seats on Smithsburg Town Council, but four more people were nominated Monday night to run for office during a special meeting at Town Hall. Town council member Donnie Souders was the only person to file to run in the May 8 election by the April 2 deadline, forcing town officials to hold a special town meeting to find more candidates. Mayor Mildred “Mickey” Myers said town officials discovered they could hold the special meeting after doing some research.

A standing-room-only crowd showed up at the Boonsboro Town Council meeting Monday night to hear some residents speak out against a proposed expansion of an assisted-living house in the town. The expansion of the SOMA Manor House at 7701 Old National Pike is part of an annexation of 15 acres that the six-member council is considering. If Boonsboro annexes the land at its northern border, the Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed earlier that the town could immediately change the zoning to “town residential.” Without the commissioners' “express approval,” the town would have had to wait five years before making significant changes to the parcel's zoning.

Smithsburg may be without candidates for two council seats in the May 8 election, but there's still hope for a full slate. After some research, Mayor Mildred “Mickey” Myers said town officials have discovered that a special town meeting can be held so citizens can nominate candidates for office. The town has decided to hold such a meeting on April 23 - the first time Myers said she can remember the town has done so. “And I've been around for a while,” Myers said.