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FROSTBURG - The Frostburg Mayor and City Council met Thursday night, conducting a public hearing as the capstone on efforts to secure funding to develop a landscaped parking lot at the corner of Mechanic and Water streets.

In other business, the city moved to secure funding to replace an aging water main from Piney Reservoir, endorsed the use of a city police officer for DARE programs at Mount Savage School, and approved the purchase of a new police cruiser and backhoe.

Frostburg businesswoman Barb Armstrong, whose financial involvement helped the city acquire the Mechanic Street property and demolish an old car dealership garage that once stood there, was the only one to speak at the hearing, conducted as part of the council's regular monthly meeting. She lamented a design that provides only 25 percent green space, but acknowledged that the city had little choice but to emphasize parking.

City officials have said that the only readily available source of grant funding for the $195,000 project requires an emphasis on business development, not green space. It is hoped that development of the parking lot will encourage the growth of downtown businesses.

"I'd hoped originally that there would be more space that would be green and usable..." said Armstrong, whose insurance business is located catty-corner from the lot. "The bottom line is, there's not enough space in that area to do both (parking and green space)."

Under current plans, the lot would contain 17 metered spots and have a single entrance/exit onto West Mechanic, directly across from City Place. The green space would be concentrated along a strip between the parking area and the rear of several Main Street businesses that back up to the lot, including Frostburg Pizza, Bartles Jewelry, Dante's bar and the Princess Restaurant.

The $195,000 project includes a $67,000 contribution from the city, as well as $15,000 as an "in-kind" contribution in the form of free design services provided by Ray Rase of Specs engineering. The city is applying for a $100,000 state grant for the bulk of the funding.

In conceding that the lot will not be as park-like as she originally hoped, Armstrong encouraged the city not to give up on the idea of green space near City Place. She noted that a current parking area behind City Place is little used, as is a much larger public parking area just to the west on Mechanic Street, directly behind her business. Development of that lot in particular could provide up to 50 parking spaces within a block of Main Street and downtown businesses

"I think maybe we could put our parking problems behind us if we look at that space...," she said. "It could accommodate a lot of businesses and organizations."

In closing the hearing, Mayor Arthur Bond noted Armstrong's significant contributions to the parking lot project. "Without your support, we wouldn't have been able to purchase the property," he said.

Bond also supported Armstrong's call to examine the use of the existing city parking lot on West Mechanic Street. "I think it's a good idea, the area you're talking about," he said.

Water Main

City Engineer Chris Hovatter reported on initial efforts to secure grant funding to replace an aging water main that carries raw water from Piney Dam to the city filtration plant. With restoration of Piney Dam and construction of the filtration plant over the past two decades, new 12-inch water lines were installed from the reservoir to Route 40 at Piney Dam Road, and along Route 40 from the crest of Big Savage to the filtration plant just west of the city limits. Under a resolution approved by the council, the city will complete design and engineering for a project to replace the aging 10-inch line that connects those two segments, running along Route 40 from Piney Dam Road to the top of Big Savage.

Hovatter could not provide a cost estimate or timetable for the project, which would be funded primarily through federal and state grants.

DARE

As part of an agreement with the Allegany County Board of Education, the city and school system partnered 50/50 to fund a resource-police officer position at Mountain Ridge High School. Although a full-fledged member of the city police force, the officer will be based almost exclusively at the high school during the school year.

The officer's duties will also include conducting DARE drug abuse resistance programs at Frost and Beall elementary schools.

Noting that Frostburg-area students attend middle school in Mount Savage, school system officials recently asked the city to extend the officer's DARE duties to Mount Savage elementary and middle school.

Public Safety Commissioner Robert Flanigan, who spearheaded development of the resource officer position at Mountain Ridge, recommended that the council support the extension of the officers' duties to Mount Savage. He noted that part of his motivation in seeking the position was the absence of a DARE officer outside the Cumberland schools.

"I felt that wasn't right for the people of Frostburg," he said.

In addition to Mount Savage, the DARE officer will also work with Georges Creek Elementary School, if his schedule allows.

A Dipperstick to Die For

The city council Thursday night also approved the purchase of a new police cruiser. The 2009 Chevy Impala, set to be delivered by the end of the month, was secured largely through grant funding.

With the November council meeting occurring one week before Thanksgiving, City Administrator John Kirby said he was thankful that the cruiser is almost ready to be delivered.

"We hope to get it before General Motors goes bankrupt," he said with a laugh.

Finally, the council also approved the purchase of a $93,721 John Deere Backhoe, to replace an existing backhoe that is nearly three decades old. The winning bid for the backhoe came from Standard Equipment Company of Frederick.

The backhoe's features include air conditioning, a deluxe fabric swivel seat with fully adjustable lumbar pads and arm rests, an AM/FM/CD radio with digital clock, two-lever pilot controls and an extendible dipperstick with five-function hydraulics.

City officials did not state the obvious in noting that no self-respecting backhoe operates with anything less than a five-function dipperstick.