Friday, August 2, 2024 | Issue 34

Here's how you can pay:

• Online via our PayCenter with your debit or credit card ($2.00 convenience fee automatically applied).
• In-Person at Town Hall during office hours (listed above) with cash, check or money order. Please make checks payable to "Town of Charlestown."
• By utilizing our After-Hours Drop Box at the front door at Town Hall.

Important Dates to Remember:

• August 6th - Penalties applied for non-payment and past due notices distributed.
• August 13th - Courtesy door hangers placed at residences that are at risk for shut-off. Shut-off notices distributed.
• August 20th - Shut-offs completed, if no payment received, and $50 Shut-Off fee assessed.

If your water is shut off, the following options are available to have service restored:

• Pay your balance in full;
• OR set up a payment plan for the full balance and pay in equal monthly installments within 12 months.

If you would like to set up a payment plan, contact Mary Culver, Assistant Town Administrator, at mculver@charlestownmd.org or at (410) 287-6173, ext. 4. Please don't wait.

We are excited for the upcoming launch of our new Town Hall software and payment portal, designed to enhance your experience and provide greater convenience.

Here's what you can expect with the new software and online payment portal:

Software Updates:

1. New Utility Bill Format. Our new billing format will provide more detailed yet easy-to-understand billing data, eliminating confusion. Important announcements will also be directly on the bill.
2. New Account Number. We will no longer use Location IDs.
3. $2 Administrative Fee. An administrative fee of $2.00 will be added to accounts not enrolled for email-only billing to cover postage, stationary, and extra staff time. To avoid this fee, opt-in for email-only billing or choose to view your bill online and print a copy.
4. Automatic Payments. You will have the option to set up automatic payments to debit directly from your bank account on quarterly due dates. Reminder emails will be sent before payments are processed.

Online Payment Portal Updates:

1. Same Website Location. The link to access the payment portal will remain the same as our current PayCenter: https://www.charlestownmd.org/paycenter/.
2. Privacy & Security. Your account will only be accessible with a designated account number and passcode, provided by Town Hall staff and printed on the utility bill.
3. View Your Account. You will be able to view your account 24/7, including current and prior charges, payment statuses, and billing details. You can also print your bill if preferred.
4. Setup a Login. This is not required to view your account information, but is required if you wish to setup scheduled or automatic payments.
5. Updated Payment Methods. You may use a debit or credit card, or your bank account to pay your bill. Make one-time payments easily or set up scheduled or automatic payments using a Virtual Wallet.
6. Update Payment Fees. Starting in September, credit or debit card payments will incur a 2.95% convenience fee. eChecks will have no charge; however, a $15 returned check fee will apply if a payment is returned.

Things That Are Not Changing:

1. In-Person payments. We will still accept cash, check and money orders at Town Hall during business hours or via our after-hours drop box. There are no additional fees for this.
2. Bill Payment Checks. We will still accept bill payment checks sent directly from your bank, but please ensure that your account number is updated and displays in the memo section of the check.
3. Debit & Credit Cards Not Accepted at Town Hall. For cost efficiency reasons, we will continue to not accept card payments at Town Hall. These are only accepted through our online payment portal. If for some reason a card payment is not processing for you at home, please contact Town Hall for assistance.

Once the new software and payment portal are ready, we will notify you and provide a link to the Authorization Form for Direct Debit/Auto Pay. This form will need to be completed to authorize us to use your bank information for automatic payments. We encourage you to visit Town Hall or contact us for assistance with the new portal. We are more than happy to guide you through the process.

We understand that this transition may require some adjustment, and we appreciate your patience and understanding throughout this process. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at staff@charlestownmd.org or during business hours (M-F 8:30-4:30) via telephone at 410-287-6173. We are here to assist you. Thank you!

Please be advised of the following changes to our bulk trash collection process, effective immediately.

We have transitioned from monthly collections to an as-needed system, allowing you to place items for collection at your curb at any time during the week. While the limit of four (4) large items per collection remains in place, there is no longer a requirement to notify Town Hall beforehand. Should your items remain at the curb for more than 48 hours after you put them out, please contact us to ensure our Public Works staff is aware.

We are excited to announce that our new Resident Reporting Form is now live!

While we still welcome phone calls and emails, we have introduced this new form to make it more convenient for you to report any public works issues that you may come across in our town. Whether it's a pothole, broken street light, or an empty dog waste station, the reporting form is user-friendly and simple to submit.

To report an issue, please access the Resident Reporting Form on our app or visit our website at https://www.charlestownmd.org/resident-reporting-form/.

Please keep in mind that this form should be used for non-emergency issues only. Any critical or time-sensitive matters should still be reported by calling Town Hall at 410-287-6173 (choose option 1 for Town Staff during business hours, or option 7 for the Director of Public Works during or after business hours).

August 7th is National Purple Heart Day, a day to honor the brave men and women who were wounded or lost their lives whilst serving our country.

Originally called the Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award and was established by George Washington on August 7, 1782. Before being awarded as a medal in 1932, the award was a purple cloth badge that read, "merit," and was only awarded to three soldiers during the Revolutionary War for unusually heroic acts.

Today, the medal is awarded to those that have been injured or killed in the line of duty. The exact number of recipients is unknown, but is estimated at over 2,000,000. Since 2014, August 7th has been recognized as the official day of recognition for the Purple Heart Award.

Pet Waste

In Charlestown, it's required by law to clean up after your pet.

Pet waste is a threat to the health of our residents and our environment, since it transmits disease and degrades the appearance of our Town. When we do not clean up after our pets, the waste is washed away and contaminates our storm drain system. This system reaches nearby creeks, which ultimately drain into the North East River and Chesapeake Bay.

We love our pets, so let's be more considerate of our neighbors and help keep our Town clean.

The Town Commissioners hosted two rounds of successful listening sessions, which were resident-led, from February to June. After a break for the Summer, meetings will resume in Autumn, but will be condensed in order to bring more neighborhoods together. Here are the scheduled meeting dates:

1. Thursday, September 12th at 6pm—Scott Gardens, Louisa Ln Ext & Route 7
2. Wednesday, October 16th at 6pm—Cool Springs, Trinity Woods & Trinity Woods Preserve
3. Wednesday, November 20th—Historic District, Charlestown Manor, Holloway Beach, & Carpenter’s Point

We hope you will be able to join us at the Charlestown Fire Hall or via Zoom so we can review previous topics and continue important discussions on matters such as stormwater management and neighborhood safety. These listening sessions are essential for gathering feedback to guide Charlestown in the right direction and keeping our residents safe and informed. Your feedback is much appreciated!

The annual Community Fun Day hosted by the Cool Springs HOA is approaching, and we encourage everyone to participate in the festivities. The event will feature various activities for children, including a bounce house and Melissa's Sand Art. In addition, food vendors such as Robyn's On A Roll and an ice cream truck will be present. The activities will be held on the field adjacent to the playground located at the intersection of Cool Springs Rd and Pagosa St.

Kindly note that parking on Pagosa St is limited. If you choose to park on the street, please ensure that you do not obstruct traffic on both sides as this may impede the passage of emergency vehicles.

Admission to the event is free, but please be prepared to make cash payments ranging from a few dollars to $10 for goods sold by the vendors.

You won't want to miss this opportunity to hear live music in the park! There will be vendors selling food and sweet treats. It's a guaranteed good time!

August 10th, 5-8pm - Featuring Jac Conner

Remember to bring your chair/blankets, and bug spray! Free parking at Avalon Park Lot B, or with parking permit at Avalon Park Lot A.

Join us for a day of entertainment — Beer, Food, Vendors and Live Music, featuring performances by Middle of Nowhere, Red Toad Connection, and BLEECH.

There will also be activities for kids, including tie dye shirts and crafts. Remember to bring your own chair or blankets for your comfort.

Free parking at Avalon Park Lot B, and at Lot A with a parking permit — volunteers will be present to assist with parking.

This year, we will be hosting this event at the Charlestown Fire Department sometime in October but have not yet set a date. Stay tuned!

National Night Out honors local police. The Cecil County Sheriff's Office will bring along their drunk buster goggles and have K-9 demonstrations, and the Charlestown Fire Company will open up the station and have their vehicles on display. We’ll fire up the grill and have burgers, hot dogs, and refreshments available.

All meetings held at Town Hall, unless otherwise noted, and via Zoom.

Meeting Dates

Historic District Commission

Held on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 6:00pm.

• Next Meeting: August 6, 2024

Planning & Zoning Commission

Held on the 1st Thursday following the 1st Tuesday of the month at 6:00pm.

• Next Meeting: August 8, 2024

Town Commissioners

Held every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:00pm.

• Next Legislative Session: August 13, 2024
• Next Work Session: August 27, 2024

Bulk Trash Collection

Place items separate from regular household trash & recyclables any day during the week. Limited to four (4) large items per collection. No need to contact Town Hall unless your items are out longer than 48 hours.

Yard Waste Collection

Every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.

No need to notify Town Hall.

Next Collection: August 12 & 26, 2024

Household Trash & Recyclables Collection

Every Wednesday, starting at 6am. Check our website for holiday notices.

Place trash and recyclable bins at your curb the night before.

Contact Town Hall regarding problems with collections.