Mayor Joe Fisona
Joseph L. Fisona has served as Elkton’s Mayor since May, 2002. Previous to his mayoral election and re-election in May, 2006, Fisona served as an Elkton Commissioner for six years.Mayor Fisona graduated from high school in 1960, and is currently employed with American Home & Hardware as a Retail Advisor. His military background includes six years in the U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron, serving during the Berlin Wall Crisis and the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was honorably discharged in 1967. He and his wife of 40 years have two children and two grandchildren.
Mayor Fisona has been an Elkton resident since 1981 and has served his community in many ways. He has volunteered his time to serve on the following organizations, boards and committees: Historic Elk Landing Foundation, Inc., Wilmington Area Planning Council (“WILMAPCO”), Singerly Fire Company; serving as a firefighter, ambulance director and Emergency Medical Technician, Chairman of the Cecil County Firemen’s Association Peer Committee, Vice President of the Cecil County Firemen’s Association, former president of the Cecil/Harford Counties Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League, member of American Legion Post 15, member of the Historical Society of Cecil County, member of the Cecil County Economic Development Commission, and former president of Turnquist Civic Association.
The Mayor and present Board have guided the town through many firsts, such as entering into an agreement to upgrade the town’s wastewater and sewer plant. In January 2005, the Maryland Department of the Environment (“MDE”) imposed a consent order upon the Town, limiting the amount of water and sewer capacity to new users, and requiring nutrient-reducing upgrades to the current facility. In October, 2004, anticipating the more stringent regulations, the Board initiated an Annexation Policy, which states, “It shall be the policy of the Mayor and Commissioners of the Town of Elkton to defer any decision regarding annexation until such time that adequate facilities, including, but not necessarily limited to, water, sewer, stormwater management, roads, and related infrastructure, can be demonstrated to serve additional development. . This policy is not intended to deny any person from petitioning for annexation, as provided by law; however, it is intended to inform petitioners that the Mayor and Commissioners shall not agree to annexation until such time as adequate facilities are available for additional development. The Mayor and Commissioners reserve the right to interpret, amend, revoke, or take any other action regarding this policy that they feel best serves the public interest.” The Board initiated the process of engineering and design of the new facility, and, upon its expected completion in September, 2008, the town will have a state of the art wastewater treatment plant, without the offensive odors that residents often endure from the current facility. Although a considerable expense, the Board worked to keep the increase in users fees as low as possible. While future fee increases may be necessary, we will work to acquire as much funding as possible to lessen the impact on customers. To date, we have been successful in obtaining over $12,000,000.00 in federal and state grant funds for the project.
On July 13, 2006, the Board joined dignitaries from around the state in a groundbreaking ceremony held at the site of the upgraded facility, adjacent to the existing Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Below is a list of projects that Mayor Fisona and the Board of Commissioners are working on for the betterment of our Town:
- Encouraged State Highway Administration (“SHA”) to investigate a resolution to the continuous flood occurrences on Delaware Avenue. SHA has begun an engineering study to evaluate the construction of the Delaware Avenue Bridge with respect to frequent flooding. We will continue to monitor the situation.
- Encouraged SHA to perform a road improvement project on West Main Street, from MD 213 to Jeffers Street. SHA has agreed to a project that will include significant drainage improvements, pedestrian enhancements, and milling and paving at the intersection with Landing Lane. The project is to begin in February 2007.
- Local Flood Protection Feasibility Study, a project to identify possible ways to mitigate flooding impacts on the Elkton community, specifically in the areas of Howard Street and South Bridge Street. The United States Army Corps of Engineers has proposed a solution involving a channel re-alignment through Eder Park, related stream channel modifications and the application of flood-proofing techniques to certain structures. We hoped to commit to this project this year, however, this project was placed on hold, as the Federal Administration cut $300 million from the budget; however, due to Mayor Fisona’s persistence, U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes assisted in locating the necessary funds to complete the study, which is scheduled to be presented to the Board in the fall of 2006.
- Blue Ball Road Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Project, a project that essentially acts as a receiving main for the collection system serving the Elkton Heights, Bridge Street, Blue Ball Road, Walnut Hill and, with some exceptions, the area north of Amtrak is now near completion. The project includes replacing the main from Purnell's Body Shop to the Elkton Wastewater Treatment Plant. This project is the first of two major infrastructure projects in town, which, when completed, will tie into the new sewer plant.
- Alternate Water Source Study, a project to secure additional water for the Elkton community. This project involves approval and various requirements mandated by Maryland Department of the Environment, including public feedback, before any water can be allocated for Town usage.
- We are working with the Maryland State Highway Administration for possible signalization at the Singerly Fire Company to ensure safe crossing at Singerly Avenue for emergency vehicles.
“I am honored to serve as your Mayor, and am sincerely grateful to all citizens who have supported me as your elected official over the past years. I am proud to live in Elkton, and will continue to perform my duties as Mayor. I am here to assist with all requests. Over the years we have made many improvements in town, and will continue to move forward with your continued support. I will continue to make a better town for our residents, as well as persons wishing to visit”. We are all members of the Elkton community, and, I believe, working together, as neighbors, we can solve any issue that confronts us. In addition, I wish to express my sincere appreciation for the opportunity to serve the community as your mayor once again.”
Sincerely,
Mayor Joseph L. Fisona
Persons wishing to contact Mayor Fisona may call his secretary, L. Michelle Henson, at (410) 398-0970, ext. 142.