Carroll County Times |

Sykesville Mayor Stacy Link reflects on 2023 town achievements

Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories talking to Carroll County mayors about the past year and looking ahead at plans for 2024.

Mayor Stacy Link said Sykesville had “a truly productive year” in 2023, pointing to the completion of water and sewer improvements at Main Street and Springfield Avenue as one of the town’s biggest successes.

Work included the installation of approximately 2,325 feet of 8-inch water main lines, valves and fire hydrants, new piping for water service to 31 connections, concrete manholes and sewer piping. The town had approved a $2.3 million contract with Rivers Construction Group of Jessup to do the work. The project did experience some delays, due to inclement weather as well as the discovery of an abandoned gasoline storage tank and a significant amount of rock.

Link has been mayor since 2021, when she made history as the first elected female mayor of Sykesville. Her four-year term ends in 2025.

We asked the mayor to reflect on the past year and look ahead to 2024.

What were the top accomplishments for Sykesville in 2023?

We have had a truly productive year, marked by the successful completion of several significant projects. Our dedicated efforts and partnerships with Carroll County revitalized the infrastructure of Main Street and Springfield Avenue, ensuring enhanced water and sewer systems for our town.

Last summer, the town repaved a section of the Linear Trail and installed new equipment. The Linear Trail stretches from Obrecht Road to the Patapsco River, and provides various fitness stations along the way as well as a fishing pond. The lower portion of the wooded trail parallels the Patapsco River.

The town appointed three residents to the Historic District Commission and two to the Parks and Recreation Commission. In April, the town celebrated Tree City USA designation, an award presented to the town by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources at the Springfield Hospital Center’s Arbor Day Tree planting ceremony.

The town also received the Sustainable Maryland Certified Award in recognition of its commitment to sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. The town also received a “clean and unmodified” financial opinion on their annual audit report. This positive outcome confirms the soundness and compliance of our financial statements. We remain dedicated to responsible financial management, ensuring that … tax dollars are used effectively and transparently.

In August, Secretary Jacob Day of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development visited Sykesville, where I got the opportunity to brag about our attractive and successful Main Street. The secretary also toured the Warfield complex, an historic site that is comprised of the women’s facility of the Springfield State Hospital, a public mental institution. Sykesville has been taking steps to reclaim ownership of 12 historic buildings in Warfield at Historic Sykesville, a mixed-use housing and commercial development on Route 32.

What are the top priorities and issues that Sykesville is facing in 2024?

I hope to begin laying out engineering and scope of work related to getting water and sewer over to the South Branch Park. This will be a huge undertaking, because it will require crossing under CSX rail and ultimately across the river. It will require cooperation with (the State Highway Administration) and Howard County as well. But all things are possible with the right people and working relationships in place.

drawings.” The overall scope of work on Main Street was broken into separate projects with different contract companies doing the work.”]”]