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State Of Emergency Extended In Ellicott City; Business Owners Debate About Reopening Main Street

ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WJZ) --  Open or closed? It's just one of the questions being proposed in historic Ellicott City after severe flooding decimated main street for the second time in less than two years.

A heated debate: whether or not to extend the state of emergency in the region.

What's interesting about this is that an apparent divide between the business owners of upper and lower main street has come to light. Those at the top are ready for business, while those at the bottom, say not so fast.

There's no denying the amount of progress that's been happening on Main Street Ellicott City.

Among the positive developments at hand, there's also been an apparent tension building between two groups of business owners.

The debate centering on access to Main Street.

"At what point do we open the road? Do we wait 4 more weeks, and then 4 more weeks, and then 4 more weeks because someone is not ready?" said one business owner Monday.

"If people here in the room are going to be selfish, damn selfish about things, I say go to hell with you," said another.

The issue at hand -- an extension of the state of emergency declared by the county executive after the devastating deluge in May.

If extended, it would keep Main Street closed for repairs.

This, however, is creating escalating friction, between upper and lower main street business owners.

"I'm probably one of the major employers on old Ellicott City and all of them have not been brought back to work yet," said one man.

"You know it's easy for the people up at the top to say get open get open get open, but it's different when you get 8 feet of water in the basement 10 feet of water on the first floor," one woman said.

The biggest concern for business owners down below: safety.

And up top, it's a fear that the longer patrons stay the harder it will be to get them back.

Sally Tennant survived 2016 historic flooding.

"There really is no easy answer here that can satisfy everybody," Tenant said.

Lori McDermott said it's a matter of compromise.

"We would be very honored and happy to support those building, businesses in upper Main Street that you need. We understand employees and stuff, but so do we, we have nothing left," she said.

In the end, county leaders voted to extend the state of emergency with the ability to review it on a weekly, case-by-case basis.

Also on Monday, Councilmember Jon Weinstein again introduced a bill to temporarily stop building permits in the area so more research can be done to prevent any future flooding.

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