This is a consequential year for Old Ellicott City.

Crews began digging the massive mile-long tunnel to redirect dangerous flash floods away from Main Street. Gov. Wes Moore visited to celebrate the state’s recent investment in the project. And public trolley service (OK, technically it’s a bus) returned after a 70-year hiatus.

Despite the fanfare, the Ellicott City Partnership — the nonprofit representing the historic district’s small businesses — once again lacks an executive at the helm. Director Sharon Christiansen no longer works for the organization, partnership board members confirmed this week.

Christiansen, who was hired to lead the partnership in May 2024, could not be reached for comment, and board members declined to say what led to the change, citing that it was not in the organization’s policy to comment on personnel matters.

“It’s an HR thing,” said Julie Sanger, president of the partnership since 2023.

Sanger, who owns Park Ridge Trading Co. and Park Ridge Creamery, said she was dismayed to hear questions raised around town last week about whether Christiansen’s departure was linked to the cancelation of Main Street Music Fest. The cancellation included a promise that Music Fest will return from hiatus in September 2026 after volunteers have time to regroup.

“Our staffing turnover had no bearing on our decision to cancel the music festival this year,“ Sanger said.

The real reason leadership pulled the plug had to do with competition against other events scheduled on the same weekend, such as the Trifecta Food Truck & Music Festival in Lutherville and the Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival.

The nonprofit also relies heavily on volunteers to put on the event along with its two paid staff members, Sanger said.

Make that one staff member now that Christiansen is gone.

A job listing posted on Indeed.com states that the partnership is looking for its next executive director to possess a strong background in project management, operations management and business development.

“This leadership role requires a visionary who can effectively negotiate, implement process improvements, and build strong community connections,” the listing states. The annual salary range is $75,000 to $85,000.

In the meantime, Sanger said, the nonprofit has tapped someone new to serve as interim executive director.

“We have somebody who by the grace of God has been willing to come in and help with day-to-day operations and continues to move things forward,” she said.

Sanger declined to name the interim director. When the board is prepared to make the announcement it will, she said.

Last week, board members met behind closed doors with representatives for the county and the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development, who administer programming in Ellicott City with Main Street America, a nationwide partnership to promote and reenergize downtowns. Ellicott City is one of 34 participating Main Streets in the state.

Mark Hemmis, who serves as board treasurer, said officials were catching up with the partnership’s top brass in the absence of a permanent executive director.

“They have goals with documentation and reporting,” Hemmis said. “It was a good and productive meeting.”

County spokeswoman Safa Hira confirmed the purpose of the meeting was to introduce the partnership’s board members to state officials, to discuss staffing for the Main Street Maryland program and to strengthen the partnership between the three entities.

“Whenever staffing changes for the MSM [Main Street Maryland] program occur, DHCD [Department of Housing & Community Development] is involved in the process of identifying a new Main Street program manager,” Hira said.

The county has infused millions of dollars into Old Ellicott City in recent years to both protect it from deadly floods and to boost tourism, which a recent study suggested is lagging compared to other parts of the region.

Following the second catastrophic flood in 2018, County Executive Calvin Ball launched a “Holiday Bucks” program offering shoppers $10 vouchers to spend at small local businesses along Main Street during December. The program aimed to support the businesses impacted by the floods and was later expanded in 2024 to run through summer as well.

Sanger said she pushed county leaders to launch the free weekend “trolly” service for residents and visitors this summer as a yearlong pilot program.

Staffing turnover or not, Old Ellicott City’s small businesses still collectively support each other, she said.

“We’re still kicking ass and taking names.”