Friends,
During this time of the year, we eagerly anticipate the coming holiday season with our friends, family, and neighbors. This time is also an opportunity to reflect on how we can continue to create a strong, vibrant community.
Frederick County is built on compassion, resilience, and a deep commitment to supporting one another—especially in times of uncertainty. The ongoing federal government shutdown, which is the longest in the history of our nation, is a hardship that is impacting our neighbors, businesses, and families. Here in Frederick County, we refuse to stand by and do nothing.
That's why I announced a plan to support people impacted by the shutdown:
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We proposed the HEART (Helping Empower Area Resources Together) Grant, which will provide grants of up to $50,000 to organizations that deliver direct services and resources to our residents. These groups have seen their revenue decline because of federal actions, at the same time they have seen growing demand for their services.
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We proposed providing $1 million for local food banks. Our food banks are experiencing record demand, driven by the confusion about whether the federal government will fully fund SNAP. The Frederick County Government website features a map of food banks across the county so that people can find resources close to home. This map can be found at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/Food.
These proposals require Council approval. I know from conversations with my colleagues on the Council that they are hearing from our shared constituents about the shutdown's impact, and they stand ready to help.
These two steps will allow us to get help directly to the people who need it the most. We do this work in partnership with others, because government alone cannot meet all our community’s needs, but absolutely must play our part. To learn more about the plan, watch the recent press conference or read the press release.
Let us continue to stand together, support one another, and prove that Frederick County is a place where everyone belongs and everyone matters. That's the Frederick County Way.
State of the County
I recently had the opportunity to deliver my third annual State of the County address. I am proud to report that, thanks to the Frederick County Way, our county is strong! Click the image below to watch the full speech.
Here in Frederick County, we do things the Frederick County Way. While this may mean something a little different to everyone, there are core values that set our community apart. To me, this means we are inclusive, collaborative, innovative, accountable, and sustainable.
Frederick County brings people together. We have honest, and hard, conversations. We develop thoughtful solutions, and we make decisions designed to meet people’s needs. Whether the topic is public safety, transportation, housing, education, or economic development, we create partnerships and engage our community to solve problems in Frederick County.
This isn’t the easiest or fastest way to govern. But it is the best way to make the right decisions for people in our community. Because we do things the Frederick County Way, our county is strong. And, we truly have made progress on so many fronts this year.
Education
Frederick County has long had the fastest growing student enrollment in Maryland. School construction is one of the best examples of the Frederick County Way. We work with our legislative delegation to bring home as much state money as we can, and we partner with Frederick County Public Schools to ensure each dollar is spent with student success in mind.
Linganore Creek Elementary School is an example of this partnership in action. We are doing something no other Maryland county and school system have done: building a new school in one year to alleviate overcrowding at elementary schools on the eastern side of Frederick County, and saving significant resources in the process.
Our success is grounded in a long term, results-oriented partnership between our government and our school system. Just this fall, we have opened two new replacement schools in Frederick County – Green Valley Elementary and Valley Elementary Schools!
I am also incredibly proud of our work to build a new model for career and technical education. We brought the school system, community college, and business stakeholders together to have an honest conversation about what’s working – and where we can do more and do better. I am excited about this partnership with Frederick County Public Schools and Frederick Community College to design an innovative approach that can become a national model for career readiness for our students.
Affordable Housing
I know that we need to do more to help workers connect with affordable housing opportunities. Government alone doesn’t have all the tools to meet this challenge, but we play a critical role. This is why we developed a pioneering framework to assess county-owned land for housing development.
I am excited to announce that we are moving forward with the development of a 7-acre site adjacent to the Prospect Center on Himes Avenue in Frederick. This will bring nearly 150 affordable and deeply affordable homes to our community, strategically located next to a future hub for the county’s health, aging, and family services, and directly accessible to our fare-free Transit system.
This work reflects our commitment to social equity, economic stability, and responsible stewardship of our resources.
Data Centers
For more than five years , Frederick County has grappled with the question of data centers in our community. We have approached this with an inclusive workgroup which made recommendations for policymakers to consider. In partnership with the Council, we adopted many of those recommendations and made data centers the most regulated industry in Frederick County.
The data center industry creates opportunities. It also brings risks which we have worked to mitigate. To avoid data center sprawl, we are concentrating development to an area of the county with the infrastructure the industry needs, and we are limiting development to no more than one percent of our total landmass. These steps will ensure reasonable, well-regulated development.
We are also listening closely to our residents’ concerns and responding to their needs. In response to some Adamstown residents expressing concerns about water quality and the cost of testing, the Health Department will offer a free survey of their wells. The survey will evaluate water quality, and the data gathered will be used to guide future decisions.
In addition, Frederick County will hold community benefit listening sessions after the County Council finishes its work on data centers later this year. This opportunity will allow us to gather ideas directly from our residents and ensure positive outcomes for our community.
Moving Forward The Frederick County Way
While we welcome private sector investments in our economy, we will never neglect our incredible public sector workers. I am committed to making Frederick County Government an employer of choice, a place where people look forward to coming to work each day because what they do matters, and they know they are valued.
Frederick County is an inclusive and welcoming community, and our public servants and community partners work to provide the best possible service to all people.
We value every member of our community, and we remain committed to our Livable Frederick vision of a vibrant and unique community where all people live, work, and thrive while enjoying a strong sense of place and belonging.
We are committed to bringing people together, having tough conversations, and making decisions to keep us moving forward. We do this work in partnership with others, because government alone cannot meet all our community’s needs, but absolutely must play our part. This isn’t the way it happens in every community, and certainly not at every level of government, but it is the way it happens here.
Our way – the Frederick County Way – is why the state of our county is strong.
Sincerely,
Jessica Fitzwater
Frederick County Executive
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