(1/2024) With the New Year comes a sense of renewal and opportunities to bring out the best in ourselves, showcase the treasures in our community, and move forward with positivity and purpose. Thank you for being part of the movement this year whether you’ve partnered with us, supported an event, or shared a post on our social media! We truly appreciate having you in our community.
I am proud to be leading our exemplary Frederick County Government staff. This month, our Director of Agriculture and Small Business received a prestigious recognition for her contributions to our farms! Our Division of Emergency Management staff also received an award for their work on improving 9-1-1 communications.
Looking forward to the New Year, I will be hosting budget hearings and listening sessions across the county in January and February. We are also gearing up for the 2024 legislative session, and I have compiled a legislative package reflecting the needs of our County.
MEDA Award
The Maryland Economic Development Association (MEDA) recognized Katie Stevens, our Director of Agriculture and Small Business in the Frederick County Office of Economic Development, with the 2023 MEDA Rising Star Award. Through her continued leadership, she has made remarkable contributions so our farms – and our farmers – can thrive for years to come. Katie’s work is helping to preserve our community’s rich agricultural history while paving a way for a bright future. She is very deserving of this prestigious recognition.
The award recognizes candidates for their dedication to Maryland’s economic development. Katie’s work on numerous projects that have significantly influenced Frederick County’s economic landscape made her a standout candidate for the award. Some of her most notable accomplishments include fostering innovation and new opportunities for the local farm community so farmers can diversify into value-added production and being instrumental in awarding millions of dollars to local businesses through state and federal funding.
Budget Hearing and Upcoming Listening Sessions
Earlier this month I hosted a budget public hearing open to the public. We have multiple listening session to provide various opportunities to provide their input on their priorities. The budget process entails public hearings, listening sessions in January through February, the listens session for District 5 will be held Jan. 20, at 1 p.m. at Walkersville High School. [This sessions will be recorded but not streamed live.]
This year our county government is looking toward a more outcome and performance-based budget process so that we can ensure fiscal responsibility in our tax dollars and further align our vision with Livable Frederick. My core values of accountability, sustainability, and inclusion are also infused in budget discussions as we continue to meet the needs of our residents.
Our second public hearing will be in March to give us a better idea of the type of requests submitted for the budget and what the proposed capital budget is. I’ll be presenting our proposal to the County Council in April so that they can adopt a budget in May.
MACo Winter Conference Recap
During the first week in December, I attended the Maryland Association of Counties Winter Conference to meet with leaders of our neighboring counties and our state partners. During the conference, I was pleased to speak on a panel regarding the data center industry alongside leaders from the MD Public Service Commission and the Maryland Department of the Environment industry.
Frederick County was also awarded the County Innovation Award by MACo and the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance for our Convey 9-1-1 program. The award recognizes leading-edge county programs that improve the overall quality of life and service delivery for residents. Through a partnership with Baltimore-based Convey 9-1-1, our Division of Emergency Management added a series of capabilities to support their 9-1-1 specialists. Enhancements include language interpretation for over 170 languages and dialects for residents who call or text it, and precise location of mobile phone callers. Convey 9-1-1 is one of the many services we have to improve access for everyone and create a more vibrant and inclusive community.
2024 Legislative Priorities
Going into the 2024 legislative session, my priority legislation focuses on issues of importance to our citizens – maintaining our historic places, caring for our seniors and others with mobility challenges, and increasing safety for our firefighters and families. I am proposing a change to our Frederick County Historic Preservation Tax Credit which will allow more projects to qualify for the credit, funding a Paratransit Task Force to review how this important transportation option is funded statewide, and improving safety standards to address Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing which was involved in a fire related fatality here in Frederick County and has been involved in other major fires across the state.
Earlier this month we received the distressing news that the US-15 expansion project, which has been the county’s top priority for many years, was cut from the State’s Department of Transportation Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP). The project represents a critical safety initiative as well as major investment in the economic vitality of our region. I will be working with the full Frederick County Delegation to advocate for the project to remain in the CTP as previously promised. To learn more about my legislative priorities, I encourage you to visit https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/legislativeaffairs.
