s I was greeting a group of supporters last weekend just before we started canvassing a neighborhood, a volunteer reminded me that I had been knocking on doors for 12 months now! Those first few weekends last November and December were bracing, and they contrasted strongly with the hot and humid days this past summer when we took plenty of water with us (and were offered drinks by so many kind voters we talked to).
In both my successful campaigns for County Council in 2014 and 2018, and during the eight years I’ve now served on the County Council, I have made outreach to and feedback from Frederick families a centerpiece of my service; and that is a priority I will maintain as the next County Executive.
To be a strong candidate for office, it’s essential to meet voters where they work and where they live, so I’ve devoted long hours to knocking on doors in neighborhoods all across Frederick County. If I’m feeling a little tired from the toils of the campaign trail, talking to voters always gives me a positive jolt of energy. They are welcoming, they are engaged, and — like me — they care deeply about the future of Frederick County.
Likewise, to be a successful officeholder, it is essential to hear from the people who are so directly affected by the decisions made by the County Executive and County Council. I always pay careful attention to comments from the public. But on more than one occasion, I’ve thought, "Why is it we always seem to hear from the same ten people during our public comment sessions on any of our agenda items?"
Well, the answer is obvious: Frederick residents and families have full and busy lives, so most can’t undertake the trek to Winchester Hall in downtown Frederick and sit through an hours-long County Council meeting just so they can take a turn during a public comment session. That’s why I’m committed as the next County Executive to expand outreach to our Frederick County communities, to conduct listening sessions at times and places accessible to people who live there, and to use social media and other mechanisms effectively to get a much wider range of thinking and feedback about the many important decisions made by county government.
What’s on the mind of voters as I knock on doors several days a week? Well, the issues can be varied, and detailed: the impact of a construction site on a nearby intersection, the status of or need for a crosswalk, the mental health services supplied by the county’s public health department, offerings by and access to the nearest public library, a desire for more bikeways and trails. The cost of housing, the price of gas, a doctor’s bill. You name it — I’ve heard it.
Some things I can’t do anything about — like a crosswalk under the jurisdiction of the City of Frederick. But as you’ll notice, most of the issues have something to do with the quality of life in that neighborhood, and what steps government might take to address it. Because that is what local government is here for – to make life better for people.
And, of course, when voters who answer their doors hear that I’ve been a music teacher in Frederick County Public Schools for almost 17 years, I quickly hear great stories about their own children, what schools they attend or once attended, and poignant tales where a particular teacher made a profound difference in the life of their kids and their family.
Education is the real foundation that the future of Frederick County stands upon. We know a first-rate education is key for each of our children to succeed. We also know that an educated work force is key to continuing to attract the businesses to Frederick County that can offer high-paying jobs; and it’s essential to keeping our communities safe and our crime rate low. That’s why I’ve fought so hard as a County Council member for eight years to increase teacher pay so Frederick County can remain competitive and continue to draw top talent, and to finance construction for new school buildings so our kids can learn in up-to-date, safe, and welcoming facilities.
These questions are even more personal to me now because I’m the mother of two children, Jane, 3 years old, and Jonah, 6 years old; Jonah is now in first grade at North Frederick Elementary. It’s so wonderful to see him take his first steps on his path through Frederick County schools.
And that’s why I’m so concerned about my opponent’s seeming indifference to these educational needs. He’s already announced a plan to freeze new hiring and to cut the tax rate. Doesn’t he understand the impact that will have on teacher pay and making progress on the per student expenditure, which is at the bottom of Maryland’s counties? His wooden-headed position harkens back to the old county commissioners under Blaine Young, who froze county employee and teacher pay for years and never budgeted a single dollar for education over what was required by law. We are still trying to make up for their short-sightedness. And with the negative impact on learning that two years of COVID has had on our kids, we can’t afford to cut corners when it comes to our children, our schools, and our future.
Every resident I’ve talked to at every door I’ve knocked — whether I encountered someone brand new to Frederick County or someone born here with long ties to the past — was interested in Frederick County’s future. That’s why I decided to run for County Executive in the first place — so that future is one where every Frederick County resident and family can thrive and meet their full potential. Please join me in voting on or before November 8 so that future will be bright for all of us.
Read other campaign articles by Jessica Fitzwater
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