County Awarded Grant to Fund 38 Additional Firefighters

Frederick County has been awarded a $5.5 million grant to pay for 38 additional career firefighter positions, which will reduce response times and enhance firefighter and public safety throughout the county. The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. When the new positions are filled, the Division of Fire & Rescue Service will have 453 operational career firefighters.

“This is fabulous news for Frederick County,” said County Executive Jan Gardner. “The SAFER grant helps us to meet the needs of our growing community. With more firefighters on staff, we can improve response times, reduce our reliance on overtime, and better support our volunteer companies. Our entire fire service is excited and grateful for the funding for these needed positions. I want to thank our federal delegation for their work to secure these funds so we can better serve and protect our community.”

Frederick County’s grant is the eighth largest awarded in the country, and the second largest in Maryland. The funding allows the County to add positions earlier than otherwise would have been possible. It will support 75% of salary and benefits for the positions for two years and 35% for a third year. This is the second time the county has received a SAFER grant. In 2016, the county was awarded $6.3 million in funding to pay for 41 additional combined firefighter and emergency medical positions.

“This SAFER grant award will enable the County to meet the ever-increasing demand for service,” said Interim Fire Chief Tom Coe. “We are grateful that the funding will allow us to fill several requests from our volunteer fire and EMS companies for staffing assistance.”

The Division of Fire and Rescue Services is a combination career and volunteer department consisting of 23 combined career/volunteer stations and six all-volunteer stations. The department is responsible for providing fire and emergency medical service response to over 255,000 residents. In 2018, it responded to nearly 34,000 calls and 1,142 automatic mutual aid responses.

Livable Frederick Recognized by Maryland Planners Association

The American Planning Association’s Maryland Chapter announced today that Livable Frederick has earned its 2019 Outstanding Plan award. Livable Frederick is an innovative approach to long-term planning. The master plan integrates health, community, the economy, transportation, the arts, education, and the environment to deliver a high quality of life. The plan, which took four years to develop, was formally adopted last week.

“I am excited to see Livable Frederick win this recognition,” said County Executive Jan Gardner. “The plan was shaped by the people who live and work in Frederick County. Livable Frederick is an innovative plan and a model for other communities. ”
Livable Frederick incorporates unprecedented public input, computer modeling and scenario testing. The plan is built on a vision of what Frederick County will be like in the year 2040. The vision describes a vibrant, unique community where people can live, work, and thrive while enjoying a strong sense of place and belonging. The Livable Frederick Master Plan takes that vision and creates a framework to guide future growth.

Executive Gardner appointed a Steering Committee of community and business leaders to lead the plan’s development. To shape the plan, the Steering Committee and County planning staff presented information at nearly 200 community meetings. They led workgroups with more than 100 members, surveyed thousands of people, and compiled 15,000 comments from the public.

Frederick County Earns AAA Bond Ratings

Frederick County has earned AAA bond ratings from all three major bond rating agencies, County Executive Jan Gardner announced today. Fitch, Moody’s, and Standard & Poor’s each reaffirmed the county at the highest possible ratings based on how well county government is managed, with sound fiscal policies and long-range planning, and on the county’s strong and thriving economy.
“This is another win for Frederick County residents. Taxpayers will save millions of dollars as a result of our AAA ratings,” Executive Gardner said. “Frederick County can be proud that our bond rating reflects the strength of our economy and excellent management of our county government and finances. With outstanding services, exceptional schools, safe communities, a diversity of jobs and a healthy environment, we are well poised for the future.”

Frederick County is one of fewer than 50 of the nation’s more than 3,000 counties to earn AAA bond ratings from all three bond-rating agencies. The county joined the elite ranks for the first time in June 2016. Top ratings allow Frederick County to pay lower interest rates on the construction of schools, roads, libraries, parks, and more. The county also plans to refinance old bonds at a lower rate, which will save an estimated $2 million.

During meetings and a tour of Frederick County last week, credit analysts from all three rating agencies met with Executive Gardner and other county leaders to review the county’s financial reserve policies, fiscal management, and long-term planning initiatives such as Livable Frederick.

In their reports, the rating agencies highlighted Frederick County’s “very strong economy,” emphasizing its growing life science industry. They described the county as having an “exceptional, collaborative, and business friendly management team.” Analysts also wrote of the county’s high financial resilience, its healthy reserves, low long-term debt liability, and its “sizable, diverse tax base.”

Executive Gardner expressed her appreciation to county employees who work hard every day to ensure taxpayer dollars are well managed. “We have a great team of employees who serve our citizens well, and they deserve our thanks,” she added.
As a result, on October 10, the county sold $106.2 million of new tax-exempt bonds and $30.0 million refinancing of 2013 and 2014A taxable bonds. Eight bids were received for tax-exempt bonds, with Raymond James and Associates, Inc. the successful bidder at a true interest rate of 2.16 percent. Eight bids also were received for the taxable bonds, with Raymond James again the successful bidder with an interest rate of 2.29 percent. This rate means taxpayers will save $1,812,307 over the remaining term of the bonds.

“The number of bids received and the low interest rates show that Frederick County bonds are attractive in the market,” added Executive Gardner.

For additional information, contact Finance Division Director Lori Depies at 301-600-1117.

Applications Now Being Accepted For 2019 Creek ReLeaf Program

The Frederick County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Resources announces that applications are now open for the 2019 Creek ReLeaf Program. The Creek ReLeaf program is a multi-year reforestation program assisting with the county’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit requirements, and is designed to increase the total amount of forested area within Frederick County, including privately owned lands and public properties.

Forested lands provide stormwater control, reduce temperature impacts on county streams, and increase wildlife habitat. The program provides private landowners with native trees and shrubs planted on their property, five years of maintenance to establish the forest stand, and payment for a permanent reforestation easement that will be placed on the planted parcel. After the initial five years, the property maintenance reverts to the landowner with county inspections every three years.
The Creek ReLeaf Program ranks and prioritizes proposed reforestation areas on a yearly basis using scoring criteria which is listed on the program website.

Reforestation is not allowed in existing easements such as water, sewer, power lines, existing or proposed septic fields, or existing agricultural easements where conflicts may occur. To date, over 200 acres have been planted through the Creek ReLeaf program. This year’s application period is through September 30, 2019, and plantings are tentatively planned for fall 2020. To learn more and apply for the program visit: www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/CreekReLeaf.

For more information, contact Jeremy Joiner, project manager III, at 301-600-1350 or JJoiner@FrederickCountyMD.gov.