(6/2024) Summertime is here! Don’t let the season pass you by without spending time out in our amazing community. Walk a nature trail at one of our parks. Catch up with old friends at a local brewery. Visit one of our farm-based creameries. We are fortunate to live in a place with so much to offer.
Our traditions help to make Frederick County special. Woodsboro’s annual Memorial Day celebration is an excellent example. After watching the parade, we gathered at the American Legion to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms.
Home Stretch Grants
Having access to high-speed internet is essential in today’s world. We need broadband to do homework, apply for jobs, and so much more. But connecting can be a challenge, especially for those who live in rural areas. Running fiber from the closest road to a house with a long driveway can be incredibly expensive. Service providers often charge thousands of dollars to install fiber down a long driveway.
That’s why I’m excited to announce a new opportunity for residents in the rural parts of the county. Frederick County’s Office of Broadband received a $1.1 million grant through the State’s Home Stretch – Difficult to Serve Properties program. The grant is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Frederick County is using our award to help homeowners with the upfront cost of running fiber to their houses.
Households that may qualify for the Home Stretch program will receive a postcard from the Office of Broadband. Residents who do not receive a postcard may fill out a survey to see if they are eligible for the Home Stretch grant or other broadband funds. The survey can be found online at PublicInput.com/HomeStretch. Funds will be awarded on a first-come basis.
Since the County’s Office of Broadband was formed in 2021, the three-person staff has secured an estimated $20 million in grants. When all the programs are implemented, Frederick County will have high-speed service available to approximately 97% of households.
Sustainability Awards
Do you know someone who works hard to protect our environment? The County’s Sustainability Commission is accepting nominations for its 2024 Sustainability Awards. The annual award recognizes people and organizations that are committed to environmental stewardship and furthering progress toward Frederick County's climate and ecological goals. Applications will be accepted through the end of June.
The Commission recognizes significant contributions that help Frederick County go green. Some examples include implementing energy efficiency programs, encouraging the use of renewable energy, improving air or water quality, conserving resources, restoring or protecting natural habitats, and removing litter. Winners will be recognized at a special event.
To learn more about the awards program FrederickCountyMD.gov/Sustainability-Awards. You can also reach out to Sustainability Program Administrator Tiara Lester at 301-600-1416 or TLester@FrederickCountyMD.gov.
Legislative wrap-up
The Maryland General Assembly meets each year for a 90-day legislative session. This year, they considered over 3,000 bills! Frederick County’s Government Relations team was in Annapolis during the session to advocate for our priorities. We submitted testimony on 63 bills, worked with the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) to testify on 312 bills, and analyzed the fiscal impact of more than 90 bills.
After the dust settled from the whirlwind session, Governor Moore has signed many of the new bills into law. In fact, the Governor signed a bill designed to help Frederick County revamp our historic preservation tax credit. The current tax credit was so limited that it has only been used 17 times. Frederick County takes pride in our rich history, and we know we can do better to support preservation. After the act takes effect June 1, our outdated tax credit will end and I will introduce legislation to establish a new tax credit based on the cost of rehabilitating a qualifying property.
We were disappointed that one of our priority bills did not move out of committee. The bill would have prohibited unsafe tubing for propane and methane gas in homes. Low-rated corrugated stainless-steel tubing (CSST) is prone to failing, particularly after lightning strikes, causing gas leaks. CSST malfunctions led to the deaths of two firefighters in Maryland, including the 2021 death of Frederick County Battalion Chief Joshua Laird and the 2018 death of Howard County's Lt. Nathan Flynn.
The Laird Flynn Act of 2022 banned the use of non-arc-resistant CSST. But potential safety issues remain. I am proud to work with both Sara Laird and Celese Flynn to continue advocating for safer building materials. We will bring this initiative back for the 2025 legislative session.
Laws of Interest Locally
Lochlin's Law requires hospitals and urgent care centers to follow a uniform set of protocols for patients with sepsis. Frederick County residents Brooke and Bill DeSantis started the Love for Lochlin Foundation to increase awareness of the dangers of sepsis after the tragic loss of their 5-year-old son to flu-sepsis. Governor Moore signed this bipartisan bill into law last month, making Maryland a leader on this issue.
Another new law requires movie theaters to run screens of movies with closed captions. Frederick County Government worked with the local nonprofit Maryland Deaf Community Center and with Maryland School for the Deaf to support this bill. My administration is committed to promoting inclusivity for the 52,000 Deaf and hard-of-hearing people who call Frederick County home.
The Freedom to Read Act establishes standards for school library media programs that help to protect library materials from partisan, ideological, or religious censorship. The General Assembly also repealed a 1950s law that required people who violated the City of Frederick’s ordinance to work on a road crew. I am proud to support the removal of this provision, which was rooted in the Jim Crow era, to help rid our laws of the systematic racism and classism woven into them.
