(11/2022) Autumn has arrived in Frederick County. The leaves are beautiful, and the air is cool. Election Day is also arriving on November 8th. Voters will soon head to the polls to decide who will represent Frederick County at the federal, state, and local level. Since January, I have shared my positions and vision for the future in Frederick County in this monthly article, graciously provided by the News-Journal newspapers to provide voter information about all 2022 candidates. My vision comes from living most of my life here and from listening to people, businesses, and organizations about the successes of the county as well as areas where we can improve. The next county government will take office before the end of this year. I ask for your vote for Frederick County Council At-Large on November 8th, so I can be part of the next county council that will keep the county moving forward.

During the past year I’ve had the opportunity to speak with many different people and groups. I’ve spoken with farmers, teachers, bus drivers, electricians, real estate agents, commercial and residential developers, firefighters, police officers, students, small business owners, and the leaders of larger businesses who are choosing to locate in Frederick County. I’ve listened to commuters, bicyclists, and residents with disabilities who are all looking for county government to lead the way forward as the county takes on the challenge of balancing anticipated growth with continuing transportation needs. I’ve learned new things about of Frederick County in the past year, even though I’ve lived most of my life here. I’m grateful for the experiences and for the time people took to share their thoughts about the county with me. I know I will be a well-informed council member who will listen to everyone.

The next council will look different for sure. New people with different lived and professional experiences will bring fresh perspectives and new approaches to the legislative process. As a new member, I would bring my experience as an advocate and a parent of an adult son who is on the autism spectrum. My son successfully graduated from high school and has worked at a local grocery store for over ten years. He was also able to get his driver’s license after receiving additional training and occupational therapy. Our family is proud of him because we know what he had to overcome, and the challenges he still faces as an adult with a disability.

When our son was three years old, my husband and I were told that our son was autistic and that we needed to adjust our expectations for him and for our family. At the time, our son could not communicate verbally in a way anyone could understand and he didn’t interact with other people. Information about autism was scarce almost thirty years ago, but I used a new thing at the time called the Internet to learn all I could about autism and to find out if there was anything I could do to help my son. In the early 1990s, the answers were few and not reassuring.

So, I decided to just keep talking to him until I could get more answers. All day. Every day of every of week of every year. When he was little, it felt like he was underwater, and I couldn’t pull him up. All I could do was hold onto his hand and not let him float away. When our son was about four years old, a speech therapist with the Child Find program through Frederick County Public Schools gave me an article to read about "high-functioning autism". The term is not generally used anymore. That article together with evolving research and new therapies at that time changed our outlook and gave us hope that while there is no cure for autism, consistent and early intervention can in some cases lead to a higher level of independence.

My years of experience as an advocate will benefit the citizens of Frederick County, if I am elected. I don’t give up, especially on people, and I work hard to find answers to questions. If I need to know something, I find out who knows about it, and I ask them to educate me. Lastly, raising a child with special needs builds a special kind of work ethic that I will bring to the Frederick County Council every day. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and my campaign and thank you for your consideration on Election Day.

If you missed any of my previous articles, they are available at the News-Journal websites. You can also visit my website, www.knapp4countycouncil.com.

Read other campaign articles by Renee Knapp