(12/4) On December 4, Frederick County business owner, Justin M. Kiska, announced his candidacy for the Frederick County Council in 2018. Kiska will be running for one of the two At-Large council seats.

Growing up in Frederick County and choosing to call the county home, Kiska has played an active role in the community in many ways. He has always been involved in the area’s community theatre, and in 2002, when his family purchased The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, he stepped into the position of the company’s President and Managing Director.

Additionally, in 2012 Kiska was appointed to the Board of Directors of The Golden Mile Alliance. The organization was originally created as an ad hoc committee of the city with the purpose of helping to revitalize the Golden Mile Corridor. Upon the group's incorporation into an independent 501(c)3, Kiska was elected as the Secretary of the Executive Committee Board and later, in 2014, he was elected President of The Golden Mile Alliance - a position he held for three terms until 2017.

Having worked with some true public servants early on, Kiska was emboldened with an understanding of the significance of the responsibility of serving one’s community. This requires leaders who are willing to show up and make difficult decisions, and understanding how doing what is right is far more important than politics.

Kiska’s campaign will focus on bringing a new form of leadership to the County Council. In addition to issues dealing with future growth and development, education, and budget matters, he is also going to focus on replacing the personal disagreements that have arisen amongst members of the Council over the last several years. Those issues, along with the current Council’s actions, which have made them subservient to the County Executive as opposed to a true check and balance, were key factors in Kiska’s decision to enter the 2018 County Council race. “As a business owner for the last fifteen years, the idea of actually accomplishing things has become more and more important to me. I’m not interested in fighting political and ideological battles at Winchester Hall. I want to work on finding ways to enable and encourage the county and its residents to thrive as we continue further into the 21st Century,” stated Kiska.

Kiska hopes to tackle issues in the County such as the continuing growth in the county and education. “Moving forward with the proper supporting infrastructure in place is the key. Frederick County roads must be able to support increased traffic, public services must be able to provide the highest level of service possible, and the schools must be able to handle more students.” Kiska also believes in the importance of education and providing the county’s students with the tools they need to learn and grow. Students should have access to the best technology available, as well as highly qualified teachers in the classroom and a safe and effective learning environment.

“While there’s no way to know what all of the issues will be that come up in the next few years, the promise I can make is that whatever they are, I will approach each with an open mind and always look for the answers that will benefit Frederick County as a whole. I may not always make the popular decision but I won't take any vote I cast lightly,” said Kiska.

To learn more about Kiska and why he’s running for County Council, visit JustinKiska.com. Don’t forget to cast your vote in the Republican primary on June 26 then again in the General Election on November 6.