(11/2020) County Executive Unveils Legislative Priorities

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner announced her legislative priorities for the upcoming session of the Maryland General Assembly. She will request two pieces of legislation, one to increase transparency and fairness for homebuyers in Frederick County and the other to protect some county employees from identity theft.

"My proposals ensure transparency and protect consumers, as well as our hard-working public servants," Executive Gardner said Friday.

Executive Gardner’s first bill would prohibit builders and developers in Frederick County from adding fees for water and sewer hookups and other infrastructure costs as special assessments separate from the purchase price of the house. The practice of placing liens on homes to pay for these costs over many years can surprise purchasers at settlement by adding thousands of dollars onto the final purchase price.

Her second proposed piece of legislation would prohibit disclosure of some personal financial information for some Frederick County employees. The measure is in response to data mining companies selling this information, which puts employees at risk of identity theft. The bill still allows for transparency and ensures the public’s right to know how tax dollars are being spent by providing a salary range, rather than the exact salary, of most public employees. Exact salaries would still be disclosed for division directors and those employees who are hired directly by the County Executive and the County Council.

New Grant Programs Support Rural Historic Preservation, Agricultural Innovation

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner unveiled two new initiatives that are designed to preserve the County’s rich history and to keep agriculture a viable and profitable industry for future generations. Both are competitive grant programs that support goals of the award-winning Livable Frederick master plan. The Rural Historic Preservation Grant Program will provide funds to restore or rehabilitate historically significant houses, barns and sites in rural areas of Frederick County. The Agricultural Innovation Grant Program will help farmers diversify their operations to stay profitable.

"The goal of these grants is to leave a legacy for future generations of a vibrant agricultural community and to preserve our rich history," Executive Gardner said. "As we preserve farmland through our ag-preservation programs, it is equally important that we help keep agricultural operations profitable. These grants accomplish that goal. Frederick County has done an outstanding job preserving our rich history in our urban core. The Rural Preservation Grants will help us preserve our history in our rural areas, including historic bank barns, homes and other structures."

The Rural Historic Preservation Grant Program will offer grants of up to $50,000 to individual property owners and nonprofit organizations to stabilize, rehabilitate, restore or preserve the exterior of a historic property. To qualify, properties must be listed on the County Register of Historic Places or on the National Register of Historic Places, or be designated as a contributing resource in a historic district. A property also qualifies if the Maryland Historical Trust determines the site is eligible for National Register designation. Applications will be accepted once a year. Details are available online at FrederickCountyMD.gov/Executive.

The Agricultural Innovation Grant Program will award grants of $5,000 or more to help farmers expand or diversify their business operations to remain profitable and viable. Funds may be used for research and development, production buildings, major fixtures, or processing facilities. Applications will be accepted twice a year, in January and July. To be eligible, applicants must be a crop or livestock producer, a value-added producer, an agricultural cooperative, a seafood processor, or a primary or secondary timber products processor. Information on the program is available online at FrederickCountyMD.gov/Executive.

Review committees will be established for both programs to score applications based on established metrics and then recommend awards to the County Executive. Funding for the grants will come from dedicated revenue from the county’s recordation fee, which is charged on certain real estate transactions.

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program

A program to provide rental assistance to Frederick County residents affected by COVID-19 has lengthened the amount of time a household can receive aid and expanded eligibility to people who have regained employment, County Executive Jan Gardner announced. The COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program is a partnership between Frederick County, the City of Frederick, and the nonprofit Religious Coalition for Emergency Human Needs.

"We know there is a real need for additional support so renters can remain in their homes," Executive Gardner said. "Our goal is to prevent evictions. By revising the program, we hope to remove as many obstacles as possible so we can help more people."

Changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program include the authorization of assistance beyond three months and authorization for months when the renter had no income, starting in April. In addition, income verifications no longer need to be notarized.

To apply, visit www.RCEHN.org/covid-emergency-rental-assistance. For those without internet access, call 301-631-2670 ext. 127 for information on how to apply. Spanish speakers may call 301-631-2670 ext. 128. If a financial hardship is not COVID-related, renters may contact the Religious Coalition regarding non-COVID rental assistance.

County’s Largest Division Reorganized

Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner announces the reorganization of the County’s largest division, Utilities and Solid Waste Management, into two separate divisions. Executive Gardner has appointed Mark Schweitzer as Director of the Division of Water and Sewer Utilities and Phillip Harris as Director of the Division of Solid Waste and Recycling. The County Council confirmed both appointments this afternoon. The creation of the divisions is effective immediately.

"Both of these divisions handle complex and highly regulated operations," Executive Gardner said. "Mark and Phil bring decades of experience in their respective fields, and I am confident each will excel in their new roles."

The Division of Water and Sewer Utilities operates 13 water treatment plants, the largest of which is the New Design Road plant that treats 25 million gallons per day (MGD). The division also operates 12 wastewater treatment plants, including the 15-MGD Ballenger-McKinney wastewater treatment plant. The $66 million annual operating budget is operated as an enterprise fund, separate from the County’s General Fund. The division oversees $759 million in assets.

Frederick County’s $33 million solid waste and recycling operations have grown significantly over the past 20 years. The Division of Solid Waste and Recycling maintains $83 million in assets. The division oversees active and legacy landfill operations; a waste transfer station that handles 260,000 tons annually; natural wood waste and composting operations; a 2MW solar array; and recycling operations.

Mr. Schweitzer has been Acting Director of the Division of Utilities and Solid Waste Management since the March 2020 retirement of Director Kevin Demosky. Schweitzer began his career with Frederick County Government in 1991 as a senior laboratory technician. He advanced within the division, serving as laboratory supervisor and department head of Regulatory Compliance, before being named deputy director in 2016. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Mr. Harris’s tenure at Frederick County Government began in 1998 as the recycling crew leader. He went on to become the recycling program specialist and then manager before being named department head of Solid Waste Management in 2003. Harris earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Frostburg State University.