(2/17/2023) Frederick County Flag Redesign Contest

As part of Frederick County’s 275th Anniversary celebratory year, the Frederick County 275 Planning Committee has announced a community contest to redesign the official County flag. Residents of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to submit a design!

"This contest is a fun way for residents to help commemorate Frederick County’s 275th Anniversary and showcase our artists and our unique, diverse, and inclusive community," said County Executive Jessica Fitzwater.

The winner of the Redesign Contest will receive a cash prize of $1,275 and a full-size flag with their design. The decision to add prizes to the contest was made following widespread community feedback.

Submissions can be made now, until Friday, March 31. Submission criteria include the following:

• Designer must currently live or have lived in Frederick County, Maryland
• Only one submission per person may be made
• Designs may not contain offensive images, symbols or languages
• Must be an original design and may not include copyrighted content
• Design must be easily displayed on a cloth flag (3’x 5’) to be flown on a flag pole
• Must include a design title and narrative about the design
• Must create a positive message of unity in our community
• Must be an inclusive representation of all residents of Frederick County, Maryland.

All designers are required to submit a rules and agreement form or their submission will not be accepted.

Designers younger than eighteen years of age must submit a parental consent form upon submission of a design.

Designs should be submitted as a full color, high resolution PDF, JPG or PNG in landscape format and can be submitted by emailing 275@frederickcountymd.gov by the Friday, March 31 deadline. Submissions that are incomplete or received after the deadline, will not be considered.

The contest will include two rounds. A selection committee consisting of County employees and community members will score the first round of designs based on simplicity, color scheme, and message/narrative.

In April the top three submissions will move forward to round two. A final winner will be voted on by the public and will be announced when voting closes June 10, the day of the County’s founding Jubilee.

More information, including forms and contest instructions can be found by visiting frederickcountymd.gov/275flagcontest.

Application Opens For Agricultural Land Preservation Program

The Frederick Agricultural Land Preservation Program has opened up an application cycle for the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) Easement program. The MALPF program purchases agricultural preservation easements that forever restrict development on prime farmland and woodland. Since the MALPF program began in 1977, it has preserved more than 25,000 acres of farmland in Frederick County.

MALPF was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1977 and is part of the Maryland Department of Agriculture. MALPF is one of the most successful programs of its kind in the country. The State of Maryland, with the work of the Foundation and its State and local partners, has preserved in perpetuity more agricultural land than any other state in the country.

MALPF is one of several agricultural preservation programs managed by the Frederick County Division of Planning and Permitting. Together, the programs have preserved over 73,000 acres of farmland, of which 69,709 acres have been permanently preserved.

Interested applicants should contact Land Preservation Planner II Shannon O’Neil at 301-600-1411 or via e-mail at soneil@frederickcountymd.gov. Applications are due by Monday, April 3

Frederick County Farms Showcased In New FCG TV Series

Frederick County Government Television (FCG TV), is excited to announce a new monthly video series showcasing Frederick County’s many farms and vibrant agricultural industry, called "Farming Frederick."

The series, hosted by former news reporter, Yvette Castillo is meant to highlight the many innovations being made by Frederick County’s farmers, and teach viewers interesting facts they may not know about our agriculture community.

Each 3-to-5-minute episode will give viewers a look at various farming operations across the County including, dairy farms, cattle farms and produce farms, among others.

Katie Stevens, who oversees Homegrown Frederick and serves as Director of Workforce Development and Agriculture Business for Frederick County’s Office of Economic Development is excited to share the new FCG TV series with the public.

"Farming Frederick" shines a light on the hardworking farmers that make up Maryland’s largest commercial industry. I am excited that we can continue to share the story of local agriculture," she said.

The agricultural industry is an important part of Frederick County’s history and economy. There are over 1,300 farms and 188,576 acres of farmland in Frederick County. Frederick County has been harvesting revenues in agriculture longer than any other industry.

The "Farming Frederick" series will be featured on Homegrown Frederick’s website at www.homegrownfrederick.com and can be streamed on Frederick County’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/FrederickCountyMD. You can also watch it on FCG TV’s broadcast network, Comcast channels 19 and 1085.

Survey On Spanish Speaking Community

Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater and the Office of Communications and Public Engagement have officially launched a Public Opinion Survey targeting the Spanish Speaking Community on access to information, programs, and services available through the County, and effective information dissemination and communication channels.

"Frederick County Government serves all of our residents, including those who speak limited English," Executive Fitzwater said. "This survey is an essential tool so we can reach Spanish speakers about the resources and services available to everyone in our community. Being inclusive and accountable are core values of my Administration."

This anonymous and confidential survey is part of an evaluation to:

• Know how informed the Spanish-speaking community is about information on opportunities, programs, services, and resources that Frederick County Government has available.
• Know the barriers and/or challenges Spanish-speaking people face in finding or accessing these available resources.
• Prioritize needs related to communication between Spanish-speaking community and the County.
• Establish a strategic communication and information dissemination plan to address the information and service needs and improve communication channels between the County and the Spanish-speaking community.

Spanish-speaking people living in Frederick County are encouraged to participate in the survey and share their suggestions or comments. Participation is voluntary and all information provided will remain anonymous and confidential.

The survey is available digitally in Spanish. The time to complete the survey is approximately 10-15 minutes. The survey questions collect general information, such as how long a person has lived in Frederick County to barriers or challenges faced in obtaining information or accessing our programs or services, and communication preferences for receiving information from the County.

The online link is available in Spanish at www.publicinput.com/fcg-encuestacomunidadhispana. The survey will close on March 31.

For more information or questions about the survey, please contact Sandra R. Sanchez at 301-600 1208 or email ssanchez-roque@frederickcountymd.gov.