(1/2025) Happy New Year! As we begin 2025, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve Frederick County. The start of the new year is a time for renewal and recommitment to the goals and values that make our community such a special place to live, work, and visit.

I am inspired by the energy and dedication of our residents, businesses, and community partners who work tirelessly to keep our neighborhoods vibrant, inclusive, and full of opportunity. This year, I look forward to building on our progress and seizing new opportunities to ensure our County thrives.

In the coming year and beyond, I will continue to advance the values of inclusion, sustainability, and accountability as we work together to fulfill our vision of a unique and vibrant community where everyone can live, work, and thrive while feeling a strong sense of place and belonging.

Partnerships are critical to our County’s success, and our most important partnership is with the residents of Frederick County. You have a voice in shaping decisions that impact your community, and I hope to hear from you throughout the year. Whether it’s maintaining our roads, supporting our schools, or protecting the natural beauty of our County, every decision should start with input from the people who live here.

That’s why I want to take this opportunity to remind you that you are invited to share your priorities for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget at a series of upcoming town hall meetings.

Thanks to everyone who came to the public budget hearing I hosted in December. If you couldn’t attend that meeting, there are still opportunities for you to have your voice heard. I will hold five town hall meetings (one in each of the County Council Districts) in the coming weeks where you can share your budget priorities and concerns.

The schedule is as follows:

• January 13 at 7 PM (District 2): Twin Ridge Elementary School
• January 22 at 7 PM (District 4): Oakdale Middle School
• January 25 at 1 PM (District 5): Walkersville Middle School
• January 27 at 7 PM (District 3): Waverley Elementary School
• January 30 at 7 PM (District 1): Middletown Library

All meetings are open to the public. Those interested in attending are welcome to join whichever meeting is most convenient. Those who cannot attend in person may submit comments online at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/BudgetPublicHearing.

I look forward to hosting these events with the County Council, and I hope to see you at one of the upcoming meetings to help shape our budget priorities for the upcoming year.

I am excited to share that people who live along the Route 40 corridor on the west side of the City of Frederick will also soon have new ways to help shape the future of their neighborhoods.

Frederick County is working with the City, Frederick County Public Schools, and local organizations to develop a Neighborhood Action Plan. The goal of the plan will be to reduce childhood poverty by increasing investments in the area and improving economic mobility. Part of the plan will develop a Community Voice Committee to identify what specific resources residents need.

The effort is being funded by a $300,000 grant from the State’s ENOUGH program. ENOUGH stands for Engaging Neighborhoods, Organizations, Unions, Governments, and Households.

The ENOUGH program was launched by Governor Wes Moore as a first-of-its-kind, community-based strategy to address concentrated child poverty in Maryland. The program is part of a $20 million historic investment to support communities as they develop solutions to deeply rooted challenges. The County’s Division of Family Services and Local Management Board received one of the program’s inaugural grants last month.

By giving us better tools to fight concentrated poverty, the ENOUGH initiative will take us one step closer to making our vision a reality for all residents. To learn more about this initiative, contact the Division of Family Services at 301-600-1200 or visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/ENOUGH.

I am grateful to Governor Moore for helping us reach people where they are. I also appreciate the Governor’s support for other initiatives happening in Frederick County that are helping residents, businesses, and visitors.

Last month, along with the City of Frederick and state and local officials, Frederick County hosted Governor Moore at a groundbreaking ceremony for the future hotel and conference center in downtown Frederick.

While this project is primarily being funded privately, a portion of the funding will come from the State, Frederick County, and the City of Frederick.

The long-planned Downtown Frederick Hotel and Conference Center is an economic development project of the City and County to bring needed lodging, meeting space and jobs to our community. The economic impact of the project is estimated to be over $61 million in new spending annually and over $4 million in state and local tax revenue.

This project has been a longstanding economic development priority for our local businesses and Chamber of Commerce, and this investment shows that the Governor understands and values the essential role Frederick County plays in Maryland’s economy.

I look forward to seeing the progress on this project and other initiatives in 2025. Throughout the year, there will be more opportunities for you to get involved and stay connected. From town halls to public meetings to community events, there will be plenty of ways to make your voice heard and contribute to our County’s shared progress.

Thank you for your engagement and partnership. Let’s make 2025 a year of growth, collaboration, and success for everyone.