I am pleased to report that the Board of Health (which is comprised of the County Executive and the County Council) voted to lift all of the restrictions above and beyond what the state imposes with one exception. The one exception is public gatherings with more than 100 people must designate a contact person to dialogue with the County Health Officer. I was happy to lift the more onerous restrictions that will help more struggling businesses to safely welcome more customers as we come out on the other side of this tragic pandemic.

The County Council is currently debating other issues including essentially doubling a school impact fee among some home purchasers. I remain skeptical that the county needs such a dramatic increase in fees and taxes that will be passed onto homeowners in the county. In some cases, these fees will add $10,000 to the cost of a purchase price for a new home in some areas. This will have a negative effect on affordable housing across the county as home prices being pushed up in one area will lead to inflating prices regionally.

The County Council undertook the appointment of a redistricting committee to look at the County Council district lines to make changes based on population changes. Per the charter, the Republican Central Committee named three members, the Democratic Central Committee named three members, and the County Council appointed three registered independents to try to keep the lines fair. Later in the year, we will have to vote on the legislative map produced by this group.

The Council also voted unanimously to support a letter to the Maryland Department of Transportation detailing our transportation needs for Frederick County. I’d just like to highlight a few items -- the number one priority is to support design and construction funding for expansion of Route 15 through Frederick City. Route 15 is such a critical route for all of Frederick County, and it has been overcapacity in both directions during both morning and evening rush hours for some time. Within the letter, expansion of Devilbiss Bridge Road through Walkersville is also highlighted as a priority.

Another project which affects northern Frederick County is continued design and construction on Route 15 for J turns that reduce right angle crashes at intersections on Route 15. The goal is to close every median on 15 North of Frederick all the way to the Pennsylvania Line. Partnering with the state, we need to address some of these transportation solutions for Frederick County.