(3/2022) March is here! Temperatures are slowly starting to warm up and soon we’ll be setting our clocks forward. It’s hard to believe it’s already time to register children for summer camps and programs at Frederick County Parks and Recreation. Spring programs are still open, too. This month, our Recreation staff is launching the county’s first all-girl flag football league. Women’s History Month is the perfect time for the league’s players to make history.
Women’s History Month is also a time to reflect on the contributions of women throughout Frederick County’s history. The first U.S.-born saint was Emmitsburg’s own St. Elizabeth Seton. The oldest standing homestead in Frederick County, the Beatty-Cramer house in Ceresville, was established by Susanna Beatty in 1732. Susanna was one of the first women in all of Maryland to own land.
Rural Broadband
Senator Chris Van Hollen came to Thurmont recently to hear about the challenges of broadband access in rural areas. He heard from Mayor John Kinnaird and listened to parents and educators about their experiences, especially when children were in virtual learning during the pandemic. Some families turned to using wi-fi from the parking lot of regional libraries or their closest school.
We know that reliable internet access is a necessity in today’s world. People and businesses need a stable, fast and reliable connection to apply for a job, take classes, hold meetings, get driving directions or catch a bus. Broadband connections are essential to the function of our daily lives.
In 2020, the County commissioned a study to identify the problem and challenges so we could develop a strategy and plan a path forward. Building out a system to serve all the pockets of our community – from Sabillasville to Point of Rocks – will take time and money. (See map)
Fortunately, we now have available funding, thanks to our Federal delegation, who have worked to bring us resources to expand the fiber, cables and other infrastructure. Frederick County received a grant last year to help bring broadband to a portion of Rocky Ridge. An application for additional funding is underway. If the application is approved, the County will be able to build out broadband infrastructure in the blue areas of this map to connect these areas of the county.
The County is not a broadband provider, so the goal is to have private broadband providers partner with the County to put the infrastructure in place. It may take two years to build out, but there is a solution in the works. Frederick County Government committed $2 million in federal funds to expand broadband into unserved and underserved parts of our county. We have boosted our libraries’ wi-fi range, bought hot spots for students, and begun to implement our broadband plan.
Supporting Our Farmers
I am excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for Frederick County’s award-winning Agriculture Innovation Grants. This year, we have dedicated record funding to the program to help farmers who want to diversify their operations. I’ve set aside $500,000 in one-time federal funds for the program.
We have worked hard and taken bold action in order to leave a legacy of agriculture for future generations. We’ve done that by preserving our best farmland – over 70,000 acres to date! – and helping the industry remain economically viable.
Twice a year, the Agriculture Innovation Grants provide competitive grants of $50,000 or more to grow or add value to their operations. Applications for the Spring 2022 cycle of grants will be accepted March 1 through March 31. Eligible businesses include crop and livestock producers, value-added producers, agricultural cooperatives, seafood processors, and primary and secondary timber products processors. Funds may be used for research and development, production buildings, major fixtures, or processing facilities.
In its first year, the program awarded approximately $500,000 to 24 county agriculture operations, which in turn created 61 full-time positions and 63 part-time positions.
Information on how to apply is available at www.DiscoverFrederickMd.com. If you prefer to use a printed application, contact Katie Stevens, Associate Director of Agriculture Business Development in the county’s Office of Economic Development. Katie can be reached at 240-285-2795 or by email at KStevens1@FrederickCountyMD.gov.
