(3/2023) Transit Adds Mid-Day and Saturday Service for Thurmont and Emmitsburg
I am excited to share some good news for residents who live in northern Frederick County! We heard from people in the northern and southern communities of the county, who told us they needed more options. Transit will soon offer expanded service between Thurmont, Emmitsburg and the City of Frederick. Starting April 1st, buses will serve Emmitsburg and Thurmont riders on Saturdays, with two round trips a day into the City. We are also adding shuttle trips on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a new late-morning shuttle. The weekday trips will take riders from Thurmont and Emmitsburg to medical offices along Thomas Johnson Drive.
Riding Transit is free and easy. We know that adding trips through this pilot program will allow everyone – residents and Mount St. Mary’s University students alike – to travel safely between Emmitsburg, Thurmont and Frederick. Additionally, bus stops are being upgraded, with places to sit and improved signs.
Transit’s ridership continues to grow. In the last fiscal year, Transit provided over 540,000 trips throughout the County on its fixed route and paratransit services. That’s a 32% increase over the previous year.
As Transit Director Roman Steichen said, "It is critical to meet people where they are, and we commit to working together across the board to ensure that riders have the opportunity to access every opportunity here in Frederick County." This pilot expansion is a direct result of listening to transit riders and community members, and we thank you for advocating for what you and your community need.
I encourage everyone to give Transit a try. Our award-winning staff will win you over on your first trip! You can learn more about Transit Services by visiting www.frederickcountymd.gov/TransIT.
Budget Priorities
Later this month, I will be announcing some of the major projects that will be funded in Frederick County’s next six-year Capital Improvement Plan. At the same time, the Budget Office will release the long list of requests made by County divisions and other agencies. There are always more requests than funding, and I want to hear from you what items you think should, or should not, be included.
Hundreds of residents spoke up during community listening sessions that I held in each district in January. If you weren’t able to attend, you can still weigh in. There are two different ways to offer feedback in March.
On Tuesday, March 14, I will hold a public hearing at Winchester Hall, starting at 7 p.m. You can speak in person or call in during the meeting. It will be streamed live on FCG TV, or you can watch at FrederickCountyMD.gov/BudgetPublicHearing.
The second way to make your voice heard is to participate in an interactive survey tool called Balancing Act. You can go online and select which programs and services you would include if you could draft the County’s budget. Once you submit your choices, I will see which items you value the most. That feedback will help me to shape the spending plan for the coming year.
Watch the County’s website and social media accounts in early March to see when the Balancing Act survey will be available.
New Opportunity for STEM Employers
Are you an employer or a college student in a STEM field? If so, you may be interested in a new initiative sponsored by the Frederick County Office of Economic Development, Workforce Services, and Visit Frederick. The partnership is launching the "Discover Frederick STEM Internship Program," designed to connect Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics businesses with summer interns.
Students get an opportunity to work at one of Frederick County’s cutting-edge STEM businesses, attend workshops to help them succeed after graduation, and explore our community. Employers gain access to a well-trained workforce. Businesses can opt to have their interns stay on the campus of Hood College. At the end of the 10-week program, participating companies and interns will gather at a special networking event. Interested employers can call FCOED at 301-600-1058 or visit www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/STEMinterns.
The Discover Frederick STEM Internship Program is an innovative way to ensure Frederick County’s economy will continue to thrive well into the future.
Agriculture Preservation
Agriculture is one of Frederick County’s oldest industries. Farmers provide the food we eat, so it is essential that we preserve our best farmland. Frederick County works hard to help keep farms in operation. In fact, more than 73,000 acres of agricultural land in our community has already been preserved through several different programs, such as installment purchase programs, preservation easements, and conservation of natural resources.
If you or someone you know is thinking about preserving farmland, now is a great time to take action. The Frederick Agricultural Land Preservation Program is currently accepting applications for the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) Easement program.
The MALPF program pays farmers to restrict development on prime farmland and woodland forever, through the use of preservation easements. Since MALPF began in 1977, it has preserved more than 25,000 acres of farmland and woodlands in Frederick County. MALPF is one of the most successful programs of its kind in the country. If you want to learn more, contact Land Preservation Planner II Shannon O’Neil at 301-600-1411 or via e-mail at soneil@frederickcountymd.gov. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Monday, April 3rd.
