(8/2023) As August begins, the Frederick County Council is in a two-week summer recess. The next meeting will be Tuesday, August 8th. Although this has not been an extremely hot summer so far, it’s been very dry. Many areas of the county have not seen much rain. Drought conditions of varying degrees are affecting crops and livestock. The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reported some troubling numbers in their weekly update for the week of July 18th.
Crops and livestock experiencing the effects of this year’s dry conditions in Frederick County include: 41,503 acres of soybean; 29,672 acres of corn; 26,026 acres of hay; 21,026 number of cattle and 4,684 number of sheep.
The USDA is not currently listing the county in an official drought, but hopefully all areas will see substantial rainfall soon. We are still about 6.3 inches down from the normal level of rainfall for the year. Frederick County is the largest county by area in Maryland, and rainfall amounts can vary greatly within the county.
Workgroups
Last month I described the Data Center Workgroup formed by County Executive Jessica Fitzwater which will examine existing county regulations for this rapidly changing industry. As Co-Chair for this workgroup, I’m looking forward to hearing from many stakeholders, and working with the other members to develop recommendations for benefits for Frederick County while protecting the environment and the agriculture industry. The first meeting will be Wednesday, August 2nd from 6:00-8:00pm at Winchester Hall. Meetings will also be televised on FCG-TV, if you can’t make it in person.
Additionally, County Executive Fitzwater has formed the Agritourism Workgroup. The Administration’s Transition Team recommended the formation of this workgroup to look at updating current laws and regulations affecting the agricultural economy in Frederick County. Farming is evolving to remain profitable, and our local regulations must keep up with new innovations. Council Member Jerry Donald (D1) and Council Member Mason Carter (D5) will be serving on this workgroup, along with other local stakeholders in the agricultural economy.
Boards and Commissions
During these last few weeks of summer, if you have some free time before autumn activities begin again, you can check out the list of county Boards and Commissions at the Frederick County Government website to see if you might be interested in volunteering to serve on one. There is a time commitment involved so summer is a great time to learn more about each and to give it some thought. I serve as the County Council liaison to the Commission for Women, the Social Services Advisory Board, the Sustainability Commission, and the Transportation Services Advisory Council. If you would like more information about these or any other board or commission, you can contact me at rknapp@frederickcountymd.gov.
FCG Fixit
The County Council often receives email requests for constituent services. Either a council member or a member of the County Council staff will forward these requests or concerns to the appropriate county division, so it can be addressed. County residents now have an additional option to report concerns. FCG Fixit is a webtool on the Frederick County Government website where requests can be directly submitted to different divisions like Public Works, Animal Control, Parks and Recreation, and others. Of course, if you are experiencing an emergency situation, always call 911.
In addition to the webtool, there is an FCG Fixit app available to download onto your mobile device where you can add pictures and a current location. You can track the progress of your request and see if there are similar requests being reported in your area. All of these features are designed for your convenience, and you can still always make a phone call or email with your requests for constituent services.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer, and maybe have some ice cream at a local creamery. Hopefully the entire county will get some much-needed rainfall very soon.
