Gardner looks back on eight years during her final State of the County address

Oct. 7—Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner on Thursday used her final State of the County address to tout the advancements she said the county has made in the last eight years in nearly every facet of government functions and services.

Gardner, D, was elected in 2014 as Frederick County's first executive in the shift from a commissioner-led government to a charter government with an executive and County Council.

"I'm proud to have laid the foundation for how charter government operates and will work into the future," Gardner said during her address, held at the New Spire Arts Stages. "It depended upon a strong and productive working relationship with the County Council, with our federal, state and municipal partners, and the entire community."

Gardner said that having an executive has given Frederick County a representative with the county's delegation to Congress, with bond rating agencies in New York and with businesses seeking to locate in the county.

Since the shift to charter government and under her administration, the county has improved education funding, development planning, farmland preservation, economic growth, library access, ethics in government and more, Gardner said.

Education

Funding for Frederick County Public Schools has comprised a substantial portion of Gardner's general operating budget each of the last eight years. This year, she allocated $365 million — or 46% of the budget — for the Frederick County Board of Education, which oversees the school system's budget.

Her budgets have funded the county's public schools $113 million more than the state-required "maintenance of effort" levels, a minimum legal threshold that requires counties to provide at least the same amount of money per student from year to year.

Over the last eight years, Gardner invested $525 million in school construction projects in her capital projects budget. The county's $215 million capital budget for the fiscal year that began July 1 included funding for nine school construction projects.

Since 2014, the county has completed the construction of Frederick High School and five elementary schools. The county also undertook a limited renovation project at Thurmont Elementary School.

Gardner said the county has been innovative in its approach to public education, starting up the LYNX (Linking Youth to New Experiences) program, which provides students with work, arts and trades experience. And the Early College partnership with Frederick Community College has granted students the chance to earn associate's degrees while completing high school.

Development planning

Gardner spearheaded the county's adoption of the Livable Frederick Master Plan in 2019. The plan guides growth, development and preservation in the county.

The Livable Frederick plan includes the framework for area plans that will outline land use, transportation and community facilities in specific regions of the county.

The County Council is expected to voted on the first Livable Frederick area plan, the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan, on Oct. 18. If the council votes to approve the plan, it will go to Gardner for her signature and final approval.

Farmland preservation

The county has preserved more than 73,000 acres of farmland, and Gardner said she expects the county to exceed its goal of preserving 100,000 acres of farmland by the early 2030's, 10 years earlier than expected.

Under Gardner, the county created agricultural innovation grants to keep the industry economically viable and help farmers expand or diversify their businesses.

Economic growth

Since 2014, Frederick County has attracted large employers like the pharmaceutical company Kite, Texas-based data center development company Quantum Loophole, Australian-based biopharmaceutical company Ellume, and grocery giants The Kroger Co. and the United Kingdom-based Ocado Group.

Gardner said more than 100 businesses opened or expanded in the county during the height of pandemic.

Libraries

The county opened branch libraries in Walkersville and Myersville, and expanded the Point of Rocks library, under Gardner. The county has begun construction on a new, much larger Middletown library, too.

Ethics in government

Under Gardner, the county's ethics laws were rewritten and the county established an Ethics Commission to ensure an open government and hold elected officials accountable. Frederick County is the only county in the state with an independently appointed Ethics Commission, Gardner said.

During her State of the County address, Gardner also highlighted progress the county has made in public health, public safety and emergency response, fiscal management, parks and recreation opportunities, transportation options, senior care, and diversity, equity and inclusion in both government and health care.

Follow Jack Hogan on Twitter: @jckhogan