Progress is a community undertaking.
The Mayor leads the change. Encouraging resident participation and public-private partnership is part of the job. Community organizers, our non-profit partners, the business and development community, and government employees and agencies all play an important role in making Frederick—Frederick.
Open Government
Lead with Purpose
The lack of urgency and an unconcerned approach to important issues in this administration is noteworthy. Public safety, adequate infrastructure, and community . I’m not the only candidate who has noticed this. It has to change.
Be responsible. It took a worldwide pandemic to make leadership realize they weren't prepared. We are almost 2 years in. And the City still has not created an Emergency Plan.
Be transparent. Restoring weekly press conferences. Requiring City staff to maintain an open-door policy with the media. Public information is not an oxymoron, the government does public work.
Support our growth and consider the cost to our residents. We need to start the discussion about how we grow, how much we rely on the County and whether we have the right plan for our infrastructure.
Deal with the blight. Improving Code Enforcement and creating a citizen Code Enforcement Board to de-politicize enforcement. Listening to and supporting the residents who take pride in our city and their neighborhoods.
Ease the Historic Preservation Commission HPC process. Improving the experience by working with the Historical Preservation Commission. Historic preservation is what keeps our city on the map.
Economic Development
Dilapidated and empty commercial lots are scattered throughout our city, with no signs of life.
Keep Frederick a top destination. Supporting tourism, the Downtown Frederick Partnership and the Historic Preservation Commission.
Focus on career jobs. Life sciences and technology services by supporting the Department of Economic Development (established during my term in 2002) in their efforts to support the small businesses and creating incentives that attract the bigger ones.
Make progress on the Downtown Hotel. Let’s simplifying the transaction and let the market decide what makes sense. I support this. But it’s so tied up in “deals” at every level of government —it may not happen.
Attract New Business
Retain, expand and recruit. This focuses on the basic job of the Department of Economic Development. (Which I created in 2002). We’ll hire an Industry Specialist to focus on bringing new regional headquarters and building on existing businesses.
Update City operations. We created the 1-Stop Shop within the building of the City Hall Annex. Now we need to make on-line permitting effective and simple.
Foster a more effective relationship with FCC, government and the business community. During our business inventory tours, we will improve our database of businesses and their needs. With unemployment at extremely low levels, we need to make sure we have the workforce programs that suit our existing businesses and are agile enough to serve new businesses.
Implement tax incentives. were tools used during my term (2002-2006) that encouraged investment in the newly-created Arts & Entertainment District, Golden Mile Tax Credit District as well as other retail corridors. We also used fee waivers for large employers to expand (MedImmune/Astra Zeneca) and bring more jobs to Frederick. These can be effective tools in bringing new businesses to Frederick and they are zero net costs.
CHANGE OUR PRIMARY ELECTIONS
More than 25% of City residents are unaffiliated voters. Their taxes pay for the Primary. They should be allowed to participate. Frederick is ready for a Hybrid Primary Election. A Primary allowing ALL City voters, including the Unaffiliated to vote on Primary Election Day.
ESTABLISH PRECINCTS FOR ALDERMEN
The City’s Board of Aldermen has not changed in style for more than 50 years. But the City has quadrupled in size. City growth requires a more representative legislative branch. 5 Aldermanic Precincts and 2 At-Large Aldermen. A more representative Board of Alderman helps residents get more attention and advocacy.
ESTABLISHING TERM LIMITS FOR ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS
Term Limits are supported by more than 60% of voters nationally. Term Limits encourage more people to get involved and bring fresh ideas to the table.
Provide enforceable ethic laws
There was a solution to the recent ethics crisis in City Hall. A more specific reading of the City's Charter and Ethics Laws. This is another example of how the Mayor and Board of Aldermen chose not to use existing laws.
Other candidates reassure you—the updated Ethics Ordinance is sufficient. But when the accused is the individual updating the Ordinance, we must take another look.
Review and modify the Ethics Ordinance
Work on making the Ethics Commission more diverse
Ensure the Ethic Commission outcome is enforceable through a vote by the Mayor and Board
Create a hotline for victims