Gardner unveils preliminary capital budget projects
Mar. 16—School construction and rural broadband were two major topics County Executive Jan Gardner highlighted during a preliminary capital budget presentation Tuesday.
Gardner (D) said after the news briefing that despite the pandemic, the budget process has been fairly normal. School construction, county parks and bridges and major roads are still high priorities, as final budget numbers are being finalized by April 15 — the deadline in the county charter.
The county executive noted some funding would be allocated to renovate part of Thurmont Elementary School, the first time such a project was included in the capital planning process during her time as the county's top government official.
Other school projects in the fiscal year 2022 capital budget, which begins July 1, include construction of Rock Creek school, which provides special education for Frederick County students from age 3 to 21 with severe intellectual, physical, emotional, hearing, visual and learning disabilities.
Several other school projects including Blue Heron Elementary and an addition at Oakdale Middle School are also in the works, along with a larger Waverley Elementary School in Frederick, a new Brunswick Elementary School with a bigger gymnasium and a 300-seat addition for Crestwood Middle School in Frederick.
Multiple county fire stations and parks and trails are also being planned.
The county will also benefit from the recent coronavirus relief bill passed by Congress, Gardner said Tuesday. They will get roughly $25 million in the next 60 days and another $25 million next year, she added. Municipalities countywide have received about $45 million.
For now, the money can be used for infrastructure and various other projects. The only restrictions are that it can't be used to fund pensions or cut taxes, Gardner said.
Federal officials have encouraged local jurisdictions to fund rural broadband projects. Gardner said she has allocated about $1 million in her next capital budget to fund rural broadband initiatives.
The county recently completed a feasibility study with CTC Technology and Energy in Montgomery County to figure out where future projects might be needed.
"There's going to be a lot of money coming in for rural broadband, so the fact we have that study done is really important," Gardner said.
A public hearing for the capital and operating budgets is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, March 22. It will be on cable channels and at 19 and 1085, online at FrederickCountyMD.gov/FCGTV.
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