DAYCARE COSTS
The recent closing of the FCC daycare center has brought to light a fact for many of our residents—day care is not available or affordable. My administration will work together with local NGOs, the County and others to use the power of the City to look for possible solutions—use of City/County facilities, develop Public Private Partnerships, work alongside the faith community. Noone can feel safe and secure without the knowledge that their children are being properly cared for. This must be addressed to allow people to survive and thrive here.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The current cost of housing in Frederick is forcing many lifelong residents and those at lower income levels to leave. This must be addressed from many fronts to keep this city attainable for those that live and work here. Dysfunctional planning is one area that helps drive up costs due to lengthy development windows. Shortening the development cycle means less cost to developers and lower rents and house prices. I will use technology to help streamline the process and cut this time down. We are also in dire need of moderately priced housing. By putting any 100% moderately priced dwelling unit project at the head of the line, we can help expedite these developments and save residents money.
SCHOOL OVERCROWDING
The issue of not enough school rooms or teachers for our children is one that has been escalating over the past decade. Millions of dollars in fees that have been collected from developers to help address this go unspent under the current administration. The excuse often cited by City elected officials and staff - “we don’t control the school system” - does not fly anymore. My administration will work hand in hand with FCPS, the County and educational stakeholders to find collaborative solutions to this critical issue.
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
The Mayor and City Hall have stopped listening to the citizens of Frederick. The well-intentioned Neighborhood Advisory Councils (NACs) are ineffective in many instances due to the lack of interest and support from the current administration. New ideas, concerns and offers of support from residents go unheeded and unacted upon. I will work to strengthen the NACs, align them with the new City Districts, and establish programs to gather citizen input. I will listen—and more importantly I will act.
Struggling & Marginalized Populations
With rising costs and the loss of funding due to the unhinged regime in DC, many citizens are on the margins to keep their homes, their jobs, their health and put food on the table. The number of citizens who are ALICE, homeless and struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues continue to rise. It will take leadership, creativity and risk-taking to muster our resources and help those most in need. Without this many of our residents may have to move from Frederick - or worse. The current departments serving these populations must be led from the top and empowered.
