(7/3) Today, after much thought and deliberation, I am announcing my decision to not seek re-election to the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners. It has been my great honor and privilege to serve the citizens of the county. The decision to not seek re-election is personally difficult. I have spent the last 12 years working diligently for the county I love and I remain very committed to making Frederick County the best place to live and work in the country. We are truly blessed in Frederick County to live in a wonderful community. We have exceptional schools, a safe community, wonderful parks and libraries, well maintained roads and bridges, and many other excellent county services that truly add to the quality of life we enjoy.

I initially ran for office out of an interest in supporting public education specifically with a desire to address school overcrowding. During my tenure, we have successfully accelerated the construction of new schools and additions and reduced school capacity system wide from 101% of capacity to our goal of 90% of capacity. I am particularly pleased with the opening of a new Linganore HS this fall. I am gratified to have played a significant role in improving the conditions of our school facilities and in supporting public education. We have one of the best school systems in the country and our collective challenge is to keep it.

I am proud of a number of other significant accomplishments including the recently adopted County Comprehensive Plan which establishes a wonderful blue print for future development in the county. It is a plan that fully accommodates future anticipated growth, provides plenty of land for business growth, and protects the agricultural, cultural and historic heritage of the county that we all love and cherish. This plan is appreciated by the citizens who have read it, contributed to it, and worked on it. This plan ensures our future prosperity and protects our quality of life.

I am also proud of our progress with agricultural preservation. The Installment Purchase Program, introduced during my first term, has added close to 15,000 acres to permanent preservation ensuring an agricultural legacy for future generations. The County ranks 10th in the country in land preservation – a true accomplishment.

I am proud of the progress we have made in open and transparent government. Twelve years ago our meetings were not even televised. Now they are available on the internet and can be accessed at anytime and anywhere. We take public comment on any issue at every meeting. We have the strongest ethics rules and lobbying regulations in the state. I have been particularly proud to be a member of this Board where decisions are made for the common good, not for special or narrow interests. This Board has lived up to their commitment for good government.

I am also proud of our progress on environmental issues with the introduction of single stream recycling, the landfill gas to energy project, the creation of the Sustainability Commission, energy conservation efforts, and our stream buffer ordinance. The protection of our land, air and water is fundamental to our future health and prosperity.

The greatest challenge has been the economic impact on our budget. This Board has worked tirelessly to reduce spending and maintain services that matter to people while keeping taxes low. The county tax rate is the lowest among our peer counties and is among the lowest in the State. The budget is all about providing services and the services we provide are people-centered. The Board along with county staff has worked to cut the budget by over 9% over the past two years - a real accomplishment. The County has seen an upgrade in our bond rating in the past year – another true accomplishment. It will be important for future boards to continue the fiscal responsibility and fiscal restraint to maintain services and our bond rating. Low tax rates are made possible, at least in part, by a policy decision to not permit development to shift the costs of development to the taxpayers.

It is my intention to be actively engaged in the upcoming election process for the Board of County Commissioners. It is my intent to help elect a future board that will continue the progress of the current board and a Board that has the best interest of the community in mind rather than special or narrow interests.

I want to thank my family, my friends, and my supporters. It is a privilege to have served as a County Commissioner. This position has afforded me the opportunity to make a difference in our community, meet a lot of wonderful people, and have many interesting experiences. I also want to thank county employees who do a superb job and continuously demonstrate their dedication to serving the citizens of the county. They have my enduring admiration.

I plan to remain active in local politics and in the community. Service to others and promoting Frederick County will continue to consume my time and energy though in a different manner.

Thank you to my family, supporters, and the citizens of the community for giving me such a great opportunity to serve.

Jan H. Gardner

President, Board of County Commissioners