Veterans Advisory Council - Regular Meeting

Let's get this party started. Call to order. Let's real quick do a pledge of allegiance, if everybody will join me. Pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America All right. I believe we have a quorum. We've got four voting members, couple of non voting members. So that is our establishment of quorum. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda that's been presented out front to everybody?

I make a motion to approve it.

Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Any discussion? I think it's an excellent agenda. So moved. Alright. Let's get to old business. We have the previous meetings minutes. They were sent to all of us electronically, but they are also, posted out front for everybody to grab a copy of. Looks exactly like the meeting that we had. So I have a motion to approve the minutes as written and sent.

I make a motion to approve the meeting minutes.

Second. Perfect. We have a motion and second to approve the minutes as posted. Any discussion? Any discussion? Any discussion? If anybody wants a copy, we have plenty. Oh, we're back page two. That's awesome. Yes.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye. Aye. Alright. I was

very surprised by the fact. I should have known that there were. I just you know. Alright. Real quick for for my chair comments. I did not actually plan this. I was actually writing my chair comments. Started talking about cyber security and I forgot my friend John was coming in tonight. No pressure but keep me solid on these comments. We all have a new mission in life and that is to protect ourselves online.

The digital landscape is our new battlefield and when you really think about the threats that are out there, you need to realize that everybody's getting phished. Everybody's getting malware sent to them. Everybody's getting their identity stolen on a regular basis. Even post it on social media. The stuff you put out there everybody can read and everybody can gather that information and use it against you at any point in time.

We need to think about saying, okay, maybe this isn't the biggest thing that we need to be worrying about but since everything goes through online now, every single person needs to be thinking about making sure they're using strong unique passwords. They're setting up multi factor authentication where they can. If you're using a site that doesn't allow multifactor authentication, maybe think about not using that site anymore because they're setting themselves up for failure by not providing that capability. Make sure you turn on automatic updates on all of your devices. Used to be back in the day you were worried about getting updates because it would break the thing that you were so used to using it.

It wouldn't work the way that you were used to using it. You're much safer using automatic updates. Just keep things up to date. You'll be perfectly fine. And make sure you're using antivirus stuff. Microsoft, if you're a Windows user, comes with built in defender. That is one of the better antivirus systems out there. It's free from Microsoft. Just keeps you secure. Phishing is is probably the biggest thing that you see nowadays.

I in my day job as a as IT director for my for my company. We see hundreds of phishing attempts against our company every single day And I am blown away that we don't have people falling for that stuff all the time. Luckily, think people are starting to realize it but you really gotta remember, there's no reason somebody's gonna be emailing you, asking you for important information if you don't know who they are. Plain and simple. Again, think about social media and what you share online.

All of that could be used against you. In my former life doing counterintelligence and human intelligence, I wish all the insurgents that we were tracking were using Facebook because it would have made my life so much easier. I just I'm just saying it would have been so much easier to track people with Facebook nowadays. When you go to a website, don't use websites that don't have the little green lock, the little icon saying that you're you're on there securely. You don't want to use those sites that aren't thinking about your security.

If they're only thinking about their stuff, they're not thinking about providing you the capability to browse to them securely, you probably don't want to use them. Make sure you're keeping your devices locked. Make sure you're doing the things that you need to do to protect yourself. And again, why are we talking about this with the Veterans Advisory Council? It's because it's such an important thing that we need to remind not just ourselves but also every single veteran that's out there that's going to va.gov.

If they go to the wrong va.gov website and start putting in information in there, I guarantee there's a phishing website out there that looks just like va.gov and I guarantee there's an older vet that just didn't think about it started putting in all their medical records into that website that looked like va.gov but they just didn't know any better. So those are the things I'm just asking people to think about making sure that you're just taking our online security for everybody not just ourselves but also all the best that we talk to. Talk to them about this stuff because it's important in my opinion. Did I get it all right back there? Perfect.

Thanks. We could get into presentations if we had any presentations. Yes. Julie Clark. Perfect. Julie Clark. Hey. How you doing?

Mhmm. I'm in the Frederick County Division of Aging Independence. I work with Mikayla over there, and I'm the volunteer coordinator. And I was starting this position a couple months ago. I've been with the division of aging for a couple years.

I worked with Maryland Access Point. And I'm here tonight because I want to acknowledge you volunteers. It's National Volunteer Awareness Month and thank you for your time and commitment to Frederick County constituents. We are extremely grateful that you're willing to make this commitment for the people in Frederick County and for veterans and and also for our seniors and adults with disabilities. Each time you give your time and your talent and your treasures as part of this council is really a gift to Frederick County.

I'm here to just say thank you on behalf of the Frederick County Division of Aging and Independence. Thank you. And on a side note, I have a small box I'm going to pass around that has a few small gifts for you to take. Please indulge. Thank you.

Thank you. Sure. We'll we'll reschedule with them. I'm sure. We'll move on to public comment. This is an opportunity for anyone in the public to get up and talk about whatever they're here to hear. If not, if you're just here to hang out, that's fine too. Yes, sir. Please.

I'd like to give the veterans advisory council an overview of what occurred with secretary Woods visitors on February at the request of the Chamber of Commerce slash Veterans Connect, Veterans Success Group. Very positive presentation from the, secretary. His main goal is to, first of all, increase the services to the veterans, but also to make Maryland the destination for veterans, realizing he's competing against Virginia to the South and Pennsylvania to the North with the extensive tax breaks that are offered by those two respective states. The other thing much more applicable to us is he is increasing the number of veterans of service officers throughout the state. Obviously, we received additional individual.

He's also putting an additional person out in Martinsburg and out in Garrett County. He's also undergone undertaken an initiative that has every Maryland state office have a veterans slash coordinator, someone who's familiar with the veterans activities so that they can coordinate and bring those activities to the veterans' interest. At my encouragement, he also said he's going to initiate the roundtable or combine the call call all the veterans advisory councils of the state together for at least semiannual, if not quarterly, meetings. That was an initiative that we felt was very productive to see what our friends and neighbors are doing across the state, learn from them, and teach them some of our success stories. On a much larger issue, he and members of the veteran success group want to come up with a very precise roadmap, if you will, for the veteran transitioning to give them an opportunity to look at the different resources that are throughout the county, throughout the state, so that this would be a means of attracting the veteran, perhaps coming out of California, for example, into the state of Maryland and specifically Frederick County.

So that's one of the things that, again, on a much broader basis, he's attempting to do. So again, it was a very positive meeting, and he was appreciative of the efforts that we have taken through the number of veterans organizations to connect the veterans with the resources on that. Thank you.

Can I just say something about transitioning service members? I think that there's been some reduction at Fort Detrick in the TAP program. And so I know of at least one position that is at least one that's being eliminated as a result of some of the budget cuts. And that transitioning piece is so important. We've heard that over and over again in the presentations that we've had.

It's interesting that Patty mentioned that because the garrison commander, colonel Chung, was also at this presentation, and he picked up on this transition piece that, yes, you can have the five days of tap briefing, and that's being reworked. Mhmm. But that doesn't help the veteran really do too much of anything, to be honest. It's so much information presented in a very general manner that it's of not too much benefit. And, again, I give a tap briefing at Fort Detrick, and I'm gonna transition.

I'm gonna move back home to Idaho, You know? So that doesn't really help me identify the resources. That's why the secretary keyed in on this fact that we need a website talking about law specific so that the tap briefing out in California can clue in to what's available to Maryland should the individual choose to transition here.

Yeah. I I still remember my out briefing. It was fifteen years ago. And I I think it was still five days, but it felt like it was one day. And it was just

A lot.

So much information. I didn't even remember the part where they talked to me about talking to the VA. I didn't even think to talk to the VA when I got out. Know, it's just something that I I wanted to go get my CIF checked off

Checked off.

Hit all the hit all the boxes and balance. I was I was not looking to do anything else. Hopefully, I didn't hit that button. Yeah. So yeah.

Staff report? Is

I'm sorry. Was the state working on that road map or enlisting somebody to do that road map?

That's what he was initiating trying to get both colonel Chung and the veteran success committee was extremely excited about this. They'll be putting some they'll be putting something together for the secretary's review.

Jay, you wanna take something?

I had I had kinda put something together a long time ago. It was a very long time ago when I got out because I was trying to write down my notes of what it is that I did when I got out and see how different it today. And I was going to go over to the Garrison, to Sharon's office and ask about, what does it take now? Because when I got out, it was one day, tab, TAM. That was it.

Depends on where you are.

Yeah. I was in Camp Pendleton, California. But 05:10, like, what? Yeah. That's that's great that it's gotten to that point, but is

it helpful?

Well, one of the point that I missed was yes, he said we could transition the veteran, but it's much more important to transition the family. So a lot of this is going to be directed to the spouse, jobs, education, schooling, childcare. Are those services available? Because he said from his personal experience, he could make the decision, but the family has to live with it. It'd be better to prepare prepare the family for this.

Yeah. There's nothing for the family to go through except for that Diddy move at the end and that's about it. Mhmm. Not really Diddy move. I mean, choose to have whoever. I forget who it is moving, but I went through Diddy. That's all I know.

Any other public comments? Great. Staff report, please.

Okay.

So some updates on the veteran appreciation day. Again, it's Saturday, July 19, 10AM to 2PM. Although we're opening the doors at 09:30, The county executive herself will be there to speak at 10:00 for the opening ceremony. The event is gonna include a resource fair, static display with different county vehicles, food trucks, music, activities for the whole family, kids activities, but activities for everyone. Free entry, free parking, everyone is welcome.

Big blue from the VA should be there again this year. Last year, people were able to actually sign up for VA health care right then and there if they had their d d two fourteen with them. And the, Martinsburg Vet Center had their mobile unit there as well, so we're expecting that they will be there again this year. So so far, we have 67 participating organizations registered. We have 59 out of 70 available tables.

So we only have 11 tables left. We have out eight outdoor vendors, and there's plenty of room for outdoor vendors. So the outdoor vendors are the ones who are, like, the sheriff's department and the fire and rescue who are bringing vehicles. Although, I suppose you don't necessarily have to bring a vehicle to be outside if you want. It's important, though, to remember this is rain or shine. We're not doing a

rain date.

Okay. Here's the list of everybody that's signed up so far.

We not sign up?

11 tables left.

Yeah. It

was good to say. I gotta get on.

So here's the link to sign up. It's frederickcountymd.gov/vad/register. And I can email it to you as well. Okay. And then it was requested some information on Constant Contact. So Constant Contact is the, what's it called, the emailer is it? Marketing email Yeah. That we use. So one thing, it was a little bit hard because in our division, I share an account with another program. So a lot of the data is combined with another program.

But this is a chart that shows the sitrep for April, March, February, January, December. And you can see, for some reason, March was really, like, popular. So then I went and looked at a heat map. You can get what's called a heat map. So apparently, in March, Maryland workforce exchange, Skill Up Frederick Workforce Services was really super popular. So I don't know what was going Shout out to Patty.

Well, it's awesome that they

had the job fair on the March 19.

Yeah. That's

about over 400 people.

Mhmm. Yeah. Yeah. So

that was department of labor.

Yeah. Mhmm.

We just need to talk more about that in our setup then.

Yeah. It well, it it might it might have been situational as well, what was going on at that time. I don't know. But but, yeah, maybe that it would be interesting to put maybe put more job focused things and to see going forward if that's Yeah. Something that this

If we continue to see that activity is what drives engagement, then that's what we need to be posted.

Do you think it coincided with some of the news about federal layoffs in March and people seeking

born February.

That's really when it started but March was really when they were starting to see

did in March.

Yeah. I would have sent this out the February for March.

Yeah. So it would have been in somebody's inbox at late February? Yeah, right at the February. So I mean I think that's when I'm just speculating as to one potential contributing factor. Truly agree jobs and careers are the most important thing, but that could be a reason why.

Yeah. That heat map,

it doesn't look like it provides you a date range when people are clicking on it. It's probably total clicks. So they could have clicked on it on a different month too.

Right. Two weeks later if it was a oh, where's that? Set rep again in my inbox. Yeah. Yeah.

Could be could So be. Let me see if this works.

That's a really good open rate though. I think that's above industry standard really

for the 46% yeah

yeah I'm kind of surprised by

that lucky if you see over 30%

same yeah mhmm this work This is okay. So see, like I was saying, this is two programs combined. So this is showing wait. No. I don't want that. Let's look at the past, like, two months. We've sent 8,000 emails, but that's for two programs. Yeah. But one thing I thought was interesting so you can see okay. Most people are looking at this at the on their desktop. Most people are not looking at this on their phone. But

Doesn't read well enough.

It says top performing campaigns, so people are looking at the the Veterans Appreciation Day stuff and the sit rep Mhmm. Which is nice. And then, the top performing links, it's hard to read this, but I did look at them. And this was this is our website, the Veterans Advisory Council. This is the registration, and this was the Maryland jobs.

This was that one that had the most clicks on that that heat map. And then okay. So this so for anything that I send out for the VAC, like, you wanna see specifically, it'll show you the date and time that it was sent, what the campaign was. So this is something I just sent today because some people some of the vendors, when I sent out, like, a welcome to the vendor thing, some people were confused, they're like, how do I know if I'm indoors or outdoors? I sent something.

So you can see I sent it to sick 68 vendors. That's how many participants we have. 38% opened it, you know, zero unsubscribed like that. And then hold on a second. I think if I click on this, it shows where you can get yeah. And then you can go to the heat map. So you can see that, like, one person clicked this links to the county website. Two people clicked on this. That links to the va vac no. Sorry.

The VAD website. There's too many acronyms. 12 people clicked on the list to see whether they were indoors or outdoors, participants. Five people clicked on the button, which is the same list, but five people clicked on the button rather than the link. You know? One person clicked on this, one person you know, blah blah blah. So the this is the kind of data that that we can get.

I get.

Yeah. If that's helpful.

So that information is what I think should drive what we post in the future about whatever we're looking to talk about. Yeah. Yeah.

And then you can, you know, you can do social posts and you can do text messages, although I haven't done any text messages. But on some of our sign in sheets, I think I do have it where it's check if it's okay to send text messages. So I don't know if maybe something in the future we may wanna think about. But

We may wanna think about sending out a survey. A lot of the a lot of the different tools that provide the survey mechanisms actually help you build out a lot of your content just by directly asking the people who have subscribed. What do you what do you wanna see in

this?

Mhmm. Mhmm. Yeah.

So, I was gonna show you let me see. I was gonna show you that one, oh, yeah. So this this is the that one Where is

where is it? Go. Where are you now?

There's Okay. Here's that one, sit rep that went out that had all the clicks. So, you know, 80 there's a lot of clicks on these links here. So this is the county website. This is the division of aging website. This is the VAC website.

Something to think about for that specifically. What might be happening there is, a lot of different email providers will click on the first link in an email just to ensure that it's a legitimate email. Oh, okay. And then that'll add or subtract away from whether or not they're gonna consider that a spam email. Not every single one is doing that, but I know I've seen that in some cases where as soon as you send the email out, you've got, like, two or three clicks. And there's there's no way anybody's opened the email yet. Mhmm. It's it's automated systems that are checking.

Oh, okay. Alright. Well, that's good to know. Yeah. So you can see a high concentration of people looking at the, the employment, and then a few looking at the tax stuff.

Quite a bit looking here.

Here, I thought it was just because my story was so well written.

Financial assistance. That's the coffee. Another two for job opportunities. City of project job opportunity.

Maybe that's what we need to be posting more about is just opportunities for jobs for veterans and their family. So

here's the one that went out for April.

Only two people watched the video? I can't believe that.

Does this provide not to add more work to you, but does it provide a b testing type activities?

You know, I think there's a lot of functions, like because there's, like, click segmenting or something. There's a lot of stuff that I don't haven't used or don't know what it does. I mean, we could probably Yeah. Do a lot. But Sure.

And and

again, I not to not to add more to your workload, but it if it has a mechanism to reposition portions of the email and send out what a b test would be is say, maybe the the first part of that email scroll down ever so slightly to like this section. Mhmm. Well, you kinda have to leave that. But like say you the A test is the message from the chair is first, and then all the other information is after that. And the B test is all the other information is before the message from the chair.

And if you see one type have more engagement, then you kinda wanna go in that direction in the future. Mhmm. Something to something to think about there if we have that capability to because I'm fine with my stupid words being all the way at the bottom of the email and getting the information upfront.

Okay.

If if that drives engagement. Now if people actually wanna read what I'm saying, I'm fine with that too. That's good though. Thank you.

Alright. Sure. Okay. Well, that was really all I had for the staff report.

Any new business from anyone? We don't have anything on the list to talk about. That's fine. We'll go into announcements. Any members have any announcements, any thoughts, comments? Yes, sir.

I just thought I'd let the group know. I tried to report out somewhat about suicide prevention activities and a pretty substantial opportunity presented itself recently. The health department applied for and was granted $20,000 specifically earmarked for purchasing safe storage devices. So what that translates into is we worked with the responsible gun ownership subcommittee of the Suicide Prevention Coalition and found models that would appeal most to gun enthusiasts. So we didn't want to go out and buy a bunch of something that nobody wants.

We wanted to get the stuff that people might actually use. And so I did all the ordering for that today, and we will be working on getting those at no cost into the hands of gun owners in Frederick County. Hopefully, the stuff gets here relatively quickly. But certainly, I think we will still have some available for this event in July that we will be able to hand out. So there's information on our website about how to I mean, currently we have cable locks, which are pretty accessible to folks.

But in very short order, we'll have much more than that including safes and biometric trigger locks and all kinds of stuff. So we will try to put the word out far and wide. Gun violence is on the rise in Frederick County. There have been multiple fatalities as a result of firearms recently. And so this is a high priority for us is to really encourage and put money where our mouth is here, so to speak, in terms of getting folks to lock their weapons up.

A recommendation for your next meeting, if you could invite Nicholas Walker and pull him for veterans. He's got two very exciting initiatives that he is trying to get support for. But also, that's one month away from the Burkittsville picnic that he would probably like to talk about the family day that they have out at the Burkittsville Fairgrounds there. And one other thing I forgot about the the secretary, he has increased the staff of the Veterans Trust Fund. Didn't increase the fund, but increased the staff.

Instead of having one individual who used to be Stan Seidel, it now has five individuals to review the veterans claims. Well, very interestingly, with five individuals reviewing the claims, the trust fund is being used what it's designed for. It is down to such a level that he has removed from the table the idea of giving it out to five zero one c companies. That that was his initiate that's what he spoke about approximately eighteen months ago. But now the fund essentially, they don't have a very large balance.

What they get in from the casinos are able to disperse to the veterans and and that's the way it should work. That it's not supposed to be a bank that accumulates funds. Great.

Great. There was also going to be a a veteran memorial wall or a Vietnam memorial wall coming in October. Mhmm. It's gonna be in Carroll County. Yep.

Trying to find the dates out here because I thought I had it written down here somewhere, but I have to send it to you. They were soliciting donations from various VSOs, so that's how I know about it. But, colonel Oliver North is gonna be the keynote speaker. And one the areas they were talking about was the I forgot what they called it, but it was a tent where Vietnam veterans can go in and seek a safe space to talk about things and let some memories out and all that.

There's a bunch of different things. I have I I gotta check my email and find the I'll I'll send it to you. I she presented at the VFW district seven meeting, asking for volunteers because the site will be open '20 four seven. They want basically security individuals to to just observe, obviously not engage with anybody attempting to do anything nefarious to the wall. But just like the Vietnam Wall in DC, the traveling wall is as it's called is is a high value target for nefarious actors.

And so that that wall, it's a it's not as big as the Vietnam Wall. It's a traveling wall. It's, I think, at its highest point, maybe six feet tall. But it does have every single Vietnam veteran that was killed over in Vietnam. They're all of their names are on it. And the biggest thing they usually need, not just donations, but also physical people to watch and protect the wall twenty four seven because it it's not gonna move for three days. Oh, yeah. And so it's gonna be in Carroll County. I think it's on the border of Frederick and Carroll County. There's a bunch of different tables like you were saying. There's even gonna be a is it immersement

Yeah.

Table or A tent. Tent.

Yeah. That's what I was trying to think of.

You walk you walk through and it's it's Vietnam without being too overwhelmingly Vietnam for for the Vietnam vets, but for the family to come in and see what life was like there. So Mhmm. It's gonna be pretty interesting. There's a there's a lot of people already involved. You're right. It's in October. I forget what day. We'll get that information out, very quickly soon.

And then, I sent you the email. It showed you the weeklies, how, Veterans Appreciation Day was in there. So I don't know if I was supposed to share that or not, but I just added myself on TV.

No. It's okay. I get them as well. I I I get the weekly.

Yeah. Cool.

Cool. Any other thoughts, comments, questions, announcements, ruminations?

Anything you need volunteers for, Julie? You know veterans are great volunteers.

Yes. Absolutely. Although I'm sure you guys are hit from my right email to volunteer for events. I think the most important one, of course, is our Veterans Appreciation Day. It is a does the bar the QR code allow for a person to sign up for volunteering, or is that just for vendors only?

Oh, good point. Yeah. We should probably create a

volunteer sign up or, you know, something that is linked in the our page or something.

Okay. Yeah. Good idea. Good idea. Thank you.

Actually, there's one more thing. Ann Betz post to flag retirement ceremony on June 14. I know that's the 200 birthday of the army, and the Fort Detrick's having their gala that same day. But I'll have to send you the flyer of that as well. Mhmm. The barbecue in conjunction with it. And they're having a helicopter fly out. I can't remember what what the guy's name is, but it's a Vietnam helicopter.

We need to get that helicopter to the Veterans Appreciation Day. How do we do that?

Well, I I can send you the that guy's information.

Okay. He's

he's got a phone number.

It costs, though, but he might wanna volunteer it.

How much?

It's a lot.

It's almost we got. That's for sure.

It's almost like 1,400 an

hour. Oh. Okay. Well, anyway, let's talk later.

Maybe we'll do a fly.

They need a different sponsor for that.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, you'd have to take a look at Frederick Health Health Village to see if they have a LZ that's wide enough for him because

Oh, right.

And not full of debris that would get tangled up.

And Yeah.

It's not like the Maryland helicopters that are equipped to handle such stuff, but this is a vintage helicopter in good condition.

But it was in Vietnam. Like, it's probably able to handle that stuff better than the than the Maryland State Troopers. Just saying. No

trees in

the Maryland. Yeah.

I'm pretty sure he wants to keep it in good condition.

He's charging 1,400.

If you just put it on a truck and drive it by, we'll just look at it.

Static display. Yeah, static. Alright.

Seven zero seven.

Motion to adjourn.

I make a motion to adjourn.

Second. Fantastic. Any discussion? Our next meeting is on May 21 in this same building. Thank you.

Welcome to the tenth public safety awards for Frederick County. I thought about what I was gonna say to start this off as I was driving here, which the chamber team will tell you is pretty routine. I figure out what I'm gonna say as I'm headed to go say it. But here's the observation. And it's affirmed by standing out in the lobby and greeting many of you when you were coming in, but, more importantly, standing up here and looking at you.

Out of the three hundred and sixty five days of a Frederick County year, ladies and gentlemen, I think today is the day we collectively put our best foot forward. Today is a day when we honor heroes. Today is a day when we recognize sacrifice that exceeds human understanding, and I'm so thrilled that you've joined with us today to do that. I would ask you now, if you are able, to please stand at your seat for the presentation of colors by acom the combined Frederick County Public Safety Honor Guard accompanied by the Montgomery County firefighters, pipes and drums.

I would

I would now ask you to join me in a moment of silence in recognition for our fallen heroes. Please remain standing as the national anthem is performed by master police officer Robert Quentin of the Frederick Police Department.

Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. O'er the ramparts we watched, where so gallantly streaming. And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting

the

night that our flag was still there. And rose, say, does that star spangled

And now what has become an honored tradition. It's my honor to introduce to you the pass pastor Tim May, the chaplain for the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, to offer our invocation. Pastor May.

Let us come together in prayer by bowing our heads before the almighty. Gracious and everlasting god, we reach out to this day with a heartfelt thanksgiving? Father, we are so thankful that we have men and women who will step forward, who will take on the calls, of times not even considering their own safety, but providing for others because they try to emulate those who serve others. Father, we pray for this country, which has so many roads ahead of us. We pray for the men and women in uniforms, those that go away.

We pray for the families that they wait for their return. Father, we pray that you will continue to strengthen us in our walk and that we never fear for we are never alone. For the psalmist writes, I lift my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the lord, made heaven and earth. He will protect your going outs and your coming ins. Father, embrace each of those individuals today who will receive awards. Father, we do thank you for the gifts that you have given us, the freedom of this day, the purpose of our lives. By the way, Lord, if you have a moment left, don't forget the Orioles. Amen. Please

be seated. As you're doing that, how about a recognition that the honor guard and officer Quentin can hear out there in the lobby for that stirring opening? For the next ninety minutes or so, I'm gonna ask you to do me a favor. I'm gonna ask you to suspend your tension, your worry, your anxiety, all of which are perfectly understood by everyone in this room for what's happening internationally, nationally, regionally, locally, and celebrate. Breathe in, clap, cheer, understand the import, the weight of the moment while we're here together, and let's enjoy one another's company in so doing.

I want to recognize some of our elected officials who have joined us today. We appreciate them taking time out of what we know to be incredibly busy days to to celebrate with us here. So here's how we're gonna do this. This is a test of your ability to follow simple instructions. For those of you who went through a recruit training program, this is a test of your ability to follow simple instructions.

I'm going to introduce all of our elected officials to you. You're going to hold your applause despite the fact you may have a familial connection with them or be so adamant in your proselytizing on their behalf that you just feel the compelling need to scream out, please resist that temptation. Hold your enthusiasm until I've introduced them all, and then just explode. Blow the ceiling tiles out of the Clarion Ballroom if you're motivated. First, county executive Jessica Fitzwater is with us.

From our Frederick County sheriff, sheriff Chuck Jenkins is here. Our mayor, those of us who either live or work or care deeply about the city of Frederick, we're honored to have Michael O'Connor with us this morning. From the Myersville Council, councilmember Lauren Vandergrift is here. From my city council, the amazing city council of Brunswick, we have three council members with us, councilmember Angel White, councilmember John Caves and councilmember Eric Smothers, who most of you know from his day job when he's not being a city councilman. Okay.

There. I did it. Now it's your turn. Okay. Same process, same instructions.

I want to introduce those leaders from our public safety departments who will be joining us on stage later this morning for the awards. So you are going to be happy that they're here and wait until I'm done to applaud them. Brunswick's chief, Kevin Grunwell Mount Airy's chief, Michael Ginerva the chief of the Division of Fire and Rescue Services, Tom Coe Division of Emergency Management Division Director, Tony Rosano Division of Emergency Communications Director, Phil Lambert Frederick County Animal Control Sergeant Maggie Hill, Frederick City Chief of Police Jason Lando, Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, and Maryland State Police Lieutenant Stephen Johnson. Give it to him. There you go.

Thank you very much for that. We also want to thank our generous sponsors without whose support this simply would not be possible. Our presenting sponsor and someone we love deeply, Paul Davis Restoration. Give it up for him. This relationship goes back many, many years and we deeply appreciate it.

Our premier sponsor and the provider of the amazing audio video component to our presentation this morning, AudioVideo Group. Our video sponsor, and you won't appreciate how amazing this is until you've seen these videos, but we once again benefit from the work of Frederick County Video Services. Our three platinum sponsors, ACNB Bank, Clark Computer Services and Frederick Health Employer Solutions. Our gold sponsors, Berman Soben Gross LLP, Hanke's Radio, The Frederictown Group at Morgan Stanley, The Orenda Center of Wellness and Rowan Digital Infrastructure. Our silver sponsor, the City of Brunswick, Mid Atlantic Center for Emergency Management and Public Safety at Frederick Community College and Woodsboro Bank.

Our bronze sponsors: Atlantic Emergency Solutions, DCM Bioservices, Frederick Brickworks, Hood College, Hartfield's Assisted Living at Frederick, and Stauffer Funeral Homes. Our brass sponsors, Colonial Jewelers, Fort Detrick Alliance, Hawkins Landscaping, HR Answerbox, and Phoenix Advocates. Our community partner sponsors, Audra Jacob, playground specialists and CoStarn. How about a big round of applause for all of our sponsors? This event would not be possible without an amazing planning committee who have worked for a year to prepare for today, and I'd like to introduce them to you, ask you to hold your applause until I've introduced them all.

I'd ask the members of the planning committee that are here, please stand as I call your name and stay standing until we introduce the whole committee. Brunswick police chief Kevin Grunwell and assistant chief Andrew Cron, animal control division director Dave Luckenbaugh Division Deputy Willie Walton, Fire and Rescue Chief Tom Coe and Leslie Linhardt, Emergency Communications Assistant Director Christy Duttrow and Administrator Jennifer Staley, sheriff's office commander Brian Woodward, Frederick Police Department chief Jason Lando, officer first class Deborah Kidwell, and corporal Kevin Forrest, Maryland state police lieutenant Steven Johnson, Mount Airy Chief Mike Ginerva. How about a round of applause for these amazing people? The interviews you will see today and the taping of today's event are courtesy of Frederick County Government Communication and Public Engagement Department, which includes video services. Round of applause, please.

And now the easiest thing that I ever do, because all the credit I think I've ever gotten in over a decade leading this chamber, is because of these amazing people: Kimberly, Maddie, Abby, andwho am I missing? Casey. But I I so I screwed my order up, is why I stumbled, because I saved the person I want to recognize most for today for last. Shelby Malley took this event with very little preparation and has done an outstanding, incredible job in pulling together the myriad logistics that are necessary to put together a 400 plus person event. So how about a round of applause for the amazing chamber team?

It's now my honor to bring up to the podium a person who I've gotten to know very well over the course of the last two years, actually two and a half years. I'd known her certainly long before that in her service as a member of the county council, but I've certainly gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of how hard she works, how much she believes, and how passionate she is for a brighter future for Frederick County. Ladies and gentlemen, our county executive, Jessica Fitzwater.

Well, morning everyone. It's so wonderful to see this room full of community leaders and public servants just as it is every year, and I am honored to be able to be here to speak to you on behalf of all the residents of Frederick County as your county executive. And, what I wanted to share this morning actually echoes a little bit of what you already heard Rick say. Sometimes I think we're in each other's brains at these events because we we are often thinking alike. This event every year is really an opportunity to shine a light on the best of our community and the best of Frederick County.

I think that especially, in the times that we're in right now where we see, things on social media or the nightly news that are really meant to divide us and really can bring a lot of feelings of overwhelm, here in this room and in this community, we see a stark contrast to that. We see civic leaders and business leaders and government leaders coming together to recognize the civil servants in our community, to recognize the first responders who make a choice every day to put on a uniform and to serve our community, to make our community better, to make sure that our community is safe, and to make sure that through that action, everybody in our community has the opportunity to thrive and meet their full potential. If you do not feel safe in your community, you will never be able to bring your full self to your work, to your family, and to your community. So we are incredibly grateful for the partnership that we have with county government, our municipalities, with the chamber, and all of our public safety agencies to be able to have an event like today and truly recognize the sacrifice that you and your families make to make sure that this community is the best that it can possibly be.

Today's event and the folks that we will be recognizing are truly an example of what brings us together regardless of ideology or partisan affiliation. It's the sort of thing that makes our country great and truly makes Frederick County great. In Frederick County, we thank and recognize our first responders. We lift you up in the hopes that our children will consider pursuing careers in the uniformed services. This is what Frederick County looks like and what our country looks like, And we're gonna continue to put our best foot forward as a community because it's central to our identity, to our core values, to our rich history, and to our bright future here in Frederick County.

So thank you all for your collaboration, for your efforts to make sure that Frederick County is the absolute best place to live in the state of Maryland. We're so grateful to each and every one of you who do this every day and especially to those of you who are being recognized today. Congratulations to you and your families, and thank you for your service.

So I have a whole introduction to read, to introduce our emcee to you for the morning. Other than making sure I got jobs and dates right, I didn't really need an introductory paragraph to introduce you to this next guy. I'm gonna follow the script a little bit to make sure I hit those high points, but suffice it to say, I have maybe a dozen people in Frederick County that are my North Star. They are the people who I depend on to guide me, provide me mentorship advice. Many of them are in the room.

If you're a member of the Frederick County chamber board of directors, would you please stand for just a second? All you board members, Stan, Dwayne, Kevin, Adam, Danny, Helen. You you just met of the 12 North Stars, you just met five of them when they stood. So I'd like to introduce you to Steve Hine. Steve has over forty three years of banking experience.

I guess he started when he was eight. Prior to his current role as chief executive officer at Woodsboro Bank, he held executive roles with regional and community banks in New York, Ohio, and Maryland. His roles often focus on building, fixing, and growing business units and culture. He is active in the Frederick County community. He serves as the chair of the board of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce.

He is the a past corporator at Saint Catherine Drexel Catholic Church, a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Carole Creek, past board chair for the YMCA of Frederick, and former coach for Luya and Frederick Starr's Women's Lacrosse Club. He also serves as the vice chair of the Alfred University, that's in upstate New York, board of trustees. Steve is also the first recipient of the Leadership Frederick County Community Impact Leader of the Year Award in 2023. Steve and his wife Carol live in Iamsville. Ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to present to you the emcee for the morning, one of my truly best and most valued friends in Frederick County, mister Steve Hine.

Good morning, everyone. How are we doing? I got to make sure I have water under here and all sorts of things. So I don't think there's a room in Maryland where I could feel safer at this very moment. I say that for so many reasons, reasons.

But it is an honor to be here today, and I'm gonna do my best to emcee this. This is not my day job, but I am gonna do my best. And, I have prepared remarks, so if it comes across like I'm reading, I am. But that's really to keep us moving and to make sure I don't miss anything and really speaking through the honorees here today, which are so impressive. It is just an honor though to be here for our tenth Annual Public Safety Awards.

A little bit of background. All of the honorees today have been carefully selected by an unbalanced panel of judges. I want to thank all of you who submitted nominations. That certainly in and of itself is really important, and that speaks to, again, the character of the people being nominated as well as the nominator. And even bigger thank you to all the women and men who have made the selfless sacrifice in Frederick County every day to keep our businesses and our families safe.

And as our county executive just said, if we can't be safe in our community, we can't bring our best selves to, frankly, to work, to our families every day, and thank you all for doing that. For each agency, I'll announce the agency. A short video will play. And then I'll announce the awardees and share a little about the awardee. After hearing after hearing about each award, I'd ask that the honoree or the awardee make their way to the stage entering to the right of the stage.

I'm supposed to point left, that stage to that side. And then you'll exit over here on this side. And make sure to stop in the middle because we'll take pictures and so forth. So with that, I'm going to apologize in advance for any names I mispronounce. Do you want to do an over under on how many names? Five, seven, 10? I often like to say that, you know, English is a second language for me and I don't have a first one. So do my best. I really will. We have 29 honorees this morning, so let's just get at it.

I would first like to invite county executive Fitzwater and fire chief Tom Coe to the stage, to join me here, and we'll go through the first 10 awards, and we'll recognize the division of Fire and Rescue Services.

Thank you.

The division of fire and rescue services in Frederick County boast 652 career and 548 volunteer personnel who are on the frontlines. In 2024, across 29 stations, they responded to 40,049 calls with an average emergency response time of eight minutes and four seconds. In 2024, they added a fourth firefighter to eight more engine companies and added an additional advanced life support service in Thurmatt through the staffing of paramedic engine one zero two. Fire rescue attended 429 community outreach events and launched their first junior firefighter camp with Frederick County Parks and Recreation. In 2024, they hired 40 new firefighters, trained 10 paramedics, and completed eighteen thousand one hundred forty two hours of training, earning 1,209 new certifications.

The division also issued one unit citation and 18 EMS awards.

We're fortunate to have an amazing group of award winners this year that have performed above and beyond the expectations of our fire and EMS personnel and the service they provide the citizens. From life saving actions to incredible dedication to their service in the fire station, we're very proud of the group of award winners we have this year. Today's award winners represent the best of the best of what the division of fire and rescue services has to offer. And they professionally represent the division of fire and rescue services in everything they do in the community from emergency response to public safety fire education details, to training evolutions. These folks that are recognized this year are truly the leaders of the county's fire service.

Frederick County has always been very supportive of the public safety agencies in Frederick County, especially the division of fire and rescue services. We have 29 fire stations around the county, and our career and volunteer personnel always appreciate the support they receive from our community. And today's awards ceremony just one great example of how the community supports and appreciates our fire service. This year's award winners have accomplished amazing things and so professionally have represented what our organization stands for. Their professionalism and precision have truly led to lives saved, and we're so excited to recognize them in today's award ceremony.

Okay. I jumped the gun there earlier. Let's get underway. The first, the Silver Medal of Bravery Award is given to station thirty three c shift. On July 16 at 06:43PM, Frederick County DFRS responded to a house fire on Bartonsville Road in a rural non hydrated area.

Initial reports indicated no one was trapped. But upon arrival, engine three thirty one's crew, Captain David Law, technician Michael Sukinek, and firefighter Steve Martin found an unattended vehicle in the driveway raising concerns. They encountered heavy fire on the 2nd Floor and ammunition igniting inside. While advancing a hose line to the rear, firefighter Martin noticed broken glass, blood, and a groaning sound behind a partially blocked door. Forcing entry, he found a victim lying face up in the smoke filled structure.

Working together, firefighter Martin, captain Lull, pulled the victim to safety while technician Sukinek applied water to the fire. The crew immediately provided medical care, and the victim was airlifted to the hospital later making a full recovery. Their quick thinking and bravery saved a life in a rapidly deteriorating situation. Congratulations to captain David Lull, firefighter technician Michael Sutnick, and firefighter Steven Martin. Please come to the stage.

The bronze medal of outstanding performance is awarded to station thirty one b shift. On December 27 at 10:18PM, paramedic engine 311 responded to a house fire on Ellington Manor Circle with reports of people possibly trapped. Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke and a woman trapped in a 2nd Floor bathroom window, unable to escape due to thick smoke in her bedroom. Firefighter Ty Grossnickle immediately grabbed a ground ladder, quickly positioning it beneath the window. Climbing up, he reassured the panicked resident and guided her safely onto the ladder, carefully assisting her down to the ground, preventing a dangerous jump.

Meanwhile, firefighter paramedic Jose Silva advanced a hose line into the house, locating and extinguish extinguishing the fire in the kitchen before it could spread further. Firefighter Lance Gibson, the driver, ensured proper engine placement for incoming units, assisted with hose deployment, pumped water to support interior operations, and helped steady the latter during the rescue. The decisive, well coordinated actions of these firefighters under extreme conditions directly saved a life and prevented greater property loss. Congratulations to firefighter one, Ty Grossnikkel, firefighter three, Lance Gibson, firefighter medic three, Jose Silva. The lifesaving award is given to station thirty b shift.

On August 30 at 12:33AM, units responded to a house fire at the Rectory of Saint Anthony Shrine in Emmitsburg. Amid intense firefighting operations, firefighter paramedic Carrie Malta spotted a severely burned man walking down the driveway and immediately notified command. Recognizing the urgency, she took charge of patient care coordinating with EMT Brianna Gagales and EMT Nate Lehrman while requesting EMS supervisor and aviation support. When weather conditions grounded the helicopter, the team quickly adapted, transporting the patient to a hangar in Frederick City to meet Maryland State Police Trooper three for rapid transfer to a burn center. Throughout transport, the crew worked seamlessly managing pain relief and accessing the patient for smoke inhalation.

Anticipating cyanide poisoning from smoke exposure, they prepared and administered a critical treatment that binds to cyanide and allows the body to safely eliminate it. They pro their proactive approach ensured the patient received lifesaving intervention before reaching definitive care. Congratulations to firefighter medic three, Carrie Malta, EMT Brianna Gagallis, lieutenant medic Michael Steele, EMT Nate Lehrman.

Congratulations. Congratulations. Okay.

Next up, logistics technician Phil Thatcher is the recipient of this year's distinguished achievement award. On December 19, logistics technician Phil Thatcher demonstrated exceptional responsibility and initiative when he encountered an elderly driver traveling the wrong way on Interstate 270. Recognizing the imminent danger, he quickly got the driver to stop before major collision could occur. Activating activating his emergency lights, he single handedly diverted traffic, preventing a potentially catastrophic accident. While maintaining control of the scene, he coordinated with emergency communication to request Maryland state police and fire rescue assistance.

Once additional responders arrived, he they safely moved the vehicle to the shoulder where EMS assisted the driver. Technician Thatcher remained on scene until a family member arrived to escort the driver home. His swift and decisive actions went far beyond expectations, directly preventing a life threatening incident. Congratulations to logistics technician, Phil Thatcher. Earning this year's supervisor of the year award is lieutenant medic Cameron Pressman.

Lieutenant Cameron Pressman exemplifies exceptional leadership, professionalism, and dedication to both his department and the Frederick community. Serving as an EMS supervisor, station officer, and recruit class commander, he fosters a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. His leadership extends beyond daily operations. For instance, this year, he developed a, quote, sport support card to provide resources for bystanders who experience trauma during emergencies. He strengthens internal and external relationships, facilitating collaboration across department ranks and with external stakeholders to enhance awareness of fire department capabilities.

Pressman also plays a crucial role in training new paramedics, sharing his expertise to shape the next generation of first responders. His participation in the leadership under fire program highlights his dedication to growth and his ability to navigate complex supervisory challenges with both empathy and decisive and decisiveness, and this makes him a trusted mentor among his peers. Please join me in congratulating lieutenant medic Cameron Pressman. The medic of the year is fire ferry medic Zachary Klein. Zachary Klein has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, skill, and leadership since joining the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue in 2016.

His journey began with a technical technical rescue team in 2018 where his expertise proved invaluable in high pressure situations. After becoming a certified paramedic in 2020, Zachary's skill set further elevated the care provided to patients, earning him multiple life saving awards. His passion for mentorship led him to become a preceptor in 2023, training and guiding the next generation of EMS professionals. Zachary also joined the tactical emergency medical support team in 2022 and was honored with the Thames Medic of the Year Award in 2023. His ongoing commitment to excellence, compassion, and leadership has made him a last has made a lasting impact on his colleagues as well as the community.

Congratulations to firefighter medic Zachary Klein.

Congratulations. Well done.

Next, firefighter Mike Harrod is the recipient of the career firefighter of the year award. Assigned as the equipment technician at the Fire Rescue Training Academy since November 2023, Mike excels in maintaining and repairing apparatus, building training props, and assisting with specialized projects. His role requires a broad skill set, including carpentry, auto mechanics, and heavy machinery operations, which he applies daily. Mike consistently works independently, projects without direct supervision and always completing tasks on time, even going above and beyond regular work hours to do so. His contribution also extends to the National Fallen Firefighters Weekend in Emmitsburg, where he received widespread appreciation for his support.

Beyond his technical skills, Mike actively promotes fitness, offering guidance and motivation to his peers. His dedication, leadership and positive attitude make him an invaluable member of the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services. Congratulations to firefighter three, Mike Herron. Firefighter Nicole Taylor is honored as the probationary fiery fire firefighter of the year. Since joining the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services, Nicole Taylor has excelled in every aspect of her role.

As a recruit, she was named class val Victorian. Throughout her probationary period, she consistently showed initiative by arriving ninety minutes early for her shifts and completing her probationary manual ahead of schedule. Her EMS documentation has received high praise for its detail and clarity, setting the standard for others. Notably, firefighter Taylor has played a pivotal role in saving the life an elderly woman who suffered sudden cardiac arrest, and her team's efforts earned a recognition of EMS excellence. She has also contributed to public education, recruitment, local youth outreach, exemplifying her commitment to both the department and the community.

Please congratulate firefighter one, Nicole Taylor.

Congratulations.

EMS lieutenant Gina Panarela is awarded the volunteer firefighter of the year. With over twenty years of dedication to the United Fire Company number three, Gina has taken on multiple key roles, including EMS coordinator, EMT preceptor, preceptor, and public event liaison. In her current role as EMS lieutenant, she mentors new members, maintains ambulance equipment and supplies, and ensures certification compliance. Gina also serves as a CPR and MFRI EMT instructor. In 2023, Gina coordinated 74 standby requests, ensuring EMS and fire prevention personnel were available for events such as those at Carole Creek, Frederick County High School sporting events, and the community Christmas Santa Run.

By October 2024, she had already arranged 62 standby requests, including coverage for the Frederick Keys at Nimmo Field for 80 games in 2023 and forty games in 2024. Gina's tireless dedication to supporting these community events showcases her commitment to keeping Frederick safe. She is also actively involved in several committees, including the Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association executive committee, operations, and EMS committees. Please join me in congratulating EMS lieutenant, Gina Panarela. Finally, the outstanding citizen award is given to Tracy King.

At 06:56AM on 10/19/2024, emergency responders were dispatched to a serious motor vehicle collision on Route 80 in Iamsville. The crash involved a head on collision between two vehicles, one of which caught fire upon impact. As first responders worked to assess the scene, they learned of a critical act of bravery that had already taken place. Tracy King, who had been traveling on Route 80 at the time, witnessed the accident and sprang into action. Seeing one of the vehicles engulfed in flames with an occupant trapped inside, she rushed towards the burning vehicle without hesitation.

Acting quickly, she pulled the victim from the wreckage and moved them to safety before emergency personnel arrived. The injured individual received immediate medical attention when and was airlifted to a trauma center for further care. Without Tracy's courage and decisive action, this situation could have ended in tragedy. Congratulations to Tracy King for her actions.

Wow.

I would now like to invite division of emergency management division director Tony Rosano and division of emergency communications director Phil Lambert to the stage. Our next three awards will be recognized in the department of emergency communication. While they make their way up here, I have to say that, you know, I've let's let that go first. That's more important.

The Frederick County Department of Emergency Communications is powered by a dedicated team of 111 full time professionals serving as the critical link between the public and first responders. In 2024, they handled four hundred forty three one hundred sixty three emergency and non emergency calls dispatching 372, two fifty five calls for service with an average nine one one call processing time of just two hundred thirteen seconds. Their team earned 15 EMS Excellence Awards for life saving cardiac arrest interventions in 2024. They replaced a 20 year old CAD system and deployed Convey nine eleven, a multilingual text translation platform improving accessibility for all. In addition to 21 new hires and seven promotions, the staff completed over two thousand five hundred hours of training.

They do a great job to answer the toughest calls on people's worst days every day. We they're often called the first first responders, we say that for a reason. We we promote that for a reason. They are the calm within the chaos. They do a great job in answering phone calls in in the worst scenarios during the worst incidents and exemplify our, one DEM mission.

From the outstanding telecommunicator to the leadership award to the to the outstanding shift, they all exemplify exactly what we want for our entire division, for our entire department of emergency communications, and really have shown an an inspiration to their peers, to their colleagues, and their stakeholders that they work with every day in the public safety world. We always want to amplify how how important it is to have good public safety relationships and and outreach to the community. And because we live here and we we work here and it's important to us us too that these are our neighbors and our family that we're supporting.

I was just gonna I was just gonna say what's really and I as I read through these, you know, these comments this week and practicing, it's it's just inspiring to me what all of you are doing, whether you're recognized here individually today or not. And I just thank you so very much. So let's start here. The telecommunicator of the year award is given to emergency communications specialist three, Maggie Walters. From the moment Maggie Walters joined Frederick County Emergency Communications, she has been a pillar of professionalism and dedication.

In 2024, she achieved a major career milestone by completing her fire radio training and earning her promotion in emergency communications to emergency communications specialist three. Now certified in call taking, police radio, and and fire radio, Maggie has proven herself to be an indispensable asset to the team. She is known for her calm and steady demeanor. She provides reassurance to both citizens in distress and first responders in the field. Many deputies and officers have shared that hearing her voice on the radio brings them a sense of calm even in the most chaotic moments.

Her colleagues affectionately call her crash or the black cloud due to the high intensity calls that seem to follow her shifts. But she handles every situation with poise and professionalism. Recently, Maggie also became the certified communications training officer, playing a vital role in shaping the next generation of emergency dispatchers. Congratulations, emergency communications specialist three, Maggie Walters. The leadership award for emergency communications is given to manager Thomas Ward.

Since joining Frederick County Emergency Communications in 2016, Thomas Ward has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence in leadership. Rising through the ranks from recruit to manager, he has mastered call taking, fire dispatch, and police dispatch, all while mentoring countless specialists as an instructor and communications training officer. In his supervisory role, Thomas managed several high profile incidents, including an officer involved shooting, a psychiatric crisis standout standoff, and a tragic firefighter line of duty death. His dedication extends beyond emergency operations. He played a crucial role in implementing the motor role of p one CAD system and led efforts to bring awareness to PTSD and public safety through the documentary PTSD nine eleven.

Thomas spearheaded initiatives such as department social media outreach, public surface announcements, and hiring events. He successfully implemented the employee of the quarter program, recognizing outstanding team members. His leadership also extends nationally as the second vice president of the Mideastern Association of Public Safety Communications Officials, where he co chairs the twenty twenty five national conference. A dedicated public safety advocate, Thomas also serves as a part time dispatcher at Mount Saint Mary's University and volunteers with the Vigilant Hose Company where he previously held the role of president. Congratulations, manager, Thomas Ward.

Congratulations. The Meritorious Award is given to emergency communications teams c and e. On 12/04/2024, probationary ECS one, Sydney Smith, took a call from a father reporting his son's suicidal threats, including plans to jump from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. With real time updates from the family, ECS two, Caitlin Byrne, ECS three, Morgan Mackenzie, ECS three, Joseph Lease, and ECS four, Mark Johnson, coordinated efforts across agencies, including Maryland State Police, Anne Arundel County, and Queen Anne's County. A cell phone ping confirmed the subject had stopped stopped on the bridge before continuing eastbound at Maryland Route 50 and Maryland Route 301, still threatening suicide.

As he neared the Maryland Delaware state line, dispatchers relayed critical location updates that allowed Maryland state police troopers to intervene. When the subject turned back towards the bridge, troopers stopped his vehicle near Sutlersville, Maryland preventing a tragedy. Throughout the incident, ECM Caitlin Kah provided leadership, managing dispatch operations while training a new dispatcher. The seamless communication and quick action of the entire team ensured the individual was safely taken into custody and received necessary care. Congratulations to emergency communications specialist one, Sydney Smith specialist two, Caitlin Byrne specialist three, Joseph Lease specialist three, Morgan Mackenzie specialist four, Mark Johnson, and manager, Caitlin Call.

Congratulations. Congratulations. I

would now like to invite Frederick County Animal Control Deputy Director Willie Walton and Sergeant Maggie Hill to the stage. Our next award will be for Frederick County Animal Control.

At Frederick County Animal Control, there are 34 dedicated staff members work every day to protect animals and serve the community. In 2024, they responded to 8,439 calls for service with 2,614 being critical incidents. Big changes are coming at animal control. Construction begins in March 2025 to expand and renovate their facility on Rosemont Avenue, improving care for animals in need. Animal control is active in the community, hosting 180 humane education events, 18 volunteer trainings, and 55 adoption and microchip events.

Since July, they have welcomed three new animal control officers. And in 2025, they are launching humane outreach calls, helping pet owners provide responsible care over and above what is required by local ordinances and state laws.

I'd like to thank our division as a whole. Our team does a fantastic job working together towards our goals and our mission. Every day we're faced with difficult decisions. A

lot

of things happen in quickly in real time, so we don't often have time to get around and discuss things before we make a decision or act. So they've gotta rely on their training and their skills and their knowledge. It's very important that we do things appropriately, do things the right way, that come out with positive outcomes. So we put a lot of effort into that training and that education with our staff, and we want the public to know that. The community can support us by getting to know us, you know, not being afraid to have a conversation with us when we're out in the field and we have time to stop and talk for a minute.

The more they know about us and the more we know about them, the better relationship we can have. Open ongoing communication is a very effective tool to increase people's education. This event showcases our first responders who deserve the recognition, who put in the time and the effort and do things every day to help our community. So this little bit of gratitude that that we can express to them, it's not enough. I wish we could do more, but it's well deserved.

Okay. The first honoree, the officer of the year award for animal control is awarded to animal control officer Emily Fry. On 02/06/2024 at 03:13AM, officer Fry responded to assist Maryland state police with an animal welfare emergency on Jefferson Pike in Knoxville. She discovered 22 small breed dogs living in severe hoarding conditions, surrounded by filth and lacking proper care. Some were unweaned puppies, while others had untreated medical issues, making containment extremely difficult.

Despite the unsanitary conditions, officer Fry worked tirelessly with Maryland State Police troopers to safely secure all the animals. After hours on the scene, she returned to the shelter covered in urine and feces with some of her equipment so soiled it had to be discarded. She remained on duty to complete case documentation, leading to 44 misdemeanor charges against two residents. Both were convicted and all 22 dogs received veterinary care and were adopted into loving homes. Congratulations, animal control officer Emily Fry.

I would now like to invite Sheriff Chuck Jenkins to join me on the stage.

At the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, their 188 dedicated personnel responded to 136620 calls for service in 2024 with an average emergency response time of nine minutes and thirty one seconds. They recently launched their drone program that will enhance search and rescue operations, event security, and emergency response. Faster and more cost effective than helicopters, drones allow them to allocate resources to community outreach and officer training. The sheriff's Office attended 74 community events, hosted their annual Student Resource Officer Night, and welcomed residents to our Frederick County Sheriff's Office Open House, offering hands on demonstrations and behind the scenes access at the Law Enforcement Center. The school resource officer program has 15 assigned personnel that support all FCPS high school, middle, and elementary schools that fall outside of the municipalities that employ their own police departments.

In 2024, they welcomed 18 new hires and saw 13 new retirements.

The Frederick County Sheriff's Office is a full service traditional sheriff's office responsible for primary law enforcement in Frederick County, operations of the detention center, and judicial security at the courthouse and civil process service. What makes this group stand out is the fact they are just so dedicated to what they do every single day. They're they're committed. They're dedicated. They come to work work every day and do a job that sometimes is little bit dangerous, sometimes it can be pretty trying and exhausting, but they're committed to the job they've taken on.

And again, they came on as young people and they're doing a great job for us. As a group, they embody the mission and and goals and efforts of the sheriff's office because of the way they do their jobs every day. Again, you get in the car every morning, you come to work, you put the uniform on, you wanna serve the public. We respect the public, the place we live and work here in Frederick County. It's a great county, great community, and they simply embody everything that we stand for as law enforcement, the integrity of the individual, of the agency, and we get that respect back from the public.

We live in a very unique county, and I think the citizens of Frederick County show the respect and the appreciation every single day. They're not they're not shy about how they express that. I know that every day the men and women of my agency, they tell me about the experiences with the public that they wanna buy their lunch, they wanna buy a cup of coffee. Again, go back to the letters and emails that I receive every single day, but there's a unique sense of appreciation by the public in this county for not only the sheriff's office, but all public safety. I appreciate this opportunity for the chamber of commerce to recognize the men and women of the sheriff's office and what we do every day, what the men and women do every day to basically uphold the law and protect this community.

Our first

honoree, the life saving award is given to Deputy First Class Cassie Boettcher. And I'll just say, you never have to hold your applause, not in this section. Okay? On 08/24/2024, at approximately 06:30AM, deputy first class Betcher noticed flames at the front of her residence on Route 40 during her routine patrol. Upon returning to the scene, she found a deck on fire with flames spreading to the house.

Cassie used her fire extinguisher to control the flames and immediately attempted to contact the homeowners. She successfully woke the sleeping residents, including several adults and children, and assisted in evacuating them. She then relayed critical information to emergency communications for appropriate fire response. Thanks to Cassie's quick thinking and actions, the fire was contained, and the lives of the family members were saved. Her response likely prevented serious injury or possibly death. Congratulations, deputy first class Cassie Betcher.

Congratulations.

Distinguished service award is given to detective Bryce Maguire. Detective Maguire has been integral to the success of the criminal investigation section fugitive unit. This unit's primary responsibility is the apprehension of violent and repeat offenders as well as handling the extradition of prisoners to Frederick County. The unit contributed to over 400 arrests and 300 extraditions in 2024. Detective Maguire participated in 33 US marshal operations, apprehending violent offenders wanted for crimes including murder, felony assault, and illegal firearms possession.

On 01/07/2024, he assisted in the swift apprehension of a murder suspect in Howard County, recovering critical evidence that was important to the case. From January to March, he worked tirelessly on a homicide investigation in Walkersville, which led to the successful apprehension of suspects in Baltimore City. In August 2024, Maguire traveled to Miami to to, to gather excuse me. Traveled to Miami to gather evidence in a double murder case, which resulted in the suspect's arrest and extradition to Frederick County. Detective McGuire's expertise, dedication, and leadership has been crucial to the agency's success in 2024.

Congratulations, detective Bryce McGuire.

Congratulations. Well done.

Next, the sheriff's office officer of the year is sergeant Nathan Rector. Sergeant Nathan Rector has consistently exceeded expectations in his role as supervisor of the traffic unit, managing responsibilities such as overseeing the tow oversight committee, vehicle storage, radar calibrations, and the intoximeter program. Nathan has made over 900 traffic stops, responded to 100 plus vehicle collisions, and made 34 arrests. His leadership secured a grant to combat intoxicated, aggressive, and distracted driving, enhancing proactive enforcement. As vice chair of the Maryland Crash Reconstruction Committee, he helps organize training for law enforcement across multiple states.

Nathan played a key role in transitioning the agency to new systems, including p one in Central Square and even developed module. He also led the newly established patrol operations drone team. His work in the drone program has been instrumental as he helped establish protocols for drone drone deployment during critical incidents, including a high profile barricade situation where his actions ensure the safety of deputies and civilians. Please join me in congratulating sergeant Nathan Rector. Next, the civilian employee of the year for the sheriff's office is technology manager, Vaughan.

Havana played a pivotal role in the successful transition to the new Motorola p one CAD system on 04/23/2024. He spent countless hours updating MTDs, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring smooth system functionality. Han's expertise in coding minimized system disruptions and allowed for a seamless transition to the new system. He adjusted his schedule, working fourteen hour days to support patrol teams during shift to the new system. Was also key in the development and implementation of the new records management software, Central Square, and assisted Brunswick and the thermal police departments with their transition.

Dedicated hundreds of hours verifying system functionalities, creating solutions for the civil process department's needs. Additionally, Han was an integral in the acquisition and setup of new computers for the agency. His dedication, expertise, and professionalism has been invaluable to the sheriff's office IT department. Congratulations technology manager, Haavon. And I'm sorry to say that he could not be with us this morning.

When you see him, please congratulate him. As I like to say, technology is great, especially when it works. Next up, the criminal investigation section of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office is awarded this year's unit achievement award. The criminal investigation section composed of over 26 officers. They investigated 1,133 cases last year, including three homicides with suspects located and arrested across state lines.

The fugitive unit apprehended over 400 wanted subjects and completed more than 30 extraditions. The Internet crimes against children unit acted on 280 tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, successfully arresting several offenders including involved in child pornography. The sex offender unit ensured compliance for over 260 offenders, thus aiding in community safety. Despite a high caseload, detectives balanced complex investigations with victim support. The detectives' ability to handle sensitive cases cases with professionalism and empathy has made a direct impact on families and the county.

Their efforts have ensured that justice was served and that Frederick County remains safer. Please join me in congratulating all the members of the criminal investigations section. I'd now like to invite lieutenant Steven Johnson to join me on stage. Our next three awards will recognize the Frederick Barracks of the Maryland State Police.

The Maryland State Police Frederick Barrack is committed to serving and protecting our community with 50 dedicated sworn and civilian personnel. In 2024, their team responded to 27,118 calls for service. They introduced the new 2026 model Ford Explorers featuring a modernized paint scheme and internal light bars as well as newly issued tasers for enhanced safety. In July, they hosted their fifth annual leadership and career development seminar and in May, 33 recruits graduated from the MSP Academy. 48 recruits are on track to graduate in August 2025.

The community can foster open communication. Please come out to one of our events. We have national night out. We have an open house. Shop with a cop. Fish with a cop. Come out, get to know your local officers that are that are patrolling your communities and your neighborhoods. Our core values in the Maryland State Police are integrity, fairness, and service. Each one of these award recipients represent those three core values significantly within the department. These award winners stand out because of their exceptional dedication, professionalism, and their ability to go above and beyond within their community and with their peers.

They foster trust. They embody our core values, and they set a high set of standards for their peers every day they come to work. They're they're three fantastic individuals, and I'm very proud to work with them. This is a very humbling and rewarding experience. Each one of my troopers at the Barrick has done a phenomenal job, but these three stand out, and I'm very happy to see them recognized for their accomplishments. It means a lot to me.

Okay. First up, the distinguished service award this year is given to senior trooper Douglas Hopkins. Senior trooper Hopkins is recognized for his swift and decisive actions that led to the safe recovery of a kidnapped child. On the night of 09/19/2024, he responded to a call for assistance regarding a stolen vehicle with a baby inside. Using his knowledge of the area, he located the suspect's gray Hyundai Elantra traveling east on Interstate 70 near Mount Airy.

After confirming the vehicle's identity, senior trooper Hopkins conducted a traffic stop. He detained the male subject and found the child unharmed inside the car. Investigators later determined the suspect was heading to Baltimore. No doubt for illicit activity. Our thanks to senior trooper Hopkins' quick thinking and bravery. The child was safely reunited with his mother at the scene. Congratulations, senior trooper Douglas Hopkins.

Well done.

The leadership award is given this year to trooper first class Gabriel Berger. Selected by the Frederick Barrett command to lead a special enforcement team, Gabriel has demonstrated unmatched initiative and effectiveness. In February, during a traffic stop on Biggs Ford Road, Gabriel observed signs of criminal activity leading to a canine scan and subsequent search. With the when the suspect fled on foot across Route 15, Gabriel pursued and tackled him, securing an arrest. His work led to the suspect becoming a confidential informant, aiding ongoing investigations.

In June, he stopped a vehicle on Route 75 and identified the driver as a wanted suspect for armed robbery and first degree assault, a search revealed a loaded unregistered firearm linked to a crime in Baltimore City. Gabriel also leads the Frederick Barrack in traffic stops, citations, adult arrests, warrant arrests, and drug arrests. Congratulations to trooper first class, Gabriel Berger.

Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you.

Next, the officer of the year for the Maryland State Police is trooper first class Albert Kiptoe. Albert exemplifies dedication, professionalism, and compassion in every aspect of his service. Fluent in four languages and with a background spanning three continents, he brings a unique perspective to the Maryland state police. In May, he conducted a traffic stop on I 70, providing crucial details that helped Baltimore police link a passenger to an active homicide investigation. In October, he deescalated a crisis on I 70, convincing a suicidal individual to voluntarily seek medical help.

With over 720 traffic stops, 12 DUI arrests, and leadership in crash investigations, he is a top performer at the Frederick Barrack. Beyond enforcement, he actively engages with the community through the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Please join me in congratulating trooper first class Albert Kittel.

Congratulations. Thank you. You. I

would now like to invite Mount Airy police chief Mike Ginerva and deputy chief Brian Hopkins to the stage.

At the Mount Airy Police Department, 10 officers and two civilian staff worked tirelessly to keep their town safe. In 2024, they responded to 6,944 calls for service arriving in just three point seven four minutes on average. This year the department added six new patrol vehicles and expanded training with six twenty five total hours in de escalation, firearms and emergency response. Mount Airy officers are in the community, leading the Safe Teen Driving Event, Business and Bank Patrol Initiative, and more than a dozen outreach events. In 2024, they welcomed two new lateral officers, promoted a corporal to sergeant, gave 929 citations, and made 256 total arrests, including 23 DWI's.

The community here in town of Mount Airy is very supportive since 2017 when I started within the Mount Airy Police Department. They are quite dedicated to their having their own police force from simple waves to Facebook post to letters from kids from people coming to the station just saying hi. The award recipients for this year from the Malawi Police Department are dedicated serving their community with honor, dignity, integrity, and professionalism. The impact that they have on the community, it motivates, generates that one on one being a small police department and a small community, but yet being one as a whole. The impact that it has on its colleagues is it boosts morale.

Having our own culture within our, police force, it definitely does help, when these recipients are acknowledged for the hard work that they are committed to. When somebody is acknowledged for something, I mean, again, it's a great benefit. It boosts morale, and it shows that it's a self growth. And not only that, the professionalism that's behind it, it shows that that leadership behind it from each phase. So, that dedication, is outstanding.

K. The officer of the year for the Mount Airy Police Department is patrolman first class Gregory Gephart. Gregory Gephart's investigative skills and commitment to public safety has led to major criminal breakthroughs. In May, investigated a fraudulent purchase attempt of over $6,000 worth of meat from Wagner's Meats. Signing setting up a sting operation, he arrested two suspects from New York City, later uncovering their involvement in a multistate fraud ring responsible for over $200,000 in stolen goods.

This led to a federal investigation with homeland's Homeland Security and other agencies. In September, a father reported his juvenile daughter had met with an older man. Despite a language barrier, Gregory's investigation uncovered explicit images and potential human trafficking. He coordinated with the Frederick County Sheriff's Office and Child Advocacy Center ensuring the case remained active. With 86 arrests, including seven DWIs and 699 traffic violations issued, Gregory's relentless pursuit of justice has significantly enhanced the safety of Mount Airy.

Congratulations to deputy first class Gregory Gephardt. Let's go from this side of the county to the West side of the county. I'd like to invite Brunswick police chief Kevin Grunwell to join me on stage.

At the Brunswick Police Department, their 18 sworn officers and two civilian staff responded to 10,538 calls for service in 2024 with an average emergency response time of four minutes and forty four seconds. This year, they launched a new wellness program to support our officers' mental and physical health. BPD is deeply involved in the community participating in events like Spring Fest, Railroad Days, Shop With A Cop, Canoe With A Cop, and Trunk or Treat. They also host National Night Out, Faith In Blue, and K-nine demonstrations in partnership with the Brunswick Library. In 2024, they welcomed three new hires with one officer currently in the academy.

Their team completed over six hundred hours of training including public safety leadership courses, and they hosted a homicide investigation school.

So this year, our award winner is a detective with our criminal investigation division. He's been in law enforcement for thirty five plus years, but in 2024, Brunswick had its first homicide in almost a decade. And in years past, when we've had a cause like this, we've always relied on the sheriff's office or Maryland State Police or somebody else to handle the call. With the detective, we were confident that he could handle it with the assistance of the other agencies. So we handled it.

We definitely relied on the Frederick City Police and the Frederick County Sheriff's Office with their assistance. We were able to make an arrest within a couple months. Throughout the year, he also was working on a case. We had an armed robbery in 2022. He was finishing up that investigation, and that also led to a successful prosecution. He's just a very in-depth investigator. He does a great job. He he takes things personally in a good way. He's also a member of our honor guard, so he does a lot of work outside of criminal investigations. When we have events down here, he's always involved with those. He's just an all around great asset to the Brunswick Police Department.

So as you heard, the officer of the year for the Brunswick Police Department is detective Gary Klein. Promoted to detective corporal in early twenty twenty four, Gary played a pivotal role in training a new investigator while leading critical cases. Just weeks into his promotion, Brunswick experienced his first homicide in nearly a decade, a case that deeply shook the community. Despite the department's limited resources, Gary took the lead, working tirelessly for months to identify and eventually charge the suspect. The case presented unique challenges as there was no prior connection between the victim and the suspect, making it more complex to solve.

While mentoring his new investigator, he meticulously gathered evidence, authored court documents, and conducted key interviews. In addition to the homicide, Gary resolved an armed robbery case, tracked down a missing person in danger, and secured the arrest of a stabbing suspect for attempted murder. He also supported fellow officers with search warrants, patrol duties, and crime scene evidence collection. Additionally, he serves on the Brunswick Police Department honor guard and is a firearms instructor. Please join me in congratulating detective corporal Gary Klein.

Okay.

We're gonna come to the middle of the county. We're coming to Frederick. So I'd like to invite Frederick police chief Jason Lando and mayor Michael O'Connor to the stage.

At the Frederick Police Department, 146 Warren police officers and 56 civilian employees serve and protect the city of Frederick. In 2024, the agency responded to 83,262 calls for service with their average response time to high priority calls being four minutes thirty seven seconds. The department continually works to strengthen relationships with city residents with the use of community initiatives and outreach events. In 2024, there were 14 new hires, three promotions, and four retirements. Officers continue to train and gain certifications throughout the year so they can best serve the public.

These are individuals that didn't just do one remarkable thing. But as I looked at the list, they are a group of folks that go above and beyond every single day in the way they protect and serve and the way they take care of this community. For me, one of the things is how they always put other people first. It's, it's just truly remarkable to see, like, the hours they put in, the time away from their families, the things that they've done throughout the year where, they they really do just, constantly put other people before themselves, and it's reflected in their work. They are the reason why the Frederick community loves its police department.

This is not something that you see all over the country. I I often, talk about or tell officers, especially when I was brand new here, when people ask, you know, what are what are your expectations? I said, I just expect that you are going to treat public the way that you would want your own family member treated in that situation. And these guys and ladies, that are being recognized today really take that to heart. The way they conduct themselves every day, the way they take care of this community is truly remarkable, and they are the reason why the Frederick community loves its police department.

Alright.

Boy, I I think this is the whole Frederick Police Department here. Maybe I should turn this way. You think? Okay. I love the I love the whoop whoops. Okay. First up, the distinguished service award is given to detective David Duiz.

There we go.

David Duiz was exceptional in his work in investigating a child exploitation case in 2024. He was assigned a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Detective Duiz traced the tip back to an address Frederick and conducted a crucial interview with a male resident who was a substitute teacher with Frederick County Public Schools. During the interview, the suspect admitted to viewing child sexual abuse material, which led to the seizure of electronics and the discovery of numerous materials. Detective DeWise then executed a search warrant, leading to the male's arrest on 11 counts of possession of child pornography.

Further forensic examination of the seized devices revealed additional material resulting in 24 counts against the suspect. When parents of students expressed concern, detective Dewey's coordinated child forensic interviews. His dedication assured no further victims were identified, and the suspect was removed from his position in the school system. Congratulations, detective David DeWise. And, unfortunately, detective Duiz cannot be with us this morning.

Please congratulate him when you see him. The officer of the year award is given to officer first class, Nicholas Aylward. Officer Nicholas Elward is a well rounded officer who seamlessly balances his duties in patrol work, training, community involvement. As patrol officer in squad b, he ensures the safety and security of the community while volunteering extensive hours to assist with defensive tactics training for the department. Beyond training, officer Alward is also Alward, excuse me, is also a member of the special response team, attending regular training sessions and responding to critical situations even on his days off.

His dedication to community engagement is reflected in his role as for the Asian American Center of Frederick, where he regularly participates in meeting and addresses community concerns. Officer Elward, ability to manage multiple responsibilities while also was also demonstrated in several high stakes incidents incidents last year. In October, he responded to a shooting, apprehended a suspect, and rendered care to the victim, earning a brown star for his actions. In November, he responded to a sue a suicidal individual where he showed remarkable compassion and communication skills while trying to prevent the tragic outcome. Officer Alward was an has an exceptional ability to serve his department and community in multiple capacities, always prioritizing safety, skill development, and fostering positive relationships.

Congratulations, officer first class, Nicholas Elward.

Congratulations. Well done. Okay.

The civilian employee of the year award is given to assistant communications supervisor Samantha Green.

You

have

your own cheering section. With six years of service, Samantha consistently exceeds expectations in her role as assistant communications supervisor. Not only does she manage her responsibilities, but she also actively works on the floor, ensuring the workload is evenly distributed among her team. Samantha has been instrumental in training new emergency communications specialists, helping to bring the staffing level to completion with multiple back to back trainees this year. She led the revamping of the C STEP program, transitioning it to a digital platform by tackling complex issues and streamlining tasks, all while balancing her regular duties.

Samantha had also assisted in the rollout of a new records management system by creating reference PowerPoints for the communications section. Her adaptability and high work ethic, especially during times of change, make her an invaluable member to the department. Congratulations, assistant communications specialist Samantha Green.

Congratulations.

The Outstanding Telecommunicator of the Year is awarded to emergency communications specialist, Serena Bowers. Serena Bowers has excelled in both operational and administrative roles during her six years with the agency. In October, when shots were fired in downtown Frederick, Serena, as primary on the radio, coordinated the response, directing units to the scene, staging EMS, and tracking the locations of officers, victims, and the suspect. Her calm and efficient management of radio communications helped resolve the situation with their suspect in custody and victims transported to the hospital. A month later, during a standoff with a suicidal subject, Serena ensured officers' needs were met, including staging EMS and coordinating with specialized police teams.

Beyond her operational duties, Serena maintains the department's compliance with state audit guidelines, performing quality assurance checks and volunteering for audits. Serena also excels as a trainer, mentoring many new emergency communication specialists throughout the year and through their first three hundred hours of training and also assists fellow trainers with scenario based training. Congratulations to emergency communication specialist, Serena Bowers. And unfortunately, Serena could also not be here today. I think she's working.

No. I'm just kidding. I hope she's someplace warm. So here we go. Our final award of the morning.

And it is to it is the unit achievement award given to the City Tactical Investigation Unit. The city tactical investigation unit consisting of eight dedicated members is being recognized for their exceptional work in 2024. The team arrested seven individuals for firearms violations and seized 15 firearms. Additionally, the unit made significant drug seizures, including 2,300 grams of cocaine, 1,900 grams of fentanyl, 1,800 grams of methamphetamine, 4,200 grams of marijuana and various prescription pills. The unit's efforts led to the dismantling of five drug trafficking organizations, including one responsible for trafficking cocaine and fentanyl across state lines.

The unit also seized a $170,000 in currency and made a total of 59 arrests. Their tireless work continues to make Frederick City and county safer, and each member on the team plays a critical role in these impactful investigations. Please join me in congratulating the city tactical investigation unit. Would everyone please join me one more time in congratulating all of our honorees this morning, please? This is wonderful.

And before I turn the program back over to, Rick Weldon, my dear friend, I do wanna recognize that you see some very nice flowers on the table, and these were, courtesy of a bloom floor flowers. And they would like someone to take the arrangement home. So if there's one on the table

Fight amongst yourselves.

Fight among yourselves. Exactly. Well, please bring those home. And thank you so much for your attention this morning, and thank you all. In our community, which is a special community, public safety, all of you here, you are the foundation of our community. And as a resident of twenty five years, I cannot thank you enough for the work you do and all of your colleagues do. Have a wonderful day.

I know some of the people that came up here this morning being up on a stage, being given a recognition in front of a lot of people is like the last thing in the world they wanna do. Imagine being Steve Hine and having to read about 40 pages, two sided, double spaced all morning. Thank you very much, Steve. You did a fantastic job. Thank you to our elected officials, county executive Fitzwater, mayor O'Connor, our city council members, and town council members.

Thank you very much for being here. I wanna congratulate all of the awardees again. The work you do is incredibly inspiring. We would not be who we are. We would not celebrate what we have were it not for you.

I'd like to thank all of our sponsors, but particularly the Clarion Inn, Audio Video Group, and FCGTV for doing another incredible outstanding job. Thank you. And how about the families? Those of you that are here supporting an awardee, our debt of gratitude cannot be repaid to you for the sacrifices that you made. And finally, last but not least, I want to personally thank everyone in this room who does this work, sworn or not, every day, seven days a week, twenty four hours a day, appreciation from the bottom of our heart, and we look forward.

Next year, we'll be back here because I think we're going for 500 next year. So congratulations. Have a great day. Be safe out there. See you next year.

Hello, and welcome to Pet Pals. I'm Bethany Davidson, the humane educator here at Frederick County Animal Control and Pet Adoption Center. We're gonna introduce you to just a handful of our adoptable pets in this episode. Our first feline guest for you today is Raven, and honestly, he is one of my favorites. This guy is super confident, very affectionate. He's just a joy to hang out with. And, unfortunately, this is his second stay here with us back in 2021. Raven was adopted by his family from us as a kitten, but a new baby in with an allergy led to him making his way back here for a second time as a three year old cat. He is a very large guy. That's one of the first things you'll notice about him.

He weighs about twenty pounds. Right now, he's being a bit of a picky eater, so he's put himself on a bit of a self imposed diet, but that is something that we would recommend for an adopter to keep him on a diet, get him down to his ideal weight. Obviously, consulting your vet, making sure you're doing that in a very safe way. But otherwise, he's in great health and, you know, his personality is really what what draws most people to him. He is incredibly affectionate and confident, comes right up and greets visitors, wants to be petted, initiates petting, wants to sit next to you if you're sitting on the floor, will kinda follow you around seeking out that attention.

He's done, you know, really well playing. Sometimes he can be a bit of a lazy player, but he really comes alive when you get out his favorite toy, which is those little crinkle balls. He loves to smack them and chew on them and carry them around. He's, you know, just so many wonderful qualities. He did come from a home where he previously lived with another cat who also made her way back here to us, but is already adopted.

When we tried to put them back together in the kitty cabana, there was a little bit of disagreement. So while he lived, you know, happily with another cat, he does seem to be pretty content living on his own. So if you wanted to reintegrate him into a multi cat household, we definitely recommend doing that nice and slow, keeping them isolated with those slow introductions at first, and really taking the time to make sure that that's a smooth transition and making sure that your home is big enough to give them space where they can be by themselves because it sounds and seems like Raven does enjoy that ability to kinda go off by himself a little bit. He's a fantastic guy. And if you think that he's gonna be a great fit for your household, you're gonna wanna go to visit fcac.as.me to book that appointment to meet him and start that adoption process.

Our next cat is also unfortunately a return to shelter. This is Sawyer, and he too was adopted as, you know, a kitten from us and unfortunately has found his way back here again. We want people to know we are committed to the animals we adopt out for their life. And if you're unable to keep them and unable to suitably rehome them on your own, we are definitely committed to taking those guys back and and helping to find them, you know, their next chapter and their next home. Sawyer's about six years old now, and he is slowly coming into his own here.

We noticed right away that he had some dental issues. And when your teeth hurt, it can make you a little bit cranky. And so initially, he would kind of be a little apprehensive about, you know, engaging with people. But then he would be like, oh, yeah. I do really like attention and start coming forward and initiating those petting sessions and things like that. But, thankfully, because of our sister nonprofit focus, they paid for him to have his dental. So he's had his teeth cleaned. Anything that was, you know, painful and bothering him has been removed, and he's not gonna have to worry that. So we're hoping to see him become, you know, more playful and more friendly, more overtly outgoing as, you know, he continues to feel better. You know, he has had that dental, but that doesn't mean that as he continues to age, he might, you know, need another one.

Those are things that kind of come up, but he seems very interested in being petted, does like, you know, the attention, but does have some some little grumbles here and there. But there's nothing wrong with that. You know, he has his own unique little personality. And, again, you know, now that he's feeling better, we're hoping that we can really see him blossom and shine. And it's stressful here in the shelter, so we know that not only will he continue to kinda grow and blossom here, but once he gets into that home environment, you're really gonna see those changes and that level of comfort.

So we hope that we can get him into that situation soon. And because he is over the age of five, he does get that great senior discount too. So, you know, whether you're adopting him during a promo time or just a normal adoption time, he will go home for at least a $20 discount. And if you wanna take the time to come and meet him and see if he's gonna be a good fit for your family, you can start that process by going to visit fcac.as.me. It's not quite kitten season yet, so we don't have a ton of super young cats looking for forever homes.

But we do have some slightly older kittens, and Timothy is one of those. He's about eight months old, and he is one of our shy guys. Not necessarily a frayed cat, but not necessarily super outgoing either. He kinda likes to hang out in the back of his cage. He does the the slow blinking thing. He enjoys attention and affection. He's just kind of a little bit unsure of his new situation in the world right now. So a nice patient family who's gonna give him that time to kind of come into his own, not force him to be out and about, but kinda let him stay in places where he feels safe and then kind of coming to him and giving him that attention. Because while he's not necessarily coming to the front of his cage, the staff and volunteers, once they reach their hands in and start petting him, he's doing all of the, like, rotating his head saying, like, yeah. Pet me there.

I really like that. So he definitely enjoys that. You know? He has a curious side, a playful side like most cats of his age, but he just needs some time to settle in. We wanna make sure that people are aware of that so that we're not setting them up for thinking they're gonna have some super confident young kitten rolling through their house.

So he might take some time, and we do recommend that you start out any new cat in an isolated room. So just a room where you can close the door so that it's a good transitional space for them. You know, they get used to having a little bit more space, but not an overwhelming amount of space, especially for cats that are a little bit shyer so that they're not trying to hide in places that might be unsafe for them or maybe spaces where you won't be able to find them and then, you know, you as a new cat owner would be anxious or nervous or upset or freaking out because you you can't find the cat because he's hidden himself so well. We don't really have any age restrictions or anything on him because while he's a little bit shy, he's not super scared. He's not freaking out.

He's just like any cat that would be in a new environment, just taking some time to take it all in. And if you think that you have a good home for a cat that's a little bit shyer, a place that he's gonna really be able to feel comfortable and grow, then you're gonna wanna go to visit fcac.as.me to book an appointment to meet with him and see if he is gonna be that perfect match for you. Our next guest is Star, and Star has spent most of her life kind of as an indoor, outdoor. The owner primarily said she would spend a lot of time outdoor, but she seems to be settling right into the indoor cat lifestyle here at the shelter. She is quite comfortable in her, you know, cage situation with her fluffy rugs and comfy beds, and this three year old cat just wants attention.

You know, she loves to be petted. She's rolling over. She's showing you her belly. She's engaging and and doing all of those, you know, different things to initiate petting, moving closer to you. The sweetest cat that's looking forward to that next stage in her life, unfortunately, her owner was moving and unable to take her along, and we have several cats from that area that unfortunately are, you know, coming in for that same reason.

And she is a cat that has lived with another cat before, so she is accustomed to that multi pet lifestyle. Her owner said that she had previously lived with a small dog without any issues, that she was a bit of a lab cat, playful, friendly, calm, you know, easy to handle. So she has a a lot of really great great qualities that she's also showing quite well here in the shelter, which definitely speaks to her temperament. Because if you're used to having the ability to go outside, oftentimes, those cats don't love that they're now confined to a smaller space, indoor space at that. So she's doing really, really well here.

She's very sweet. You may notice also that she is an ear tipped cat. That's a common thing for cats that have spent some time outside for barn cats, things like that, to tip that left ear so that from a distance, people can tell that they are animals that have already been altered, so spayed or neutered. So, you know, that's a great thing. So it's gonna be an easily identifiable mark if she were to get out.

And we also make sure all of those animals that are adopted from us, cats and dogs, are microchipped as well, which is gonna help make sure that if she did decide that she wanted to go out on a little outdoor adventure, she's gonna be able to more easily find her way back home to you. If you decide that you think your family is the one to put Star up in the indoor lap of luxury, you're gonna wanna go to visit f c a c dot a s dot m e to begin that process. Cats haven't been hanging out at the shelter for very long, but at just about a month into her stay, Marshmallow is kind of one of our longer residents at this point. And she's definitely a standout because while most of our cats fall in the domestic shorthair kind of breed mix, Marshmallow is a beautiful kind of flame point Siamese mix. She's about three years old and like a lot of of the cats that are kind of lingering a little bit on the shyer side.

So she's finally starting to kinda come into her own and be really comfortable in her environment, being a little bit more social, doing really well with the volunteers. You know, once she warms up, she does like to seek out affection and kind of be that little cuddly lab cat, but it does take her some time to trust the new people in her life. And that's how it would be if she were to go into a home as well. She needs some of that time to be able to acclimate and just and and learn that you're her family and you're safe for her. She was brought to us because she was found as a cat kind of living outside and somebody took her into their home for a period of time, but Marshmallow was not super excited about the existing cat in the home.

The information we kind of received was that the other cat wasn't necessarily super confident and Marshmallow was kind of chasing it and then the cat was hiding and the owner didn't think that was fair to his existing cat. So he brought Marshmallow here so that we could find her a more suitable home. We haven't necessarily marked her as a cat that needs to be the only cat in the house because, you know, it might be that she could get along with a more confident cat who wasn't gonna run off. From the information we received, it wasn't that she was chasing the other cat aggressively. It was just playing, taunting a little bit, but not an overtly aggressive type of behavior.

But the other cat just wasn't confident enough to say, hey. I don't really like that. Can we do something different? So we're trying not to limit her in that regard, but if you have cats that are more submissive and maybe might not handle that type of vibe with a new cat friend, then it might not be best to integrate Marshmallow into your house. But we don't wanna necessarily say that she can't live with cats either.

So that's something that you would have to to think about and think through. But she is very sweet. She's very beautiful, and we know that she's going to, like all of the other shy cats we've discussed on the show today, really blossom in that forever family where she's out of the stress of the shelter. If you want to see if possibly Marshmallow might be the missing link to your family, the last piece of that puzzle, you can make an appointment to visit with her by going to visit fcac.as.me. The final guest we have for you on this all cat show, a kind of a a rare thing, for the show of latest is all cats, is Ray.

And Ray, like a couple of our other guests, is a return to shelter. He's about nine months old at this point. And Ray was one of our fraydy cats when he was here originally. He wasn't necessarily acclimating super well when he went to his new home, but also he was having some medical issues, some urinary issues. So he was brought back here to us so that we could kind of help him get those medical issues sorted out. And what we found is that young Ray here requires a prescription diet. So he's on a urinary diet, and he's been eating that. He's been doing much better. He's been feeling better, able to go to the bathroom without any issues, without any pain. So it is important that he maintain proper veterinary care and that he stay on that prescription diet so that he doesn't have those issues in the future.

But in terms of, you know, his behavior, he's also doing incredibly well. We have a great group of dedicated volunteers who really work with our fraidy cats, and Ray has gone from consistently hiding in his bed all the time to coming out into the open, you know, watching, engaging, playing. He still kinda seeks refuge sometimes when he wants to take a nap or if he hears something that's a little bit scarier, he's unsure. He goes back into this, you know, little hiding spot, but, you know, he's quickly coming back out. He's definitely so much braver than when he was here originally, but still would do better in a home without any really small children.

Some kids that are gonna understand that he's shy and not necessarily have a ton of, you know, fast movements and things around him. Just a patient family that's gonna allow him to blossom the way that he has here in their home and and not really force the issue giving him the ability to hide coming to him because he does love to be petted and things like that. So kind of reaching into those little hiding spots is gonna work wonders for him, and I have no doubt that he will be successful as someone's pet, but, you know, still looking for the right family for him. And if you think that you are that right family, obviously, you're gonna wanna book that appointment to visit. We are in construction right now, but we are still adopting animals out.

We're still having people come in and meet them. So you can book your appointment by going to our visitation site, which is visitfcac.as.me. Thanks for watching. We hope you enjoyed meeting these amazing adoptable pets. Keep tuning in for more.

Good evening. Today is Tuesday, April 15, tax day. Yay. Let's go get your tax returns filed. We want to welcome you to our legislative day. We'll be taking public comment at the beginning of our meeting for a total of fifteen minutes. If we have more than that, you're welcome to give public comment at the end of the meeting. If you'd like to call in, you can call (855) 925-2801, intermediate code 800365. Press 3 to be put into a virtual line or 2 to leave a recorded message that will be transcribed and sent to the entire council. Please state your name and address for the record before giving public comment, and please silence all electronic devices as well.

As a reminder, our meetings are televised on Frederick County government channel nineteen, on our website, on the county's website, federacountymd.gov/fcgtv, and on our website, federacountymd.gov/councilmeetings. You may also listen to the meetings by calling that same number, (855) 925-2801 and entering meeting code 8365. And finally, you may always send comments to the entire council at councilmembersfrederickcountymd dot gov. That goes to the entire council. At this point, we're gonna start our meeting with a moment of silence.

Thank you. I'd like to ask those who can please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. For those that are listening, we'll establish quorum.

Council member Carter.

Here.

Council member Donald. Here. Council vice president Duckett.

Here.

Council member Keegan Air. Here. Council member Knapp. Here. Council member McKay. Here. And council president Young.

Here. All members of the council are present. At this point, I'll entertain a motion on the agenda. Council member Keegan Eyre.

I move to approve the agenda for Tuesday, 04/15/2025 as presented.

Second. A motion is second. Any discussion? Seeing none, you can call the roll.

Council member Carter. Aye. Council member Donald. Aye. Council vice president Duckett. Aye. Council member Keegan Air. Aye. Council member Knapp. Aye. Council member McKay.

Aye.

And Council President Young.

Aye. The agenda is approved unanimously. We will move on now to public comment. We have one person signed up, Mark Florimbio Florimbio.

Don't worry.

Floor MBO. I wanna make sure I get it right there. Mark, the floor is yours.

Mark Floor MBO. Walkersville, Maryland 8794, Darien Court. I want to speak briefly on something that has become very apparent to me, and that is the lack of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure in our county. Last week, a tragic accident happened in Walkersville where a mother and her two kids

were struck by a truck.

She was biking with them being on a wagon being towed. Every time I see these accidents in which children might are involved, my heart sinks because we are playing with their lives by not giving us giving them the proper infrastructure so that they can be safe on the road. The last time something like this happened or at least the last time I can recall, it was personal because it was in 2022, a 15 year old girl named named Nicole Moffesis was struck and killed by a tractor trailer. She was the sister of one of my best friends. And because of her death, he he pushed away from us, and we lost a good friend because he just split away.

Excuse me.

It's right.

We need to we need more bike infrastructure. We need more pedestrian infrastructure. We need stricter traffic laws because we are playing with children's lives. We're playing with people's lives. We need to ensure that actions like these do not happen because a mother, a father should never have to bury their children.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mark. Anyone else for public comment this evening? Seeing none in the room, are there any on the line?

There are not.

Then we will close public comment at this point, and we'll move on to our agenda. First up, we have approval of minutes council member Keegan Eyre.

I move to approve the minutes for 04/01/2025 as presented. Second.

Motion is second. Any discussion? Hearing none you can call the roll.

Councilmember Carter. Aye. Councilmember Donald.

Aye.

Council Vice President Duckett. Aye. Councilmember Keegan Aye. Councilmember Knapp. Aye. Councilmember McKay.

Aye.

And Council President Young.

Aye. The minutes were approved unanimously. We'll move on to budget adjustments. Councilmember Donald.

I move that we approve budget adjustments j twenty five two nine eight division of family services, j twenty five three hundred Frederick County State's Attorney's Office, J25302 Emergency Communications Division, J twenty five three zero three Emergency Communications Division, j '25 304 Housing Division, J25-three zero six, interagency information technologies, IIT division J25-three zero seven, housing division and number 5, board of education expense fund amendment.

Second.

A motion and a second. Any discussion or questions? Council member Keegan Ehrer.

I would just like to have a quick discussion if I could please of j twenty five three zero seven. It doesn't mean I'm not gonna vote for it, but I just wanted to have staff be able to explain. I got a call from a constituent asking about this particular one and so this is the budget adjustment dealing with taking money out of the housing initiative fund to do the housing repairs some of the affordable housing that the county owns in the county. And that is taking money that would normally be, it was money that was put in from the affordable housing payment in lieu of that the developers pay into when they are not building the affordable housing units. And so if I could just pull that briefly, I would appreciate it.

Fine. Mister Peterson, is there anybody from staff that is here that could address that?

I I had raised it, so he's prepared for this. Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Hope he got the short chair.

Thank you. For the record, John Peterson, Chief Administrative Officer. Hopefully this will be brief, but yes, we have advice from counsel that there there isn't this money is not limited to even though it's pill money is not limited, money going in the housing investment fund can be used for other purposes as long as it's housing related.

Okay. And I also spoke to legal because I was curious about the original, ordinance. And, legal, would you like to speak to why it can be used for other things?

Yes. Certainly. The payment in lieu option for moderately priced dwelling units just states that any payments that are received subject to that section of the code just have to be deposited into the county housing initiative fund and that is just a fund used to facilitate affordable housing. So there's a lot of items under that that can count as facilitating affordable housing.

Thank you. Thank you. Because the person who was wondering how we could use money that had been paid in supposedly to build additional affordable housing, but because of the way the original ordinance was written, it didn't stipulate that it could only be used for that. And because it goes into this fund, it then can be used for anything that's allowed under the the the fund the money in that fund. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Council member McKay. Hold on, mister Peterson.

Just as a a minor point with respect to the the accounting statement that accompanied this. I would have preferred seeing the two separate funding sources. The fund balance from the rehab loans and the pill money as you know those were explained separately. I don't know why they weren't shown separately in the revenue section of that sheet.

Noted. Thank you. Any

others?

Thank you.

Thank you, mister Peterson. You can call the roll.

Council member Carter.

Aye.

Council member Donald.

Aye.

Council vice president Duckett. Aye. Council member Keegan Air. Aye. Council member Knapp. Aye. Council member McKay. Aye. And council president Young.

Aye. That is unanimous. We'll move on to the proposed resolution petition for declaration of surplus for five thousand one hundred fifty three Intracoastal Court in Monrovia. With us this evening, we have Michelle Hernie, Chief Office of Real Estate Public Works Division Angela Nicole Silva, Facilities and Property Acquisitions Administrator Public Works Division and Jared Salveldson, Project Manager to Public Works Division if we have any additional questions. Anybody want to make a motion? Councilmember Carter?

Just to ensure that we're all up to date, there's been no more movement or communication with Costco since this last meeting?

I don't believe administration saying no. Councilmember Keegan Eyre.

Are you ready for a motion?

Yes.

I move to approve the resolution authorizing the county to dispose of the property situated at 5153 Intercoastal Court, Monrovia, Maryland, as described in the resolution.

Second.

We have motion to second.

If I may, can you just make it clear that that parcel is being declared as surplus? Surplus?

I said that, but, yes, it is being declared as the resolution declaring the property as surplus, and no longer needed for public use.

You still okay with the second?

I would totally withdraw my second. Second.

Okay. Any discussion or questions? Hearing none, you can call the roll.

Councilmember Carter. Aye. Councilmember Donald. Aye. Council Vice President Duckett. Aye. Councilmember Keegan Air. Aye. Councilmember Knapp. Aye. Councilmember McKay. Aye. Council And President Young.

Aye. That is unanimous. We'll move on then to the proposed resolution for support for JLG Industries MedDaft support. We have Beth Woodridge, Director of Finance Operations, Division of Economic Opportunity and Janice Spencer, Business Development Specialist, Division of Economic Opportunity. We've again, for the public, we already have had discussions on this. So these are not the first time, but we have folks here in case there are any additional questions. Do we have any questions or would somebody like to make a motion? Councilmember McKay.

I move that we approve the resolution of support for JLG Industries.

Second.

The motion is second. Any discussion? Hearing none, you can call the roll.

Councilmember Carter.

Aye.

Councilmember Donald.

Aye.

Councilmember Vice President Duckett. Aye. Councilmember Keegan Air. Aye. Councilmember Knapp. Aye. Councilmember McKay. Aye. And council president Young.

Aye. That is unanimous. Letter of support has passed. Next up, have the public hearing on the community development block grant CDBG COVID bound one CV one through six