Executive Summary
The Latest News from County Executive Jan Gardner
Located at 118 N. Market St., the building had been written off as surplus, one of a list of properties that the prior administration wanted to sell for a bargain price. I had a different idea. My vision was to turn the building into a cutting-edge innovation center, a place where new ideas and dreams can grow into new businesses and more jobs for the people who call Frederick County home.
ROOT is a unique ecosystem. It's a place where entrepreneurs can collaborate to foster the creation and expansion of businesses. Whether your company is a startup or a long-established business in Frederick County, ROOT is THE place to go to find the support you need. ROOT is a place where businesses can find support and can experience that special collaboration that we have in Frederick County.
We put all of our business partners under one roof at ROOT. The Frederick County Office of Economic Development and our federal, state and municipal partners are on the third floor. The Chamber of Commerce and our higher education partners, Hood College and CREST, are on the second floor. And our newest partner is a brand new technology-focused business incubator and accelerator operating under the Frederick Innovative Technology Center Inc., or FITCI, on the first floor.
Frederick County is truly leading the way with ROOT. We have created a unique collaboration and support system unlike any other to grow businesses. Together we are making Frederick County proud and we are putting Frederick County on the map. Frederick County is a great place to do business and a great place to start a business. ROOT will deliver and cultivate a bright future.
Check Out Walkersville's New Library
The Walkersville community turned out in force this month to visit the gorgeous new branch library on South Glade Road. There were about a 1,000 people on hand for the ribbon-cutting, with 2,000 more who streamed in throughout the day!
If you haven’t visited yet, you will be amazed by the huge windows, wide open areas, and expanded collection. The spacious children’s area highlights the community’s agricultural heritage as part of an early literacy play space. There are many special touches throughout the library that are unique to Walkersville and the surrounding community. There is even a community room for organizations to hold meetings. After touring the building, one wide-eyed young girl exclaimed, “I could LIVE here!”
Libraries play an important role in lifelong learning, and in creating a vibrant, thriving community. I am very proud and excited that my administration has made the dream of the new Walkersville branch library a reality. Despite some delays through the years, the community was absolutely determined to make this project happen. The Town of Walkersville donated the site, and more than 200 individuals contributed to give the library its special touches.
Building the new library branch has truly been a community endeavor and an accomplishment we can all be proud of!
Contact Me
Email: CountyExecutive@FrederickCountyMD.gov
Website: FrederickCountyMD.gov/Executive
Location: 12 E Church St, Frederick, MD, United States
Phone: 301-600-1100
Facebook: facebook.com/JanGardnerExec
Twitter: @JanGardnerExec