They will be used for four local projects.
Rep. David Trone
Frederick, Md (KM) Frederick County is receiving more than $10-million in federal funding for four local projects. Representative David Trone (D-Md) says the money comes from the Community Project Funding program. He says it allows local residents and organizations to decide how federal funds coming to their districts are spent. “Some of the local groups came together–Republicans, Democrats, everybody came together–and put together some great applications for the Appropriations Committee which I sit on, and we’re able to get four of these through the committee,” he says.
One of the project is the East Street Liberty Road Bridge Crossing which is part of a trail that will stretch from the MARC train station in downtown Frederick to Route 26 and into the county to Walkersville and beyond. “It’s create a bridge right across Route 26,”: says Trone. “So it will be a shared trail pathway for bikers, for folks that are hiking, walking. And it will follow the railroad tracks. So it’s really quite beautiful.”
That project will receive $4-million. Trone was in Frederick on Friday to visit the site.
Another $4-million will be provided to Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg. The funds will be use to put together a STEM workforce development area. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. “And they’ve got a research area that they want to covert to driving STEM competitiveness for their students,” says Trone. “It’s a 20,000-foot area at the University, and they’re going to work a lot of cross disciplinary training on STEM.”
Congressman Trone says more than $1-million is coming to the Frederick Community Action Agency for production, storage and distribution of fresh healthy foods on site. “That’s going to help them reorganize and renovate and upgrade some very aging facilities that they have and help the soup kitchen continue to help those who are struggling in Frederick,” he says.
Nearly $700,000 is coming to Frederick County’s; Crisis Stabilization Center to purchase equipment. “We know when folks hit addiction–and it’s something I’ve worked really hard one–all of sudden they’re ready to get some help, they need to stabilize. That’s the Crisis Stabilization Center that the county’s setting up,”: Trone says. This center is expected to be an alternative to the hospital emergency room for those with mental health or substance abuse problems
Representative Trone says this funding in the form of appropriations bills have passed the House Appropriations Committee, and he expects them to be voted on by the full House of Representatives later in July. And then it goes before the US Senate.
By Kevin McManus