It includes a $3-million-dollar supplemental budget.
Frederick, Md (KM) A three-step plan was unveiled on Monday to help relieve school overcrowding, particularly in the Oakdale Elementary School area. During a public information briefing, County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said one part sets up a supplemental budget.. “I’m seeking approval for the design funding for the new school number 41. This request will be for approximately $3 million to begin the design process in FY {fiscal year} 25. The funding for this comes from school mitigation fees which is 100 percent developer-funded dollars, not taxpayer dollars,” she said.
Fitzwater says she will present this supplemental budget to the County Council in late August for its approval. The Council will be in recess for July 30th, August 6th and August 13th, returning to its weekly meetings on August 20th.
School number 41 is expected to relieve overcrowding at Oakdale Elementary School which Fitzwater says is expected to be at 170 percent capacity when it reopens in August.
During her public information briefing on Monday, County Executive Fitzwater said many of these school overcrowding issues resulted from policies approved by the last Board of County Commissioners in the 2000’s. That board allowed builders to keep on constructing homes in the areas served by Oakdale and Green Valley Elementary Schools regardless of the overcrowding situation. The developers were asked to contribute a school mitigation fee, and keep on building. Many of those projects have been completed, or are nearing completion.
A new Green Valley Elementary School is under construction, but Oakdale Elementary still remains overcrowded, according to Fitzwater.
The second part of her plan would allow Oakdale Elementary School to use land near its school building for field space. “Providing land for outdoor recreation space creates flexibility so land close to the main building can support additional indoor core space such as a cafeteria, indoor physical education or additional pod classrooms as deemed appropriate by FCPS,’ she said.
There are plans to build a public library at that site. Fitzwater says this use of the property will still allow the library go forward. “But best of all, this arrangement will not impact the time line in the county’s adopted CIP for the Linganore branch library, currently planned for design in FY 27, and construction in FY 29,” she says.
The third part of the plan calls for the county to continue to acquire sites for future public schools. “The County has not stopped actively pursuing any and all additional solutions, including the purchase of land to solve the school overcrowding and address aging school infrastructure,” Fitzwater said. “We will continue to do this in partnership with FCPS.” FCPS is Frederick County Public Schools.
The county has purchased 20 acres of land along Gas House Pike for an additional school site, says the County Executive’s Office. The land was paid for with developers’ fees, not taxpayer money. Also, two other developments, must donate land for school sites as a condition for their approval. They include a middle school site near Deer Crossing Elementary School in Gordon Mills, and an elementary school on the Casey property west of Md. Route 75.
By Kevin McManus