As reported by The Frederick Extra, our coverage of this week’s meeting and today’s edition of Political Notes, Kirby is irate over the county’s reimbursement to the Chamber of Commerce for a lobbyist. In both The Frederick Extra and the FNP, it is reported that Kirby was only sharing part of an email to show everyone how corrupt our County Executive really is. And you know what people? Just because you are against the public funding of the hotel (which is curious from Kirby’s point of view since in 2014 the BOCC was all for it!) doesn’t mean it’s corrupt to advocate for it! Both the city and the county used a lobbyist to advocate for funding because they believe it would be beneficial to the city and county’s economy to have a conference center and hotel. In addition, the County Executive, per the charter, is allowed to write checks without council approval up to $20,000. So whether or not you agree with the use of public funds is a SEPARATE issue from it being a corrupt and nefarious act!
What’s even more curious to us, besides the many times that the old BOCC used funds for a lobbyist for causes THEY believed in, is that for the past two years Kirby was advocating that the council spend up to $25,000 to send a lobbyist to Annapolis. Leaping back through the old Yokel archives we found this post from 2015 and this one from 2016 in which Kirby was trying to get money to secure this lobbyist. Since he didn’t couldn’t identify a clear purpose for this lobbyist, his fellow council members did not think this was a sound use of money. And we have trouble listening to someone who thought it was fine and dandy to send $25,000 to a firm to investigate how to privatize our county services get irate over a check for over less that half of that amount that advocates for a conference center and hotel.
frederick local yokel 
I would agree that Kirby has no room to whine about public funds spent on lobbyists. I would also agree that the use of taxpayer funds to reimburse the Chamber’s lobbying is not “corrupt”, no matter how unwise, ridiculous and foolish it may be. Jan has never known what it is like to run in a contested primary, where a considerable portion of your own party are against you. If she keeps this stuff up, she may find out.
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Not really sure if a considerable part of her party is against her on this. We know that this whole hotel business is very contentious. But, as you said we wil find out.
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I am assuming there are some Dems left who would, quite appropriately, be greatly concerned about the use of scarce public funds to assist millionaires and private business entities rather than for the benefit of the least among us.
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Hello Ladies…
Read you posts always and pass it on frequently.
I am a teacher and we are on the cusp of having the council swayed to remove money from education. This would de fund our current salary scale advances which would put us back to 2004.
I have been in Frederick Co. 28 years as a teacher. People are leaving at a rate I have not seen before. Counties close to us are recruiting and getting our best. New talent is going else where. Frederick Co. reputation is already dismal with in the education community in terms of curricular fail and central office support.
We are getting close to “no return”. Any support would be appreciated. Thank You.
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We always support our teachers. We will write more about it as the budget season rolls on. Thanks for your support! We truly appreciate it and all you do for our kids!
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Ordinarily, it is better to use any additional monies to shore up existing commitments before embarking on new ones. Proper funding of the BOE/FCPS $570 million in unfunded liabilities for retiree health care benefits should have a greater priority for any new money.
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