Board of Supervisors approves appointments, transportation recommendations and transient‑occupancy tax amendment

The Frederick County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 8 took several formal actions including appointments to county positions and committees, transportation project recommendations from the Transportation Committee and an ordinance amendment to the county code's transient‑occupancy tax definitions.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment of Andrew R. Fox as County Attorney (employment to begin 10/20/2025): Roll‑call vote; all voting supervisors recorded "Aye." (Yes: Supervisors Leroux, Wells, Dunn, Jewell and the Chair.)

- Appointment of Jason Akins to fill the vacant Gainsborough supervisor seat (effective upon being sworn in until special election 11/03/2026): Roll‑call vote; motion carried by recorded "Aye" votes.

- Appointment of John Jewell as chairman at large (effective 10/15/2025 until special election 11/03/2026): Motion carried; recorded "Aye" votes by board members present.

- Transportation Committee recommendations: Approval of Exit 317 interchange concepts (including diverging diamond and Crown Lane one‑way pair alternatives) and approval to cancel two projects (Amberley Way pedestrian upgrades and Valley Mill adjustments). Roll call or voice votes carried; Supervisors recorded "Aye" when polled for the interchange recommendation.

- Ordinance to amend Frederick County Code, chapter 155 (taxation), article 14 (transient‑occupancy tax) — to align definitions and collections with state code language: Motion to approve carried on roll call; all supervisors recorded "Aye."

- Adoption of the agenda and the consent agenda: Adopted by voice vote.

What the actions mean

- The county attorney appointment will fill the county attorney position effective Oct. 20, 2025.

- The Gainsborough seat appointment and chairman appointment set interim representation until the special election Nov. 3, 2026; staff described an application window and special‑election writ timeline the board will follow (applications to begin Oct. 16, approve writ Oct. 22, special meeting Nov. 5 to hear applicants, appointment Nov. 12). Staff said a 45‑day statutory timeframe required prompt action to meet election deadlines.

- Transportation committee approvals advance the Exit 317 interchange alternatives for the next stages of project planning and remove two smaller projects from the active list per updated cost estimates.

Roll‑call and recorded votes

The meeting transcript recorded roll‑call affirmations as follows (as read at the meeting): Supervisor Leroux — Aye; Vice Chairman Wells — Aye; Supervisor Dunn — Aye; Supervisor Jewell — recorded "I"/Aye; Chair — Aye. Several motions were seconded by board members; roll calls were requested where required by procedure.

Provenance: motions and votes in the transcript

- Appointment of Andrew R. Fox (county attorney) — motion begins at transcript timecode ~00:16:08; roll call begins at ~00:16:35.

- Appointment of Jason Akins (Gainsborough seat) — motion begins at ~00:18:17; roll call recorded ~00:19:00.

- Appointment of John Jewell (chairman at large) — motion begins at ~00:20:10; roll call recorded ~00:20:40.

- Transportation committee Exit 317 recommendation — discussion begins ~00:23:41; roll call ~00:24:40.

- Ordinance amendment (transient occupancy tax) — public hearing opened and closed with no public comments; motion and roll call ~00:26:51.

Notes and clarifications

- Several reappointments to boards, committees and commissions were approved by consensus or voice vote; individual names were announced during the meeting.

- Where the transcript recorded a roll call, the board’s verbal affirmations were recorded in the meeting minutes; the clerk’s official minutes and the signed roll call sheet are the county’s official record for final vote tallies.

- This roundup summarizes motions and recorded outcomes from the Oct. 8 meeting; it does not attempt to restate every procedural or informational item presented during staff reports.