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Frederick County delegation hears FCPS plan for Brunswick, Linganore and FY27 capital asks
Summary
FCPS presented a multi-year construction plan and FY27 capital priorities to the county’s legislative delegation, emphasizing design funding requests for Brunswick High School, an accelerated Linganore Creek project the county forward-funded, and continued reliance on state reimbursements under the Built to Learn framework.
FCPS facilities leaders told the Frederick County state delegation that the district’s top capital priorities are finishing design for Brunswick High School and securing local planning approval so the project can become eligible for state construction funds.
"When we have the construction documents finalized and approved both at the local level and at the state level, it is considered shovel ready," said Dr. Lebo, who led the construction update. He said full design work for Brunswick will extend through the next design year and that construction bidding is likely to occur in the 2028 timeframe, which is why the district is asking for design and planning dollars now rather than construction funds.
The presentation highlighted recent openings and accelerated work made possible by state investment through the Built to Learn Act, including Valley and Green Valley elementaries, and singled out Linganore Creek Elementary as a project the county forward-funded to open roughly a year earlier than typical schedules. "We have gone from design to construction to opening in an 18-month mark," Dr. Lebo said of Linganore Creek.
Delegation members pressed FCPS on local matching and site-selection tradeoffs. FCPS staff confirmed the county previously provided early design and site-exploration funding and that some state reimbursements will follow but the timing of reimbursements can lag. On Brunswick, FCPS warned that without local planning approval from the Interagency Commission (IAC) the project will not be eligible for future construction funding from the state.
The district also warned of statewide construction-cost inflation and urged the legislature to use current, data-driven figures when setting annual capital allocations. FCPS staff pointed to the district’s comprehensive maintenance plan and facilities master plan as evidence-based inputs for prioritizing capacity and aging-infrastructure needs.
Next steps: FCPS is asking the delegation to support its FY27 capital request — principally remaining design and local planning approval for Brunswick and local planning for Linganore Creek — and to help coordinate timely state approvals that affect bid timing and reimbursement rates.
