The Board of County Commissioners of Frederick County Maryland, on March 10, 2011, appointed a nine member board, plus three alternate members, to draft a charter for Frederick County, pursuant to Article XI-A of the Maryland Constitution.

Over the following 17 months the Charter Board conducted their business in open, public sessions, holding more than 60 public meetings and addressing the topic at dozens of civic events in order to ascertain and assess the public’s views and preferences in regard to the content of a charter, a document which is intended to establish the basic components, organization, policies and procedures of a county governed under the provisions of the Maryland Constitution.

The Charter Board examined in detail the issues confronting the formation of charter and vigorously debated them until a resolution as to their disposition was reached.   

The Proposed Frederick County Charter is a document that reflects the best efforts of the Charter Board and the views of the public in the establishment of an efficient and effective home rule form of government in which the voters, upon adoption of the document at the 2012 General Election become solely responsible for the government’s constitution.

On Tuesday, August 7, 2012, the Frederick County Charter Board fulfilled their Constitutional obligation and presented the Proposed Charter to the Frederick County Commissioners.  The next step will be for the voters of Frederick County to either adopt or reject the proposed Charter on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.