Mike Guevremont for Frederick County Supervisor

I’ve lived in Frederick County for 30 years where I’ve raised a family, worked, owned businesses, served the local, state and federal governments and led our Chamber of Commerce. Over the years I have had the privilege of serving on community boards from Non-profits to Shenandoah University’s School of Business. My family and I have experienced all this community has had to offer and it’s important to me to see my grandchildren see the same quality of life. Read more

Let’s dive right into reality, Common Sense and a Proactive Approach are required to address the main issues this community faces. We are and have been the fastest growing area in the State of Virginia for a while, the congested roads and schools validate and emphasize that fact.

People that live in a community expect services and companies move into a community because they perceive it to be business friendly and have the type of environment that is welcoming to their employees.

We all know we have growth issues, and the question is WHAT are we going to do about it? The growth is here, zoning was already approved many years ago and developments are being built. The Board must now address HOW to build schools, fire departments, roads and provide adequate staffing in all departments to meet the growing demands.

To balance residential growth we need business development. I will work with the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber, the Frederick County Economic Development Authority and other State resources to attract new businesses and to help our preexisting companies grow. Business development is important as it helps diversify our tax base, creates jobs and pushes our economic vitality. This is a vital part of how to balance the tax burden and needs to be a priority. We must also be a business-friendly community where we promote buying local to push our economic engine!

As our population has increased, we must look to ensure our Fire and Rescue and Sheriff’s Office are staffed and equipped to respond to our needs. When you call for help TIME is always of the essence, and we cannot ignore the requirements to provide life safety for our citizens. I’ll work with the Board and our First Responder Community to identify what is needed to ensure our residents are given the essential protections and response they deserve. This includes School Resource Officer’s to provide additional security services at our schools.

From schools to roads our Board of Supervisors must address the fact that growth is here now! We cannot kick the can down the road on touch decisions that only cost more money later. We must find solutions and work towards them with common sense and business acumen. Our budget and planning must address the growth that is here and what we know is coming and I will work diligently with my fellow Board Members to be open and transparent with the facts.

I raised 3 great kids in this community and now have two grandsons and I know firsthand the impact an amazing school system can have on a child. We cannot have kids overcrowded in a classroom, we cannot create endless trailer camps of classrooms, and we cannot have hundreds of extra children in a school not designed or built for it. Overcrowding leads to discipline problems, teaching and staffing difficulties, lack of resources and a variety of other issues to numerous to relay. Growth is here the population numbers require us to develop the infrastructure to support it. As new residents move into our community to enjoy the way of life in the Valley, we must have schools that are safe and provide a learning environment that turns out superior students. This is common sense and to attract new businesses to the area quality schools are always a primary issue.

One issue I have learned is important is to have a supervisor that is willing to do town halls and community events so the issues we face are honestly translated. This is what Supervisor Blaine Dunn has done for our district for many years. I wish to continue that and work with the Board to ensure we do that as a unified body. The citizens MUST know the challenges and issues we face. We must be transparent so that you, the taxpayer, know exactly what we have in front of us on all the key decision points. Roads, Schools, our First Responders and Public Safety and of course Taxes. The main concerns are the hot button issues that impact the majority of us, so these topics cannot be ignored. My goal is to communicate and keep you INFORMED.