The State of the City address was delivered Tuesday at Frederick City Hall. Calling Frederick  a "jewel" in the state of Maryland, Mayor Randy McCLement said the city has manged to keep its financial house in order and continue to deliver critical services to its citizens.

For the next several months, Mayor McClement hopes to get the Phase II of the Carroll Creek Project underway. "The first phase of the Carroll Creek Linear Park triggered redevelopment along the Creek. And the second phase, will produce opportunities for our residents to boost pedestrian traffic along the park," he said.
The Mayor says he hopes to put out a bid for the project in the fall of 2012. Phase II will extend the linear park from the Delaplaine Visual Arts Center to East Patrick Street, and from Market Street to Bentz Street. The cost is estimated at $13-million.

He also pointed to the proposed hotel and conference center as one accomplishment of his term so far. A report updated recently by the Maryland Stadium Authority, Crossroads Consultants and Hospitality and Gaming Solutions concluded that Frederick was a great place for a hotel and conference center. The Mayor says the Hotel Advisory Group is seeking proposals from downtown property owners who may have sites to offer for the hotel, and an outside expert is being retained to advise on picking a location and a developer. "We look forward to the day when this much needed amenity  has its doors open in the heart of our city," says Mayor McClement.

He also talked about transportation, saying that the city and the State Highway Administration are moving forward on the replacement of the Motter Avenue Bridge over Route 15, which is estimated to cost $16.7-million.

McClement pointed to the proposed Crum  and Keller Annexations as an example of property owners who want to be incorporated into the city. Both would add 750 new residential units into the city.

Regarding the Golden Mile, Mayor McClement said the Golden Mile Alliance is working to promote the area as a place to do business. "The retention rate is very high out there. The big elephants in the problems out there is the {Frederick Town} Mall and the loss of the Giant Food {at the Westridge Shopping Center}," McClement says.

In his comments, the Mayor thanked the business community for hiring people when the opportunity presents itself. He said the city's unemployment rate is 6%. The national rate is 8.2%

With so much to accomplish over the next several months, the Mayor hopes that the 2013 municipal elections won't have much of an impact. "I'm hoping that politics don't get in the way, and we continue for our last year and half moving forward in a positive direction," he says. As for whether he's running for re-election as Mayor, McClement says "I'm still considering it."