Frederick County commissioners like to tout themselves as being friendlier to businesses than past administrations, and one needs to look no further than the reforms they have made since taking office last December.

They maintain an exhaustive, 16-page, 236-item to-do list on the county’s website that details what they have done and still want to do to make it easier for companies to conduct business, and developers to build, in Frederick County.

So far, commissioners have completed 122 of the items, such as lowering permit fees and making it easier for builders to obtain them, and have another 92 under way. Most residents probably do not see the effects of the changes given that many do not deal with the county bureaucracy, but businesses have responded favorably to the reforms.

In August, the county received 39 responses to a survey it sent to the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and the Frederick County Builders Association.

Overall, 92 percent of the businesses stated that they had seen “some or substantial” improvement in the county’s business climate; 8 percent of business had taken advantage of the new regulations and fees; and 33 percent said they plan to, Laurie Boyer, executive director of the county’s Office of Economic Development, told commissioners in August.

While such response is neither scientific nor overwhelming, it provides a limited snapshot of the mood that businesses have in Frederick County.

But the big question remains if that mood has translated to real dollars pumped into the county’s economy through job growth or basic economic activity. To help answer that question, commissioners receive monthly briefings on the county’s business climate.

Boyer told commissioners on Nov. 3 how the county has the third lowest unemployment rate in the state. She reported how 19 companies either signed new rental leases or expanded, filling 60,000 square feet and creating 160 jobs; 36 new business licenses were issued; and that 37 companies used the county’s Workforce Services (leading to 43 hires).

She also named a few businesses that closed or laid off employees, but did not say how many jobs were lost in the previous month, the amount of space that was vacated, nor provide context in terms of trends.

A week later, Ron Tobin, county’s business development-retention administrator, gave commissioners a mostly glowing report, but buried news of the bleak new-home market and ignored sales of existing homes all together.

While it helps for commissioners to receive monthly updates on the county’s economy, such reports should provide a fuller picture of the climate along with long-term trends.

Commissioners shouldn’t only hear how many jobs were created or how much office space was filled, but also the number of jobs lost and the amount of office space that remains vacant. They shouldn’t only hear about sales of new homes, but also how those sales fit into the overall real estate market.

Such reports should track trends, and be as easy to find online as is the commissioners’ to-do list. Frederick County’s economy will have the best chance to thrive when we all see the full picture.