YMCA chief announces retirement

Thursday, Sept. 15, 2005

David Markoe, president and chief executive officer of The Frederick County Family YMCA, announced Wednesday he will retire from the position in January 2006.

‘‘This was a bittersweet decision for me, since I have enjoyed my 4 1⁄2 years here,” Markoe said in a press release. ‘‘When I retired from education over four years ago, little did I realize that I would become the leader of this fine organization, the organization that I grew up in as a child and young man.”

The YMCA will conduct a search for a new CEO and president using a committee comprised of members of its Board of Directors. Officials are hopeful that will conclude in October.

‘‘I often remark that the Frederick Family YMCA is the ‘best kept secret’ in Frederick County. To me, it is the crown jewel of all the nonprofits,” Markoe said. ‘‘I do not know of another non-profit organization that gives so much back to the community, whether it is through financial aid, scholarships to families and organizations or just nurturing people through difficult times.”

The Frederick County Family YMCA is a nonprofit, charitable organization founded in 1858.

Alderman’s grandson dies

The infant grandson of Alderman William G. Hall died last week after he was left unattended in a closed car for several hours, according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

Five-month-old Isaiah Charles Brown was taken to Frederick Memorial Hospital after his father realized he had left him in the car. The baby was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with the Department of Social Services to investigate the incident.

Crime rate drops again

Crime continues to drop in the City of Frederick, according to recently released police statistics.

The Frederick Police Department released its crime statistics report late last week for crimes in the first half of 2005. The report shows a 21 percent decrease in overall crime in the city.

Between January and June 2005, crimes against people fell by 20.8 percent, while crimes against property dropped 21.1 percent.

The statistics reflect a trend of lower crime rates in the city, starting in 2002.

Frederick Police Chief Kim C. Dine said the dropping crime rates cannot be attributed to one specific issue, but a combination of factors, including outreach and prevention efforts, aggressive enforcement of traffic laws and community policing.

‘‘We have created a lot of good communication between police and the community,” Dine. Said. ‘‘But, the challenges are hitting us right in the face. Calls for service went up 10 percent last year and we see signs and indications of gangs that are keeping us very, very busy.”

Robberies decreased the most in the report, dropping from 80 robberies between January 2004 and June 2004, to 40 during the same period in 2005. Motor vehicle thefts also decreased dramatically from 47 to 28.

Green Party candidate files

Joanne Ivancic, aldermanic candidate for the Frederick Green Party, officially filed her candidacy on Friday.

When Ivancic announced her intention to run for alderman earlier this summer, her supporters were working to comply with the city charter requirement that any candidate not affiliated with the Democratic or Republican parties must gather the signatures of 3 percent of the city’s active, registered voters. Once validated, the signatures would place the candidate on the ballot as ‘‘Other.” The Frederick Green Party challenged the charter’s constitutionality and won. The Board of Aldermen voted to change the charter on July 21.

Ivancic plans to hold a press conference outside City Hall on Tuesday to address the issues facing Frederick. To read more, go to www.JoanneForAlderman.com.

Debate planned

A group of area nonprofit agencies is sponsoring a candidate debate this Saturday at Frederick Community College.

The forum, for both the mayoral and aldermanic races, centers on housing, civil rights and healthcare and starts at 2:30 p.m.

Nonprofits hosting the event include the Religious Coalition of Emergency Human Needs, Interfaith Housing of Frederick County, Habitat for Humanity, the Frederick County NAACP, and the Frederick Area Ministerium.

‘‘This is the first time that a coalition of this magnitude has come together in Frederick,” said the Rev. Brian Scott of the Religious Coalition. The impetus for the forum, Scott said, is that one of the key issues facing Frederick is the lack of affordable housing.