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English Only Gets Reconsideration in Frederick County

Frederick County Seal

FREDERICK, Md. (AP) - The elected leaders of Frederick County considering repealing an ordinance requiring that county business be conducted in English.

A vote on the matter is scheduled Tuesday evening in Frederick.

The ordinance was enacted in 2012 by an all-Republican county board. The current County Council is composed of four Republicans and three Democrats.

Democratic members Jessica Fitzwater and M.C. Keegan-Ayer say the ordinance sends a message of intolerance to recent immigrants and businesses with international employees.

Republican member Billy Shreve says it's a fiscal issue. He says the county saves money on translators and interpreters by having English as its official language.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.