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Frederick County commissioners have picked a fight with municipal leaders, and since the argument affects schools, the commissioners expected the school board would back them up. But the Board of Education wants no part of the fracas.

A proposal from Commissioner John "Lennie" Thompson Jr. (R) would give the county greater growth control power over the county's cities and towns. Because the county pays for greater school capacity, Thompson argues that the county should regulate development proposals within municipalities.

Municipal leaders, however, say the proposal would infringe on their rights to plan for development within their borders.

The school board was not involved in this conflict until last week, when county commissioners asked board members to make a recommendation on the issue in time for the commissioners' Nov. 10 hearing on the modification proposal.

Because schools would benefit from a potential change in the growth-control policy, some commissioners believed the school board would back up the proposed changes.

They were wrong.

School board members last week said they cannot get involved in such a conflict.

In a letter to the commissioners, school board members said they support the concept of so-called adequate public facilities ordinances and would like to see the municipalities and county work together on the issue. But they also said the school board cannot take a position on the issue.

"I understand where the commissioners are coming from," said school board president Jean Smith at an Oct. 26 meeting. "But we cannot get in the middle of eroding local control of the municipalities. We resent it when people are trying to do that to us."

Smith also noted that municipal leaders would challenge Thompson's proposal in court.

Board members Michael Schaden, Katie Groth and Daryl Boffman echoed Smith's sentiment.

"We know that the APFO has benefited the schools, so I can see where we have a benefit by having such a policy in place," Boffman said.

But he also noted that it is not the place of the school board to say what is right and wrong for growth policies in the county.

"But I don't think we are in a position where we can say we support this activity ... it goes far beyond what we do in the school system."

Board members voted 5-1 in support of the letter drafted for the commissioners.

Board member Angie Fish was absent and board member Donna Crook was the lone vote against.

Before making a vote, Crook expressed concern about overcrowded schools and said that in the past, fast and unregulated development was the reason for overcrowded schools.

At least two county commissioners have expressed disappointment with the school board's position.

Thompson said his proposal sought to put the burden on developers instead of schoolchildren. Commission President Jan H. Gardner (D) said the issue "should be of interest and a priority to the Board of Education."

"... The BOE has been on the record in supporting the county APFO and a 100 percent standard of adequacy for schools. The BOE's failure to support a countywide APFO with a 100 percent standard of adequacy sends a message that the BOE supports overcrowding schools in municipalities. This is truly disappointing."

Gardner said she hopes the school board was lacking information on the issue and will reconsider its position.

E-mail Margarita Raycheva at mraycheva@gazette.net.