MoCo Government

Per Montgomery County: “As Veterans Day approaches on Saturday, Nov. 11, Montgomery County has joined the national “Operation Green Light” salute to veterans and the County’s Commission on Veterans Affairs is seeking additions to its virtual tribute to County veterans. For those who want to attend ceremonies on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, several will be held around the County.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the County Council are supporting Operation Green Light, a program sponsored by the National Association of Counties to honor those who have made immeasurable sacrifices to preserve freedom. The program asks for displays of a green light, from Nov. 6-12, in a window of businesses or residences to honor veterans.

The Montgomery County Council will hold a public hearing on Bill 35-23, County Minimum Wage – Tipped Employees on Tuesday, October 17 at 1:30pm. Workers from restaurants and other tipped professions are expected to weigh in on the bill, which would adjust the calculation of the minimum wage for tipped workers and phase out the tip credit amount under the Montgomery County’s minimum wage law. Currently, businesses are required to pay servers $4.00 per hour; if a server does not make the current minimum hourly wage ($15-16.70) per hour, employers are required to make up the difference.

The bill’s lead sponsors are Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink. Per Montgomery County, “The tip credit represents an amount of the minimum wage a worker is expected to receive in tips. The current amount of the credit is the hourly minimum wage minus four dollars or a lesser credit if the employee or representative of the employee satisfies the Executive Director of the Office of Human Rights that the employee receives a lesser amount in tips. The limit and phase-out of the tip credit would be staggered over multiple years as proposed in the legislation.”

On Saturday, Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) released the following statement:

“The brutal terrorist operation conducted by Hamas against Israeli civilians over the last week constitutes a mass war crime, a shocking crime against humanity, an illegal invasion of a sovereign country, and the most murderous assault on Jewish civilians since the Holocaust.

Per Montgomery County: The Public Safety (PS) Committee will meet on Monday, Oct. 16 at 9:30 a.m. to receive a briefing from Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) representatives about police statistical data, as required by Bill 45-20, Police – Community Policing – Data.

The members of the PS Committee include Chair Sidney Katz and Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink.

Full statement: “Due to international terror and security threats, the Montgomery County Police Department has increased patrols and heightened monitoring throughout the County—especially around Jewish and Muslim religious facilities and gatherings. Everyone has the right to feel safe and secure in Montgomery County.

Although war in Israel may be thousands of miles away, we must not believe we are immune to the effects here in Montgomery County. We have County residents who have lost family and friends over the past week following this terror attack and ongoing war. Our hearts and sympathies are with them. Residents who are struggling with the loss and trauma are encouraged to seek support by calling the County Crisis Center at 240-777-4000.

Per Montgomery County: “Montgomery County’s Office of Grants Management is accepting applications from qualified nonprofit organizations providing direct services to or advocacy for County community members. An amount totaling $250,000 is available through the County’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Quarter 2 Community Projects Fund Grants Program. Applications can be submitted by eligible nonprofits until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

Nonprofit organizations with fewer than three employees and annual budgets of $250,000 or less are eligible to receive a grant. Nonprofits do not need to be based in Montgomery County to apply, but all projects must occur within the County or be exclusively focused on County residents. FY24 Community Project Fund award amounts will vary with a minimum award of $5,000 and a maximum award amount of $25,000 over a six-month performance period.

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando released the following statement on Friday, October 13:

Authorities are on the highest alert today due to the unconscionable call by Hamas for a global “Day of Rage” – threatening Israelis and Jews with violence. I have been in touch with public safety and school officials regarding the deeply concerning developments. We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure the safety of our community. I urge everyone to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and prioritize their safety and the safety of those around them.