MoCo Government

According to the Montgomery County MD Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS), “A Flood Watch has been issued in Montgomery County, this afternoon through evening. Heavy rain & severe storms are possible. Stay weather aware & be prepared to take your Sunday plans indoors. 🚧If you encounter high water on the road, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”

Per the Maryland Department of Emergency Management: Widespread 1-2″ of rainfall is expected across the Flood Watch area today, with isolated totals in excess of 4″ possible. Risk for flash flooding and damaging winds exist across the region. Highest risk for flash flooding is generally near and NW of the I-95 corridor.

Per Montgomery County:

Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Office of Procurement won a National Association of Counties (NACo) Award for the Digitization of County Contracting in the County Administration and Management category.  NACo is an organization that represents county governments in the United States. It works to advance excellence in public service. Until recently, the County’s Office of Procurement utilized paper-based methods to manage procurement actions for more than 2,600 contracts, totaling goods and services valued at more than $1 billion annually. Due to the unforeseen urgency brought on by COVID-19, paper-based methods of submitting and receiving bids were no longer possible.

To improve the system, technical and operational staff fast-tracked the development and implementation of an e-bidding system to accept responses to solicitations online. These efforts were fully developed and maintained with existing staff at no cost and implemented within one year.

Per Montgomery County: The 2023 Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale on Saturday and Sunday, July 22-23, will be a unique opportunity for residents to explore 21 select farms in the County’s Agricultural Reserve, shop local, enjoy fresh food, see farm animals and learn about farming as a way of life. The Farm Tour will offer a chance to visit select farms, some of which are only open to the public during this special weekend event.

During the Farm Tour weekend, all 21 participating farms will be open on Saturday, July 22, and 17 farms will be open on Sunday, July 23. Tourgoers should check the 2023 Farm Tour website for each farm they plan to visit for any additional costs, details on hours and activities or to make any necessary reservations. No pets are allowed except service animals for persons with disabilities.

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County officials will host a project update on the Diversion Center planned in Rockville on Thursday, July 20 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Executive Office Building, located at 101 Monroe Street in Rockville. The meeting also will be accessible virtually via Microsoft TEAMS.

The County is opening the diversion center to help reduce the use of emergency rooms and jail. The center will be available to individuals in crisis who are dropped off by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) or police, persons transferred from hospitals, persons who are released from the central processing unit at the detention center, and inmates released from jail and court programs. A team of multidisciplinary professionals will staff the center including nurses, licensed mental health and addiction professionals, peer specialists and resource navigators.

Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) has launched a “Peer Review Program” for developers and property owners who want to retain the services of a DPS-certified peer reviewer for sediment control, stormwater management and right-of-way projects that require permits from the DPS land development division. DPS is now accepting applications from those who request to be certified as peer reviewers.

It is difficult to estimate at this point the complete impact this ruling will have, including on some operations within County government.  However, it is immediately clear that it will have a detrimental impact and reflects that we are currently living under the dictates of the most reactionary Supreme Court I have ever witnessed in my lifetime.

Justice Elena Kagan summarized it well in her dissenting opinion on another of today’s rulings by stating, “In every respect, the Court today exceeds its proper, limited role in our Nation’s governance.”