Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Government, and programs that impact County residents, will have schedule and program changes for Memorial Day on Monday, May 29.
Montgomery Parks—Visit www.MontgomeryParks.orgfor complete information. Additional information:
By law, no more than three members of the Board shall be from the same political party. Applicants may be registered to vote in the County as a member of any political party or unaffiliated with any political party. Voter registration will be verified by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
The current members of the Board include Chair John Pentecost (Democrat), Richard Melnick (Unaffiliated), Caryn Hines (Democrat), Laura Seminario-Thornton (Republican) and Alan Sternstein (Democrat). Members of County Boards, Committees and Commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time.
Statement from the Montgomery County Board of Education on FY2024 Operating Budget: “The Board of Education thanks the Montgomery County Council for their ongoing support of Montgomery County Public Schools’ students, families, and staff. We are appreciative of both how hard you worked to reach a decision and your commitment to compensating our teachers, administrators and staff who support our students each and every day. We are a community united in support of our public school system and the Board applauds the County Council’s recent action on the recordation tax, which will help fund school construction.
The Board of Education looks forward to our continuing partnership with the County Council as we address the needs of our students and families. We are thankful to live in a community that values the importance of public education and understands the critical role a high-quality public school system plays in the continued vitality of the county.”
Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) and the Montgomery County Police Department announced the high school and middle school winners of the 2022-23 “Keeping It Safe Coalition” student video contest. The annual contest encouraged teams from Montgomery County public and private schools to create 30-second public service announcements to educate young people about the risks of under-21 alcohol use.
“We’re happy to support the Keeping it Safe Coalition. Raising awareness about the dangers and consequences of under-21 alcohol consumption among students is an important endeavor. These videos will help their peers learn how to fight peer pressure when it comes to alcohol consumption and ways to support friends who have an alcohol problem,” said Kathie Durbin, ABS Director.
Dear friends,
Here is a rendering of what that project could look like:
Per Montgomery County: Today the Montgomery County Council reached a preliminary agreement on the County’s $6.7 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Operating Budget and the $5.7 billion amended FY23-28 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). “This budget makes historic investments in education and in meeting the needs of our residents and our workforce,” said Council President Evan Glass. “We achieved these goals by reducing the proposed property tax, finding efficiencies in government operations and making strategic investments to keep Montgomery County moving forward.”
“The Council’s budget deliberations carefully balanced our strong and steadfast commitment to our students and teachers with our residents’ many other priorities, while also upholding our responsibility to be fiscal stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said Glass. “We fully funded teacher contracts and met salary and benefit agreements for our hardworking first responders, police and healthcare workers. At the same time, we cut the County Executive’s proposed 10 percent property tax hike by more than half. I’m grateful to my Council colleagues who brought new and unique perspectives to the table and shared a commitment to transparency and oversight every step of the way.”
Bike to Work Day is held annually across the nation on the third Friday of May to celebrate bicycling as a fun, healthy and climate friendly way to get to work. MCDOT will sponsor seven pit stops with refreshments, music and local vendor displays at varying times throughout the morning of May 19. There will be free raffle prizes and a grand prize raffle of a new bike at each of the MCDOT-sponsored pit stops. Residents biking to work, as well as leisure riders, are encouraged to participate.
In addition to the seven pit stops sponsored by MCDOT, there will be more Bike to Work Day pit stops in the County operated by other organizations. PIT STOPS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY:
Montgomery County Council President Evan Glass made the following statement about the Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget and the Amended Fiscal Year 2023-2028 Capital Improvements Program. The Council’s final vote on the capital and operating budgets for Montgomery County is scheduled for May 25. Below is Council President Glass’ full statement:
“When I was first elected to serve as president, I promised to work collectively with this elected body – and to bring greater transparency. As an at-large councilmember, it has been my mission to uplift the needs of residents from every corner of our community. I believe we must build on our accomplishments to make Montgomery County a more fair and equitable place, where everyone can afford to work, live, raise a family, get the best education and age in place.
Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County is again joining the “Capital Area Solar Switch,” an innovative program that leverages the power of groups to help residents and businesses throughout the Washington metropolitan area learn about and install rooftop solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicle charging stations. This is the third year that Montgomery County has joined forces with Solar United Neighbors and other jurisdictions to create the opportunity for people living in and around the D.C. area. In addition to competitive pricing on solar panels, members of Capital Area Solar Switch receive a direct line to ask questions about the process and access to a team that vets qualified installers to compete for the group’s business.
The program will conduct a reverse auction with qualified installers on June 21 to secure a competitively priced solar package. After the auction, personal recommendations will be prepared and sent to all registered residents by July 25. Capital Area Solar Switch’s auction is expected to save residents an average of $4,000 on a standard-sized system. The IRA Federal solar tax credit could further reduce costs by an additional 30 percent.
Lyme disease is the most reported tickborne disease in Maryland. In 2021, more than 900 cases of Lyme disease were reported in Maryland. Symptoms of Lyme disease include:
If left untreated, the disease may spread to the joints and nervous system. Contact your health care provider if any of these symptoms develop after a known tick bite or after spending time in a tick habitat. Most cases can be cured with antibiotics.
Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Commission on Veterans Affairs is honoring many “Fallen Hometown Heroes” with County connections dating back to World War I with detailed tributes displayed on a special website created by the commission. The tribute is especially notable as the County prepares to commemorate Memorial Day on Monday, May 29.
To learn more about the Montgomery Commission on Veterans Affairs, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cva.