MoCo Government Archives - Page 152 of 256

Winners of Sixth Annual Montgomery County Commission for Women’s ‘Girl Power Contest’ Announced

Published May 10, 2023 at 3:28PM

Per Montgomery County: The winners of the Montgomery County Commission for Women’s (CFW) sixth annual “Girl Power Contest” have been selected. The contest asked entrants to write/illustrate their thoughts on giving advice to the six new female members of the County Council “to make sure our community is a place where women and girls can feel safe and encouraged.” The winners are Natalie Jean (adult category), Morgen Thompson (high school), Mya Twyman (middle school) and Colette Jaksic (elementary school).

The Girl Power Contest ran from March 1-30 in celebration of Women’s History Month. The contestants were asked to address the following question: “We now have six women on the County Council. What advice would you give them to make sure our community is a place where women and girls can feel safe and encouraged?”

County Council Raises Recordation Tax Rates to Increase Resources for School Construction, Montgomery County Construction Projects and Affordable Housing; New Rates Begin October 1, 2023

By Patrick Herron

Published May 10, 2023 at 12:08PM

Per Montgomery County (5.9.23): Today the Montgomery County Council enacted Bill 17-23, Taxation – Recordation Tax Rates – Amendments, to increase resources for Montgomery County Public Schools’ construction projects, Montgomery County capital projects and the creation and maintenance of affordable housing through the Housing Initiative Fund. Councilmember Kristin Mink was the lead sponsor of the bill and Councilmember Will Jawando was a cosponsor. The Council’s vote was 7-4 to enact the legislation.

As a result of this legislation, resources to fund capital priorities are projected to increase by $187.3 million over the six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) which covers fiscal years 2023 through 2028. Montgomery County’s most recent CIP status report shows a funding gap of $207.5 million, and the additional resources generated through updated recordation rates will help close this gap and fund essential construction projects including schools, affordable housing projects and transportation infrastructure improvements.

Joint Letter from Board President Silvestre, Superintendent McKnight, and the Three Employee Associations Concerning MCPS Operating Budget Funding

By MCS Staff

Published May 10, 2023 at 6:52AM

On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Board of Education (Karla Silvestre), Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS Superintendent Monifa McKnight), Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA President Jennifer Martin), Service Employees International Union Local 500 (SEIU Local 500 President Pia Morrison), and Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (President Christine Handy) wrote the following joint letter to the Montgomery County Council concerning the funding of the MCPS operating budget:

“Dear Council President Glass and Councilmembers:

Montgomery County to Host 26th Juneteenth Celebration with Music, Artistic Performances, Educational Exhibits on Saturday, June 17, in Germantown

By Patrick Herron

Published May 9, 2023 at 3:00PM | Updated May 9, 2023 at 3:17PM

The celebration weekend will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 16, at BlackRock when County Executive Marc Elrich leads ceremonies to honor the 2023 winners of the County’s African American Living Legends Awards. The awards honor individuals who are 75 or older and have dedicated their lives to service, advocacy and selfless acts of kindness to their community. BlackRock Center for the Arts is located at 12901 Town Commons Dr. in Germantown.

Montgomery County to Host Online Annual Spring Forum Focusing on Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment on Thursday, May 18

By Patrick Herron

Published May 8, 2023 at 12:45PM

Per Montgomery County: The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will host its annual mental health and substance use disorder spring forum from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 18. “Overcoming Disparities and Barriers to Treatment for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder” is a free event that will focus on treatment access within underserved communities and will include a track for adults and a concurrent track for youth, planned by members of the County’s Youth Ambassador Program. The forum will be hosted online.

Youth will participate in youth-led sessions, exploring ways to help their peers or themselves access support for mental health or substance use disorders. Youth participants will then rejoin the adults in the main Zoom room so all attendees can ask questions during a live Q&A panel. The event will conclude with links to various resources for mental health and substance use prevention, intervention and treatment. Students who attend for the full two-hour event will receive SSL hours.

Joint Statement from Board of Education President Karla Silvestre and Superintendent Monifa B. McKnight On MCPS Operating Budget

By MCS Staff

Published May 6, 2023 at 7:33AM

County Council Education and Culture Committee Reduces MCPS Operating Budget Request: The Montgomery County Council’s Education and Culture Committee today unanimously took several actions on the Board of Education’s requested budget. First, the Council reduced the school district’s budget by $22.3M, on top of the $7.4M by which the County Executive reduced the district’s request in his recommended budget. Second, the committee divided the school district’s remaining $200.7M funding request into two categories of ‘high priority’ ($156.1M) and ‘priority’ ($44.6M). This action now moves the final decision on MCPS funding to the entire County Council. In February, the Board of Education budget requested $230.7M from the County Council.

This action places the district in a seriously difficult position in trying to address the academic, social, and emotional priorities coming off a historic period of time in our nation as a result of the pandemic. The most significant concern is essentially the jeopardy in which this places the key investments that were specifically designed to fully staff our schools and address disparities in literacy and math, close opportunity gaps, and create greater equity across the district, especially among our black and brown students, and students receiving special education, language, and meals services.

Montgomery County HOC Dedicates New Affordable Senior Apartment Community in Silver Spring That Is Named for Former County Executive Isiah Leggett

By Patrick Herron

Published May 5, 2023 at 10:13AM

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Council President Evan Glass today joined Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Congressman Jamie Raskin and community leaders in Silver Spring as the County’s Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) dedicated its newest affordable senior community, “The Leggett.” The 267-unit, 16-story complex was named for former County Executive Isiah Leggett, who was a strong advocate for affordable housing. Among the many people attending the ceremonies were Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, members of the County Council, former Congresswoman Connie Morella and former staff of Mr. Leggett’s administration.

Under Mr. Leggett’s leadership as County Executive from 2006 to 2018, Montgomery County expanded affordable housing funding; maintained or constructed 77,000 affordable housing units; and invested in countywide measures to improve the quality of life for senior adults.

Montgomery County Children’s Business Fair’s Returns in August After Three Year Hiatus

By Patrick Herron

Published May 4, 2023 at 8:43AM

Per Montgomery County: The third annual Montgomery County Children’s Business Fair will return in August after a three-year hiatus due to the health crisis. Applications are now being accepted for the event that will take place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Aug. 19. The fair, which will be held in Rockville Town Square, is open to ages 6-14. Applications are available at www.mocochildrensbusinessfair.org. The deadline to apply is June 2.

The fair will host 40 young entrepreneurs at an event open to the public. Those selected will have an opportunity to present innovative ideas and make sales pitches in a forum that will be judged.A panel of judges from the local business community and celebrity influencers will listen to the presentations.

Bill Introduced to Create Airpark Community Advisory Committee

By Patrick Herron

Published May 3, 2023 at 9:56AM

Bill 24-23 would create the ACAC, providing a regular forum to discuss and propose recommendations to improve Airpark operations. Council President Evan Glass and Councilmembers Will Jawando, Gabe Albornoz, Sidney Katz and Laurie-Anne Sayles are co-sponsoring the measure.

The MCA is a public general aviation airport in Gaithersburg and is home to a reported 67,195 flight operations a year. In 2019, the MCA partnered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to set up an online portal for residents to submit aircraft noise complaints similar to what’s offered in communities near other airports. In 2019, there were 27 complaints, in 2020 there were 191 complaints made from 11 unique households, and in 2021 there were 2,835 complaints made from 35 unique households, according to a 2022 report from the Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight.

Councilmember Will Jawando to Run for U.S. Senate

By Patrick Herron

Published May 2, 2023 at 4:39PM | Updated May 2, 2023 at 5:30PM

Councilmember Will Jawando announced today that he is launching a campaign for the U.S. Senate. Yesterday, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Maryland’s senior senator and Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, announced that he would not seek re-election at the end of his current term. Statement below courtesy of @willjawando on Twitter:

I don’t accept that one must suffer for another to gain. There’s more than enough for us all, and every American has the right to thrive. I’ve spent the last five years on the Montgomery County Council dismantling the economic and racial barriers that keep too many down.

Montgomery County Produces Nation’s First Health Care Providers’ Handbook on Hindu Patients

By Patrick Herron

Published May 2, 2023 at 7:56AM

Per Montgomery County: Coinciding with the celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, The Health Care Providers’ Handbook on Hindu Patients was released today marking a major initiative by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich’s Office of Community Partnerships Asian Pacific American Advisory Group (APAAG.) This is the first such handbook in the nation providing detailed information specifically for Hindu and Jain patients.

“With over 2 million Hindus in the United States and over 80,000 Indians and Nepali Americans in Maryland alone, it is important that our caregivers are sensitive to the needs of an ever growing and diverse community,” said APAAG co-chair Chowdhury. “By being culturally in-tune caregivers may be better equipped to address a variety of issues that are unique to the Hindu and Jain diaspora. With over 15% of Montgomery County residents self-identifying as Asian descent, Maryland can serve as a model in helping health care providers understand and meet the distinct cultural and religious needs of its many patients.”