Below is Council President Albornoz’s full statement:
This week, as I reflected on the budget we are about to approve, it occurred to me that this is the eighteenth budget I have had a hand in shaping. My early experience with the County budget was as an executive for a non-profit organization, then later as a cabinet official and now, as Council President. Those experiences provide valuable context that helps me see this budget from multiple angles.
All of us are focused on improving education, expanding affordable housing opportunities, enhancing public safety, combatting climate change, and committed to equity. This proposed and preliminarily approved FY23 budget will also grow our reserves, helps preserve our AAA bond rating, and provides improved compensation for our employees. This budget makes historic investments while not raising taxes on our residents during these volatile economic times.
After two years of operating in crisis mode in response to the pandemic, nearly 15 years since the beginning of the Great Recession, and, for the first time since I have been a County official, our revenues have returned stronger than even predicted. We finally have the revenue we needed to make key investments as well as right sizing many priorities after years of cuts and similar budgets. This is a long way from just three years ago when we inherited a $90 million dollar deficit in our first budget, a same service budget in our second year at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a budget last year that was supplemented by federal funds that allowed us to have another same services budget that limited our ability to address increasing needs.
Truck Day will take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the MCDOT Gaithersburg Depot, which is located at 17000 Crabbs Branch Way in Gaithersburg.
The American Public Works Association has announced “Ready & Resilient” as the theme for its 2022 National Public Works Week campaign. The theme emphasizes that public works employees are always ready to serve their communities and are resilient despite encountering challenges.
“We encourage residents to take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones,” said Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Acting Director Marianne Souders. “Check on elderly friends, relatives and neighbors to ensure they are not showing signs of heat-related illnesses.”
Extreme heat affects the body’s ability to regulate temperature, which can create dangerous conditions if appropriate safety measures are not taken. Heat may affect air quality, especially in urban areas, and may have a stronger impact on the elderly, children. and sick persons.
At Thursday’s weekly media briefing, County Executive Marc Elrich said that the county is looking into changing the all black uniforms that Montgomery County Police Officers currently wear. Elrich said that there is a broad consensus that the black uniforms appear to be intimidating, and were originally “meant to be intimidating”, and that the change to a new color is a part of the “reimagining police” initiative. “It’s something that we ought to do, and it will help take some of the intimidation out of the appearance of an officer” he said.
Montgomery County is discussing alternate colors with MCPD and their union. Elrich also mentioned that black uniform are hot and that the new uniforms should be more comfortable, and that they are leaving the decision up to the department and officers. The cost of the uniform change could be more than a million dollars. Prior to the black uniforms, Montgomery County Police Officers wore khaki colored uniforms. You can view the media briefing below:
“This past weekend a lone gunman changed the world for a countless number of Americans. Ten people were tragically killed at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY, and countless others have been traumatized by an attack that not only targeted the innocent but was also motivated by hate. Police have discovered the man they arrested for the crime drove hours to get to that supermarket because he wanted to target the Black community. It’s the kind of detail that prompted President Joe Biden to call the shooting ‘terrorism’ when he visited Buffalo on Tuesday.
People are increasingly feeling insecure about being able to move freely about our communities. We cannot allow this to be tolerated or to become ‘normalized’. Replacement theory is pure garbage and there is no replacement of anyone planned – the last replacement event in North America was when Native peoples were replaced by Europeans. Along with the demonization of critical race theory, otherwise known as our history to most of us, these are attacks on efforts to build an inclusive and unbiased community where all are valued, and all are safe.
The operator of the Honda and several witnesses stopped and rendered aid. The pedestrian, 84-year-old Carole Barbara Weiss, was transported to an area hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on May 17.
The initial investigation by the Montgomery County Department of Police – Collision Reconstruction Unit (CRU) has revealed the pedestrian crossed to the center median, toward the western side of Rockledge Drive, and entered the southbound lanes of Rockledge Drive, where she was struck.
Kits and masks are available on a table or cart near the library service desk. Residents can get two test kits and four adult N95 masks per person per day. Each kit contains two tests. If you are unable to access COVID test kits or masks due to a disability, you can request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act by contacting 240-777-2982. Request rapid test kits for your organization.
Rapid tests produce results 15 minutes after you complete all steps.
County Executive Marc Elrich released this statement upon learning of Kramer’s death:
County Flags will fly at half-staff in honor of Kramer until after his funeral services which have yet to be announced.
In 2020, Montgomery County recycled 764,375 tons of materials, including glass, metals, paper, plastic and compostable items. The County is constantly increasing its recycling rate. In 2019 the rate for recycling in Montgomery County was 58.17 percent and in 2018 the recycling rate was 56.91 percent. Cecil County was second to Montgomery County with a recycling rate of 58.69 percent and Mid-Shore Counties—which include Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot—came in third with a rate of 49.37 percent. The County remains focused on meeting its existing goals to reduce waste and recycle more, aiming toward zero waste. Waste diversion encompasses recycling and reducing trash. It also includes credits given for programs that encourage residents and businesses to prevent waste, such as the County Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) backyard food scraps composting project and the commercial food scraps recycling partnership program.
“I am proud of what Montgomery County has achieved by recycling, reducing and preventing waste,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The goal of the County’s Climate Action Plan is reducing communitywide greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent over the next five years and 100 percent by 2035. All of us—residents, businesses and our County government—are working together toward achieving zero waste over the next 13 years. Fighting climate change takes a village and this news is a testament that we are moving in the right direction.”
“Yesterday I tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, I am fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus and am only experiencing mild symptoms. I am currently isolating in accordance with CDC guidance and will continue to work remotely.
“I encourage all eligible Montgomery County residents to get fully vaccinated and boosted to best protect themselves and their loved ones against this virus.”