Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has released his weekly message. The message can be seen below in it’s entirety:
“Dear Friends,
One of the greatest joys I have as County Executive is travelling throughout Montgomery County, talking – sometimes virtually – to residents, meeting business owners, and getting to hear about the issues, complaints, problems, as well as compliments.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Last Friday, I joined residents, business owners, and community-based organizations in Silver Spring in recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month. At a Latina-owned establishment, we highlighted honorees’ contributions to Long Branch and the broader Silver Spring region throughout the pandemic. It was an evening of uplifting stories and a testimony to how this County has united and persevered over the last 20 months. We will continue to honor and pay tribute to our Latino community throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, which ends on Oct. 15.
African Heritage Month
Earlier this month, we proclaimed September as African Heritage Month, which we have celebrated in various venues around the county. We are home to more than 54,000 Africans, who make up 15 percent of the overall immigrant population. Montgomery County has a wonderfully diverse African immigrant community that is part of the diverse tapestry of cultures from every corner of our world that call Montgomery County, “home.” Our African brothers and sisters own businesses, teach our children, serve in our government, and are engaged residents throughout our neighborhoods.
Our young people are engaging in climate change issues
I was delighted to participate in a panel Wednesday night to hear from and talk with high school students from all over the County who are part of a group called, “SAPPlings” (Student Advocates Protecting the Planet). SAPPlings was created by and for high school students in Montgomery County. I loved engaging with these energetic and active students; they understand that it’s their generation that is facing the gravest consequences if we don’t take meaningful steps to address climate change immediately and comprehensively. You can watch the event here.
As a reminder, you can read about our Climate Action Plan here. I am pleased that the County Council approved our proposal for the International Green Construction Code, which requires that new buildings use less energy, generate more renewable energy, and create healthy spaces for our residents. We also sent over Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) legislation that will require owners of the largest and most energy-consuming buildings to take action to improve their buildings’ energy performances. We continue our work to increase the availability of transit, including electric-powered buses, electric vehicles for our police fleet, and additional solar energy on both public and private sites.
Better numbers regarding COVID-19 transmission
I am glad that we are starting to see some good trends as this latest wave of cases over the summer due to the delta variant has begun to plateau and subside. Our test positivity rate and case rates are the best in the state and our case rate is almost half of the state’s overall average. We are now hovering between substantial and low transmission rates in Montgomery County, which is good news. And 98 percent of our eligible population (those who are 12 and older) has received at least one dose.
However, this pandemic is far from over. The vaccines have helped to reduce deaths and hospitalizations, but the virus continues to spread. Our case rates this week are about where they were at the end of February after last winter’s surge – that was a time when vaccines were scarce, and we were spending most of time indoors. When we look at who is becoming significantly ill and hospitalized it is predominantly those over the age of 50. We hope that boosters may help with immunity response. Last week, the CDC recommended certain populations receive a booster shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine at least six months after being fully vaccinated. Those include people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings, people aged 50 to 64 with certain underlying medical conditions, and people 18 to 49 who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions or are at increased risk for COVID-19.
We are currently engaged in an effort to determine how many of our employees are not yet vaccinated. While the vast majority are vaccinated, we do not yet have all employees reporting their status and are working to get that information. While some are advocating for a vaccine mandate for all county employees, I am not yet ready to embrace that strategy because it will lead to staffing shortages, diminished public safety, additional financial costs to our taxpayers, and time-consuming legal entanglements. You can read my statement here.
And you can read about the issue here.
Fewer quarantines for MCPS students
I am happy to report that the number of students in quarantine has declined due to rapid testing and revised procedures. During the first week of school, over 2000 individuals in MCPS were quarantined; last week it was 374. This is incredible progress. And the low 1.3 positivity rate is lower than the general community rate. I appreciate all the work of MCPS staff, school health staff, and others over this first month of school. Managing this situation in our classrooms while also returning to in-class learning has been an enormous challenge, but everyone has adjusted quickly and adeptly. There are going to be tough times ahead as colder weather means more time indoors. We are going to need patience and partnerships with everyone as we focus on ensuring that our students get the education they deserve. I am concerned about the recent learning loss data that MCPS published. We must work hard to get these kids caught up, but as safely as possible for them and their families.
Our COVID success is due to the hard work of thousands of Montgomery County employees. One of our County’s COVID leaders, Dr. Earl Stoddard was unanimously confirmed by the County Council to be our new Assistant Chief Administrative Officer focusing on our health and public safety operations. Dr. Stoddard has been a key figure during the County’s response to the COVID-19 efforts, serving as the Director of the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security. I have appreciated his advice and we’re fortunate that he accepted these increased responsibilities.
Supporting our small businesses
This week, the Council overrode my veto of legislation to create a Silver Spring Business Improvement District or “BID.” I vetoed this legislation at the request of small business owners, minority business owners, the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board, Fenton Village Inc., the Maryland Black Chamber of Commerce, and the African Advisory Board among others. As I wrote in my veto message, downtown Silver Spring offers much of what is best about Montgomery County but it also has problems that we can and should address. The BID “shifts the power of public district decision-making from a stakeholder group representing diverse culture and income backgrounds to a stakeholder group that predominantly represents the interests of medium and large businesses,” according to the Council’s own Racial Equity and Social Justice impact statement.
I had sent the Council an alternative proposal that would have created an independent structure that reflected the diversity of Silver Spring – large and small business owners and property owners as well as residents. We have a similar, successful model in Bethesda, the Bethesda Urban Partnership. I was disappointed that the Council did not even consider this alternative, which addressed the concerns raised by small business owners, residents, and elected state leaders.
I appreciate Councilmember Will Jawando for supporting the veto and for explaining the importance of moving forward to address these problems together rather than using a flawed approach. It is my hope that going forward we will find a more equitable way to give voice to the diversity of the Silver Spring community.
A good place for your bikes!
Another important event next Friday, Oct. 8, is the Montgomery County Department of Transportation bicycle donation event for kids and adults in need. MCDOT will be collecting bikes from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., outside of the Council Office Building parking garage at the corner of East Jefferson Street and Monroe Street in Rockville. Donated child and adult bikes will be accepted; however, the drive will not accept bike parts or bike helmets. Bikes are good for exercise as well as an efficient, sustainable transportation method, but unfortunately, many of our fellow residents cannot afford to own their own bikes. We were unable to collect donated bikes last year due to the pandemic and our demand for bikes is great. If you have a bike that is sitting around collecting dust or if you are buying a new one, please donate your bikes to MCDOT next Friday.
As always, my appreciation to all of you.
Late this morning, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich released a statement on Dr. Travis Gayles stepping down as the county’s Public Health Officer.
The full statement can be seen below:
Earlier today, Dr. Travis Gayles informed me that he will be leaving his position as our County’s Public Health Officer on Sept. 12.
I want to thank Dr. Gayles for his guidance, expertise, and professionalism over the last four years, and particularly the last 18 months. His service to the residents of Montgomery County has been exemplary, and we are a healthier and safer County thanks to his work.
Throughout this pandemic, Dr. Gayles has been a voice of reassurance and reason that our residents have counted on during the worst public health event in modern American history. I have relied on him because I trusted his decisions would be guided by science, not politics. His calm demeanor and sound leadership have been invaluable and helped Montgomery County become one of the most vaccinated jurisdictions in the nation.
Our community has benefitted from his advice and knowledge, and he will truly be missed. I want to thank Dr. Gayles for his unwavering commitment to our County and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
We are fortunate to have a strong team in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Division of Public Health Services, the Board of Health, and across my administration to continue our COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Dr. Raymond Crowel will immediately begin working with the Maryland Department of Health on filling this important position.
In this week’s message, County Executive Marc Elrich talks about the continued need to stick with tough measures against the COVID-19 variant. He also expresses his disappointment with this week’s vote of the Maryland Board of Public Works regarding the State’s plan to expand I-495 and I-270. He discusses the Climate Action Plan of the U.N. And he also joins the many County residents who are glad historic Hank Dietle’s Tavern is back in business on Rockville Pike.
The message is available below:
Dear Friends,
Unfortunately, we are continuing to see COVID-19 cases rise around the County and the State. The Delta variant, which is dominant right now, is highly contagious. The good news is that the cases among the vaccinated is very low and hospitalizations for that population is even lower. Montgomery County continues to have one of the highest vaccination rates in the country.
The County face covering mandate for everyone in indoor, publicly accessible areas continues to be in effect. The mandate makes good sense for many reasons. We still have unvaccinated people, and even with vaccinations, the virus can spread. Of course, there are certain populations—children under 12 and some immune-compromised individuals—who are not eligible for a vaccine.
Unfortunately, the Delta variant transmits five times faster than previous variants of COVID-19, so we need to get more people vaccinated. From the beginning we have done everything we can to keep our County’s residents as safe as possible and to distribute vaccines as far and wide as possible. We will continue our efforts to get everyone vaccinated. In the meantime, masks are an important tool against the spread. We can win this fight, but we need every eligible person to get vaccinated and for everyone to wear face coverings indoors.
STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS VOTE ON GOVERNOR’S PLAN TO EXPAND I-270 AND THE BELTWAY
I am sorry to report that on Wednesday, the state Board of Public Works (BPW) voted (2-1) to approve the “predevelopment agreement” with Australian firms Transurban and Macquarie to develop toll lanes on the American Legion Bridge, I-495, and I-270. (The Governor, the State Comptroller and the State Treasurer are the members of the BPW. The board is chaired by the Governor and makes decisions on how state funds are spent on capital projects such as roads, school construction, and more.) This a costly setback to residents. I – along with State legislators, the County Council, environmentalists and residents – had argued that this was not the right approach because it does not solve the congestion problem and it lacked an essential financial analysis, putting taxpayers at risk of spending more than necessary on this project.
I testified in person before the Board of Public Works on Wednesday. I explained that the project before them did not provide a complete solution – it only addressed I-270 up to I-370, so that for northern Montgomery and others up to Frederick, traffic going north will actually be worse than it is today as the state’s own study showed.
This map shows the bottlenecks that remain even if the project were built.
| Map of bottlenecks |
We need a complete solution that addresses congestion all the way from the American Legion Bridge to Frederick and we need reversible lanes as I have explained.
I also explained that the required financial analysis by the State needed to be conducted before the BPW vote, but that analysis has not yet happened. Treasurer Nancy Kopp was blocked from completing the required legal and fiscal analysis of the contract in advance of this vote. No analysis was done identifying whether a private partner should be used to borrow the money. This is a huge problem that will be passed to toll payers because the State can borrow at lower rates than the private company and higher rates equal higher tolls.
It is ironic that this vote came the day after the Senate passed the largest infrastructure bill in our nation’s history. These are exactly the kind of funds that are meant to be used for projects like fixing the American Legion Bridge. If we applied for, and received, Federal funds, the cost to our residents would be further reduced. The Governor’s refusal to apply for those funds makes no sense.
You can read the letter I sent to the BPW here. And you can read the piece I wrote for the Washington Post here. You can read the letter from the State legislators here. You can read the letter from Congressmen Jamie Raskin and Anthony Brown here. You can read the County Council’s letter to the BPW here. And I also explained some of the issues of concerns in last week’s letter, which you can read here.
The bottom line is that the project as approved by the BPW does not solve our congestion problems, and as I have said from the very beginning, I think there is a viable solution and I want to work with the Governor to solve this problem. In the meantime, we will continue to work with the State to minimize impacts on the lower portion of the project. Going forward, I will continue to fight for a project that serves the County and beyond.
U.S. SENATE PASSES HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE BILL
The U.S. Senate’s passage of the infrastructure bill earlier this week is one of the most important pieces of legislation I have seen passed in my lifetime. It will not only help us rebound economically from the pandemic, it will also help us build a more sustainable and equitable future for generations of Americans. It will create jobs, more economic opportunity, and address decades of infrastructure needs that will directly impact the lives of people all over this nation.
I want to thank Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin for their advocacy, determination and votes to get this historic bill through the Senate. I look forward to working with our Federal delegation to ensure that our County’s transportation and infrastructure priorities receive these much-needed investments.
U.N. CLIMATE CHANGE REPORT AND OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN
This week we experienced another week of extremely hot temperatures. The heat, fires, floods and the storms are the result of our planet getting warmer. Earlier this week, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a sobering report. This report notes that human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe.
We need to bring the same kind of awareness and sense of urgency to combat climate change as we brought to fighting COVID. Humans caused this problem, and we have to fix it by changing our behavior, policies and actions.
We cannot solve it all at the local level, but we are doing our part. We are using the Climate Action Plan as the County’s strategic roadmap to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I am proud that it is one of the most ambitious plans in the country.
Our Climate Action Plan identifies 86 actions that the County must address to eliminate GHGs by 2035 and increase climate resilience. We already have 75 of the actions underway, and the strategies outlined in this plan also focus on those in our community who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and identify opportunities to enhance racial equity while reducing emissions.
In the spring, we sent two items for action to the County Council to address emissions from new and existing buildings, which are major generators of greenhouse gas emissions. The Building Energy Performance Standard legislation (BEPS) will require owners of the largest and most energy-consuming buildings to take action to improve their buildings’ energy performances. The other is for the adoption of the International Green Construction Code, which would require that new buildings use less energy, generate more renewable energy and create healthy spaces for our residents. The Council is scheduled to review these proposals in the fall.
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF FLOWER BRANCH APARTMENTS TRAGEDY
Tuesday was the fifth anniversary of the horrible explosion at the Flower Branch Apartments. It was a tragedy that took the lives of seven people.
The devastation we experienced that day, and the impact it had on our community, is difficult to forget, but it has motivated us to act and improve how we monitor situations like this. We have put policies in place designed to protect residents so nothing like this happens again.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the failure of an indoor mercury service regulator contributed to the explosion. This led to the Council taking action and it passed the Mercury Service Regulator bill, which requires landlords to identify and report indoor mercury service regulators. At the State level, HB345 will require new gas service regulators be installed on the outside of buildings and require existing regulators in multifamily units be relocated outside of building.
Legislation cannot bring back the people we lost that day, but it can protect tenants going forward. It is our way of paying tribute to the seven victims, as well as their families and friends.
A WIN FOR HELPING THOSE IN NEED
I am pleased to report that the County has prevailed at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in the case Bauer et. al. v Elrich et. al. The plaintiffs challenged the County’s Emergency Assistance Relief Payment (EARP) program that we designed to provide a desperately needed lifeline for the County’s most vulnerable residents, who were hit hardest by the pandemic. I am grateful for the win and to the many other states and organizations who stood with us to defend this important program. This program was the right thing to do. It is not our way to turn our back on people in need.
HANK DIETLE’S REOPENS AND SMALL BUSINESS VISITS WEEK NO. 3
As part of my Small Business Summer Tour, this week I stopped by Hank Dietle’s Tavern in North Bethesda to welcome it back and present the owners with a proclamation. Hank Dietle’s Tavern had been closed since a fire in 2018 and reopened last month. Hank Dietle’s Tavern is an institution that has been around since 1916. It was the first bar in the County to receive a liquor license after Prohibition and it was the first bar where I had a drink when I could legally drink. It has always been a great gathering place, and it was nice to be among music lovers and to hear Dan Hovey, guitarist from one of my favorite bands, The Nighthawks.
I am also continuing visits to other small businesses including Happy Hands Learning Center, a company that offers a bilingual early childhood development program, and Anglo Dutch Pools and Toys, a company that sells supplies and toys for pools. It has been around for more than 35 years.
These small business visits are a great way to see the entrepreneurial energy of our small businesses.
WE LOST A GIANT IN THE LABOR WORLD
I want to note the death of Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO and a Rockville resident. Richard Trumka helped strengthen and reinvigorate the national labor movement and was a strong and powerful voice for working people all over this country. He will be missed.
And I want to acknowledge another Montgomery County resident, Robert McCartney, who retired from The Washington Post after 39 years. I have appreciated his work over the years and wish him well.
As always, my appreciation to all of you.
The weekly message from Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich can be seen, heard, and read below.
Message from the County Executive
Dear Friends:
We are continuing to see increases in the spread of the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus in the County and around the country. We are also seeing an increase in case and positivity rates. It is important to note that 77 percent of our newly confirmed COVID cases are unvaccinated individuals. And our local data indicates that people 20 to 40 years old who are unvaccinated are driving our new cases. To break that down, 36 percent of the cases are among people aged 20 to 39 and 12 percent of the cases are aged 10-19, meaning that 48 percent—or almost half—of the cases are among people aged 10 to 39.
Vaccinations are clearly protective, and Montgomery County continues to be in a good place with vaccination rates. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, 70.5 percent of our entire population is fully vaccinated and 83 percent of our eligible population (12 and older) is fully vaccinated. More than 90 percent of people 12 and older have had at least one dose of vaccine.
This is all good news, but it highlights the fact that the worrisome numbers are concentrated among the unvaccinated who are at great risk and are putting others at risk. The spread of the delta variant puts not only the adults who do not want to get vaccinated at risk, but it puts children under 12 and vaccinated adults with compromised immune systems in harm’s way. So, we will continue our efforts to increase vaccination rates.
This week, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) decided to mandate masks for students, faculty, staff and visitors in all schools. I support this decision. It is the best approach to minimize transmission of the virus and to keep our students, their families and MCPS staff safe. This school decision follows guidance from the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Earlier this week the CDC recommended universal masking in indoor public spaces in jurisdictions that are experiencing “substantial” transmission rates. At this point, our transmission rate is “moderate,” not substantial. However, some nearby jurisdictions, including the District of Columbia and City of Alexandria, have hit “substantial” transmission rates. Today, the District renewed its indoor mask mandate. That is why our public health officer, Dr. Travis Gayles, and I will recommend to the County Council that we reinstate an indoor mask requirement if transmission rates hit a “substantial” level here in Montgomery County.
We could see these rates growing worse before they plateau and decline. Our high vaccination rates are not going to fully protect us. So, masking in schools and ensuring that all our friends, family, co-workers and neighbors are vaccinated, are important for everyone’s safety. Do it for you, but more importantly, do it for the people you care about.
Providing Rental Relief
We are making good progress getting much needed funding out to residents who need assistance. We have distributed almost $29 million since May 2020 to residents in need. Now we are actively working with the County’s Sheriff’s Department, which is providing a weekly list of those facing imminent evictions so that we can prioritize assistance to these most at-risk households.
Police Release Video From Tragic Police Shooting Of Ryan LeRoux
As you may know, earlier this week the Police Department released video footage of the police-involved shooting of Ryan LeRoux. Like many residents, I have questions about this incident. I am trying to understand how an incident that began calmly suddenly turned violent. I also want to determine whether there are tactical approaches that would minimize the creation of situations where officers find themselves at-risk and have to make split-second life or death decisions. We need a careful review of how this outcome might have been averted. My concern is that even if an event is deemed justifiable in that moment, it may not have been inevitable.
As County Executive, I have the responsibility of doing everything I can to prevent this from happening again. I have asked our partner, Effective Law Enforcement for All, Inc., an organization that is working with us on the Reimagining Public Safety Initiative, to work with the County as we conduct an “after-action” review of this and other incidents. These reviews will provide additional recommendations for policy and procedures, as well as any training needed to avoid similar situations.
This will not be a separate investigation into this incident, but a set of “case studies” in how we respond to situations and whether our tactics and procedures before, during and after incidents can and should be improved.
I continue to express our condolences to Mr. LeRoux’s family and friends. I also want to make it clear that we will continue to be transparent by communicating and engaging with the community about this incident throughout the legal process. It is important for every resident to have confidence that the police and other public safety professionals are committed to protecting them. Transparency builds trust, and trust is essential in our efforts to reimagine public safety.
Telecommunications Towers
The County Council earlier this week approved Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) 19-07 to revise the procedures for the installation of telecommunications towers and antennas that can accommodate 5G technology. While I understand that some revisions to those procedures may be necessary, this ZTA does not provide the right balance, nor did the process address multiple community concerns. I had proposed, and continue to believe, that a workgroup of residents, industry and other representatives is needed to allow an opportunity to understand the complexities of the issue and to provide for meaningful community participation. You can read my entire statement here.
This week we also formally launched our new public safety radio system, which will improve public safety communications across the County and with neighboring jurisdictions. This system will increase reliability and connectivity. You can read more about it here.
Helping Businesses in Silver Spring and Valuing Our Diversity
In a 7-1 vote on Tuesday, the County Council passed legislation to allow the creation of a Business Improvement District (BID) in the downtown area of Silver Spring. Despite the positive sounding name, the proposal was strongly opposed by many small business owners in downtown Silver Spring. The BID, which would be financed by a mandatory tax on all businesses, is structured to give the power to property owners with the largest and most expensive property. That is why many small business owners have expressed great alarm about it. The Racial Equity and Social Justice Impact statement from the Council’s Office of Legislative Oversight explained it this way:
“The exclusion of residents from the SS BID Board, and the concentration of voting power for board members with the largest assets, shifts the power of public district decision-making from a stakeholder group representing diverse culture and income backgrounds to a stakeholder group that predominantly represents the interests of medium and large businesses. Granting greater voting power to board members with larger businesses also shifts decision-making power from People of Color-owned businesses to White-owned businesses as the later on average are larger than the former.”
You can read more about that here.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Councilmember Hans Riemer, when trying to make the case for the bill, said, “Who would want to join into an association where the people who are paying the most expense don’t have greater control?” I don’t believe that wealthier people or businesses should have greater control. I believe we can have an organization that represents and values the diversity of Silver Spring and that we can work together to address the issues in the area. This week, I joined Councilmember Will Jawando at a press conference to express our opposition to this bill and to announce that I will veto it. You can listen to the event here.
The Olympic Stars
We congratulate Montgomery County’s own Katie Ledecky on her multiple medals at the Tokyo Summer Olympics. We will continue to cheer for her and the other Montgomery County athletes competing in this year’s Olympics.
With appreciation,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
Weekly Message From County Executive Marc Elrich (7/8/21)
In County Executive Marc Elrich’s weekly message, he says he hopes Maryland courts will uphold a decision that overruled Governor Larry Hogan’s attempt to block additional Federal payments to unemployed Marylanders.
Elrich also wants residents to know more about the County’s efforts to Reimagine Public Safety and he thinks a program now in place at the Halpine Apartments in Rockville is an important step in preserving and producing affordable housing in the County.
Full message is available below:
I hope that everyone had an enjoyable and relaxing 4th of July weekend. For me, reviewing our COVID-19 status and vaccination rates is much more pleasant these days. Eighty-one percent—81 percent—of all eligible residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated.
Here’s the information on County residents who have been vaccinated:
- 12 and older – 81 percent
- 18 and older – 83 percent
- 65 and older – 92 percent (and 98 percent have received at least one dose)
We should all be very proud of these numbers. All of our efforts combined—from all of you – have made us #1 in the country for large jurisdictions. This success did not (and does not) come easily. We have had enormous outreach efforts into hard-to-reach communities. (In fact, some of those efforts just won an Emmy!) We have also worked with students who have created videos to convince their peers to get vaccinated. You can check out some of the amazing videos. As a former teacher, I am always excited to see our young people get involved in important issues like this.
As you may know, we closed the Mass Vaccination Site on the Germantown campus of Montgomery College last week and we opened a new clinic at the UpCounty Regional Service Center beginning on Tuesday. We continue to make sure vaccinations (and testing) are available.
COVID-19 Unemployment Benefits Remain in Place
I am happy to report that the courts temporarily blocked Gov. Larry Hogan’s order to prematurely end federal unemployment benefits. This ruling will allow hundreds of thousands of jobless workers in Maryland to continue to collect this important benefit, which does not cost the state or counties any money. Even though the problems related to COVID-19 are slowly receding, at least some businesses and workers are still struggling and in need. There is another hearing on this issue tomorrow, and I hope that working people will prevail.
Halpine View/Preserving Affordable Housing
This week I announced an exciting new project at the Halpine View Apartments in the Twinbrook neighborhood of Rockville. This project is an important part of our effort to preserve and increase affordable housing in Montgomery County. As the County grows, development pressures threaten our existing stock of affordable housing, and we need to support efforts to preserve existing affordable housing as well as produce additional affordable housing. I appreciate the willingness of the property owners to work with us to preserve and improve access to affordable housing. This agreement requires that, for any new redevelopment of the property, existing residents will have access to the new units at affordable rates, and that all 564 affordable units at Halpine View will continue to be available and include two- and three-bedroom units. It also creates some “deeply affordable” units for people earning 30-50 percent of the area median income (AMI). This project is a win for all of us.
Reimagining Public Safety
Last week I announced the preliminary results of an audit that was conducted to review our police department. This week, we shared the report during a community forum and heard from community members. These efforts are part of our Reimagining Public Safety Initiative. When we started this initiative, I promised to provide regular updates to the community and this week’s forum was the latest update. We have also begun a data dashboard to track our progress on recommendations. If you missed the forum, you can listen. I appreciate your input as we continue this progress.
Traffic Congestion
There has been a lot of conversation about Governor Hogan’s proposal to widen the Beltway and I-270, known as the managed lanes proposal. Since he first announced his proposal, I have expressed my appreciation for his willingness to try to tackle some of the congestion issues. We agree with his concern; we don’t agree with his solution, which is unnecessarily expensive and impactful. We agree that we need two additional lanes from the American Legion Bridge up I-270 in the rush-hour direction, but they can and should be reversible lanes. They would provide two additional southbound lanes in the morning and two additional northbound lanes in the afternoon. Reversible lanes would solve the problem and it would greatly reduce the cost. Contrary to misinformation, the Governor’s proposal does not offer any relief north of I-370; it just moves the traffic choke point. People driving to Germantown, Clarksburg and Frederick will be stuck in soul-crushing traffic, made worse by the current proposal. Additionally, the private financing mechanism is unnecessarily expensive. We have been advocating since the beginning for a complete solution from the American Legion Bridge to Frederick. We want a resolution that is good for the State, County and region and the approach that I have proposed does just that. I look forward to meeting with the Governor’s team very soon as we continue our discussions to best address this issue. I will certainly keep you posted on our progress.
With my ongoing appreciation.
Marc Elrich
County Executive
Hans Riemer Announces He Will Run for County Executive in 2022
Montgomery County Councilmember Hans Riemer has announced that he will be running for County Executive in 2022.
He has been a Montgomery County Councilmember since successfully running for an at-large seat in 2010 and winning re-election in 2014 and 2018. He was unsuccessful in a previous run for the District 5 seat in 2006, losing to Valerie Earvin.
Riemer graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 1995 and worked for the National Academy of Social Insurance, where he interned during college. Later in 1995, he was hired as Public Policy Associate at the Save Our Security Coalition, under Arthur S. Flemming.
In 1996 he founded the 2030 Center, a non-profit policy organization focused on protecting Social Security, improving health care, and supporting progressive solutions for fiscal challenges at the federal level.
In 2004, Riemer started working for Rock the Vote as their political director and led Rock the Vote’s partnership with CNN to host a youth debate in the Democratic presidential primary. In 2008 he joined the Obama presidential campaign, serving as the National Youth Vote Director before working for the AARP as a senior advisor on Social Security policy.
The following message is posted on his campaign website:
“Dear friends and supporters,
The Montgomery County Executive can set the tone and the pace for our dynamic and thriving community — by bringing people and ideas together to move us into the future.
Montgomery County needs progressive leadership that is effective and forward thinking. It is time to move on from the politics of the past. You know my deep convictions for Democratic values and my record as a councilmember with a vision for the future.
That is why I am writing to let you know that I will run for Montgomery County Executive in the June 2022 Democratic Primary.
COVID has taken a hard toll, but we are ready for the hard work of rebuilding and reinventing. It is time for:
- Economic development so that the next generation can live, work, and thrive here; and to help small businesses recover
- Housing policies that promote affordability and inclusivity, and support a growing workforce
- Creative investments in education to accelerate learning in the wake of COVID from pre-k to higher ed; and including new STEM talent pipelines for both students and jobless workers
- Climate policy that provides national leadership through local action
- Police reform that positions Montgomery County as a model for the nation in transparency and trust — and for youth and racial justice
- Finishing the Purple Line, the Corridor Cities Transitway and upgrading MARC into real commuter rail
We can do this!
Join me this June as I launch my campaign. Together, let’s build momentum to make Montgomery stronger and more vibrant! You can choose from two events:
In-person, Saturday, June 12th at 12pm at Silver Branch Brewery in downtown Silver Spring — a lively event with friends, food, and fun
Online, Wednesday, June 16th at 5pm via Zoom — an online discussion (link will be sent after you register).
The primary is on June 28, 2022. As in the 2018 election cycle, I will proudly run as a public finance candidate, meaning that I will only raise contributions from individuals, no special interest groups.
Use this form to let me know you are coming on June 12 or June 16. You can make your donation right away to help me reach the public financing threshold of 500 individual donations.
Thank you!
Your friend,
Hans Riemer“
Statement from Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on Antisemitism
Antisemitic language, threats, and actions have no place in Montgomery County, our state, and throughout our nation and world. Similar to recent violence and vitriol against our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, the Jewish community of Montgomery County understandably is alarmed by the rise in antisemitic incidents that are currently occurring in our society.
While the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) has not had reports of any specific incidents at this time, they are vigilantly monitoring and increasing patrols around synagogues as well as Jewish businesses and communities. We continue to ask that if anyone experiences any form of hate or threats because of their racial, religious, ethnic, gender, and/or sexual orientation, they report these incidents to law enforcement. If you believe a bias/hate crime has occurred, please call 301-279-8000, or, in an emergency, dial 9-1-1, to report the incident to MCPD immediately.
I am all too aware of antisemitism, having grown up with it. And it is incredibly sad and disheartening that antisemitism, like other irrational biases, is still in our society in 2021. Montgomery County is a place of diversity, inclusion, and equity. We will have no tolerance for antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia or bigotry in any forms – in our homes, schools, places of business, government or online.
We will continue to monitor, help and protect all of our communities who receive threats, provocation or feel fear. Every inhabitant and visitor should be welcomed and feel safe in every neighborhood of Montgomery County.
A Message from County Executive Marc Elrich
Per Montgomery County:
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich talks about celebrating today, April 22, as Earth Day—while also reflecting that, if not for the COVID-19 health crisis, climate change would have been the natural disaster headline of the year, decade and century. He also offers his views on the long-term impact of the guilty verdict for a police officer in the death of George Floyd and provides an update on COVID-19 vaccinations.
”Dear Friends:
Happy Earth Day! Today is another day to remember that, if it were not for COVID-19, climate change would have been the natural disaster headline of the year, decade and century.
I hope you have a chance to celebrate and commemorate Earth Day—enjoy the outdoors, hug a tree, turn off the lights you are not using . . . there is a lot that we can and should be doing individually and collectively.
Within County Government, we are tackling climate change. We are taking small steps and big steps and doing everything that we can do. We are focused on turning our bus and car fleet to electric vehicles, increasing our solar production and improving and expanding opportunities for public transit, biking and walking. We also have sent major legislation to the County Council regarding reducing energy use in existing buildings as well as future buildings. We are one of the leaders in the country on these issues. And with the passage of the Community Choice Energy bill, we have jumped into making CCE a reality for the County. We have State-imposed requirements and timelines, but we will move as quickly as is possible.
You can learn more about our climate change initiatives that I presented at our Earth Day news event.
I do need to comment on another major event: the guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd. As I said earlier this week, the verdict will not bring George Floyd back to life or make his family whole, but it is one more reminder that we still have so much work to do regarding law enforcement reform and reimagining public safety.
Here in Montgomery County, we are moving forward with a comprehensive review of how we hire, how we train and how we police. We have established policies that clearly define expected practices: banning chokeholds, changing the rules on no-knock warrants and implementing a “duty to intervene” so that our officers understand their responsibility to step in when another officer is not acting appropriately in their work to protect the community.
This is our moment to institute significant institutional changes that will benefit all of our residents, rebuild confidence in our police and restore the morale of our officers. We began our work before the tragic George Floyd incident. Our work is continuing and we are committed to ensuring an equitable outcome for everyone. To read more about Reimaging Public Safety agenda, please visit our webpage.
In terms of our continuing COVID response and recovery, we have announced $59 million of additional funds to help tenants facing evictions. Information is available at the rent relief website or by calling 311 (240-777-0311). Previously, more than $16 million has been provided to more than 4,000 County households. We are reaching out to these families in numerous ways and we welcome your help in promoting this to any of your Montgomery County family, friends and neighbors who may need this assistance.
At our weekly press conference, we also outlined the multiple efforts by our team to provide food security to the many who are struggling throughout this county. You can watch the news conference here.
In consultation with our public health team, the County Council, sitting as the Board of Health, passed regulations regarding high school graduations. More details are here.
Our County’s COVID-19 case rate continues to be much better than virtually anywhere elsewhere in the State. Thankfully, our seven-day average is holding steady and not going up.
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| Click to view the chart |
You can find more details at https://state-of-maryland.github.io/DailyCaseRatebyJurisdiction/index_fullscreen.html.
We are currently reviewing and discussing metrics for further reopening. We will base our decisions on case rates, positivity, vaccination rates and more.
Our residents continue to be vaccinated at a good rate. More than 500,000 residents have received at least one dose. We continue to vaccinate as quickly as we receive the doses.
We are getting there together. Thank you.
Marc Elrich
County Executive”
A Message from County Executive Marc Elrich
County Executive Marc Elrich thanks the Montgomery County Delegation to the General Assembly for its many accomplishments in this year’s session. Among the legislation passed was a measure that will move the County closer to implementing “Community Choice Energy.” He also addresses how the “pause” of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines will impact Montgomery County’s vaccine program.
“Dear Friends:
This past Monday was the last day—“Sine Die” — of the Maryland State legislative session. I want to thank the Montgomery County Delegation for its leadership and accomplishments in a number of different areas, which are listed here. I am especially appreciative of passage of legislation that would allow Montgomery County to implement Community Choice Energy (CCE), which gives us a chance to prioritize cleaner, sustainable energy sources. Even in the midst of this pandemic, we cannot lose sight of the ongoing climate emergency that must be addressed.
Case rates
Although our County case rates and positivity do not seem to be declining, the good news is that the rate is not increasing, which is different than the situation statewide, as you can see from the graph below. See more details at https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/.
J & J vaccines
Two days ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended a “pause” in the use of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. It was recommended because a small number of cases of a “rare and severe” type of blood clots were reported among the nearly seven million J & J doses administered. All of the cases were among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred six to 13 days after vaccination. As of April 13, according to the CDC, no cases have been reported among the more than 180 million people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.
Certainly, this is a setback. The pause is necessary to allow a review, and I am appreciative that the information is being shared with all of us. On a personal note, I received the J & J vaccine a few weeks ago, and I feel fine. I know this will not be the last setback, and it is an important reminder that we must continue to work to slow the spread.
Equity, vaccines and the hard-hit communities
I held a press conference earlier today and was joined by our public health officer, Travis Gayles, and others on our public health team. They discussed our efforts to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines. Like most places around the country, Black and Hispanic residents are getting vaccinated at a lower rate than our White/non-Hispanic residents. The good news is that we are narrowing that gap, and we will continue to work with our hard-to reach and severely impacted communities. You can listen to the presentation from today. And you can read a little about it HERE.
Tips for the already vaccinated
I wanted to share this graphic with you that I find helpful. An enhanced version can be viewed here.
Marc Elrich
David Blair Launches Campaign for Montgomery County Executive
Per a press release sent out by his campaign:
Local businessman and philanthropist David Blair, today announced his campaign for Montgomery County Executive. In a video to supporters, Blair vowed to bring a new vision, collaborative leadership, and financial discipline to tackle the tough challenges we face on equity, inclusion, jobs, health care, education, and other vital issues.
“Our current County Executive took office and failed to address our most pressing issues, and then COVID hit. Since then, we’ve fallen farther and farther behind,” said David Blair. “Montgomery County can and should be doing better.”
In 2018, Blair ran an inspiring campaign for Montgomery County Executive and came just 77 votes short of winning the primary. For the last three years, Blair has continued to support civic and nonprofit organizations throughout Montgomery County to end poverty and homelessness, promote healthy living, empower children with disabilities, and provide quality early childhood education.
Blair, founder of the Council for Advocacy and Policy Solutions (CAPS), also serves as a board member and acts in an advisory capacity to several nonprofits including the Bipartisan Policy Center, a nonprofit organization focused on improving challenges facing the public sector; the Partnership for a Healthier America, a nonprofit committed to working with the private sector to ensure the health of our nation’s youth; the Universities of Shady Grove; and the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce.
Blair continued, “We can’t go back to the way things were before COVID. To build back better we need new ideas, a new vision for the county, and the commitment to make it happen. I’ll collaborate with our talented County Council and community leaders to take on our toughest challenges.”
David Blair was born and raised in Montgomery County. He and his wife, Mikel, are raising their six children here.
Blair started his business career in Rockville over 20 years ago. He founded Catalyst Health Solutions, a health care company that provided millions of Americans with more affordable prescription drugs and better access to health care. Catalyst received accolades for the quality of its products and services and the outstanding benefits its employees received under his leadership. Blair retired from Catalyst in 2012 and is dedicated to philanthropy and public service.
Montgomery Update: COVID-19: Where We Are Now—and Looking Ahead
A message from County Executive Marc Elrich:
Dear Friends:
Yes, we are still thinking about vaccines a lot, and there’s some room for cautious optimism. While many of us do not yet have appointments to get vaccinated, we are making significant progress in the most vulnerable categories – as of today, more than 60 percent of our residents 75 and older have received at least one dose.
As of today, more than 137,000 Montgomery County residents have received at least their first dose of the vaccine.
That represents more than 13 percent of the County population. You can see more information on the County Vaccine Dashboard.
The vaccine distribution continues to be scattered with the county health department only receiving about one-third of the total doses that come to the county each week. (We get about 4,500 and the rest of the approximately 15,000 doses go to health care systems and pharmacies.) However, we were just told by the state that the County Health Department will continue to receive 4,500 doses each week for the next three weeks. This is far less than the need, but at least we can schedule in advance with knowledge.
We are still distributing vaccines according to the State tier system of priority groups. We are getting close to completing vaccinating frontline safety and health care workers and residents 75 and older. Within the next few weeks, we hope to begin reaching out to the next group of eligible residents, especially people 65 to 74. You can find the complete list of priority groups here. As a reminder, if you are in one of the current eligibility groups, you can preregister for a vaccine at a County clinic at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/. And if you know someone who needs help preregistering, you/they can call 240-777-2982.
There’s also cause for optimism because the two current vaccine producers announced that they will be significantly increasing production, and approval for a new single-shot vaccine looks promising. We are hopeful these will bring more vaccines to the state and county and open the doors for more people to get vaccines quicker.
There are also encouraging signs that the efforts we have made to stay safe, are proving effective. Over the past 14 days, the positivity rate of residents tested has been 3.3 percent. That is about one-fourth of our peak rate. Over the past seven days, the number of new cases has averaged 10.8 per 100,000 residents. That is about one-fifth of our peak rate.
But we still have many more people awaiting a vaccine. We all need to be patient. We are going to get there.
As we make progress, we also starting to experience better weather. People are going to see the reduced rate of positive cases and will be ready to get out of their houses. Our businesses are going to be ready to welcome customers.
We are looking ahead—but we will be moving cautiously. Last summer the rate of positive cases decreased and then we reopened many things all at once. It did not take long before cases skyrocketed. This time, taking the guidance of our health officers, we likely will be opening fewer activities from the start.
Our next steps will be leaning toward outdoor activities and only indoor activities where there is better air circulation. These factors will influence our possible increases in the number of people who can attend certain events or be part of gatherings. We now know for sure that if an activity is indoors, and people are unmasked, the potential rate of transmission is higher.
We need to learn from our prior experiences, and unfortunately in some cases, some of those lessons were relearned. More than anything, our reopening moves will be guided by the state of the virus.
Things are getting better. There is room for optimism. If we all move cautiously, and do not forget our lessons of safety, spring and summer will be much better this year than they were in 2020. And that is a very good thing.
Marc Elrich
