Ballots for the 2022 Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Board of Directors election are being mailed to homeowners today, Friday, Feb. 4. Six candidates, including two incumbents, are running to fill the three seats on the Board; those seeking election are Doniele Ayres (incumbent), Albert Bennetts, Brian R. Della Rocca, Scott R. Dyer (incumbent), Dick Rabil and Tosan Tutse-Tonwe.
Each year, three seats become available for a three-year term. This election will see at least one new face on the Board, as one member whose term is expiring has chosen not to seek re-election.
Residents should read the candidate statements included with the mailed ballot to familiarize themselves with the candidates’ respective platforms. Each candidate has submitted a brief résumé and answered three specific questions pertaining to their proposed goals for election to the Board, included in the pull-out section of this issue. Video interviews outlining candidates’ ideas and positions are also available online at www.montgomeryvillage.comor on our YouTube channel; the transcripts from those videos are included in the pull-out section as well.
Additionally, residents can “meet” and talk with the candidates before the Thursday, Feb. 24 MVF Board meeting at 7 p.m. via Zoom, which is used for MVF Board meetings. Connection instructions can be found in the MVF Board Packet posted online the week before each meeting.
Ballots must be signed and returned to the MVF Office, 10120 Apple Ridge Road, by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 18. Given recent slower delivery times reported from the US Postal Service, it is important ballots be mailed back quickly to ensure delivery to MVF by the deadline. Alternatively, residents can drop their ballots in the brown mailbox in the MVF Office parking lot to ensure their vote can be validated.
Results will be counted and announced on Saturday, March 19, via Zoom. New Board members will be installed at the MVF Annual Meeting, scheduled for approximately 7:45 p.m., Thursday, March 24, also via Zoom.
For more information or questions, contact Assistant EVP Mike Conroy at 240-243-2331 or e-mail [email protected].
Former United States President Donald Trump released a statement today endorsing Dan Cox for Maryland Governor. Cox is a Republican politician who represents district 4 in the Maryland House of Delegates. He made waves earlier this year when he referred to former Vice President Mike Pence a “traitor” during the 2021 United States Capitol Attack. In the statement, Trump goes after current Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Schulz, who currently serves as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce. Schulz announced in April that she would seek the Republican nomination for Governor of Maryland in 2022. Trump’s full statement can be seen below:
“Dan Cox is an America First Patriot who is running for Governor in the Great State of Maryland. A tough lawyer, and smart businessman, Dan has done outstanding work in the Maryland General Assembly. Dan is MAGA all the way-unlike his opponent, Kelly Schultz, who was handpicked by her “boss,” RINO
Larry Hogan, who has been terrible for our Country and is against the America First Movement.
As a State Delegate, Dan stood up to Hogan when he was supporting and meeting with Joe Biden. Dan is for low taxes, school choice, and no more lockdowns.
He supports our Military, our great Vets, our Second Amendment, which is under attack like never before, and importantly, is very strong on Election Inte grity.
He fought against the Rigged Presidential Election every step of the way, and will bring secure Elections back to Maryland. Dan Cox has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”
Governor Hogan, who is not eligible to run for re-election and is rumored to be preparing for a presidential campaign in 2024, provided a short response via Twitter:
Personally, I'd prefer endorsements from people who didn’t lose Maryland by 33 points.
— Larry Hogan (@LarryHogan) November 23, 2021
Trump and Hogan previously exchanged Twitter barbs in 2020.
Shulz’ campaign provided Fox 5 with a statement responding to former president Trump’s statement:
“Kelly Schulz’s life experience, credentials, and record of accomplishment make her uniquely qualified to lead this state. She is proud to have stood next to Governor Hogan over the last 8 years as they fought to make Maryland a better, safer, and more affordable place to live and raise a family. Don’t be fooled – Kelly Schulz is the only Republican who can win this race and the only person running who has the strength and ability to prevent the Maryland legislature from passing any law and tax they wish.”
Three candidates will be elected as members of the nine-person Montgomery Village Foundation Board of Directors in March 2022.
Montgomery Village is currently looking for candidates:
“Do you have an interest in community affairs? Would you like to help your hometown flourish or help shape the future of our community? Then consider service to the community on the Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) Board of Directors!”
In March, three candidates will be elected by the members (homeowners) of MVF to serve three-year terms on the nine-member Board of Directors. The Board meets on the fourth Thursday of the month at the North Creek Community Center. These meetings are open to all residents for their ideas, input and support.
The Montgomery Village Foundation provides overall governance to the Village. It interacts with government agencies and oversees proposals for development or legislation affecting the Village. The MVF has two major responsibilities as outlined in its legal documents. First, the MVF has responsibility for management and maintenance of MVF owned properties. These include MVF’s recreational areas and facilities such as parks, lakes, ponds, tennis courts and community centers.
Second, the MVF, through the Architectural Review Board, provides guidelines and restrictions on architectural changes with the objective of helping to maintain Village property values.
Who can run for the Board?
All interested applicants who are owners or residents of residential property in Montgomery Village are welcome to apply. MVF urges residents to share their skills, views and energies by participating in Village governance. The Nominating Committee reviews all applications for nomination and considers applicants based on a number of factors including, but not limited to the following:
- Status as residential property owner or resident
- Length of residency in Montgomery Village
- Previous participation in community affairs
- Academic, professional, or practical experience in such areas as finance, engineering, administration or law, which would assist in the management of a community association
- Must be in good standing with MVF and not in sustained violation of any MVF architectural standard or rule, and current in assessments.
- 18 years of age or above
How do I run for the MVF Board?
It’s easy. Candidates do not need to run an expensive political campaign to serve the community. Space is set aside in the Village News for candidate statements, along with photos, so Villagers can get to know the candidates and their views. Also, the MVF Election Committee sponsors a candidate video interview and two “Meet the Candidates” events where candidates can talk with Villagers one-on-one about issues of importance. Applicants are provided equal opportunities through the Village News, the Meet the Candidates events, and specially prepared Candidate Statements which are forwarded to all Village homeowners with their ballots.
That’s all there is to it! Let’s hear from you!
You can find the application online at www.montgomeryvillage.com, or drop by the MVF Office, 10120 Apple Ridge Road, beginning Friday, Nov. 5, and pick up an application form and instructions. You can return your application online, by mail, fax or e-mail, or bring it back to the MVF Office for forwarding to the MVF Nominating Committee. Nominations close at 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022.
On November 9, 2021, the Board of Supervisors of Elections officially certified the winners of the Gaithersburg municipal election for Mayor & City Council as Jud Ashman for Mayor and Lisa E. Henderson & Jim McNulty for City Council.
The newly elected officials will be sworn in at a virtual special session of the Mayor & City Council on November 15, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. Click here to see viewing options. Each of these elected officials will serve a four-year term. The next municipal election for three City Council Members will take place on November 7, 2023.
After approving authorized mail-in & provisional ballots, the total number of ballots cast in the November 2, 2021 election was 4,836. The voter turnout was officially 13.22%. This compares to a voter turnout of 6.54% in the uncontested election for three City Council Members in 2019.
Jud Ashman received 3,871 (81.36%) votes for Mayor, while Stephen J. Escobar received 887 (18.64%). For the two vacant City Council seats, Lisa E. Henderson received 2,780 votes (30.77%) and Jim McNulty received 2,260 votes (25.02%). The remaining candidates in order of total votes received were Yamil Hernández with 1,872 votes (20.72%), David Belgard with 1,365 votes (15.11%) and Philip Cook, with 757 votes (8.38%).
Voters had the option of voting by mail or casting their vote in-person at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, the only polling place for this election. Same-day voter registration was available for in-person voting, with voters casting provisional ballots pending approval. There were 1,611 votes cast in-person. Of those, 69 were provisional ballots that were subsequently approved. There were 3,156 mail-in votes for this election.
Candidates must be qualified voters in the City at the time of the election and must be City residents for at least one year immediately preceding their election. They must also reside in Gaithersburg during their term in office. All of the newly elected officials met these requirements.
Maryland’s Primary election will take place on June 2nd, which is this upcoming Tuesday. Here are the ways that you can vote:
1. Mail your ballot. Your ballot does not require any additional postage. It must be postmarked by June 2nd in order to count.
2. Drop off your ballot in person. There are 7 places in Montgomery County that have been designated as drop off locations. Your ballot must be dropped off by 8 PM on June 2nd in order to count. These locations are:
Germantown Community Recreation Center
18905 Kingsview Road
Germantown, MD 20874
Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center
14906 Old Columbia Pike
Burtonsville, MD 20866
Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza
One Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Activity Center at Bohrer Park Social Hall
506 S. Frederick Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Wheaton Library & Community Recreation Center
11701 Georgia Avenue
Wheaton, MD 20902
Rockville City Hall
111 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Montgomery County Board of Elections
18753 N. Frederick Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20879
3. For voters who are unable to mail in or drop off their ballots, or for those who did not receive ballots in the mail, in-person voting will be available at these 4 locations:
Germantown Community Recreation Center
18905 Kingsview Road
Germantown, MD 20874
Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center
14906 Old Columbia Pike
Burtonsville, MD 20866
Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza
One Veterans Place
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Activity Center at Bohrer Park Social Hall
506 S. Frederick Avenue
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
More information can be found here: https://www.elections.maryland.gov/
Featured photo courtesy of elections.maryland.gov website.
