Thanksgiving is not just a time of giving thanks but also of giving back to our community, especially to the least, the last, and the littlest among us. From all of us to you and yours, happy Thanksgiving with best wishes for a wonderful holiday season.
We can’t achieve the truly walkable and livable neighborhoods we all want if it’s not safe to walk and bike. We’ve seen the tragic consequences of dangerous by design roadways in our community this year, and we’ve been working hard to push for safety upgrades at specific locations and to ensure the underlying standards and systems we use prioritize the safety of all road users:
- Most of our major thoroughfares are State roadways controlled by the State Highway Administration (SHA). I’ve discussed the need for road engineering standards that meet our community’s needs with SHA Administrator Gregory Slater throughout the year, and last week Administrator Slater presented SHA’s Draft Context Driven Guide to Access and Mobility for All Users that will enable us to install pedestrian-activated crosswalk signals, protected bicycle lanes, leading pedestrian intervals, and other proven techniques to make roads and intersections safer.
- Yesterday, I sent a letter along with my colleagues on the Council’s Transportation Committee to the Department of Environmental Protection requesting a review of policies for collecting recycling and trash to curb the threat of blocking out sidewalks which lead to dangerous and even fatal consequences.
- Next week, I am introducing legislation to limit sidewalk closures around construction sites, specify under what conditions a permittee can close a sidewalk without providing protected pedestrian access on the same side of the street, and require the County to publish sidewalk closure applications and permits online.
Last week, the Council approved a County Economic Development Platform that is focused on business development, housing, transportation, and workforce development. The resolution creates a framework and empowers Council committees to develop action items for each pillar and then report back to the full Council with recommendations on potential budget, regulatory, and policy changes focused on promoting economic growth in Montgomery County.
As a member of the Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) committee, my top priority is to create a more businesses-friendly climate. In my first year on the Council, we pushed to restore funding for the FareShare transit incentive program for businesses, added $5 million to the Housing Initiative Fund, and cut red tape for small businesses. Our top legislative priority to ensure we consider the economic impact of everything we do at the Council passed earlier this year. Instead of the current focus to view legislation based on how it affects the County’s budget, my bill allows us to have a clearer picture before we vote, on how bills would affect the budgets of our residents and small businesses. I'm looking forward to this shared effort to focus on economic development and fiscal sustainability.
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On Tuesday, November 5th, my Council colleagues and I were proud to confirm the appointment of Marcus Jones as Montgomery County’s next police chief. Chief Jones has the experience we need with over 34 years serving the Montgomery County Police Department in a diverse set of leadership roles, including Assistant Chief of the Investigative Services Bureau, 3rd District Commander, Director of Major Crimes, and Commander of the Drug Enforcement Unit. I have full confidence in his ability to lead our state-of-the-art, 1,300+ officer police department and implement best practices in community policing moving forward, and look forward to working with Chief Jones to promote safety and inclusion in our communities.
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One of my priorities as your Councilmember has been to bring the Council to the community, and that means rain or shine! On a wet Sunday morning recently the Bethesda Central Farm Market was bustling, full of energy from shoppers and a wide array of local, artisanal producers. Bethesda Central Farm Market draws residents to the parking lot of Bethesda Elementary School year-round, serving as the unofficial village center of Bethesda. It's one of my favorite places to spend Sunday mornings. Special thanks to Mitch Berliner for showing us around and for co-founding this local treasure more than a decade ago.
Last Friday, I invited PTA leaders from District 1 to share their thoughts and concerns with me and had a very thorough discussion regarding local school funding, the Kirwan Commission, and how we can best advocate for the education needs of our students. MCPS recently released their recommended capital budget for the next six years on their plans to repair and build new schools in our County. We hope the County Executive will propose fully funding this plan as we are incredibly happy to see that not only was Poolesville High School on the list for a complete building update, but that we will get many other new improvements for District 1 including a new elementary school for the B-CC and WJ clusters. The Board of Education has ultimate authority over school sites and locations, however they are having meetings with the community now as they make their decision on where this new school might be. You can check this website for updates or contact the Board with your input.
In terms of County-wide issues, my office has received many calls about the districtwide boundary analysis. While there are no immediate or concrete action plans, there will be multiple conversations over the next few months including opportunities to provide feedback online so I encourage you to share your thoughts with the Board before they make their initial decision in June on actual action steps to take based on the completed analysis. We all care deeply about education and how these issues will take shape and while I'm not directly involved in these decisions, my office is here to help provide relevant information. The next meeting hosted by MCPS in our area will be at Walter Johnson High School on January 7th at 7:00PM, the RSVP link can be found here.
The holiday season is here and Brookside Gardens is transforming once again into a magical winter wonderland for the Garden of Lights. More than a million dazzling and colorful LED lights are handwoven into original works depicting animals, flowers, and other natural elements. With live nightly musical performances at the Visitors Center and the G-Scale model trains in the Gardens’ Conservatory, there is so much for the family to enjoy. New this year are selfie stations, fog bubbles, and a computerized light display matching lights with music.
For more information click here. The exhibit is open from November 22 – December 31st, with some exceptions for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I was truly humbled to receive the Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Leadership Award this month from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement and the organizations in our community who do so much for so many. It will stand proudly in my office — not as much a recognition for what I’ve done but as a reminder for what I have the capacity to do, and a call to action to work as hard as I can for as long as I can to deserve it.
Some of the most rewarding work I did prior to joining the Council included serving as Chair of the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families, and on several nonprofit boards including: the University of Maryland College Park Board of Governors and Board of Trustees, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs National Board, and the Maryland Hillel Board, and establishing a scholarship for veterans at University of Maryland.
This year I worked with Council colleagues to appropriate roughly $4 million for nonprofits including a three percent increase to all nonprofit contracts, capital funding for critical improvements to nonprofit facilities, as well as general support for organizations focused on the arts, positive youth development, and protecting the most vulnerable. We will continue to push for funding and to solve problems for our local nonprofits, including doing what we can to improve the communication and decisions surrounding our County community grants and arts programs.
In our continuing effort to bring the Council to the community, we have some exciting events coming up. And if you missed our senior event this month, you can watch the presentations on wellness, preventing falls, and identifying scams and abuse by clicking the video link here. The first program speaker begins at minute 19.
It's truly an honor and privilege to represent our extraordinary community on the County Council. As always, we hope you will continue to keep in touch and reach out to us with any issues.
Our Senior Forum at the Friendship Heights Village Center & Fridays with Friedson at Attman's Deli
Our Community Conversation with Commander Gagen & Ribbon Cutting at the $175 Million Biomedical Sciences and Engineering Education Facility at the Universities at Shady Grove
Tour for the Forest Glen/Montgomery Hills Sector Plan & the Montgomery County Farm Bureau’s Annual Banquet
Meeting with Chevy Chase West Neighborhood Association & Ribbon Cutting for the Newly Refreshed Battery Lane Urban Park
Discussing the Vaping Crisis at Churchill's PTSA Meeting & the Need for a New White Flint Metro Entrance with the Forum Condominiums
Celebrating 25 Amazing Years with Community Support Services & Joining the 60th Annual Veterans Day Observance in Bethesda Veterans Park
Speaking at the Greater Farmland Civic Association & Celebrating the New Inductees to the Montgomery County Business Hall of Fame
Visiting Jamison Ag & Turf During Our Farm Tour & the Housing Opportunities Commission, EYA, and the Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation Supporting Affordable Housing in Chevy Chase Lake
At the Kensington Farmers Market with Kensington Mayor Tracey Furman and 2nd District Police Commander Sean Gagen & Health For Life Dispensary Bethesda’s One-Year Anniversary
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