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An Honor and Privilege to Serve
And so, a new and exciting journey begins. I am deeply humbled and honored in your trust, and in your vote, to be elected as your only female Montgomery County Councilmember At-Large, and one of six female councilmembers elected by our voters. This is a historical time for our county. More than half of our council is now made up of women, and we are the most diverse we have ever been. I am proud to share that this same level of diversity can be seen throughout the state; I look forward to working with Governor-Elect Wes Moore, Maryland’s first Black and Jamaican-American governor; Lt. Governor-Elect, Aruna Miller, the first South Asian woman elected to this position in our country, and all of our newly elected, and re-elected members in Congress and the State.
I spent over 16 months on the campaign trail before getting elected, and promise to operate with the same vigor and passion for change now that I am on the County Council. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to implement initiatives that are aligned with my S.M.A.R.T. government agenda, which are my policy initiatives to strengthen public education, make housing more affordable, advance sustainable food production, revitalize the local economy, and tackle climate change. These policy pillars will guide my work to prepare our economy and our communities for the future and help Montgomery County reach its full potential. I cannot wait to deliver results along with my esteemed new colleagues.
My Legislative Priorities for 2023
I have started work in earnest! I will be serving on the Economic Development and Health and Human Services committees, and I will bring my expertise as a community advocate, public health specialist, and former Gaithersburg City Councilmember to the table.
I rely heavily on community feedback to inform my decision-making. I have begun meeting with various groups to discuss upcoming legislative priorities, such as; improving our public transit, increasing access to mental health resources, expanding our local food production, addressing hate and violent crimes in our communities, and more.
Since taking office on December 5, we have had two Council sessions and two public hearings on state legislation from the Montgomery County Delegation. Some of the key measures I am excited about are ranked choice voting for our county’s local elections, increasing the maximum posted speed limit where a speed monitoring system could be used, from 35 mph to 45 mph, and updates to the county’s fiscal plan, including how much state and federal dollars our county will receive for crucial resources like food distribution hubs, special grant programs, small business assistance, and other pandemic response initiatives.
I love hearing from our constituents! If you have any ideas or proposals that you would like me to pursue, please let me know. Also reach out if you would like to testify or participate in any upcoming hearings. My office will assist you in having your voice heard. You can contact my office via email at Councilmember.Sayles@montgomerycountymd.gov or call 240-777-7964.
S.M.A.R.T. Updates Around Our County
It has only been a couple of weeks at work, but we have been busy meeting with constituent groups, listening to residents, and ensuring that their concerns are addressed. From giving the keynote speech at World AIDS Day earlier this month, to delivering the graduation remarks and giving out my first ever proclamation for the entrepreneurial program for Latina Women at Women Palante, to helping to distribute food with the Capital Area Food Bank at Montgomery College, my team and I are determined to earn your trust by executing your mandate to serve you with fidelity. You never know where we will be next, so please follow us on social media for more updates on our S.M.A.R.T. agenda!
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Introducing Our Team
I am excited to introduce my team of six staffers who will be working with me on the Council to serve our county. I am really excited by the vast amount of energy, passion and experience that they all bring with them. Each individual has their own unique background and skill set, and I am thrilled to work with such a talented team to achieve the goals of my S.M.A.R.T. agenda.
Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, Chief of Staff
Roland Ikheloa brings over 30 years of Montgomery County working experience to our office. Most recently, he served as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Nancy Navarro for four years. Prior to that role, he served as Chief of Staff-Ombudsman to the Montgomery County Board of Education for over a decade. He has established significant relationships at the county level that have helped him advocate for structural change and policies that help our residents, especially working and immigrant families, and we are extremely fortunate to have him leading our office as the Chief of Staff.
 Chris Leacock, Legislative Senior Aide
Chris Leacock has over eight years of experience working in legislative offices at the federal, state and county level. Previously, he worked for Senator Bill Nelson in Florida where he assisted constituents with issues ranging from Veterans Affairs to Social Security Disability claims. He moved to Montgomery County five years ago, and after working on Capitol Hill for multiple years, he moved to the county-level to work as Legislative Senior Aide for Councilmember Nancy Navarro.
 Renée Sprow, Legislative Senior Aide
Renée Sprow has devoted her career to promoting urban economic development and small business growth while serving in executive positions with the federal and state government and private industry. She served as State Director for Maryland Small Business Development Center Network for 20 years, and she recently served as the Legislative Senior Aide for Councilmember Hans Riemer, where she supported the growth and sustainability of Minority, Female and Disabled-Owned businesses.
 Victoria Tajzai, Legislative Senior Aide
Victoria Tajzai previously served as the Campaign Manager and Chief of Staff for Delegate Lorig Charkoudian. In that time, she helped support the passage of 25 Maryland State bills and helped advance a progressive policy agenda on medical debt protection, mental health services, sustainable and equitable food systems, climate change, and more. She currently serves as an Executive Board member with the Montgomery County Young Democrats.
 Ezra Pine, Legislative Aide
Ezra Pine is an experienced researcher, writer, and communicator who has been organizing for progressive causes for many years. He was inspired to get involved in progressive politics after working as a Student Organizer at the Iowa Caucus for the 2020 Presidential Election. Since then, he has maintained an active role in his local community, working as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Maricé Morales for County Council, and most recently, as a Lead Organizer for Progressive Maryland.
 Jeffrey Groce, Senior Advisor
Jeffrey Groce was the Campaign Manager for the Sayles for County Council campaign, and he will be staying involved as a Senior Advisor. Professionally, he is a trial attorney with more than 25 years of experience trying negligence cases in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He is also a political consultant and media message expert with over a dozen years of campaign experience.
Community Resource Hub
Starting January 3, Montgomery County Recreation Centers will be free and available for county residents. Once signed up, residents will have access to fitness rooms, open gym activities and game rooms. I hope that people use this as an opportunity to get involved in local recreational activities by taking advantage of these free services.
Two grant programs were recently launched by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) to assist disabled, seniors and low-income residents with transportation needs. This will give eligible nonprofits the chance to apply so that they can create or enhance existing programs, in order to create a more inclusive system for all.
Montgomery County is partnering with local dealerships to promote its first ever ‘EV Purchasing Co-op Dealership Incentive Program’, which will save residents money to purchase or lease new and pre-owned electric vehicles (EVs). This is a tremendous opportunity to incentivize green-friendly transit at a time when over 40% of greenhouse gasses in our county come from transportation.
The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights and M&T Bank are offering a free 10-week “Small Business Accelerator Program” to assist emerging and recovering small businesses. The program will focus on teaching early-stage and minority entrepreneurs the essentials of business planning, operations, credit building, digital communication and financial management.
Are you either a retired/semi-retired senior or a graduate student? If so, we encourage you to apply to the County Council’s Senior Fellows Program or Summer Fellows Program. This will be an incredible opportunity for those who want to gain integral experience actively participating in County government and see what goes into crafting legislation.
Other resources:
Vaccines for Children Ages 5-11:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/children.html
🔵Information on availability and distribution.
Third Dose/Booster Shot Information Page:
https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/additional-doses.html
🟢Information on eligibility and availability, as well as answers to frequently asked questions.
Montgomery County COVID-19 Portal: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/
🔵Receive the latest updates from the County, view Montgomery County specific COVID-19 data, find information on how to get vaccinated, and more.
COVIDLink: https://covidlink.maryland.gov/content/
🟢Latest information from the State of Maryland on statewide data, vaccine, and testing information.
Maryland’s Vaccination Support Center: https://covidlink.maryland.gov/content/vaccine/
🔵If you have questions or need help, call 1-855-MDGOVAX (1-855-634-6829), open 7am-10pm seven days a week.
Montgomery County Testing Information:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/testing.html
🟢Testing is free for all residents, and you can find the complete schedule for upcoming County-run testing clinics online.
Food Resources: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/get-help/food.html
🔵Call the Food Access Call Center at 311
Service Consolidation Hubs:
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/get-help/food.html#hubs
🟢For questions, contact Diana Tato-Niktash at diana.tato-niktash@montgomerycountymd.gov or 240-777-3404.
I hope you have a happy and safe holidays!
Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles
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