COVID-19 Rent Relief Program 

Application Portal Will Close on Friday, January 13

Montgomery County's COVID-19 Related Rent Relief Program will End This Week

The COVID Rent Relief Program will stop accepting applications at midnight on January 13, 2023. Please make sure you have submitted your application by midnight. No new applications will be accepted after this time. 

Emergency eviction prevention help may be available if you are at immediate risk of eviction. If you are being impacted by rent related concerns, feel free to email my office at councilmember.friedson@montgomerycountymd.gov or call at 240-777-7828. For additional tenant resources visit the County's website.

Applications submitted before January 13^th will continue to be processed based on the priorities noted in the program FAQs below. 

If your eviction status has changed since you applied or if you need to update your contact information, please email HSS@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Get Outside with Montgomery

Parks in January:

Montgomery Parks Logo - click to see the full slate of events that Montgomery Parks is putting on

Winter Birding at Black Hill | January 14 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841

Bird watching will begin at Little Seneca Lake and then participants will be driven to other viewing locations to see tundra swans, great blue herons, kingfishers, bald eagles and more. Bring your own binoculars, spotting scope provided. Registration required. $12 (FOBH $11).

Make & Take Upcycle Winter Journal | January 14 | 10 – 11 a.m.  Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD 20855                       

Create an upcycled nature journal. After assembling the journal, participants will create their first entry with a guided “zoom in and zoom out” activity. Registration required. Ages 8 and older. $7.

Treasure Hunting in Wheaton Regional Park | January 14 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.  Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902                       

Have fun geocaching! Hike Wheaton Regional Park looking for and finding caches with the help of a park naturalist. Registration required. Ages 8 and older. $7.

Jug Bay and Merkle NRMA | January 15 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841

Observe visiting winter waterfowl at Jug Bay Natural Area and Merkle Natural Resources Management Area. Bring a bagged lunch, water, binoculars and money for dinner. Registration required. Ages 18 and older. $50.

Weed Warrior MLK Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Week of Service events | Various dates, locations and times

Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a volunteer park cleanup:

• Saturday, January 14, from 10 a.m. –12 p.m., Long Branch Local Park. Registration required.
• Sunday, January 16, from 9 – 11 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreational Park. Registration required.
• Sunday, January 16, from 12 – 2 p.m., Matthew Henson Trail. Registration required.
• Sunday, January 16, from 1 – 3 p.m., Little Falls Parkway. Registration required.
• Saturday, January 21, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., Elmhirst Parkway Neighborhood Conservation Area. Registration required.

American Sign Language Paint Night | January 18 | 6 – 8 p.m. Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD 20855

Join local artist Ellen Mansfield and learn the basics of acrylic painting. Participants will receive a pre-sketched canvas to take home and can bring drinks (including alcohol) and nut-free snacks to the class. Ages 21 and older. Registration required. $40.

Wild Forest Time | January 22 | 1 – 3 p.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841

Drop in at the campfire circle anytime during the program to join in on the fun. Build a fort, climb a tree, learn about woodland critters, create some art, or just explore the woods how you want. Registration required. Ages 3 and older. Free.

Woodpeckers of Winter Introduction | January 25 | 7 – 8 p.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton, MD 20902

Learn what woodpeckers can be found in Montgomery County, what makes woodpeckers special, who to see this time of year and what can be done to support woodpeckers in the wild at this virtual program. Want to see woodpeckers in person? Register for the hike ($10) on Sunday, January 29, associated with this program. Registration required. $10.

Wild Child Hike | January 27 | 1 – 2 p.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds, MD 20841

Scamper like a squirrel, balance like a billy goat and run like a rabbit as we go on and off the trail on a hiking adventure. Registration required. Ages 4 to 12. $6 (FOBH $5).

Montgomery Parks is a co-sponsor of the following event taking place in parks during the month of January:

MLK Day Weed Warriors Cleanup: January 14 @ Mathew Henson Trail from Winding Creek Local Park

Bethesda Reads Book Discussion

Tuesday, January 10 at 10:30am - 12:00pm at Connie Morella Library

Picture of "The Buddha in the Attic" and author Julie Otsuka

Join Bethesda Reads every second Tuesday of each month from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm to discuss a new book. This month, it is Julie Otsuka’s “The Buddha in the Attic.”

Volunteering for MLK Jr. Day Weekend

Montgomery County Volunteer Center has more information on volunteer opportunities around the county

“I think, first, one must understand what I’m talking about and what I’m trying to do when I say ‘love’ and that the love ethic must be at the center of this struggle,” said Dr. King in an interview in 1964 with Robert Penn Warren.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a “National Day of Service,” and we encourage all who are able to spend MLK day bettering our community through volunteer work, reflecting on MLK’s legacy, and learning how we can be more connected. And a huge thank you to all of the hardworking individuals who dedicate their passion, lives, and time to making our community better every day. 

Montgomery Council seeks applicants for Montgomery County Planning Board

Deadline for applications is January 13 at 5 pm

The Planning Board is looking for applications for three positions; the positions must be filled by one Democrat, one Republican and one Unaffiliated candidate.

Letters of application expressing interest, including a resume (no more than 4 pages) listing professional and civic experience, political party affiliation, home and office telephone numbers, and an email address, should be addressed to: Council President and emailed to council.clerk@montgomerycountymd.gov, or mailed to County Council Office, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850.

The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The Planning Board’s responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of the County General Plan; preparation and amendment of master plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of or recommendations on text amendments to the County Zoning Code; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; offering or providing advice on the planning implications of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, WSSC Water, and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its mandatory referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approving of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the Commission’s bi-county offices. The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP); land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees.

The Planning Board meets all day every Thursday, including many Thursday evenings, and will schedule other meetings, as needed. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month. On average, a Planning Board member may spend two full days a week in scheduled and informal meetings. Additionally, substantial time is required for preparatory work and other activities related to Planning Board responsibilities.

Ride On is Hiring

Ride On is looking for dynamic individuals with a passion for public service, at any stage of their career, to help us fulfill our commitment to keep Montgomery County moving. We’re committed to maintaining an environment where everyone can contribute and reach their potential. We appreciate people for who they are, how they think, and what they bring to our collective efforts. We are looking for people who bring different backgrounds, styles, perspectives, and values to our organization. We understand that diversity stimulates productivity and growth.

Benefits include:

• Starting Salary of $22.44 per hr. during the training period
• Paid Commercial Driver’s License Training
• Annual Leave
• Paid Holidays
• Retirement Benefits
• Health Insurance
• Sick Leave
• Free Uniforms
• Career Path for Advancement

CCACC's 2023 Lunar

New Year Celebration

Next Friday with Friedson

January 27 at 11 am 

Constituent Services

I encourage residents to continue to engage with my office on issues of importance to our community. We appreciate your patience and understanding as our small but mighty team works to respond to your inquiries. Please continue to engage with us by email, visiting our website, Facebook, and Twitter pages, and subscribing to our newsletter.