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February 2023
Earlier this week I announced a roadmap for economic development to promote equitable policies that prepare the County for long-term success. The plan outlines immediate next steps to reduce barriers for small and minority-owned businesses, expand the County’s life sciences industry, attract and retain more Fortune 500 companies and close the racial wealth gap.
Whether it’s attracting Fortune 500 companies from around the country, retaining the businesses that already call Montgomery County home, or simply making it easier to do business here, there is a lot more we can do to create economic opportunity for everyone. Moving this economic roadmap forward is crucial to ensuring that Montgomery County residents of all income levels feel financially secure.
The economic roadmap, created in consultation with leaders of large and small businesses, economic development partners, residents and other stakeholders, addresses long-standing issues facing economic development in the County and proposes solutions for improvement. Check out this WTOP article for an overview of the plan and read the full plan here.
This week the Council held its annual Black History Month celebration. Each February, Black History Month commemorates the struggles, adversity, strength and history of the Black American experience in the United States. This year's theme is “Resistance,” recognizing African Americans resistance to historic oppression in pursuit of self determination and equality. African American leaders from across Montgomery County were invited to a special program highlighting individuals who have made strides locally through different forms of activism and resistance. It was a privilege to honor leaders in our own community who have made a positive change through acts of resistance.
Community members are invited to join Councilmembers for the upcoming Council Town Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. at Lakelands Park Middle School, located at 1200 Main St. in Gaithersburg.
This is a great opportunity to share your opinions, ask questions and let us know how we can better serve this County. The hybrid town hall will have an option to participate virtually through a Zoom webinar. Live Spanish interpretation will be provided and interpretation in other languages is available upon request with 3 days notice. Community members must register ahead of time to participate in the virtual town hall through Zoom at https://bit.ly/TownHall-Feb15.
Fentanyl overdoses among young people across the country are on the rise, and sadly, Montgomery County is no exception. Our hearts break for the students who have lost their lives to this public health crisis. Because fentanyl is such a highly powerful opioid, very small amounts can lead to a potentially fatal overdose from even one use, and the person may not even know that the drug taken contained illicit fentanyl. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-49.
County school officials hosted a community forum to share information about the dangers of illegally made fentanyl and the resources available to help our youth. Hundreds of people packed the cafeteria at Clarksburg High School to hear from leaders and experts, including Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Medical Officer Dr. Patricia Kapunan, members of the Montgomery County Police Department and representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services. Attendees were also given Naloxone kits, also known as Narcan, and training on how to use the life-saving medication that can reverse or reduce the effects of an overdose. If you would like training on Naloxone administration, you can register at this link. The opioid crisis continues to have devastating effects nationwide and also in our community, and everyone can play a role in fighting this epidemic. Let’s take this opportunity to work together to protect our youth and families, and to advocate for their healthy future.
Get the Facts - Opioids - Department of Health and Human Services (montgomerycountymd.gov).
I recently walked around Downtown Silver Spring until 2 a.m. for the Point in Time count, an evening on a single night in January when the Department of Housing and Urban Development requires local governments nationwide to count the number of people in their community who are experiencing homelessness. It’s a powerful reminder of the needs that exist in our community and of the social services we have to support them. My deep appreciation to the County’s Services to End and Prevent Homelessness staff, our nonprofit partners that do this work every day, and the volunteers who are helping our neighbors in need.
I had the pleasure of hosting the members of the Montgomery County Alumnae and Potomac Valley Alumnae chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated for their first annual Delta Days at the County Council. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated is a sisterhood of more than 300,000 predominantly Black college educated women with 1,000 chapters globally. With over 500 members in Montgomery County, the local chapters have provided over 50 years of dedicated service to the residents of Montgomery County. As part of their Social Action initiative, the Deltas presented their Montgomery County legislative priorities to Councilmembers. We ended the day with the presentation of a proclamation to both chapters recognizing their service and commitment to Montgomery County residents.
I’m pleased to join the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments board and look forward to working alongside all of our regional partners, including my colleague Councilmember Kate Stewart, who was recently elected as chair of the Council of Governments. COG is an independent nonprofit association with a membership of 300 elected officials from 24 local governments, the Maryland and Virginia state legislatures, and U.S. Congress – working to develop solutions to the region’s major challenges and plan for the future. COG is also home to the region’s metropolitan planning organization, the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), which prepares plans and programs for the region in order to receive federal funding.
Several constituents and community groups were alarmed about the trash that had been piling up on the sidewalk adjacent to an elementary school in the Long Branch community and contacted my office to see if we could help. The exposed garbage and recyclables, which included rotting food scraps and empty bottles of alcohol and broken glass, was not only an eyesore, but posed a safety threat to residents and students who were walking past the trash every day on their way to and from school. The residents told us that the source was a condominium community of townhouses that lacked trash receptacles and recycling bins. I am pleased to report that after we contacted the County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the townhouse community was provided with the necessary trash and recycling bins. DEP plans to follow up to ensure that the problem has been resolved.
The RainScapes Rebate Program application portal of Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection has now reopened and is accepting applications through March 31. The portal has information on RainScapes installation and offers guidance on selecting the right type of project to get started. A RainScape is a landscape or design technique that helps reduce stormwater runoff from individual properties. They include: Rain Gardens, Conservation Landscapes, Green Roofs, Water Harvesting, Permeable Pavement and Pavement Removal. RainScapes can be installed on any kind of property, but those on private residential, institutional and/or commercial properties may be eligible for financial assistance. More information is available at RainScapes Rewards Rebates. Projects on residential properties could be eligible for rebates up to $7,500.
Please do not reply to this email. To contact my office, email me at Councilmember.Glass@montgomerycountymd.gov.
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