 Wednesday, November 19, 2025
We celebrating Small Business Saturday at the Council yesterday with a proclamation commemorating the day! You can watch the proclamation presentation by visiting the Council YouTube channel. This is an annual proclamation I put together to showcase our local businesses and the work that our chambers of commerce do every day to support them. This year, Kefa Cafe and The Branded Company accepted the proclamation and shared their unique perspective as small businesses.
Thank you to Kefa Cafe and The Branded Company for all that you do in our communities, and thank you to Dawson's Market for catering the proclamation breakfast! This holiday season, make sure to shop small and shop local!
 Councilmember Balcombe alongside small business owners and chambers of commerce leaders at the Small Business Saturday proclamation presentation.
I had a whirlwind of a day last on Saturday, November 8th! My calendar was chock full of events across District 2, but it was nevertheless a fabulous day in the Upcounty. I began my day at the Montgomery History Conference, which is one of my favorite events of the year. I introduced a session about the lives of two families - the Gaithers and the Howards. The Gaithers were the prominent settlers of the land around Unity. The Howards were Freedmen who acquired former Gaither farms and established a community of Freedmen with a church and school.
Right after the conference, I headed to MCPS' Mental Health and Wellness Fair in Gaithersburg. It is always great to see the amazing support offerings that our school system provides to our community. My next stop was Darnestown Elementary School to celebrate their 70th anniversary and Pumpkin Palooza! Darnestown ES is one of the oldest elementary schools in Montgomery County and certainly one of the most spirited! I ended my day by stopping by BlackRock Center for the Arts gallery opening and the Germantown Library just next door for a book talk hosted by local author and historian Susan Soderberg, who was speaking about her new book, "My Name Is Not Tom", a biography about Josiah Henson. Susan's book is available now wherever you get your books, and I highly recommend it!
 Councilmember Balcombe alongside community members at Darnestown Elementary School's 70th anniversary celebration and Pumpkin Palooza!
Last Monday, I joined the Waters Landing Elementary School community for a Friendsgiving spaghetti dinner. This dinner was organized by Waters Landing ES, Journey's Crossing, and Carrabba's Italian Grill to support the Germantown families impacted by federal furloughs and loss of food assistance benefits. I always love spending time with the Waters Landing community, and it was so important to me to spend the evening with families from across the Germantown area to learn more about their unique needs and see how the County Council can help.
 Councilmember Balcombe alongside the Carrabba's Italian Grill team and community members at Waters Landing Elementary School's Friendsgiving Spagetti Dinner.
It was wonderful to celebrate the Nepal Education and Cultural Center's 75th anniversary this past weekend! NECC is a cornerstone for the Nepali-American community and has been pivotal to preserving and promoting Nepal's rich heritage. The organization is based out of Germantown, but its reach goes significantly beyond District 2. NECC truly has something for everyone, from spiritual services, wellness programs, educational outreach, and much more.
Over the years, I have gotten to know NECC well, and am always excited to celebrate with them! Congratulations on 25 years!
 Councilmember Balcombe and Delegate Greg Wims at NECC's 25th anniversary celebration.
Economic Development (ECON) Committee
The Economic Development (ECON) committee met on Wednesday, November 12th for a discussion with the Maryland Department of Agriculture about value-added agriculture and agritourism. You can review our staff packet on the Council website and can watch a recording of our committee session on the Council YouTube channel.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 4th, where we will receive a briefing on Montgomery County's economic development grants.
Transportation and Environment Committee
The Transportation and Environment (TE) committee met on Monday, November 17th for the second work session on my legislation: Bill 24-25, Transportation Demand Management - Repeal. The committee voted 3-0 on the legislation. It will be taken up by the full Council at a later date. You can review our staff packet on the Council website and can watch a recording of our committee session on the Council YouTube channel.
The TE committee has two work sessions left before the end of the year, both scheduled for Monday, December 8th.
Council Legislation
Below is a list of recent legislation that the County Council has taken action on.
Upcoming Public Hearings
To testify at a Council public hearing or to submit written, audio, or video testimony, please visit the Council website or call 240-777-7803. The deadline to sign up to testify for a 1:30PM public hearing is 2PM the day prior. The deadline to sign up to testify for a 7PM public hearing is 5PM the day prior.
December 2, 2025
The following County boards, committees, and commissions are seeking applicants:
- Pepco is continuing to offer support to those facing financial challenges in our difficult environment. If you require assistance offsetting your energy costs due to financial challenges, visit Pepco's website and check out the Customer Relief Fund.
- Registration for Montgomery County Recreation's Winter programs began yesterday, November 18th! Make sure to visit Recreation's website to check out the offerings this season and to sign up.
- The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) encourages you to "Leave the Leaves" to support a healthier environment. Fallen leaves that remain on lawns and gardens improve soil health, retain moisture, provide nutrients, and create habitats for pollinators and beneficial insects. To learn more about the Leave the Leaves initiative, visit the DEP website.
If you would like to get in touch with me regarding anything mentioned in this newsletter or any other concerns you may have, please email me at Councilmember.Balcombe@montgomerycountymd.gov or call my office at 240-777-7960.
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