HHS Committee Work Session FY11 —Wednesday May 5th

The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee, on which Councilmember Trachtenberg serves, will meet on Wednesday, May 5, at 2:00PM in the 3rd Floor Council Committee Room to have discussions on the following items within the FY11 Operating Budget:

• DHHS deferred items and budget adjustments
• Libraries: Noyes Library

Please contact Saschane Stephenson, Legislative Aide for Health and Human Services, at 240-777-7963 (direct dial) or saschane.stephenson@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this HHS Committee session.

Councilmember Trachtenberg Speaks at Coalition of Kensington Communities Meeting

Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg was the guest speaker at last night’s meeting of the Coalition of Kensington Communities which took place at the Ken-Gar Community Center, 4111 Plyers Mill Road in Kensington, Maryland. The Councilmember’s opening remarks touched on several issue areas ranging from details concerning the current budget crisis to the White Flint Sector Plan to the Costco project.

The Councilmember then took questions from the 20+ people assembled that included official representatives from the several communities represented by the Coalition as well as from members from the community. The questions focused on the infrastructure and traffic issues with the White Flint Plan; opposition to a proposed Zoning Text Amendment (ZTA) which would allow Costco to include a 16 bay gas station at the Wheaton Westfield Mall site. Councilmember Trachtenberg told everyone that she supports the plan to have Costco come to this location but that she would not vote for it if it included the 16-bay gas station. She pointed to the extensive research showing the health risks to especially the elderly and the very young.

Others expressed concerns about the prospective closure of the Noyes Library for Young Children.  Councilmember Trachtenberg said that the library would be closed only temporarily, for a projected two years, while the building is brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Community members asked if there was any way to have these upgrades made in less that two years and the Councilmember told the community members that they should let their various elected officials know of their concerns and questions regarding this project.