SUMMER STORM UPDATE

Power Restoration Status (updated):

• 5,535 Pepco customers remain without power in Montgomery County.
• Pepco is urging residents whose time for power restoration has passed to call Pepco to ensure that they still have the address on their outage list. In addition, if a resident’s power was restored but has gone out again, call v to report the new outage.
• To report power outages, call Pepco at 877-737-2662. Other utility providers in Montgomery County are Allegheny Power at 800-255-3443, or Baltimore Gas & Electric at 877-778-2222.
• To report “hot” or sparking wires, especially those across roadways, call 911.
• As Pepco restores power in areas, downed wires that were previously dead may become live. Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution around any downed power line.
• Pepco has about 400 crews at work.

Traffic and Ride On (updated):

• About six traffic signals remain dark. Police officers are directing traffic at many of these intersections.
• Treat all “dark” intersections as four-way stops. Stop - then proceed cautiously. This is critically important to ensuring vehicular and pedestrian safety.
• About 11 County roads remain blocked by fallen trees or downed wires.
• To report downed trees in the public right-of-way, call 3-1-1, or, if calling from outside Montgomery County, 240-777-0311.

Libraries (new):

• Power has been restored to the Silver Spring Library. The library will open today, but the opening will be delayed to about 11:30 a.m. to allow the air conditioning to cool off the building.
• All other libraries will be open for their regular operating hours today.

Recreation Programs/Pools (reported last night):

• Classes, camps or programs at the following locations are cancelled for Thursday, July 29:

o Burning Tree Elementary School
o Carderock Springs Elementary School
o Concord Center
o Glenallan Elementary School
o Harmony Hills Elementary School
o Highland View Elementary School
o Julius West Middle School
o Sligo Middle School
o Strathmore Elementary School
o Westland Middle School

• All other Montgomery County Recreation Department programs will return to regular operations, locations and schedules on Thursday, July 29.
• For the latest updates or other information, go to the Recreation website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec.

Parks (updated):

• Brookside Gardens’ Conservatory Building and the Wings of Fancy Butterfly Show will reopen today at 10 a.m.
• Wheaton Ice Rink will reopen today at 4:15 p.m. for the public session.
• Brookside Nature Center remains closed due to damage from a fallen tree.
• In the train, carousel and picnic shelter area of Wheaton Regional Park, patrons are advised to stay away from fallen trees and all areas enclosed with caution tape. Crews will be clearing this area as soon as possible.
• All other facilities are open for their normal operating hours.
• Additional updates will be posted at http://www.montgomeryparks.org/.

Tree Debris Collection:

On Private Property:

• Tree debris on private property will be collected on a residents’ regular recycling day if it is no more than four-feet in length and four inches in diameter.
• Bag, bundle, or containerize tree branches and limbs, keeping bundles less than 45 pounds and less than 30 inches in diameter.
• Tree debris that is too large for curbside collection, or cannot be bagged, bundled, or containerized can be recycled at no charge to single family home residents (up to 500 pounds) at the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station, located at 16101 Frederick Road, Derwood. Check the County’s website for hours of operation.
• Another option is to contact a private company, such a tree service, landscaping or lawn service, for assistance in removing and disposing of storm debris.
• Residents may want to check with their home insurance company, which may cover storm debris removal and disposal.

In the Public Right-of-Way:

• The County’s Department of Transportation’s crews are collecting trees and branches that have fallen into the public right-of-way.
• County crews are out in full force on plow routes collecting storm debris from County right-of-ways.
• Crews have not yet completed all routes throughout the County.
• To report tree debris in the public right-of-way, call 3-1-1.

Other County Services (reported last night):

• The Department of Permitting Services will operate at its normal location, 255 Rockville Pike, today.

Food Safety:

Residents:

• Residents who remain without power should take steps to ensure that food left in the refrigerator and freezer is safe.
• According to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service, meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be refrigerated at 40° F and frozen food at or below 0° F, which may be difficult with a prolonged power outage.
• View consumer safety tips on the County's website at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

Food Service Facilities:

• Keep freezers closed. A full, freestanding freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for about two days; a half-full freezer about one day.
• If available, 25 pounds of dry ice should be sufficient for a 10-cubic foot freezer for three to four days. Carefully follow the handling instructions for dry ice.
• Keep refrigerators closed. Refrigerated food is safe if the power is out only for short periods.
• For more information, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-800-535-4555
• For information from Montgomery County Licensure and Regulatory Services, call 3-1-1.
• View food service safety tips on the County's website at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

The County's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security presented information on Tuesday to the Montgomery County Council about the County's response to the severe storm. See the presentation on the County’s website at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

Alerts and updates are available on the County's Facebook page and through Twitter. Sign up for Alert Montgomery on the County’s website at https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

Check http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ for updated information on County facilities, programs, and services.

Montgomery County Organizational Reform Commission – Opening Session

I was pleased to represent my County Council colleagues this afternoon at the first meeting of the Montgomery County Organizational Reform Commission.

At the initiative of Councilmember Roger Berliner, the County Council has joined with the County Executive to establish a high-level working group that has been charged with developing recommendations to make Montgomery County work better.

The Commission members are: Christina Echavarren, Joan Fidler, Scott Fosler, Susan Heltemes, Daniel Hoffman, Vernon Ricks, Jr. Co-Chair, Len Simon, and Richard Wegman Co-Chair. Justina Ferber of the County Council staff will provide support to the Commission.

In my remarks to the group, I emphasized the critical importance of their work. Although the Council has made many difficult choices in recent years by, among other things, establishing a new reserve policy and implementing a balanced six-year fiscal plan, more work needs to be done to address the structural budget deficit, and to make government more effective and efficient through reform and reorganization.

I am confident that the Organizational Reform Commission can make a significant contribution to this goal.

Resolution No. 16-1350, that we adopted on May 18, 2010, established the Montgomery County Organizational Reform Commission to make recommendations for potential reorganization or consolidation of functions performed by County government and County-funded agencies. Its charge is to solicit suggestions for potential reorganization or consolidation of functions performed by County government and County-funded agencies from: elected officials; County residents; business and community leaders; County and agency employees; bargaining unit representatives; and other stakeholders.

The Commission must submit its final report to the Executive and Council no later than January 31, 2011. The report must contain the Commission's recommendations to reorganize or consolidate functions performed by County government or County-funded agencies. For each recommendation for reorganization or consolidation, the Commission's report must include the rationale and estimated cost savings associated with implementing the recommendation. Any organizational proposal for County government in the Commission report must take the form of a reorganization plan that the Executive could submit to the Council under Charter §217.

Statement of Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg at the Inaugural Session of the Montgomery County Organizational Reform Commission

On behalf of our Council President Nancy Floreen and my other Council colleagues, I want to, first, welcome you to the Council Office Building and, second, to thank you for your interest in serving our County in this important position.

As you know, Montgomery County has faced extraordinary budget challenges in recent years, and the road ahead will be rocky. But I am pleased that the Montgomery County Council has stepped up to meet these challenges directly and has taken essential measures to get our fiscal house in order.

We have reduced expenditures, increased revenues, and established a new reserve and long-term fiscal policy that will help us plan for the future. But there is more to be done, and we have great hope for this Organizational Reform Commission and its work.

Resolution No. 16-1350, that we adopted on May 18, 2010, established the Montgomery County Organizational Reform Commission to make recommendations for potential reorganization or consolidation of functions performed by County government and County-funded agencies. Your charge is to solicit suggestions for potential reorganization or consolidation of functions performed by County government and County-funded agencies from: elected officials; County residents; business and community leaders; County and agency employees; bargaining unit representatives; and other stakeholders.

As you know, the Commission must submit its final report to the Executive and Council no later than January 31, 2011. The report must contain the Commission's recommendations to reorganize or consolidate functions performed by County government or County-funded agencies. For each recommendation for reorganization or consolidation, the Commission's report must include the rationale and estimated cost savings associated with implementing the recommendation. Any organizational proposal for County government in the Commission report must take the form of a reorganization plan that the Executive could submit to the Council under Charter §217.

So, there is a lot of work to do. But we know you are up to the task, and we stand by ready to help in any way.

We greatly appreciate your willingness to help us move Montgomery County forward.

Thank you very much.

SUMMER STORM UPDATE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Power Restoration Status (updated):
* 29,372 Pepco customers remain without power in Montgomery County.

* To report power outages, call Pepco at 877-737-2662, Allegheny Power at

800-255-3443, or Baltimore Gas & Electric at 877-778-2222.

* To report "hot" or sparkling wires, especially those across roadways, call 911.

* As Pepco restores power in areas, downed wires that were previously dead may become live. Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution around any downed power line.

* Pepco has about 400 crews at work.

Traffic and Ride On (updated):

* 15 traffic signals remain dark, mostly in the Bethesda area. Police officers are directing traffic at these intersections.

* Treat all "dark" intersections as four-way stops. Stop - then proceed cautiously. This is critically important to ensuring vehicular and pedestrian safety.

* 35 County roads remain blocked by fallen trees or downed wires.

* To report downed trees in the public right-of-way, call 3-1-1, or, if calling from outside Montgomery County, 240-777-0311. The 311 Call Center will reopen at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning.

* County crews are out in full force on plow routes sweeping roads and County right-of-ways for storm debris.

* Ride On is operating on a normal schedule. Check www.rideonbus.com for more information.

Shelters (updated):

* The shelter located at Richard Montgomery High School has closed.

Food Safety:

Residents:

* Residents who remain without power should take steps to ensure that food left in the refrigerator and freezer is safe.

* According to the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service, meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be refrigerated at 40° F and frozen food at or below 0° F, which may be difficult with a prolonged power outage.

* View consumer safety tips on the County's website at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

Food Service Facilities:

* Keep freezers closed. A full, freestanding freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for about two days; a half-full freezer about one day.

* If available, 25 pounds of dry ice should be sufficient for a 10-cubic foot freezer for three to four days. Carefully follow the handling instructions for dry ice.

* Keep refrigerators closed. Refrigerated food is safe if the power is out only for short periods.

* For more information, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-800-535-4555.

* For information from Montgomery County Licensure and Regulatory Services, call 3-1-1.

* View food service safety tips on the County's website at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

Recreation Programs/Pools:

* All Department of Recreation facilities, including pools, are open, with accompanying programs in those facilities continuing as scheduled.

NORTHERN REGION CAMPS

All Up County sites will return to normal scheduling. Extended and bus hubs will be in place.

MID COUNTY REGION:

All mid county sites will return to normal scheduling. Extended and bus hubs will be in place.

DOWN COUNTY REGION CAMPS:

Potomac Extended and bus Route PT07 will be relocated to Bells Mill Elementary School. Center Stage, Third Quarter and Patowmack will be relocated to Bells Mill Elementary. Pyle Extended Camp, Arrowhead and the PY08 Bus route will be relocated to Lawton Community Center.

THERAPEUTIC RECREATION

Personal Pursuits and Camp Apollo will meet at Rock Terrace High and be transported off-site if the school remains without power. Big Pines, Little Pines and TR Summer Teen will meet at Bauer Drive Community Center. Project Discovery and Creative Afternoons will be canceled if Forest Knolls Elementary remains without power.

SUMMER FUN CENTERS:

These sites will be canceled for Wednesday July 28, 2010:

Chevy Chase Elementary
Highland View Elem
Wheaton High School
Wyngate Elementary
Coffield Community Center

CLASSES and CONTRACT CAMPS:

Those scheduled in schools and facilities without power will be canceled.

Parks (updated):

* Brookside Gardens and the Visitors Center is open. The Conservatory and Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly Exhibit remain closed. Visitors should avoid Glenallan Avenue between the Conservatory Entrance and the Visitors Center Entrance because of a downed tree.

* The following facilities will be open Wednesday: Cabin John Miniature Train, Cabin John Ice Rink, South Germantown Splash Park and Miniature Golf facility, Wheaton Indoor Tennis Center, Pauline Betz Addie Tennis Center at Cabin John Regional Park, the Black Hill Regional Park boat rental facility, Needwood boat rental facility (at Rock Creek Park), Meadowside Nature Center, the Park Permit Office in Silver Spring, Locust Grove Nature Center and Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel at Wheaton Regional Park.

* The following facilities remain closed: Wheaton Ice Rink, Wheaton Miniature Train, and Brookside Nature Center.

* In the train, carousel and picnic shelter area of Wheaton Regional Park, patrons are advised to stay away from fallen trees and all areas enclosed with caution tape. Crews will be clearing this area as soon as possible.

* Additional updates will be posted at http://www.montgomeryparks.org/.

Other County Services (updated):

* County departments located at 255 Rockville Pike will resume operations there today.
* Trash and recycling pickups will operate on normal schedules.
* Little Falls library remains closed. County offices at 11 N. Washington are also still without power.
* Montgomery College campuses are open.

The County's Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security presented information yesterday to the Montgomery County Council about the County's response to the severe storm. See the presentation on the County's website at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

Alerts and updates are available on the County's Facebook page and through Twitter. Sign up for Alert Montgomery on the County's website at https://alert.montgomerycountymd.gov/.

Check http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ for updated information on County facilities, programs, and services.

Pepco to Provide Detailed Estimated Restoration Times

Pepco announced today that it will begin to provide customers with estimated restoration times. Customers without power are asked to call 1-877-737-2662 for an individual estimated restoration time. Calling 1-877-737-2662 is the fastest way for customers to receive an estimated restoration time.

As of noon, pepco crews have restored power to more than 230,000 customers and expect to have power restored to the majority of customers by Thursday.

County Offers Tips on Keeping Food Safe During Power Outage

Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Ulder J. Tillman today urged residents who remain without power to take steps to ensure that food left in the refrigerator and freezer is safe.

“It is important for everyone who remains without power to determine if food is safe to eat and reduce the risk of food borne illness,” said Tillman.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service, meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be refrigerated at 40° F and frozen food at or below 0° F, which may be difficult with a prolonged power outage.

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. A refrigerator will only keep food safely cold for about four hours if it is unopened.
• A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.
• Obtain dry ice or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible if there is a prolonged power outage. Residents should check with local retailers for ice supplies.
• Digital, dial or instant-read thermometers and appliance thermometers will help determine if the food is at safe temperatures. The refrigerator temperature should be at 40°F or below; the freezer, 0°or lower.
• To be sure a particular food is cold enough; take its temperature with a food thermometer.
• Never taste food to determine its safety!
• Food may be safely refrozen if the food it still contains ice crystal or is at 40°F or below. Evaluate each food item separately. Be sure to discard any items in either the freezer or the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices.
• Food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheeses, butter and leftover cooked meats, casseroles and pizza should be thrown out if they have been held above 40° F for over two hours.

For a complete chart and when to save and when to throw out certain foods, please visit the USDA’s food safety website.

Montgomery Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg to Propose Employee Disability Retirement Reform

Montgomery County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg on Tuesday, July 27, will introduce Bill 45-10 that would further reform disability retirement provisions for certain County employees by creating a two-tier service-connected disability retirement system with benefits for partial incapacity and total incapacity. This system would be identical to the system currently in place for members of the Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association. Bill 45-10, which is co-sponsored by Councilmembers Phil Andrews and Roger Berliner, would create the system for all other County employees.

Under provisions of the bill, a County employee who retires due to service-connected disability would receive either a partial incapacity benefit of at least 52.5 percent of final earnings or a total incapacity benefit of at least 70 percent of final earnings. The current system for all employees, except fire and rescue employees, provides for a service-connected disability retirement benefit of at 66.7 percent of final earnings for both partial and total incapacity.

Under the bill, an employee would be eligible for a total incapacity benefit if the employee was unable to perform any substantial gainful activity because of an impairment that is unlikely to resolve in the next 12 months and may be permanent. An employee would be eligible for a partial incapacity benefit if the impairment prevents the employee from performing one or more of the essential functions of the employee’s position, but does not prevent the employee from performing any other substantial gainful activity.

A public hearing on the bill is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 28.

“As we continue our efforts to reinforce a strong fiscal foundation for the County’s future, we must implement a multi-tiered structure for our disability retirement system that makes good fiscal sense and that is transparent and accountable,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg, who is the lead sponsor of Bill 45-10 and is chair of the Council’s Management and Fiscal Policy Committee. “And, of course, it must effectively support the medical needs of those of our employees who need it. I have come to the same conclusion as County Executive Ike Leggett that the only way to reform the system is with decisive legislative action.”

In 2009, the Council unanimously approved amended Bill 37-08 that reformed the County’s Disability Retirement Law, but that legislation, which was proposed by Councilmembers Andrews and Trachtenberg, was approved with amendments that eliminated provisions for a two-tier system.

According to the County’s Office of Human Resources, as of May 2009, only 10 of the 67 fire and rescue employees who received service-connected disability retirement since their two-tiered system began in 2000 were awarded the higher 70 percent benefit. Eighty-five percent of the awards were at the lower 52.5 percent level. Mercer, the County’s actuary, estimated that the County would save more than $2.6 million each year in the County’s retirement contribution if it extended the two-tier system to all employees.

"Last May, the Council took important first steps in reforming the County's disability retirement system by requiring independent medical exams, a more qualified and independent medical review panel, and mandatory reviews to determine continued eligibility for a disability pension,” said Councilmember Phil Andrews, who chairs the Council’s Public Safety Committee. “The Council opted to see if labor negotiations that began last fall would produce agreement on a two-tier retirement system, but nothing came of them. Now, the Council needs to act to reform the disability retirement system so that disability retirement benefits reflect the difference between injuries that are partial disabling and those that are fully disabling."

Councilmember Berliner, who also is a member of the Public Safety Committee, said: “It has been my hope that this issue would have been resolved by the parties in the collective bargaining process. A resolution to this problem is long past due and this legislation is a major step in the right direction.”

Councilmembers Trachtenberg and Andrews have advocated reform of the County’s disability retirement program since a September 2008 report was issued by the County’s Inspector General showing that a much greater percentage of Montgomery County police officers are awarded disability retirement than are workers in similar positions in neighboring jurisdictions.

Bill 45-10 also would prohibit the award of a service-connected disability to an employee who “has committed an offense that would justify removal for cause.” That provision also was in the original version of Bill 37-08, but was not enacted in the final version of the bill.

WSSC water restrictions for Montgomery County have been lifted.

WSSC water restrictions for Montgomery County have been lifted.

Storm Update

A major storm has caused widespread power outages.

The latest update on conditions include:

* All Montgomery County Recreation facilities are closed today except for the Upper County Neighborhood, Germantown, East County Neighborhood and Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Centers and the Germantown Indoor and Olney Swim Centers.

* Due to storm related power outage at 255 Rockville Pike, the Occupational Medical Service (OMS) unit is closed today. All appointments are cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

* All other sites are closed, including the main administrative office.

* All summer camps, summer fun centers and Recreation summer classes are cancelled for today.

* Montgomery College Rockville campus will be closed today. Takoma Park and Germantown campuses will be open.

* Montgomery County’s Permitting Services will be closed to the public.

* The Occupational Medical Service unit is closed and all appointments are cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

* About 187,000 Pepco customers in Montgomery County remain without power.

* 270 County traffic signals remain without power.

* Downed trees throughout the County are still blocking many roads.

* A shelter is open at the East County Recreation Center located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring.

* Mandatory water restrictions remain in effect for all Montgomery County and Prince Georges County residents on public water systems until water supplies are recharged. This includes Rockville residents. Residents on private wells are unaffected by the mandatory water restrictions.

* Residents and businesses are urged to use water only for essential indoor uses so sufficient water will be available for hospitals, emergency services and fire fighting.

* All Montgomery County Parks and Recreation programs are cancelled for today, July 26, including, classes, camps and activities.

* The County’s 311 call center has been activated and is available for non-emergency calls.

* Residents can report downed trees in the public right-of-way by calling 3-1-1 from within Montgomery County or 240-777-0311 from outside the County.

Water customers should:

*Stop all outside water use – no watering lawns, no washing cars, no topping off swimming pools

*Use water only as necessary – i.e., shorter showers and turn off faucets after washing hands.

*Limit toilet flushings (do not flush after every use).

*Limit washing machine and dishwasher use (wash full loads only).

* Residents are urged to check on their neighbors, particularly seniors or those with special needs.

* For emergency assistance, residents should call 911.

* Don't travel if you don't need to.

* Treat all dark intersections as four-way stops. Proceed cautiously.

* To report power outages, call Pepco at 1-877-737-2662, , Allegheny Power at 1-800-255-3443 or Baltimore Gas and Electric at 1-877-778-2222.

* To report “hot” wires or sparking wires, especially those across roadways, call 9-1-1.

* Ride On will operate on Monday, as will trash and recycling collections. These operations could be delayed due to traffic signal power outages.

Pepco has indicated this will be a "multi-day restoration."

Check http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ for updated information on Montgomery County facilities, services, and programs.


If you have any questions or comments, please visit the MC311 Portal at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/311 or call 240-777-0311 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.

SUMMER STORM UPDATE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY

The latest update is:

Libraries:

* The following libraries scheduled to open at 10 a.m. have no power or phone service and will not open as scheduled: Kensington Park, Little Falls, Long Branch and Wheaton.

* The following libraries will open at 10 a.m. as scheduled: Bethesda, Germantown, Quince Orchard, Rockville Memorial and Twinbrook.

Shelters:

* Two additional shelters have opened at Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville and Seneca Valley High School, 19401 Crystal Rock Drive, Germantown. The shelter at the East County Recreation Center located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring remains open.

* Individuals planning to go to a shelter should bring all medications and personal supplies with them.

* Pets are not permitted at shelters except for service animals. Residents are urged not to leave their pets alone at home. Instead, call Montgomery County Animal Services at 240-773-5900 to make arrangements for pet care.

Recreation Centers:

* All Montgomery County Recreation facilities are closed today except for the Upper County Neighborhood, Germantown, East County Neighborhood and Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Centers and the Germantown Indoor and Olney Swim Centers.

* All other Recreation sites are closed, including the main administrative office.

* All summer camps, summer fun centers and Recreation summer classes are cancelled for today.

Parks:

* The following Montgomery Parks facilities are open and Parks classes and programs in these facilities are running on schedule: Cabin John Ice, South Germantown Splash Park and Miniature Golf, and the Tennis and More and Week in the Park summer camps at Wheaton Regional Park.

* Crews are working to restore power to all Parks facilities affected by the outages. To find out if a facility is open, Parks patrons should call the facility in advance to confirm operating hours. Visit www.MontgomeryParks.org for a facility directory and updated information.

Montgomery College:

* Montgomery College Rockville campus will be closed today. Takoma Park and Germantown campuses will be open.

Other County Facilities:

* The Friendship Heights TRiPS Commuter Store located at 17 Friendship Circle is closed today.

Montgomery County’s Permitting Services will be closed to the public.

* The Occupational Medical Service unit is closed and all appointments are cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Report Power Outages and Downed Trees:

* To report power outages, call Pepco at 1-877-737-2662, , Allegheny Power at 1-800-255-3443 or Baltimore Gas and Electric at 1-877-778-2222.
* To report “hot” wires or sparking wires, especially those across roadways, call 9-1-1.
* To report downed trees in the public right-of-way, call 3-1-1 from within Montgomery County or if Montgomery County residents are outside the County, call 240-777-0311.

Check http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ for updated information on Montgomery County facilities, services, and programs.

Pepco Update

The following is un apdate from Pepco:

Sunday’s storm inflicted significant damage to Pepco’s electric system, causing widespread outages across our service territory. At 11:00 am approximately 227,000 customers were without power – with 176,000 in Montgomery County.

Power has been restored to more than 75,000 customers/

A power supply to WSSC Potomac Plant has been restored as well as service to Shady Grove Hospital.

Once customers are restored they may experience brief outages as the crews continue to make repairs on other sections of the circuit.

Crews will be working 24/7 until all customers’ power is restored.

When our system is damaged by severe weather, Pepco repairs equipment using a system of priorities that has been developed, taking into account public safety, community needs and the nature of the electric system.

Our restoration process is as follows:

1. Life Threatening emergencies / Assist Fire/Police
2. Transmission & Sub-Transmission Events - Typically restores several thousands of customers.
3. Distribution Feeder Lockouts - Typically restores 800-2,000 each.
4. Vicinity & Grouped Outages - Typically restores several dozen to a hundred customers.
5. Individual Outages - One or two restorations each.

This restoration effort will take several days. Pepco advises any customers who have special needs, such as special medical equipment, to invoke their emergency plans.

Customers Should Call 1-877-Pepco-62 (1-877-737-2662) To Report An Outage And/Or To Report Downed Electric Wires.

COOLING CENTERS – Montgomery County

• East County Recreation Center 3310 Gateshead Manor Way Silver Spring, MD 20904 Open 24/7 until no longer required
• Special Needs Cooling Center opening at 10 AM today Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville, MD 20852 - 301 610 8000

Safety Messages

• Stay away from downed power lines
• Call 1-877-PEPCO62 to report downed wires
• Stay away from standing water and wet areas
• Keep children and pets inside

July 26, 2010 Management and Fiscal Policy Committee Meeting is Canceled

Today's MFP Committee Meeting has been canceled due to storm-related disruptions.

SUMMER STORM ALERT UPDATE FROM MONTGOMERY COUNTY

A major storm has knocked out power to more than 200,000 Pepco customers in Montgomery County and left nearly a third of the County’s traffic signals without power. A number of trees throughout the County are down, some closing roads. Pepco has indicated this will be a "multi-day restoration."

Montgomery County and the American Red Cross will open a shelter at midnight tonight at the East County Recreation Center located at 3310 Gateshead Manor Way, Silver Spring.

Mandatory water restrictions have been imposed for all Montgomery County and Prince Georges County residents on public water systems because of a power outage at the Potomac Pumping Station, which provides about two-thirds of Montgomery County’s water. Residents and businesses are urged to use water only for essential indoor uses so sufficient water will be available for hospitals, emergency services and fire fighting.

Water customers should:

*Stop all outside water use – no watering lawns, no washing cars, no topping off swimming pools *Use water only as necessary – i.e., shorter showers and turn off faucets after washing hands *Limit toilet flushings (do not flush after every use) *Limit washing machine and dishwasher use (wash full loads only).

The County has activated its 311 call center for non-emergency calls. Residents can report downed trees in the public right-of-way.

All Montgomery County Parks and Recreation programs are cancelled for tomorrow, Monday, July 26, including, classes, camps and activities.

* For emergency assistance, call 911.
* Don't travel if you don't need to. Treat all dark intersections as four-way stops. Proceed cautiously.
* Call Pepco at 1-877-737-2662 to report outages.

Ride On will operate on Monday, as will trash and recycling collections. These operations could be delayed due to traffic signal power outages.

Check www.montgomerycountymd.gov for updated information on Montgomery County facilities, services, and programs.

# # #

Media Contact: Esther Bowring, 240-777-6513

MFP Committee to discuss Memoranda of Agreement on July 26th

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, will meet on Monday, July 26th at 9:30 am. The meeting will be held in the 7th Floor Conference Room of the County Council Office Building located at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. The agenda items will include:

• Expedited Bill 19-10, Taxes - Transportation Impact Tax - Amendments
• Memoranda of Agreement: Fraternal Order of Police (FOB), Municipal and County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO), Municipal and County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO) on furlough procedures, Montgomery County Career Fire Fighters Association (IAFF), and Montgomery County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association (MCVFRA) 

The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and will also be available via streaming through the County Web site. Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this MFP session.

Downtown Silver Spring: Experiencing a Resurgence After a Bumpy History

The renaissance that started in downtown Silver Spring nearly a decade ago continues apace with a surge of new housing, restaurants, shops and entertainment. Considered an unsuccessful example of urban renewal in the 1980s, the area now attracts street festivals, concerts, and farmers and craft markets, while great schools, convenient transportation and relatively affordable housing are bringing in people that did not expect to find themselves buying here.

Click here to read the full article.

Resolution: Approval of Planning Board's Draft for the Purple Line Functional Plan

The County Council of Montgomery County, Maryland, sitting as the District Council for that portion of the Maryland-Washington Regional District in Montgomery County, Maryland, approved

the Planning Board Draft for the Purple Line Functional Plan with revisions.

On April 20, 2010 the Montgomery County Planning Board transmitted to the County Executive and the County Council the Planning Board Draft for the Purple Line Functional Plan, a comprehensive amendment to the 1990 Georgetown Branch Master Plan Amendment.

On June 25, 2010 the Executive transmitted to the Council comments concerning the Planning Board Draft with a fiscal analysis.

On June 29, 2010 the Council held a public hearing regarding the Planning Board Draft. It was referred to the Transportation and Environment Committee for review and recommendation.

On July 15, 2010 the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee held a worksession to review the issues raised in connection with the Planning Board Draft. The Committee forwarded it to the Council with several revisions.

On July 20, 2010 the Council reviewed the Planning Board Draft and the recommendations of the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee. It approved Functional Plan with revisions.

Click here to read the complete Functional Plan.

County Council Approves MFP Recommendations

On Tuesday, July 20, 2010 the County Council approved all of the Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) recommendations forwarded to the full Council for consideration. The MFP Committee is chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg and includes Councilmember Valerie Ervin and Councilmember Nancy Navarro.

On this morning’s consent calendar, the full Council approved the MFP Committee recommendation to approve Executive Regulation 3-10, Hiring Preference for Persons with Disabilities and a resolution to approve cable franchise transfer from Starpower Communications, LLC to Yankee Cable Acquisition, LLC.

During the Legislative Session (Day #22), the full Council approved the MFP Committee recommendation to approve Expedited Bill 37-10, Ethics – Ethics Commission – Staff. This legislation will greatly enhance the independency of the Ethics Commission. In addition, the full Council approved the MFP Committee recommendation to approve Expedited Bill 41-09, Taxation – Property Tax Credit – Business Incubator. Bill 41-09 allows a property tax credit against County property taxes imposed on property used as a business incubator.

This morning’s County Council session was televised live on CCM Channels Comcast 6, RCN 6, and Verizon 30; repeated on July 23, 2010 at 9 pm. Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this County Council session.

Congratulations to the Northwest Park Oakview Weed and Seed Program

I want to extend my sincere congratulations to the Northwest Park Oakview Weed and Seed Program which was recently honored as a 2010 Achievement Award Winner by the National Association of Counties.

In a recent letter to the Office of the Montgomery County Executive, Larry Naake, Executive Director of the national Association of Counties, said that “NACo is proud to confer this award and recognize your county’s hard work to promote quality, efficient, and responsive management and administration.”

Weed and Seed, a community-based strategy sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is an innovative, comprehensive multiagency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. CCDO oversees the Weed and Seed initiative. Weed and Seed is foremost a strategy—rather than a grant program—that aims to prevent, control, and reduce violent crime, drug abuse, and gang activity in designated high-crime neighborhoods across the country. The more than 250 Weed and Seed sites range in size from several neighborhood blocks to several square miles, with populations ranging from 3,000 to 50,000.

The strategy involves a two-pronged approach: law enforcement agencies and prosecutors cooperate in "weeding out" violent criminals and drug abusers and public agencies and community-based private organizations collaborate to "seed" much-needed human services, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and neighborhood restoration programs. A community-oriented policing component bridges the weeding and seeding elements. At each site, the relevant U.S. Attorney's Office plays a leadership role in organizing local officials, community representatives, and other key stakeholders to form a steering committee. The U.S. Attorney's Office also facilitates coordination of federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts so that sites effectively use federal law enforcement partners in weeding strategies. In some instances, the U.S. Attorney's Office helps sites mobilize resources from a variety of federal agencies for seeding programs.

The Weed and Seed strategy is a multilevel strategic plan that includes four basic components: law enforcement; community policing; prevention, intervention, and treatment; and neighborhood restoration. Four fundamental principles underlie the Weed and Seed strategy: collaboration, coordination, community participation, and leveraging of resources.

Congratulations to the Weed and Seed program staff and all of the community stakeholders who have made the Montgomery County’s Weed and Seed Program a national model.

To learn more about the National Association of Counties, visit their website at http://www.naco.org/

MFP Committee Meeting - Thursday, July 15th - Summary

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, met on Thursday, July 15th at 3:30 pm. The MFP Committee discussed the following agenda items:

• Resolution to approve cable franchise transfer from Starpower Communications, LLC to Yankee Cable Acquisition, LLC
• Expedited Bill 37-10, Ethics - Ethics Commission - Staff
• Executive Regulation 3-10, Hiring Preference for Persons with Disabilities
• Executive Regulation 27-09, General Applicability of Personnel Regulations to Employees of Local Fire and Rescue Departments

The MFP Committee approved the resolution to approve cable franchise transfer from Starpower Communications, LLC to Yankee Cable Acquisition, LLC. Representatives from RCN and Starpower attended the Committee work session. Councilmember Trachtenberg raised the issue of municipalities with regard to granting the franchise transfer. Council action on this issue is scheduled for Tuesday, July 20th.

The MFP Committee recommended Expedited Bill 37-10, Ethics-Ethics Commission-Staff to full Council for consideration. There was a public hearing on Bill 37-10 on July 13th. All of the speakers spoke in favor of Bill 37-10 which requires that the Ethics Commission staff director is a lawyer authorized to practice in the State of Maryland and that the Ethics Commission may seek guidance from the County Attorney but is not required to do so. Council action on this issue is scheduled for Tuesday, July 20th.

The MFP Committee recommended Executive Regulation 3-10, Hiring Preference for Persons with Disabilities to full Council for consideration. Regulation 3-10 is needed to implement Bill 46-09 on a Hiring Preference for People with Disabilities. In addition, the regulation modifies the definition of a veteran for purposes of the hiring preference.

The MFP Committee recommended amended Executive Regulation 27-09 AM, General Applicability of Personnel Regulations to Employees of Local Fire and Rescue Departments to full Council for consideration. This regulation implements a recent decision by the Merit System Protection Board. It states that County regulations apply to employees of the Local Fire and Rescue Departments.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this MFP session.

Audit/MFP Committee Meeting - Thursday, July 15th - Summary

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, met as the Audit Committee on Thursday, July 15th at 2:00 pm. Council President Nancy Floreen and Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg attended the meeting. The Audit Committee discussed the following agenda items:

• Internal audit risk assessment and three-year work plan
• FY09 Audit of the Montgomery County Union Employees Deferred Compensation Plan

Representatives from the Executive Branch and Consultants included: Farriba Kassiri, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer; Larry Dyckman, Internal Audit Manager and Frank Spasoff, Partner at Cherry, Bekaert & Holland LLP. Independent Auditor’s Staff and Plan Representatives included: Keith Novak and Jennifer Davis, both from Clifton Gunderson, LLP and Walter E. Bader, Chair of the Montgomery County Union Employees Deferred Compensation Plan.

The first portion of the work session focused on the approach and methodology of the risk assessment and three-year work plan. It was established that the work plan is a “living document” and may evolve and or change dependent on circumstances within the County. The second portion of the work session addressed the Deferred Compensation Plan. It was determined that the Deferred Compensation Plan is in good financial shape. The Committee did address a minor issue with respect to reporting of raw data.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this Audit Committee session.

HHS-PS Committee Work Session Summary—Monday July 19th

Members of the Public Safety and Health and Human Services Committees met today to continue their discussion of how to better address the needs of mentally ill individuals, who have committed minor offenses, through the possible establishment of a Mental Health Court (a court with a specialized docket for eligible defendants with mental illnesses) or other programs with the goal of decriminalizing mental illness and increasing treatment compliance. The expected outcome from such efforts is to reduce recidivism by treating the underlying root causes of behaviors that bring defendants to court.

BACKGROUND:

The joint Committee last met on the topic in October 2009, when it received presentations from Dr. Fred Osher, from the Council of State Governments Justice Center; Art Wallenstein, Director of the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation; and Uma Ahluwalia, Director of the Department of Health and Human Services. It was noted then that this critical issue was also raised in the 2002 Report from the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Mental Health.

The study (Osher) found that the rate of current serious mental illness (such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and psychotic disorder) for male inmates across all five study sites was 14.5% and for females 31%. In the first phase of the study (2002-2003), 18% of male inmates and 28% of female inmates in Montgomery County were found to have serious mental illness. In the second phase of the study (2005-2006) 8% of male inmates and 21% of female inmates were found to have serious mental illness.

PRESENTATION/DISCUSSION SUMMARY:

A. In addition to a presentation on FY10 Clinical Assessment Triage Service (CATS) data highlighting that 22% (1,833 persons) of those arrested were bi-polar and 15% (331 persons) had mental health disorders, two very important questions—in a policy paper by Dr. Raymond Crowe1, Montgomery County’s Chief of Behavioral Health and Crisis Services—framed the discussion between Committee members, mental health advocates and administrators, “Is Montgomery County ready for a mental health court?” and “What can we do short-term to better serve the needs of the justice-involved persons with mental illness?”

B. There were discussions about Dr. Crowel’s suggestion that the Criminal Justice Behavioral Health Initiative (CJBHI) be asked to serve as the collaborative work group to develop recommendations on strategies to support a mental health court or “mini-mental health court” that might use another mechanism, such as placing a case on the stet docket (a docket, maintained by the state’s attorney’s office, in which the court indefinitely postpones trial of a criminal charge), as an incentive to comply with treatment while addressing the court’s concern about additional workload. (The County’s Intervention Program for Substance Abusers (IPSA) places the cases of certain misdemeanor drug offenders on the stet docket while they complete a required program. If they are successful, the case is dropped, if not, the case may move forward. These cases require no special docketing by the District Court.)

C. The primary challenge to the creation of a Montgomery County mental health Court has been insufficient judicial system support. No effort to create a mental health court can succeed without the active participation of district court judges, the state’s attorney, and the public defender’s office. Paul DeWolfe, Jr., Office of the Public Defender, has sent a memorandum to State Public Defenders giving them greater latitude to become involved in specialty courts, including mental health and drug courts. This change may represent an opportunity to build legal system support for a mental health court. Citizens will need to lend their voice to that of advocates to rally support from the Sate and judicial system.

D. In the short-term, a recommended best-practice solution is to conduct a small pilot using existing resources to brief the District court, and implement other court-based initiatives, and include a “stet (inactive court) docket”. With the support of an interested and willing judge, prosecutor, and public defender, and a case manager provided by DHS.

Please review the session packet for more recommendations and details; and contact Saschane Stephenson, Legislative Aide for Health and Human Services, at 240-777-7963 (direct dial) or saschane.stephenson@montgomerycountymd.gov with your questions regarding this HHS-PS Committee session.

Audit/MFP Committee Meeting on Thursday, July 15th

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, met as the Audit Committee on Thursday, July 15th at 2:00 pm. Council President Nancy Floreen and Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg attended the meeting. The Audit Committee discussed the following agenda items:

• Internal audit risk assessment and three-year work plan
• FY09 Audit of the Montgomery County Union Employees Deferred Compensation Plan

Representatives from the Executive Branch and Consultants included: Farriba Kassiri, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer; Larry Dyckman, Internal Audit Manager and Frank Spasoff, Partner at Cherry, Bekaert & Holland LLP. Independent Auditor’s Staff and Plan Representatives included: Keith Novak and Jennifer Davis, both from Clifton Gunderson, LLP and Walter E. Bader, Chair of the Montgomery County Union Employees Deferred Compensation Plan.

The first portion of the work session focused on the approach and methodology of the risk assessment and three-year work plan. It was established that the work plan is a “living document” and may evolve and or change dependent on circumstances within the County. The second portion of the work session addressed the Deferred Compensation Plan. It was determined that the Deferred Compensation Plan is in good financial shape. The Committee did address a minor issue with respect to reporting of raw data.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this Audit Committee session.

MFP Committee Meeting on Thursday, July 15th

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, met on Thursday, July 15th at 3:30 pm. The MFP Committee discussed the following agenda items:

• Resolution to approve cable franchise transfer from Starpower Communications, LLC to Yankee Cable Acquisition, LLC
• Expedited Bill 37-10, Ethics - Ethics Commission - Staff
• Executive Regulation 3-10, Hiring Preference for Persons with Disabilities
• Executive Regulation 27-09, General Applicability of Personnel Regulations to Employees of Local Fire and Rescue Departments

The MFP Committee approved the resolution to approve cable franchise transfer from Starpower Communications, LLC to Yankee Cable Acquisition, LLC. Representatives from RCN and Starpower attended the Committee work session. Councilmember Trachtenberg raised the issue of municipalities with regard to granting the franchise transfer. Council action on this issue is scheduled for Tuesday, July 20th.

The MFP Committee recommended Expedited Bill 37-10, Ethics-Ethics Commission-Staff to full Council for consideration. There was a public hearing on Bill 37-10 on July 13th. All of the speakers spoke in favor of Bill 37-10 which requires that the Ethics Commission staff director is a lawyer authorized to practice in the State of Maryland and that the Ethics Commission may seek guidance from the County Attorney but is not required to do so. Council action on this issue is scheduled for Tuesday, July 20th.

The MFP Committee recommended Executive Regulation 3-10, Hiring Preference for Persons with Disabilities to full Council for consideration. Regulation 3-10 is needed to implement Bill 46-09 on a Hiring Preference for People with Disabilities. In addition, the regulation modifies the definition of a veteran for purposes of the hiring preference.

The MFP Committee recommended amended Executive Regulation 27-09 AM, General Applicability of Personnel Regulations to Employees of Local Fire and Rescue Departments to full Council for consideration. This regulation implements a recent decision by the Merit System Protection Board. It states that County regulations apply to employees of the Local Fire and Rescue Departments.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this MFP session.

Montgomery Council Committees to Discuss Merits of Possible Mental Health Court

On Monday, July 19, Worksession Will Focus on Possibility of Establishing First Court in the County to Help Mental Illnesses

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 16, 2010—The Montgomery County Council’s Health and Human Services Committee and its Public Safety Committee will meet jointly on Monday, July 19, to continue discussions on the possibility of establishing a mental health court to better address the needs of mentally ill people who have committed minor criminal offenses. A mental health court or other program structured to decriminalize mental illness and increase treatment compliance could lead to reduced recidivism by treating the underlying cause for the criminal behavior.
 
The Health and Human Services Committee, which is chaired by George Leventhal and includes Councilmembers Nancy Navarro and Duchy Trachtenberg, and the Public Safety Committee, which is chaired by Phil Andrews and includes Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Marc Elrich, will met at 9:30 a.m. in the Seventh Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville.

The joint committees last met on this topic in October. At that worksession, Fred Osher of the Council of State Governments Justice Center shared information on the study he and others conducted in which Montgomery County served as one of the research sites.

The first phase of the study (from 2002-03) estimated that18 percent of the male inmates and 28 percent of female inmates in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility had some form of serious mental illness. The second phase of the study (2005-06) estimated 8 percent of male inmates and 21 percent of female inmates had serious mental illness.
 
If Montgomery establishes the first mental health court in County history, it would have a specialized docket for eligible defendants (people who have been arrested for minor, non-violent offenses) with mental illnesses. Its purpose would be to hold mentally ill criminal defendants accountable for their actions, while not criminalizing mental illness. The joint committees will discuss if Montgomery County is prepared to establish such a court.

“For too long, mental illness has been criminalized and those afflicted have been without adequate clinical services, housing and case management,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg. “A Mental Health Court in Montgomery County holds great promise toward reducing unnecessary incarceration and assisting the mentally ill in securing a better life. I am hopeful that one day this best practice will become a reality here in Montgomery County.

Raymond Crowel, chief of the County’s Department of Health and Human Resources’ Behavioral Health and Crisis Services, suggested that the Criminal Justice Behavioral Health Initiative (CJBHI) be asked to serve as the collaborative work group to develop recommendations on strategies to support a mental health court or “mini mental health court.”

Click here to read the full Council press release.

Code Orange Air Quality Action Day Alert Scheduled for Friday 7/16/2010

During Code Orange air quality days, air pollution levels can be harmful to children, older adults, and anyone with a respiratory or heart condition. The EPA advises such groups to limit outdoor activity on Code Orange air quality days.

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO AIR POLLUTION!

Ground level ozone is formed during hot summer days from the reaction of sunlight with oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). NOx and VOCs come from many sources including vehicle and power plant emissions, lawn mowers and other fuel burning equipment, and vapors from gasoline, paints, and industrial processes.

Take These Steps to Reduce Air Pollution:

• Carpool, telecommute, or take mass transit to get to work
• Limit driving and combine errands
• Refuel after dark
• Do not use gasoline-powered lawn equipment, including mowers
• Wait for a cooler day to use oil-based paints or switch to non-solvent or low VOC-based paints
• Avoid using aerosols and household products that contain solvents
• Walk to nearby restaurants or bring your lunch to avoid mid-day driving
• Conserve energy at home, at work, and everywhere to reduce power demand

DID YOU KNOW?

In the Baltimore/Washington region, more than 320,000 adults and 100,000 children have asthma.

On Air Quality Action Days, mowing a typical lawn produces the same amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), an ozone forming compound, as driving a car from Montgomery County to Raleigh, NC.

Every summer day, the use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment releases more than 100 times the VOCs of a typical large industrial plant.

For more information and real time air quality levels, visit the Clean Air Partners website at: http://www.cleanairpartners.net/ or contact Pam Parker, Senior Air Planner, Department of Environmental Protection, 240.777.7758

Montgomery County Council Receives Report That Could Lead to Better Cost Estimates Prior to Decision Making

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 14, 2010—The Montgomery County Council received a report on July 14 from the County’s Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) that recommends a better system to evaluate the costs of proposed projects and legislation before decision-makers decide to proceed with them.

OLO reviewed more than 200 fiscal impact statements considered by the Council between January 2005 and May 2010 and discovered a great degree of variability among the statements. OLO speculates the variability in content is likely due to two factors: complexity of bill and a lack of standard. The report said, “Some contained only a single sentence estimating revenues or costs.”

Since 1985 fiscal impact statements have been required to accompany legislation. The report goes on to say, “The Executive Branch has no formal standards governing the format or the content of fiscal impact statements prepared for legislation.” The result is that it has been difficult for decision-makers to measure the adequacy of the information in trying to weigh a project’s worthiness compared to an accurate cost.

The level of complexity of fiscal impact statements that the Council has received in past years with proposed legislation differs from bill to bill. The report says the fiscal consequences can range from no impact to a significant impact.

The OLO report makes four major recommendations and includes 11 specific suggestions that fiscal impact statements should include “at a minimum.”

OLO’s recommendations about the content of fiscal impact statements concern what types of information should be included such as the methodology used to calculate revenue cost estimates and the variables that could affect these estimates in the future. OLO also recommends estimating the revenues and costs for the next six fiscal years for an admissible long-term projection (instead of one year estimates included in some reports). Another change recommended would require fiscal impact statements to indicate how the addition of new staff responsibilities would affect other duties of employees.

Along with the requirement to prepare fiscal impact statements and minimum standards on their content, OLO recommends establishing target dates of when the Executive branch should present the fiscal impact statement. The report also recommends directing Council staff to identify the fiscal impact statement as a discussion item in packets for pending bills and regulations.

Remembering Jean Cryor

Naomi Bloch, representing Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, joined many elected officials, members of the Cryor family and several officials from the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission on Monday, July 12, 2010,  to honor, remember and dedicate Glen Hills Local Park to Jean B. Cryor in Potomac, Maryland. In the course of her life, Jean Cryor served the community she loved in so many ways. She was a journalist, a District 15 Delegate, and at the time of her death, she was a Commissioner on the Montgomery County Planning Board.

There were many heartfelt remarks and stories shared by all of the many speakers who came to honor a dear friend and colleague. Among those making remarks during the ceremony were former Planning Boad Chair Royce Hanson, County Council President Nancy Floreen, District 15 Delegates Brian Feldman and Kathleen Dumais, both of whom served with Jean in Annapolis for many years, and State Senators Jeannie Forehand and Richard Mandaleno. Glen Hills Park had special meaning to the Cryor family and was a place Jean spent many happy hours with her children and grandchildren.

MFP Committee Discusses Technology Issues

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, met on Monday, July 12th at 9:30 am to consider various technology issues. The agenda items included:

1. Interagency Technology Policy and Coordination Committee (ITPCC) – 2011 Work Plan
2. Update-consolidation options and risk analysis with departmental impact of IT service level reductions
3. Report on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Launch
4. Quarterly review – Cable television issues
5. Bill 34-10, Finance – Public Facilities – Private Projects

ITPCC

The MFP Committee accepted the 2011 Work Plan for the ITPCC. Dick Leurig, Chair of ITPCC CIO Subcommittee and Montgomery College Director Emeritus for Future Technology and Innovation Initiatives and Gary Thomas, ITPCC Staff, answered questions for the MFP Committee members regarding the work plan. The MFP Committee emphasized the importance of the Cross Agency Resource Sharing (CARS) initiative during this discussion. In September, the MFP Committee will receive an update from the ITPCC on county government desktop replacement.

Department of Technology Services Consolidation Options

The MFP Committee discussed the Department of Technology Services (DTS) Consolidation Options and Risk Assessment. Steven Emanuel, Chief Information Officer of the Department of Technology Services, gave an update to the MFP Committee. The MFP Committee decided to continue the conversation on DTS consolidation options and risk assessment in September. At this time, Mr. Emanuel will discuss staff versus contract support for DTS. During the discussion, he noted that DTS has a high track record of customer service improvements and mentioned the successful launch of the Enterprise Resource Planning system (see below).

Enterprise Resource Planning System

The MFP Committee received a report on the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) launch. Several representatives from the Executive Branch attended this session including Jennifer Barrett, Finance Director; Mike Ferrara, Executive Director of Enterprise Projects, Office of the Chief Administrative Officer; Steven Emanuel, Chief Information Officer, DTS; Wayne Johnson, Enterprise Resource Planning Functional Project Manager and Karen Plucinski, Change Management Manager.

The ERP System is one of the three current components of the Technology Modernization Efforts (TechMod). Funded at $85 million, TechMod represents one of the most comprehensive changes in County management capabilities. It changes the way county government performs tasks such as finance, procurement, and Human Resource Management functions. It should be noted that ERP is on time and within budget.

There will be an update in September on a training schedule for councilmembers and their staff on the ERP system. At the conclusion of the calendar year, the MFP Committee will receive an update on the progress of ERP and entertain ideas on collaboration between county government and public schools regarding the ERP system.

Cable Quarterly Review

The session on the Cable Quarterly Review was attended by Marjorie L. Williams, Franchise Manager, Office of Cable and Communications Services; Joshua Bokee, Comcast; Tara Potter, Verizon and Richard Beville, RCN.

The MFP Committee received summaries from the cable providers on their activities and new initiatives relevant to Montgomery County. Much of the discussion focused on investment by the cable providers in our community. There was also a conversation on public-private partnerships and how cable providers can help bridge the digital divide in Montgomery County schools. In September, MFP will discuss the Cable Compliance Commission (CCC), cable construction inspections, as well as cable compliance and enforcement issues in general.

Bill 34-10, Finance – Public Facilities- Private Projects

This Bill would amend the definition of public facilities to specifically exclude the construction, reconstruction, extension, acquisition, improvement, enlargement, alteration, repair, or modernization of any privately owned building or facility. Jennifer Barrett, Finance Director, presented arguments to the MFP Committee members in opposition of the Bill. It was decided that Bill 34-10 will be redrafted with amendments and further discussion will be held at a later date.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this MFP session.

MFP Committee to meet on Thursday, July 15

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, will meet on Thursday, July 15th at 3:30 pm.

The meeting will be held on the 7th Floor of the County Council Office Building located at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. The MFP Committee will discuss the following agenda items:

• Resolution to approve cable franchise transfer from Starpower Communications, LLC to Yankee Cable Acquisition, LLC
• Expedited Bill 37-10, Ethics - Ethics Commission - Staff
• Executive Regulation 3-10, Hiring Preference for Persons with Disabilities
• Executive Regulation 27-09AM, General Applicability of Personnel Regulations to Employees of Local Fire and Rescue Departments

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this MFP session.

MFP Committee Meeting as the Audit Committee on Thursday, July 15

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, will meet as the Audit Committee on Thursday, July 15th at 2:00 pm. The meeting will be held on the 7th Floor of the County Council Office Building located at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. The Council President and Vice President are ex-officio voting members of this Committee. The Audit Committee will discuss the following agenda items:

• Internal audit risk assessment and three-year work plan
• FY09 Audit of the Montgomery County Union Employees Deferred Compensation Plan

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding this Audit Committee session.

Montgomery County Number One Digital County in Nation

Today, the Center for Digital Government announced the winners of the Center for Digital Government's 2010 Digital Counties Survey Awards. Montgomery County topped the list of counties in the 500,000 or more population category.

“For 2010, the program's judging approach changed. Unlike years past, when participating governments put together an inventory of their cutting-edge technologies, this year the counties had to submit numerous explanatory narratives on why technologies deployed actually improved life for government employees, citizens or both, explained Todd Sander, director of the Center for Digital Government's Digital Communities program, the division that conducted the survey,” reads today’s article announcing the winners.

“Projects that were motivated to bring transparency got high marks from the judges, and one such project put Montgomery County in first place in the [500,000 or more] population category. The county measured its IT functionality against benchmarks and published the data on its portal, unlike some other applicants,” continues the article.

“This is terrific and an excellent reflection of the hard work and dedication of all of our employees,” said Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg when she heard the good news.

Read the report here.

Painting Montgomery County Blue with the Young Dems

Wil Gutierrez represented Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg at the Montgomery County Young Democrats’ (MCYD) 6th Annual Paint the County Blue Dinner in Silver Spring.

At this event, the MCYD honored Myrna Cardin with the 2010 MYCD Young Democrat for Life Award and Marc Korman with the 2010 Dorothy Davidson Award.

Guest speaker U.S. Senator Ben Cardin energized the crowd with a motivational speech urging Montgomery County Young Democrats to organize and volunteer for Democratic races across the County and State.

For more information about the Montgomery County Young Dems, click here.

Organization of Chinese Americans’ Picnic in Gaithersburg

Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg was represented by Naomi Bloch at the annual OCA (Organization of Chinese Americans) National picnic that took place on Saturday, July 10th at Boher Park in Gaithersburg. The picnic, which was very well-attended, included County Executive Ike Leggett and Councilmembers George Leventhal and Phil Andrews as special guests.

Located in Washington, D.C., the mission of OCA is to advance the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans and it has chapters all across the United States. To fulfill its mission, OCA has established the following goals:

• to advocate for social justice, equal opportunity and fair treatment;
• to promote civic participation, education and leadership;
• to advance coalitions and community building;
• to foster cultural heritage.

For more information: http://www.ocanational.org/.

Management and Fiscal Policy Committee Meeting Addressing Agreements with Bargaining Units is Canceled

Management and Fiscal Policy Committee Meeting addressing agreements with bargaining units is canceled. The meeting will be rescheduled.

Congratulations! New Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza Grand Opening

I was very pleased to attend the ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony for the new Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring. I joined our County Executive Ike Leggett, Congresswoman Donna Edwards, my County Council colleagues, representatives of civic and business organizations, and hundreds of neighbors and well wishers for this historic event. After the ribbon cutting, the public was invited to tour the new building, which is fantastic, and includes a “great room” and community spaces.

Congratulations to all who worked on the building, whether they were construction workers, county staff, or the tremendous residents who kept a wondrous vision of majestic public space in their hearts and minds.

I know the building will be well-used by the Montgomery County community. And I look forward to joining our neighbors there on November 11th—Veterans Day—when we dedicate the Veterans Plaza to all who have served the United States in uniform.

Aunt Hattie’s Place: Trachtenberg Office Attends Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening.

The Trachtenberg Office was represented at the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of Aunt Hattie’s Place in Sandy Spring. Sandy Spring is the third foster home created by Dr. Hattie N. Washington, the founder and president of the facilities and a full-time professor at Coppin State University in Baltimore. Dr. Washington, known as “Aunt Hattie,” established the first Aunt Hattie’s Place in Baltimore City in 1997 when she was assistant school superintendent and witnessed the need for good homes for foster children. The second home was opened in Baltimore County in 2003, and this third location is on Norwood Road in Sandy Spring.

Aunt Hattie’s Place, Inc. is dedicated to providing a safe, stable, nurturing, and long-term home, if needed, for abused, abandoned, and neglected children in foster car. Though started in Dr. Washington’s own home in 1994, AHP strives to rear these deserving children to become productive, responsible, successful adult citizens who will live fulfilling lives and benefit our communities and our nation.

County Executive Ike Leggett, members of the State legislative, the County Council, and many friends for the business and civic community were on hand for the ribbon cutting. Alan Bowser and Naomi Bloch represented Councilmember Trachtenberg at the inspirational program.

Management and Fiscal Policy Committee to Address Agreements With Employee Bargaining Units

The Montgomery County Council’s Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee at 2 p.m. on Monday, July 12, will discuss agreements reached in negotiations between representatives of County Executive Isiah Leggett and bargaining units representing various groups of County employees. In some instances, the agreements conflict with decisions made by the Council earlier this year.

The MFP Committee, which is chaired by Duchy Trachtenberg and includes Councilmembers Valerie Ervin and Nancy Navarro, will be held in the Third Floor Council Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). It also will be available via streaming through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov.

The afternoon session will be the second meeting of the day for the MFP Committee. Its 9:30 a.m. meeting will include the quarterly review of cable television issues and a report on the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that is one of three current components of the County’s technology modernization effort. The $85 million ERP system would make comprehensive changes in County management capabilities in regard to finance, procurement and Human Resource Management functions.

The afternoon MFP meeting will address Memorandums of Agreement that the County Executive has reached with the Fraternal Order of Police, the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO) and the County Career Fire Fighters Association. Other agreements to be discussed include one with the MCGEO on furlough procedures and one with the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association.

Please contact Laurie Mintzer Edberg, Director of Management and Fiscal Policy, at 240-777-7948 (direct dial) or laurie.edberg@montgomerycountymd.gov with any questions regarding these MFP sessions.

Money Talk with Montgomery County Seniors Organized for Change

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to visit with Seniors Organized for Change, at the Charles E. Smith Life Communities, in Rockville.  I spoke about my role as MFP Chair, what the recent AAA bond rating meant for the County, and how changes in the FY11 budget impacted senior services and programs in Montgomery County.  With just over fifty members in attendance, we had an engaging question and answer period and covered several topics including the restoration of the County’s reserves, and the new provisional energy tax.

End-of-Life Dialogue Matters

I joined several guest speakers, on July 8^th, at the Older Women’s League (OWL) Montgomery County Chapter meeting, exploring the topic “End-of-Life: Who Decides?”  The subject wasn’t an unfamiliar one, and I shared, with those gathered, my own experience with my family when my mother was ill and passing on, several years ago.  It’s extremely important that families and individuals have a plan, and I’ve found that the Living & Thriving in Montgomery County Guide for residents 60 and over is a very concise resource worth reading.

I additionally spoke about ‘Comfort Care,’ as family members sometimes discover that varying levels of resistance exists with regard to the provision of pain management in hospice versus hospital settings; and the discussion is not only important for parents but also among siblings and spouses.  My final contribution was to highlight the services available to Montgomery County residents through the Health and Human Services Aging and Disability Services office.

One of the more critical discussions held among the group was about the Advanced Directives form, the fact that there are several versions of the form (including its being available in multiple languages), and that it differs from a Living Will.  For more information on Advanced Directives visit http://www.oag.state.md.us/Healthpol/AdvanceDirectives.htm#know, and on Maryland’s Health Decisions Policy go to http://www.oag.state.md.us/Healthpol/index.htm.

The additional speakers included Donna Wagner, the national president of OWL; Paul Ballard, Assistant Attorney General (Counsel, Health Decisions Policy), State of Maryland; and Karen Northwood from the Montgomery County Coalition on End-of-Life.

Councilmember Trachtenberg Says Montgomery Moving in Right Direction After Taking Decisive Fiscal Actions

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 8, 2010—Montgomery County Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, who chairs the Council’s Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, said today that receiving AAA bond ratings from all three rating agencies is a significant indicator showing recent actions taken by the County are putting Montgomery County back onto a fiscally responsible track.

On Wednesday, County Executive Isiah Leggett announced that Montgomery County has retained its AAA bond rating from all three rating agencies. The Executive thanked Councilmember Trachtenberg for her hard work as chair of the MFP Committee, which made recommendations to the full Council to pass new fiscal and reserve policies for the County.

The possibility of a downgrade from the rating agencies was a critical factor for implementing new fiscal policies. In April, the rating agency Moody’s placed Montgomery County on a “negative watch list” due to falling County reserves.

Montgomery County has never received less than a AAA bond rating in 35 years. The rating allows Montgomery to issue bonds for its capital borrowing at the most favorable rates, saving County taxpayers millions of dollars a year. Top ratings are seen as an important endorsement of a jurisdiction’s overall fiscal health.

“It was necessary for Montgomery County to stabilize its finances in order to maintain its AAA rating by Fitch, Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg. “The County as a whole needs to be fiscally prudent to keep our financial house in order.”

On June 29, the Council approved a Six-Year Fiscal Plan and new reserve policies as recommended by the MFP Committee. The balanced Six-Year Fiscal Plan is designed to help the County achieve a structurally balanced budget for future years. The plan seeks to match expenditures to available revenues without any drawdown of reserves. The new reserve policy would gradually increase the targeted total reserve over the next nine years from 6 percent to 10 percent. The policy would lead to less spending by government agencies.

“As governments at every level—national, state, county and municipality—struggle to rein in spending and find a way to maintain essential services, the urgency of sober and serious fiscal planning is inescapable,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg. “As stewards of the County's economy, the Executive and the County Council have shown real leadership and a vision for the future by building our reserves and clearing a path toward balanced budgets. When the current fiscal crisis is finally past, our fiscal plan and actions of the last month will be seen as part of the solution.”