Trachtenberg Office Attends Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

Representatives from the Office of Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg attended the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair this week. The fair, which was started in 1945, is the largest of its kind in the state of Maryland. The objective of the fair is to exhibit livestock and local produce, promote agriculture through education of the community regarding agricultural issues and providing a meeting place for those interested in agriculture to secure growth in future generations. The organizers of the fair are also committed to educating members of urban communities, helping them to acquire an appreciation and understanding of agriculture.

The fair is located at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg (16 Chestnut Street) and will be open to the public until Saturday, August 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 midnight. For directions, click here. General admission price is $10 per person and children under 11 enter free! For tickets, click here.

Emily Hoopes from the Trachtenberg office poses at the Personal Ponies booth. Personal Ponies is dedicated to the belief that the life of a child with disabilities can be immeasurably enriched by having a tiny pony to love and care for. The interaction and bonding that occurs between a tiny pony and a child with disabilities is nothing less than magic. Creating magic in children’s lives is Personal Ponies only mission. Personal Ponies is part of the Chasin Dreams Farm located in the heart of the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve and serve children that are differently able throughout Montgomery County. For more information, 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/.

The Trachtenberg Office Attends the Up-County Latino Network Monthly Meeting

The Trachtenberg office was represented by Naomi Bloch at the Wednesday, May 26th meeting of the Up-County Latino Network, a bi-monthly meeting that takes place at the Bohrer Park Activity Center – 506 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

A presentation was made to the group by Officer Diane Tillery and Internal Affairs to alert the community members to ongoing scams that take advantage of residents seeking to become citizens. Officer Tillery wanted to urge everyone to reach out to their various community members to alert them to this serious and ongoing fraud.

The upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month Planning was also discussed and everyone was invited to help contribute their ideas and suggestions in order to help make this year’s celebration the best ever. The Hispanic Heritage Month takes place from September 13 to October 13th.

There were several other updates and announcements made by those in attendance and very good networking and exchange of information took place. There will be no meeting in July.

For more information about the Up-County Latino Network and how to participate, click here.

Councilmember Trachtenberg Meets with the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce

This morning Councilmember Trachtenberg met with the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce(GGCC) as part of their Legislative Speaker Series which took place at the GGCC offices and gave a very sober assessment of the deepening fiscal challenges facing the county.

As the Chair of the Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) she was able to provide the GGCC members with a reality check as to the need for a real restructuring of county government and the near-term need to do what’s necessary to maintain the county’s AAA Bond rating.

She was also joined by Councilmembers Leventhal and Elrich who also offered sobering comments about the climate in which we now find ourselves. Councilmember Trachtenberg stated that one critical key to maintaining the AAA Bond rating is going to be the expansion of jobs and tax revenues that the White Flint and Great Seneca Science Corridor Plans (the latter formerly known as the Gaithersburg West Master Plan) will be able to provide for Montgomery County in the years ahead.

Councilmember Trachtenberg encouraged the members of the business community to stay in touch with the Council and provide their ideas and suggestions as these various economic plans unfold.

For more information about the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber contact: Marilyn Balcombe, President/CEO; Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce, 4 Professional Drive, Suite 132, Gaithersburg, MD 20879; 301-840-1400 x15
Email: malcombe@ggchamber.org ; http://www.ggchamber.org/.

2010 Census – “Everybody Counts”

The Trachtenberg Office joined County Executive Isiah Leggett, Council President Nancy Floreen, former members of Congress and co-chairs of the County Executive’s 200-member Census Complete Count Committee, Connie Morella and Mike Barnes, Councilmember Nancy Navarro and a host of elected officials and community leaders at three community rallies across Montgomery County to encourage support of the 2010 U.S. Census. Somerset Mayor Jeffrey Slavin and Washington Grove Mayor Darrell Anderson were also present.

The Census 2010 rallies were held in Gaithersburg, Wheaton and at the Takoma -Langley Park Crossroads area to encourage Montgomery County residents to fill out their 2010 Census Forms.

At the first rally at Gaithersburg City Hall, Mayor Sidney Katz, Gaithersburg Council Vice President Cathy C. Drzyzgula, and Councilmember Michael Sesma proudly welcomed County Executive Leggett to the City and called on residents to support the Census. In his remarks to the crowd, the County Executive declared that “everybody counts” and that filling out the Census form would result in more federal dollars to the County for important public services.

At the second rally at the Westfield Wheaton Shopping Center, the tour joined with local representatives of Casa de Maryland, the Latino Economic Development Corporation, and Neighbor Works to encourage residents to support the Census. At the final rally in Takoma – Langley Crossroads, the bus tour was met by festive music and colorful dancers who entertained the crowd before the official remarks.

The Trachtenberg Office was represented by Naomi Bloch and our Chief of Staff, Alan Bowser. We wish to thank Bruce Adams of the Office of Community Partnerships and Kathleen Boucher, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for Montgomery County for their tireless efforts in organizing the tour and County’s 2010 Census program.

To view more rally pictures, click here.

Councilmember Trachtenberg Meets with Mayors and Councilmembers of Rockville and Gaithersburg on Gaithersburg West Master Plan

Councilmember Trachtenberg met today with the Mayors of Rockville and Gaithersburg to discuss aspects of the Gaithersburg West Master Plan.

Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio was joined at the meeting by Councilmember Bridget Donnell Newton and members of the City’s planning staff. Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney A. Katz was joined by Council Vice President Cathy C. Drzyzgula, and Angel Jones, City Manager as well as other representatives of the Gaithersburg municipal government.

In the meeting, the Mayors discussed a range of key issues of concern to residents, including proposed density in the plan area, transportation and traffic concerns, economic forecasts, connectivity between neighborhoods and the proposed mixed-use development; the impact of the Gaithersburg West development on the Rockville and Gaithersburg municipalities, staging, development oversight, and general quality of life issues.

Councilmember Trachtenberg reiterated her view that the proposed plan must appropriately balance the development that the County needs with the quality of life that County residents need. She discussed her legislative proposal, currently before the Council, that the County should designate an individual or individuals who would have oversight responsibility for coordinating development and staging in master planned areas, like White Flint and Gaithersburg West.

She added that it was important for the municipalities to continue to consult closely with members of the County Council and Planning Board staff to refine the proposal so that it met the broad community’s expectation about development, traffic, transit, housing, and environmental sustainability.

The Gaithersburg West Master Plan is currently being discussed by the County Council’s Committee on Planning, Housing & Economic Development (PHED), and will be considered by the full Council later this Spring.

The Plan is a 21st-century blueprint for the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center (LSC), home to a major hospital, academic institutions, and private biotechnology companies.

The objective of the Plan is to turn the now sprawling, single-use, auto-oriented area into a vibrant, dynamic, and walkable district with a physical form that is as inspiring as the discoveries that are going on inside the labs and classrooms throughout the area.

The Gaithersburg West Master Plan: Summary | Draft

Trachtenberg staff members Alan Bowser, Emily Hoopes, and Naomi Bloch also attended the meeting.

Trachtenberg Office Attends Ceremony for Biotech Cooperation

The aftermath of the recent record-breaking storms has produced more than mountains of snow. As anyone who has driven or ridden on area roads recently can attest -- pothole season is here. The conditions have been ideal for forming potholes – freezing temperatures at night, above freezing temperatures during the day and plenty of water from melting snow to seep into minute road surface cracks. As this daily freeze-thaw cycle expands and contracts pavement, the potholes are created.

Residents can report potholes either on the county’s website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/potholes or call Highway Services at 240-777-6000. It is helpful to provide as precise a location as possible, including the nearest street address or cross street.

Residents are reminded that numbered roads in the County, such as Rockville Pike, Route 355 or Georgia Avenue, Route 97, are maintained by the State Highway Administration (SHA). Report potholes to SHA at www.roads.maryland.gov, and then click on “Report Litter or Pothole.”

"Montogmery's Growth Policy in Challenging Times"

Naomi Bloch represented the Trachtenberg office at the Sunday, January 24th discussion: “Montgomery’s Growth Policy in Challenging Times” that took place in the Roseborough Building Community Room on the Asbury Methodist Village campus off of Odendhal Road, in Gaithersburg.

The guest speakers/panelists were: Mr. Rollin Stanley, the Planning Commission Director; County Council President, Nancy Floreen and Councilmember Marc Elrich. This program was hosted by and was the inaugural event of four cooperating Democratic Clubs: D-15, D-17, D-39 and the Asbury Democratic Club.

Mr. Stanley was the lead speaker and his presentation offered up an overview of the history and future vision for Montgomery County. Mr. Stanley touched on how Montgomery County needs to change with regard to development density and also touched on the very real shifts with regard to the over all demographic make up of Montgomery County in the years ahead and the very real impacts these changes will have on our local economy.

Council President Floreen followed and focused her remarks on the need to look beyond mere “plans” and how critical it was for Montgomery County to figure out how to create more jobs because without jobs Montgomery County wouldn’t have the necessary economic resources to fund all these exciting plans.

Councilmember Elrich provided a sobering sense of the realities facing the County with regard to the present, ongoing and future infrastructure needs of our schools, roads, water, etc, and how Montgomery County needed to do a better job of getting all the interested parties to work together in order to fund these critical needs. He felt that ultimately this was a quality of life issue and that all the various vested interests had to work collectively in order to properly fund and maintain these infrastructure needs.

The event was very well attended and a good discussion took place during the Q&A period after each of the speakers had made their initial presentations.