Trachtenberg Joins Leaders in Celebrating Family Justice Center Service

Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg attended a celebratory reception at the Montgomery County Family Justice Center (FJC), joining several instrumental county leaders who worked collaboratively to open the Center’s doors over 9 months ago. Trachtenberg shared with the audience that the Center was an ambitious vision in her first term in office and, looking ahead, she anticipates its expansion. The FJC serves as a comprehensive one-stop service shop for victims of family/domestic violence and their children.

Located at 600 Jefferson Street, Suite 500, Rockville, Md., the center co-locates multiple agencies to provide coordinated advocacy, law enforcement, civil legal services and social services for wrap-around support for families. To date, the FJC has served over 1300 individuals and families in crisis. Chief Deputy Sheriff Darren M. Popkin, Ambassador Connie Morella, Health and Human Services’ Director Uma Ahluwahlia, and FJC co-founder Casey Gwinn were among the reception attendees.

Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg and Ambassador Connie Morella

Duchy at the Diner – Silver Spring

Today’s “Duchy at the Diner” event at the Tastee Diner in Silver Spring was a huge success. More than 30 people filled a meeting room joining Duchy for coffee, food and informal conversation at the Silver Spring landmark on Cameron Street.

In her remarks to the group, Councilmember Trachtenberg focused on the dire state of the County’s financial situation and its unavoidable impact on the County Executive’s proposed Operating Budget that will be transmitted to the County Council later this month. She reiterated her support for County Executive’s budget priorities—public safety, education, and protecting the most vulnerable.

The question and answer period was wide-ranging and included discussion about the Sligo Creek Golf Course, the Silver Spring Library, Long Branch development, the Family Justice Center, health care, domestic violence, and the County’s budget.

Duchy at the Diner – Silver Spring was the second in a touring series of “diner” events planned throughout Montgomery County.

Action in Montgomery – Trachtenberg Office Attends Public Meeting

Naomi Bloch represented Councilmember Trachtenberg last evening at the Action in Montgomery’s (AIM) Public Meeting which took place at St. Martins Catholic Church, located at 201 South Frederick Avenue, in Gaithersburg.

The purpose of this gathering was to present to County Executive Leggett and the County Council AIM’s Top 4 Budget Priorities:

• Equality for all County Residents
• Universal Access to Higher Education
• Affordable Housing
• Ensure that basic needs are met for the most vulnerable in our county.

Action In Montgomery is a multi-racial, multi-faith, strictly non-partisan, County-wide citizens’ organization, rooted in local congregations and associations. AIM is affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), the oldest and largest national, congregation-based, community organizing network in the United States. Founded more than 50 years ago by Saul Alinsky, the IAF works with more than 55 community organizations like AIM across the United States, and in Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. These organizations have produced impressive results in training thousands of ethnically, culturally, and economically diverse leaders to take action on community, city, and state issues.

Action in Montgomery’s website is http://www.actioninmontgomery.org/.

Trachtenberg Office Attends African American Advisory Group Meeting

The Trachtenberg Office was represented at the annual budget meeting of the County Executive’s African American Advisory Group in Rockville, Maryland.

At the meeting, County Executive Isiah Leggett received the AAAG’s recommendations regarding the FY11 Operating Budget to be submitted to the County Council in March 2010. The Group’s recommendations addressed issues of spending reductions; new revenue sources; efficient, effective operations; collaboration on state budget cut mitigation; critical services prioritization; and strategic management of the financial crisis.

The County Executive was accompanied by Bruce Adams, Director of the Office of Community Partnerships, Reverend Timothy Warner, Staff Liaison, Office of Community Partnerships, and Joe Beach, Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

The AAAG is co-chaired by Dr. Sheryl Brissett-Chapman and Julian Norment. Our Chief of Staff Alan Bowser, who is a member of the Executive’s African American Advisory Group, represented Councilmember Trachtenberg.

Trachtenberg Office Discusses Veterans Issues at Easter Seals in Silver Spring

The Trachtenberg Office discussed veterans issues with representatives of Easter Seals and the Montgomery County Commission on Veterans Affairs.

After a tour of the Easter Seals’ new complex in Silver Spring, meeting participants discussed the critical needs of the County’s veterans and the resources that are available to meet them. There are over 60,000 veterans in the County and, currently, there is no VA-certified community-based outpatient clinic or County veterans service office to address veterans needs.

The Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region has an increasingly robust program to meet the needs of veterans and military families. Among their active programs are an Air force and Navy Respite program and a “Little Warrior” program. This year, East Seals will initiative a program called “Veterans Count,” that will help wounded service members, veterans and their families navigate the multitude of public and private support systems.

The meeting was held at the The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Inter-Generational Center on Spring Street in Silver Spring.

Trachtenberg Chief of Staff Alan Bowser represented our office.

For the website of the Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region, click here.

For information on their services for veterans and military families, click here.

Duchy Trachtenberg Meets with Latino Health Steering Committee of Montgomery County

Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg met with members of the Latino Health Steering Committee—Fernanda Bianchi, Phd, Richardo Flores, J.D., Evelyn Kelly, MPH, Eduarto Pezo, JD, MA MPH, along with Sonia Mora, MPH, Manager of the Latino Health Initiative (LHI) staff--to discuss the mission of the LHI, its recent accomplishments, community health challenges, and FY11 budget issues.

The Latino Health Initiative of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services was established in July 2000 with the support of the County Executive and the County Council.

Its mission is to improve the quality of life of Latinos living in Montgomery County by contribution to the development and implementation of an integrated, coordinated, culturally and linguistically competent health wellness system that supports, values, and respects Latino families and communities.

Councilmember Trachtenberg is a member of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee.

To read LHI’s FY 2009 Annual Report, click here. To visit LHI’s website, click here.

Montgomery Council Unanimously Approves Expanded Uses of Drug Forfeiture Funds Bill

Montgomery Council Unanimously Approves Expanded Uses of Drug Forfeiture Funds Bill 35-09, Whose Chief Sponsor Was Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, Will Allow Money Seized From Drug Criminals To Be Used for Drug Treatment and Prevention Programs

ROCKVILLE, Md., November 17, 2009—The Montgomery County Council today unanimously approved Expedited Bill 35-09 that will allow money seized from criminals convicted of drug-related crimes to be used for drug treatment and prevention programs. The bill, whose chief sponsor was Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, was co-sponsored by Council President Phil Andrews, Council Vice President Roger Berliner and Councilmembers Marc Elrich, George Leventhal and Nancy Navarro.

The bill amends current law that restricts the use of Drug Enforcement Forfeiture Funds to “expenses related to enforcement of laws regarding controlled dangerous substances.”

The Drug Enforcement Forfeitures Fund (DEFF) contains money that is forfeited to the County under state law as drug-related contraband. The fund includes cash and the proceeds of the sale of real and personal property seized during drug enforcement actions. The DEFF had a balance of $2,686,145 at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2009 and had approximately $2.3 million at the beginning of FY10.

Councilmember Trachtenberg, who chairs the Council’s Management and Fiscal Policy Committee and serves on its Health and Human Services Committee, said a change in the law regarding how forfeited funds could be spent will be important as the County continues to face budget shortfalls that are impacting programs, such as drug prevention and drug treatment programs.

“Drug prevention and treatment programs, and the operation of the Drug Court, are important parts of a successful campaign to reduce the use of controlled dangerous substances,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg. “Recent severe shortfalls in County revenue make it important to look for alternative sources to fund these critical programs. It is hard to think of a better use of money seized from drug offenders than to allocate it toward people who want help for their drug-related problems.”

Allocating DEFF funds for drug treatment and prevention programs will increase the non-tax supported alternative funding available for these critical programs.

“This is a timely and most appropriate use of these funds,” said Council President Andrews. “At a time when we are forced to make difficult fiscal decisions, it is essential that critical programs such as rehabilitating drug offenders continue to have adequate funding.”

Expedited Bill 35-09 also will require quarterly reporting to the Council on the DEFF revenue and expenses. The Council is responsible for appropriating the funds in the DEFF. Regular reports will provide important information to help the Council in appropriating these funds in the most effective way.

The quarterly reports on the fund, which will be made by the Police Department, will include an update on the current balance in the fund, information on recent deposits from forfeitures and details on recent expenditures from the fund.

“This legislation is another example of good government,” said Council Vice President Berliner. “We need to carefully manage our scarce resources—now more than ever—and this bill is a step in the right direction.”

In September, the Montgomery County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council (AODAAC) unanimously adopted a motion in support of what has evolved to become Expedited Bill 35-09. The resolution read: “Whereas addiction treatment is crime prevention, therefore be it resolved that the Montgomery County Drug Enforcement Forfeiture Fund regulations be amended to include as an authorized use of funds ‘drug abuse treatment and prevention services.’”

At the Montgomery County Council Session

Montgomery Council to Address I-270 Transportation Issues, ICC Tolls

Also Drug Enforcement Fund, Nutritional Labeling, Health Impact Assessment for Road Projects

ROCKVILLE, Md., November 16, 2009—The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday, Nov. 17, will make recommendations to the Maryland State Highway Administration and the State Department of Transportation concerning the scope of possible expansion for I-270 and the mode of transportation that should be used for the proposed Corridor Cities Transitway that would extend from the Shady Grove Metro Station to Clarksburg. The Council also is expected to make recommendations in regard to the range of toll charges for the Intercounty Connector that is being built to link I-270 to I-95 in Laurel.

The Council’s day will start at 9:30 a.m. with the dedication of a mural in the Third Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The mural, “Building Strong Communities,” was created by Project Youth ArtReach, a program with youthful offenders at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. The regular session will begin at 9:40 a.m. in the Third Floor Hearing Room.

The morning and afternoon sessions of the Council’s day will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). The live broadcast also can be viewed via streaming through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov. The broadcast will be repeated at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 20.

During the morning session, the Council will discuss and take positions on several key issues concerning transportation in the I-270 corridor. In regard to the Corridor Cities Transitway, the Council will either recommend light rail or bus rapid transit over a dedicated line as the mode of transportation. The Council also will make a recommendation concerning expansion of I-270. Options include building two new lanes in each direction or building a total of two lanes that would be reversible depending upon the time of day.

The Council is expected to take action on Expedited Bill 35-09 would expand the possible uses for money seized from drug dealers and held in the County’s Drug Forfeiture Fund. The bill, whose chief sponsor is Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, would allow the funds to be used for drug treatment programs and to help fund the County’s innovative drug court.

The Council also is scheduled to take action on Bill 19-07 that would require certain County restaurants to post nutritional information on menus and menu boards. The legislation, whose chief sponsor was Councilmember George Leventhal, has recently been amended recently to reflect provisions being discussed in a similar bill now being considered in Congress.

At 1:30 p.m., the Council will hold a public hearing on a proposed resolution that would require a health impact assessment before major road projects are allowed to proceed.

Discussing Health Care at Leisure World

I had the pleasure and honor of participating in a Health Care Reform panel discussion yesterday over at Leisure World, hosted by ENFORCE. The turn out was very strong and a substantive discussion followed. The questions were quite thoughtful and provided both panels with a broad range of concerns to debate. These questions touched on everything from internet privacy to the solvency of our Medicare system; to how best to reduce health care costs without adding to our National deficit; tort reform; the public option; and the potential future problems with excluding illegal immigrants from any taxpayer funded health care plans.

This is clearly a complicated and topic and the debate will continue as this bill now moves on from the House to the Senate. I look forward to following this closely and continuing to help all of the citizens of Montgomery County better understand these issues.

Duchy on Cable: H1N1 Flu -- Just the Facts

I had the opportunity to work with Montgomery College's cable television producers to discuss the H1N1 flu that is affecting communities throughout the County and across the country. The program "H1N1 Flu: Just the Facts" is available on the internet through the college’s podcast directory http://podcast.montgomerycollege.edu/podcast.php?rcdid=246 and on the Montgomery College YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpvlXH7WFIY

A Health Impact Assessment for Major Road Projects.

September 29, 2009. The Montgomery County Council will consider creation of a new Montgomery County Board of Health regulation that would require a “Health Impact Assessment” before new roadway projects are approved. Introduced before the Council today, the proposal, whose chief sponsor is Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg (At Large), would require a study of the potential health effects on at-risk populations in regard to increases in local air pollutants that would be generated by the new roads.

The measure was introduced before the Council on Tuesday, September 29, 2009. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3. Council President Phil Andrews (District 3) and Councilmembers Marc Elrich (At Large), Valerie Ervin (District 5) and Nancy Navarro (District 4) are co-sponsors of the proposal.

Requiring a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for major roadway projects is an innovative public policy tool that has been used in Europe, Canada and increasingly in the United States. The regulations help policy makers objectively evaluate the potential health effects of a project before it is built.

“There is a growing body of information that correlates a wide range of health problems with close proximity to high-traffic roadways,” said Councilmember Trachtenberg, who serves on the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee. “We need to start considering how roadway projects impact the health of nearby residents before we build these roads—rather than learn about negative effects after the projects are completed. An HIA will provide an important tool of analysis.”

The HIA would specifically consider how roadway projects would impact at-risk populations including individuals under age 18 or older than 65, women aged 18-45 and individuals with respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or another disease that would make them more susceptible to harm from air pollutants emitted by motor vehicles.