Trachtenberg Office Attends the May Community Outreach Forum

Naomi Bloch represented Councilmember Trachtenberg’s office at today’s monthly meeting of the Community Outreach Forum, which took place on the 3rd Floor of the Rockville Library in the conference room of the office of Human Rights.

The goals of the Community Outreach Forum include:

• Exchange and coordinate County Government outreach efforts
• Help build relationships among County staff and partners in order to foster collaboration
• Inform ourselves about community issues and best practices

Today’s meeting featured presentations from Lorna Virgili, from the County Executive’s Public Information Office (PIO), who talked to us about the various Spanish media in the County and how best to make use of them. Ms. Virgili reported how a working partnership has been developed between the County Executive’s office and these various media and focused on the H1N1 and 2010 Census as two successful examples of this effort.

We also heard from Sonia Mora – Administrator for the HHS’ Latino Health Initiative (LHI) of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. Ms. Mora gave us a slide presentation explaining the successful outreach strategies being performed by LHI staff and 37 volunteer community members, in order to improve the quality of life of Latinos living in Montgomery County. This is done by the development and implementation of an integrated, coordinated, culturally and linguistically competent health and wellness system that supports and respects Latino families and communities.

Finally, we heard from Rosalinda Delgado, Editor of a Spanish language bi-monthly magazine that she founded called Buena Gente (“Good People”) covering both Montgomery and Frederick Counties.

For more information:

Office of Community Partnerships
Public Information Office
Latino Health Initiative
Buena Gente

MFP Committee Discussed FY11 Operating Budgets

The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee, Chaired by Councilmember Duchy Trachtenberg, held a committee meeting on Thursday, April 21st at 9:45 am to discuss FY11 Operating Budgets. The agenda items included:

(1) County Executive
(2) County Attorney
(3) Ethics Commission
(4) Public Information Office
(5) MC311 Customer Service Center

For agenda item #1 on the County Attorney, the MFP Committee discussed holding a joint meeting with the Planning, Housing & Economic Development (PHED) Committee prior to taking action on the FY11 Operating Budget.

For agenda items #2 and #3 on the County Attorney and the Ethics Commission, the MFP Committee decided to move $108,740 to the reconciliation list to restore some level of staff for the Ethics Commission. In addition, the MFP Committee will hold an additional session to further discuss these two agenda items.

For agenda item #4 on the Public Information Office, the MFP Committee did not action on the FY11 Operating Budget for the Office of Public Information. Instead, the MFP Committee requested additional information to be presented to the Committee.

For agenda item #5 on the MC311 Customer Service Center, the MFP Committee did not take action on the FY11 Operating Budget for the MC311 Customer Service Center. Instead, the MFP Committee will take action on this agenda item after receiving an updated budget briefing from the County Executive on April 22nd.

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 or concerns regarding this MFP Committee session.