In This Issue...
Building Partnerships for a Better Community Once every year, we have a special opportunity to show what a concerned, caring community we have here in Montgomery County -- it's called Community Service Day and this year it was held on October 27. Thousands of volunteers - of all ages and backgrounds -- from local County government and businesses teamed up to work on projects that benefitted non-profit organizations in our area. The day was about laying aside professional or elected titles, rolling up our sleeves and giving back to our neighbors in need. I spent the morning, along with County Council members and other County Government department heads and employees, working side by side with business leaders to help enhance the quality of life in our Montgomery County community. Thanks to our corporate sponsors who stepped up in many ways to support the 21st annual Community Service Day - PEPCO; Covanta; Potomac-Hudson Engineering; BDO Seidman, LLP; "The Gazette;" Whole Foods Market; Gifford's Ice Cream; Advantage Marketing; and TextDesign, Inc. Thanks, also, to the Office of Community Partnerships and the Volunteer Center for their hard work in making the day a success for all involved. But, special thanks go to the more than 1,000 volunteers who answered the call and gave of their time to help make Montgomery County an even better place in which to live, work and raise a family. You showed loud and clear that by working together, we can make a difference. - top By now, it's well known that one of my priorities as County Executive is to make sure that as many of our residents as possible have a chance to have their voices heard. One way is through the Town Hall Meetings we've been holding throughout the county that will continue in the months ahead. The next one is Wednesday, November 28, at 7:30 p.m., when we'll be in the Aspen Hill area at Argyle Middle School, 2400 Bel Pre Rd. in Silver Spring. Watch this space in the months ahead for the 2008 schedule. In early October, I hosted our first call-in show with Council President Marilyn Praisner, when residents had a chance to share their thoughts and concerns on various issues with us. Thanks to everyone who either called in or emailed questions. The next call-in show will be on Wednesday, November 7, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. You can reach us by calling 240-777-6540. The call-in show will be broadcast live on County Cable Montgomery, Channel 6 for RCN and Comcast subscribers and Channel 30 for Verizon subscribers. The show can also be viewed live on the County's website by going to www.montgomerycountymd.gov and clicking on County Cable 6. Now, thanks to innovations in technology we have yet another way to talk with you and get your feedback. Last month, I responded to online questions from residents from around the County on a variety of subjects during our first Virtual Town Hall Meeting. The next online chat will be held on Tuesday, November 20, from 7 to 8 p.m. Just log onto our website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov with your questions any time before or during the chat. You can also access transcripts of past discussions on that site. We plan to do these online chats on a monthly basis, so watch the County website for future dates. - top Diversity Summits Help Build a Bigger Table In an effort to expand the table and host a more inclusive and diverse community conversation about the County's future, 60 top members of my administration are participating in a series of Diversity Leadership Summits with representatives of our three ethnic advisory committees and other community leaders. The Latino Leadership Summit II meeting, held Sept. 24, provided the opportunity for the Latin American Advisory Committee [LAAC] and community representatives to present a four-part Summit Report that outlined 48 recommendations and nine priority issues aimed at improving equity, access and the opportunity to enhance the lives of the County's Latino children, youth and families. I was pleased to accept the Latino Leadership Summit II recommendations, which were developed by more than 300 Latino residents and agency stakeholders. My senior staff and I will prepare an appropriate implementation plan based on the thoughtful Latino community input as we consider policy, program and fiscal decisions to assure the delivery of timely, responsive and accountable services for County residents. The Asian, Pacific Islander, Arab, and Near Eastern Summit was held on October 23, in the Executive Office Building (EOB) in Rockville. Meanwhile, the African American Advisory Group (AAAG) has been hosting a series of meetings organized by the African American/African/Caribbean Leadership Summit Planning Committee. The AAAG will develop background reports that will outline important issues in their community. The reports will then be presented to me and County government department heads at the AAAG Leadership Summit on December 11 from 7 to 9 p.m., also in the EOB. I commend the Office of Community Partnerships for convening and overseeing these programs. - top My recent week-long economic development trip to Israel was dominated by meetings with Israeli high-tech, biotech and software companies considering either moving to Montgomery County or expanding their presence here. We already have a couple dozen Israeli firms doing business in the County. There are a number of dynamic firms in Israel that are developing the cutting edge technologies of tomorrow -- precisely the kind of businesses we seek to attract to the County. Because of the economic potential of these firms, there is keen competition for them among local jurisdictions. That's why it was important for me to sit down face-to-face with a couple dozen different business people during the time I was there and talk about all that Montgomery County has to offer. Of course, the County is a smart place for these firms to locate, and I want to make it work for us to attract jobs and investment to the County that will help strengthen our tax base. I'm pleased to announce that as a result of the trip, two small Israeli-based companies have agreed to expand their operations in Montgomery County. Equivio is an information technology company and Core Dynamics is a biotech company that focuses on the science of cryopreservation. I was very impressed with each company and their respective technologies. Both are well-positioned for continued growth and success here in the U.S., and we're proud that this growth will occur in Montgomery County. - top The consolidation of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center at the Bethesda campus, which will be completed by 2011 if not sooner, will bring at least 2,500 new jobs to the Bethesda campus. The consolidation will also double the number of outpatient visits to perhaps a million each year, most by car. As I've said before, I'm concerned about the impact that the creation of the project will have on the community in that area of Bethesda, with regard to traffic and other issues that directly affect residents. This is why I welcomed the opportunity last month to host the Governor's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Subcabinet - a panel chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and comprised of heads of various state agencies that will have a role in dealing with the impacts of the BRAC process on our state. Although increased traffic congestion is of major concern, another area we need to address is housing. Families of hospital patients at the expanded military medical center will need housing that is affordable and accessible to the campus, as will many employees whose jobs are moving to Bethesda from the existing Walter Reed campus in downtown DC. Short-term solutions include upgrading and adding turn lanes to key intersections near the Naval Hospital, widening Route 355, adding turn lanes at the hospital entrances, and constructing an entrance to the Medical Center Metro station on the east side of Route 355. Longer term solutions include adding a grade-separated interchange at the junction of Route 355 and Cedar Lane and studying the feasibility of a Beltway off-ramp to the Bethesda Naval campus. Completion of the Purple Line will offer another transit option and help take cars off the roads around the medical center complex. We are dedicated to working closely with local and federal officials to ensure that the impact of this BRAC project is understood by residents who will be affected. We are committed to making the necessary adjustments to minimize the short- and long-term effects of this consolidation of two major military medical institutions. To help our local residents - as well as people from across the country - understand the effects of the move of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center to Bethesda, we have created a web site devoted to the BRAC process. The site provides information for various groups affected by the project -- residents on who to contact to express concerns, businesses on contracting opportunities, and military and civilian personnel relocating to the area on resettlement. I encourage anyone who has an interest in the BRAC project to visit the site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/BRAC. - top With so much in the news lately about bridge safety and maintenance, I want to fill you in on our efforts. Montgomery County has a model bridge inspection, repair and maintenance program for our 319 bridges operated by the Department of Public Works and Transportation. Inspection schedules for bridges are laid out according to federal guidelines. Following each inspection cycle, DPWT initiates repair or replacement of priority bridges. Within the past two years, 14 bridges were identified for action. Eight are currently being designed or are in the facility planning process. Six bridges have either been replaced, or are awaiting approval for construction. In addition, we fund minor rehabilitation of bridges. Four were renovated in 2006 and this year, three have been renovated so far, with six others scheduled for renovation. - top New Brochure for Kids on Exiting Transit Buses Safely Ride On has prepared a safety brochure reminding children and teens that the rules for exiting public transit buses are different from school buses. When school bus riders exit, they should cross in front of the waiting school bus. But, passengers exiting Ride On or Metro buses should cross the street only after the bus has pulled away. For a copy of the brochure, call Ride On's Transit Information Center at 240-777-7433. For more pedestrian safety tips, visit the County's website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/walk - top New Entrance at the Silver Spring Metrorail Station A new Silver Spring Metrorail Station entrance opened recently on the west side of the station that provides a direct connection from the Metro station to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) building complex along East-West Highway. Montgomery County funded the new entrance, which cost $400,000, and Metro managed construction. According to an earlier survey of NOAA employees, our Commuter Services Division found that about 3,700 employees, or 27 percent of the NOAA workforce, ride a train (including both Metrorail and MARC Commuter Rail) to work. The new Metrorail entrance may encourage even more NOAA employees to take advantage of public transportation and will provide better transit access for several apartment, townhouse, and condo developments and a shopping center in the vicinity. - top Recognitions for County Departments Congratulations are in order for some of our County departments that have achieved national recognition. First, the Montgomery County Correctional Facility and Montgomery County Detention Center have been selected by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) to receive this year's Facility of the Year Award. This award is presented each year to just one facility selected from among 500 prisons, jails, and juvenile detention and confinement facilities that participate in NCCHC's national accreditation program. The NCCHC cited the quality of the County's staff and programs that address patient health needs. Committee members were impressed with the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation's health, custody, program, and community representatives who work together toward these ends. Through the hard work of the Departments of Correction and Rehabilitation and Health and Human Services, Montgomery County received perfect scores for both its correctional facilities. This is a unique and distinct honor, and I'm exceedingly proud of everyone who contributed to achieving this success. Next, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service recently attained distinguished accreditation status through the Commission Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), which is under the auspices of the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). The CPSE program provides a top-quality self-assessment and peer review process for our fire and rescue agencies across the country. I'm especially proud of the fact that Montgomery County's Fire and Rescue Service is the largest combination (both career and volunteer) service of its type in the United States to receive accreditation. And, the process, which can take as long as four or five years, took only two for our service to attain. Out of approximately 32,000 fire departments in the country, only 122 have achieved the coveted and hard-earned accreditation status. In Maryland, just Howard County, the City of Annapolis, and the Patuxent River Naval Air Station have received accreditation. - top Excellence in the Arts and Humanities Recognized I was pleased to have the opportunity to host the sixth annual County Executive's Excellence in the Arts and Humanities Awards program at the Music Center at Strathmore attended by 800 County residents. Two very deserving people -- Betty Mae Kramer and William E. Hanna, Jr. -- received Lifetime Achievement awards. It was an evening that celebrated the vibrant arts and humanities community we have here in Montgomery County. Congratulations, once again, to all the award recipients who have made invaluable contributions to this vital segment of life in Montgomery County. - top |
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