Volume 4, Number 3                           

This Issue's Headlines

• A Budget We Can Afford
• Highlights of the FY 2009 Montgomery County Budget
• Knapp-Leventhal "Housing First" Initiative Funded for FY2009
• Don Praisner Elected to Represent District 4
• New Signs Welcome Visitors to Agricultural Reserve
• Have A Safe Summer -- Protect Yourself from Theft and Crime
• Chairman's Corner: PHED Looks at Fenton Street, Green Areas
• The Road Scholar
• County Council Public Hearings Calendar
• Celebrate the Fourth of July in Montgomery County
• Vox Pops: Special Budget Edition
• But Wait! There's More!
• Contact Me
• Subscribe to the Open Mike 

 A Moment at the Mike

A Budget We Can Afford

Councilmember Mike Knapp

It wasn’t always pretty, but we made it.

On May 22, the County Council unanimously agreed on a $4.3 billion total operating budget for Fiscal Year 2009, which begins July 1. Knowing we were working within the confines of a strapped economy and sagging revenues, the Council worked hard to continue its investment in key programs and services while still keeping the budget affordable. Consequently, we were careful to increase spending by only 3.1 percent over last year’s approved budget—that’s lower than the rate of inflation, and the smallest annual increase in twelve years.

Additionally, we were able to keep the property tax rate unchanged, while also providing a $579 property tax credit for owner-occupants of principal residences. So even as the assessed values of property may rise and the corresponding taxes with it—that’s a consequence of living in such a desirable county—we’ve still been able to provide homeowners with some relief.

Further, we honed the “circuit breaker” tax credit to provide more targeted property tax relief for households with incomes of $64,000 or less. And under a law the Council passed two years ago, eligible homeowners who are at least 70 years old will receive an added 25 percent circuit breaker credit.

That same day, we also approved $1.8 billion for the Capital Improvements Program budget, for 2009 through 2014. This is the budget we use to pay for infrastructure and maintenance around the county, whether it’s paving a road, repairing a police station, or building a new school.

We maintained our core services, like public health and safety, education, and programs for our most vulnerable populations. In difficult fiscal times, you sometimes have to make difficult choices—and that means that not every single government program or service can be increased or even maintained at its current level. But by working with residents and service providers to determine what mattered most, we were able to ensure that we continued to maintain our investment in core services.

We listened to you as you told us what services mattered most. We listened to our government agencies as they explained their priorities and how they would work to provide services better and more effectively. We took a fiscally-responsible approach and looked at everything, trying to find places where we could spend smarter, work better, and invest in what matters most.

"...we achieved [our goals] in a fiscally-responsible manner, coming in at a growth rate lower than inflation, while keeping the property tax steady. It’s a budget we can afford."

There were some places where we differed with the County Executive on priorities, and where there were holes to fill. It was unacceptable to us, for example, to have service reductions that would mean longer fire and rescue response times, or fewer community police officers. So we maintained fire and rescue services at a rate that ensures we’ll continue to have good coverage even after we complete the new firestations in the county. We ensured that we won’t lose ground in staffing our public safety departments. We ensured that our schools will continue to be built and repaired. And we worked hard to take care of our most vulnerable populations, restoring funding to programs that support the homeless.

Second, we kept resources in reserve—$238 million, or 6 percent—so we would have a safety net to turn to in the event the economy continues to decline, or in the event of emergency.

Third, we wanted to continue to honor our obligations to our employees. This was a touchy issue on the council—we had a boisterous debate over cost of living adjustments (COLAs) for employees, and whether savings could be achieved through furloughs, reductions in increases, or whether reductions could be found elsewhere. In the end, we were able to honor our commitment to our employees, while still requiring reductions in employee costs—and increased productivity—across government.

If you’re interested in a peek behind the scenes at the council’s negotiations on this particular point, I wrote about it over on my blog, “Starting with the Socks,” which you can read here.

Fourth, we were committed to mitigating the effects of any increase in the property tax. As I mentioned earlier, we were successful in keeping the property tax rate steady, while also providing a property tax credit for homeowners.

And finally, we achieved all of the above in a fiscally-responsible manner, coming in at a growth rate lower than inflation, while keeping the property tax steady. It’s a budget we can afford.

There are lots of people involved in the making of a budget, and many people who deserve thanks for their hard work. However, the largest thanks goes to you, the residents and taxpayers of Montgomery County, who continue to take an active part in government, demand fiscal accountability, and insist on the kinds of services that make our county a wonderful place to live, work and play. This is your money, and your budget. Lots of you have written or called already to let me know what you think.  I hope you'll continue to let me know how you think we did for you.

Regards,

Michael J. Knapp
Councilmember, District 2

Highlights of the FY2009 Montgomery County Budget 

Jump to:
Property Taxes - Education - Public Safety - Transportation - Economic Development - Housing
Health and Human Services - Libraries - Technology - Arts and Humanities - Environment
Park and Planning - Recreation - Liquor Control - Other Items

Property Taxes

• The average tax rate will remain unchanged from FY2008, resulting in an average tax rate of 90.3 cents per $100 of taxable value (there are 21 property tax rates in the County).

• Every owner-occupied principal residence will receive a $579 property tax credit.

• The County “circuit breaker” homeowners’ tax credit will provide significant property tax relief for homeowners of all ages with household incomes of $64,000 or less.

• Under a law the Council passed two years ago, eligible homeowners who are at least 70 years old will receive an added 25 percent circuit breaker credit.

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Education

• $2.07 billion for Montgomery County Public Schools, an increase of 4.1 percent over the FY2008 adopted budget. The total represents 98.5 percent of the Board of Education’s original request.

• $1.4 billion for school construction, maintenance and improvements over the next six years, an increase of $167 million over the prior level.

• $257 million for Montgomery College, an increase of 7.9 percent. The total represents 98.7 percent of the college’s request.

• $269 million for special education, an increase of 10.3 percent.

• $6.7 million in the CIP to support construction of school-based health centers at four MCPS elementary schools.

• $745,000 for the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL).

• $280,000 increase for Montgomery College to operate its own Campus Connector service.

• $632,503 for staffing at Montgomery College’s new Goldenrod facility.

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Public Safety

Police

• $240.3 million for the Police Department (an increase of 9.5 percent over the adopted FY2008 budget).

• $623,060 to restore six community outreach officers and six community policing officers that work from the district stations to assist communities in solving problems and preventing crime.

• $687,600 to fund a January 2009 police recruit class of 20. This action will allow the department to fill vacancies from normal attrition and stay at full strength.

• $150,000 to provide the overtime needed to implement a second Police Community Action Team.

• $159,000 for background investigators.

Fire and Rescue

• $191.7 million for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (an increase of 1.2 percent over the adopted FY2008 budget).

• $435,000 to continue nighttime staffing of Glen Echo ambulance.

• $435,000 to continue nighttime staffing for Laytonsville ambulance.

• $1.87 million to continue staffing for Hillandale Station 12 ladder truck.

• $429,000 to add 10 fire and rescue recruit slots.

• $817,430 million to open West Germantown Fire Station in early 2009.

• $134,460 for a new position to implement recommendations of the Senior Citizen Fire Safety Task Force.

• No EMS Transport (ambulance) fee at this time.

Correction and Rehabilitation

• $65.6 million to fund the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.

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Transportation

• $191 million to fund the Department of Transportation, including $118 million for the Mass Transit Fund (that supports Ride On bus service).

• Increase cost of 20-trip Ride On pass to $25 (starting Oct. 1, 2008).

• $250,000 for bikeway maintenance.

• $53,500 for increased parking enforcement outside of parking districts (estimated to produce $133,000 in additional revenue).

• $175,000 for reassessment of pedestrian signal timing.

• $490,120 to restore Fare Share and Super Fare Share programs that help buy down the cost of transit fares if an employer is willing to buy down a portion as well.

• Increase hourly, daily and monthly parking fees in Silver Spring and Wheaton Parking Lot Districts. Changes would make short-term parking fees in Silver Spring equal to fees in Bethesda.

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Economic Development

• $10.6 million to fund the Department of Economic Development.

• $802,440 for the Economic Development Fund that loans funds to businesses and including funding for the impact assistance program which provides grants to small businesses impacted by County revitalization projects.

• $2 million to match State funds for the Live Nation Music Hall project in Silver Spring.

• $700,000 for Phase II of a three-year commitment of $2.1 million for development of the Adventist HealthCare medical facility in Long Branch. (Repeat of last year’s commitment).

• $850,000 to match state funding for the Germantown Incubator to be opened in September 2008.

• $125,000 to CIP for the Life Sciences and Technology Centers project to develop land use plans for the East County Center for Science and Technology.

• $695,450 for the Conference and Visitor’s Bureau that promotes the County as a tourist destination.

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Housing

• $54.8 million for the Housing Initiative Fund.

• $25 million to implement a revolving acquisition and preservation program that will allow the County to respond quickly when affordable properties become available and prevent the loss of affordable housing in the County.

• $4.5 million reserved in the Housing Initiative Fund to implement a County “Housing First” plan. Housing First focuses on reducing the time individuals and families spend in homelessness by moving them into long-term, stable, supportive housing.

• $2.6 million in the Housing Initiative Fund will come from new revenues from the recordation tax. About $800,000 of these funds will be used to provide emergency rental assistance and eviction prevention and $1.8 million will be used for local housing voucher programs.

• $4.9 million in Community Development Block Grant funds including $1.4 million that will be used for housing rehabilitation and production and $590,000 in grants to non-profit organizations.

• $6.1 million for the Housing Opportunities Commission to support resident services, parent resource centers, opening of the HOC Customer Services Centers and other programs that support families living in HOC sponsored housing.

• $350,000 to provide a $50 rebate to offset the County’s energy tax for 7,000 households that qualify for state or federal energy assistance programs.

• $146,840 to the “Welcome Home” program that will be opening a new group home for previously homeless, chronically mentally ill women.

• $200,000 to continue to provide staff and services at the Gude Men’s shelter during daytime hours.

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Health and Human Services

• $272.8 million in funding for the Department of Health and Human Services.

• $450,000 to fund a 2 percent inflationary adjustment for contracts with eligible health and human services providers.

 Aging and Disability Services

• $4.697 million for in-home aide services including $100,000 to allow the director to approve additional hours in critical cases.

• $1.687 million to continue the senior food program.

Public Health Services

• $461,310 to fund contracts with the Mobile Medical Service, the Spanish Catholic Center and Proyecto Salud that, in coordination with the funding received through Montgomery Cares, will allow these clinics to provide needed medical services to the growing population of uninsured county residents.

• $100,000 for in-home aides for critical care cases.

• $100,000 for a nurse practitioner for the Mobile Medical Care service.

• $130,000 for special care and a volunteer coordinator for the Mobile Medical Care service.

Children, Youth and Family Services

• $10.9 million for Child Care Subsidies.

• $20.85 million for School Health services (increase of $2.79 million from the FY2008 adopted budget).

• More than $2 million to fund an initiative that addresses high risk youth behaviors including gang involvement, violent behavior, substance abuse, and teen pregnancy, including the Youth Opportunity Center in Langley Park, the Wellness Center at Northwood High School, and the Street Outreach Network, a cadre of outreach workers, who connect with and provide support to gang involved youth.

• $2.7 million for services focused on increasing the quality early care and education programs available to young children, including a $150,000 increase for early childhood mental health consultation services.

• $2.3 million for evaluation, assessment, and early intervention services to families with children under age three when there is a concern about development, including a $113,750 increase in state funding.

• $5.175 million for Linkages to Learning, an increase of $13,330.

• $39,390 for George B. Thomas Learning Academy; $39,390 for Interages; $24,540 for Passion for Learning.

• $190,000 to support community-based pre-kindergarten services provided by Centro Nia for 40 children.

• $155,560 for Pre-Kindergarten Curriculum Training to continue training that prepares child care providers to implement instructional strategies in their existing programs.

Behavioral Health and Crisis Services

• $5.2 million for 24-hour crisis services including funding for the 24/7 Mobile Crisis Team, which is available to respond to crisis situations, in conjunction with County Police, for residents in need of immediate intervention.

• $5.9 million for outpatient addiction services including $215,000 in increased funding for the Avery Road Treatment Center to ensure there is no loss of capacity in detoxification and treatment services to help addicted individuals change their lives.

• $89,780 to increase the caseload for the Adult Drug Court from 45 to 60.

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Libraries

• $40.3 million for the Department of Public Libraries.

• $27.7 million to support library services to the public, including support of 20 full-service branches and other special branches.

• Maintains current hours at all libraries.

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Technology

• $33.7 million to fund the Department of Technology Services.

• $925,000 to support additional modernization for 311/Constituent Relationship Management and Infrastructure support for the Enterprise Resource Planning project.

• $7.1 million for desktop computer modernization.

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Arts and Humanities

• $5.31 million for Arts and Humanities.

• $500,000 for the American Film Institute in Silver Spring.

• $400,000 to help retire facility debt for the Imagination Stage.

• $165,000 to help with mortgage payments for Pyramid Atlantic.

• $100,000 for Heritage Tourism Alliance that helps the County use its heritage to encourage tourism while protecting and promoting its cultural, historical and natural resources.

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Environment

• Adopted a carbon surcharge to increase fuel/energy tax rates to reflect carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas generation. Will increase tax rates of electricity, fuel oil and steam by 10 percent; coal by 20 percent and natural and liquefied petroleum gas by 5 percent. Surcharge is expected to generate $11.1 million in FY09.

• The Water Quality Protection Charge rate set at $35.50 (increased from $25.23 in FY2008). The increase will help inspect and maintain more than 1,000 stormwater management facilities, implement low-impact development initiatives and to continue targeted street sweeping.

• Approved 8 percent average residential water and sewer rate increase for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission customers.

• $1 million (from the new surcharge on energy/fuel tax) to support implementation of seven new bills to reduce carbon emissions.

• $25,000 for creation of a new Green Business Program to recognize and publicize businesses that are meeting certain environmental standards.

• $561,000 for the Clean Energy Rewards Program for participants who choose to purchase 50 percent clean energy (such as wind power). This is an increase of $200,000 so additional participants can be added to the program.

• No change in tipping fees at Shady Grove Transfer Station.

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Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

• $106.4 million for the budget of M-NCPPC.

• $478,733 to increase funding for master plans and work program.

• $849,000 to prevent the partial closure of Brookside Gardens, Agricultural History Farm Park and cuts to trails, courts, camping and boating facilities.

• $1.85 million to keep the Wheaton Ice Rink open and continue to provide services for nonprofit organizations that lease public land.

• $1.1 for Non-Native Invasive Species and Deer Management programs, maintenance supplies, funding for park activities buildings and across the board increases in service delivery.

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Recreation

• $32.4 million to fund the Montgomery County Recreation Department.

• Funding includes design costs and a $20 million set-aside for construction costs for the renovation of four neighborhood recreation centers: Plum Gar, Scotland, Ross Boddy and Good Hope.

• $2.4 million for funding of camps and classes.

• $2.3 million for sports programs, including adult sports and selected youth leagues.

• $2.7 million for seniors and therapeutic recreation programs.

• $4.3 million for teen programs.

• $228,450 toward expenses needed to re-open Piney Branch pool.

• $572,100 for opening of Wisconsin Place Community Recreation Center.

• $79,560 increase to provide full-year funding for the Seneca Valley Sports Academy.

• $50,000 to support Maryland State Senior Olympics in Montgomery County.

• $14,770 to provide an after school program for middle school students at the Long Branch Community Center.

• $30,000 to add two summer fun centers to serve 200 youth in Olney and Germantown.

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Liquor Control

• $39.2 million to fund the Department of Liquor Control.

• Recommended that the County Executive consider a change to County policy to allow Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages, to pursue a pilot program for Sunday sales and to make a determination how revenues from Sunday sales would be used for addiction services.

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Other Notable Items

• $2.31 million for a total of 58 grants to nonprofit organizations to support a variety of programs and services, including food, eviction prevention, utility assistance and other basic services to help low income families remain in their homes. The Council also funded several youth development proposals from community nonprofit organizations working to provide needed after school programs for County youth.

• $43.4 for the Division of Risk Management, the self-insurance component of the Department of Finance.

• $108,000 for Independence Day celebrations in Germantown and Wheaton ($54,000 for each).

• $55,000 for Emerging Communities Funding through Regional Service Centers for small community development projects in commercial areas that are not in Urban Districts.

• Approved an eight-year phase-in schedule to pre-fund retiree health benefits for all agencies, including $40.6 million in FY09.

• $2.5 million to fund the Office of Human Rights.

• $1.3 million to fund the Commission on Women.

• $315,840 for the Historic Preservation Commission.

• $64,500 for the Montgomery County Historical Society.

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Knapp-Leventhal "Housing First" Initiative Funded for FY2009 

I am pleased to announce that as part of its FY2009 Budget, the County Council, at the request of Councilmember Leventhal and myself, funded a new approach to dramatically decreasing homelessness—"Housing First."

Most traditional programs geared toward helping the homeless involve temporary housing, such as overnight shelters or transitional housing. Following a national philosophy of “Housing First,” the program would not only provide permanent housing for the homeless, but also would fund a variety of services that would help residents maintain living in those permanent homes.

By using $4 million from the County’s Housing Initiative Fund—about 10 percent of its annual budget—the cutting edge Housing First program will be implemented without additional County funding.

As Councilmember Leventhal noted, “We often talk about ways to help the homeless, but simply, the best way to help the homeless is to find them permanent homes rather than by constantly finding them temporary assistance. Keeping people in temporary and transitional housing, in actuality, just prolongs their homelessness.”

Another aspect of the plan will be to seek out homeless people to interest them in the program. Many other programs geared to the homeless often wait for homeless people to approach the providers—often at a point when their situations are already dire.

For this program, Housing Initiative Fund dollars can be used to construct or rent housing, provide counseling, and also to employ social workers. The social workers would seek to persuade homeless people to participate in the program and identify resources the homeless may already have, including eligibility for other federal, state and local benefits and family and personal resources. Prior efforts to help the homeless have much relied on homeless people to seek help of their own volition.

One of the many good things about this approach we are taking in Montgomery County is that we are using money that we already have identified. We are determined to significantly reduce homelessness and now we are going to take an approach that is better and smarter. In this case, we are going to try to end homelessness by giving people permanent homes—what a novel idea.

Take me back to the top.

Don Praisner Elected to Represent District 4

Council President Knapp congratulates  newly-elected Councilmember Don Praisner.

Don Praisner won a special election on May 13 to capture the vacant District 4 seat on the Montgomery County Council.  I was pleased to stand with Mr. Praisner as he was sworn in on May 27 at the Montgomery County Circuit Courthouse in Rockville.

“I especially want to thank my family for all they have done,” said Councilmember Praisner. “Now I am looking forward to getting to work on the Council.”

District 4 includes all or parts of Aspen Hill, Burtonsville, Calverton, Cloverly, Colesville, Derwood, Fairland, Olney, Sandy Spring, Silver Spring, Spencerville, Wheaton and White Oak. The District 4 Council seat has been vacant since the February 1 passing of Mr. Praisner’s wife, long-term Councilmember Marilyn Praisner.

The nine-member County Council, which is composed of five members elected to represent defined districts and four at large members, was elected in November 2006. Each Councilmember was elected to a four-year term. Mr. Praisner was elected to fill out the remaining District 4 term.

Take me back to the top.

New Signs Welcome Visitors to Agricultural Reserve

Jeremy Criss, of the Agricultural Services Division (top of ladder), Councilmember George Leventhal, and Councilmember Knapp unveil one of the new signs marking the boundaries of Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve.

In early June, I was delighted to participate -- with Councilmember George Leventhal and representatives of the County Executive -- in the unveiling of one of the six new signs that will mark the entries to Montgomery County's 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve.

The sign we unveiled is located on Maryland Route 28 (north of Route 118) where Seneca Creek flows under the Route 28 bridge. There are five other locations along Maryland State Highway roads where the signs, reading "Welcome to the Agricultural Reserve," will be located. Look for signs along Routes 27, 28, 97, 108, 109 and 112.

This County has worked for the past three decades to ensure that we protect this land that is not only an important part of our economy, but also an important part of Montgomery County’s history. Other jurisdictions that are close to urban centers have not made the pledge to protect their agricultural treasures like we have in this County.  In the Upcounty in particular, we often take the Reserve for granted -- it's our own backyard, after all.  These signs will only help to make us continually aware of the special place where we live and work.

My colleague George Leventhal put it this way:

“Montgomery County has made a commitment—and that commitment produces more than $251 million in economic contribution from agricultural products and operations. The majority of Montgomery County farms are family-run, they employ almost 10,000 people—many reaching back several generations. We want all people who travel in Montgomery County to know what we have done. These signs will help.”

Well said.  Keep your eyes on the road, of course -- but take a quick look at the new signs as you drive past. Then enjoy the view -- and take a moment to reflect on the long tradition of farming in our county.

Take me back to the top.

News You Can Use Have A Safe Summer -- Protect Yourself from Theft and Crime As the days grow hotter and the daylight grows longer, we spend more time with doors and windows open.  Trees and bushes bloom and fill out and turn walkways into tunnels.  We leave the car running "just for a moment" to keep the air conditioning on while we mail a letter.  While such things make the summers pleasant, they also can make us more susceptible to crime or theft. The Montgomery County Department of Police  Office of Community Services offers tips on how to keep safe and reduce your chances of falling victim to crime this summer. For instance: SLIDING GLASS DOORS… Sliding glass doors can offer easy entry into your home. To improve security on existing sliding glass doors, you can install keyed locking devices that secure the door to the frame; adjust the track clearances on the doors so they can't be pushed out of their tracks of the closed door to prevent the door from opening even if the lock is jimmied or removed. You can find all this and more over on the Police Department's website.  Click here for more information.

 Take me back to the top.

Chairman’s Corner

PHED Looks at Fenton Street, Green Areas

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee (PHED) has a busy summer planned.  We'll be looking at a number of Zoning Text Amendments, including two in the Fenton Street Overlay Zone in Silver Spring, and will have a number of discussions on issues like affordable housing and the Advanced Land Acquistion Revolving Fund (ALARF).

We'll also participate in several joint sessions with the Public Safety, Education, and Health and Human Services committees to talk about pressing matters like youth development initiatives, housing and fire codes, and energy cost assistance for homeowners. I look forward to our discussions -- and I'm interested in your thoughts as well, so keep those e-mails coming.

PHED Committee Schedule

The information is subject to change, so please check the Council's website as dates near for updated information. Unless otherwise indicated, all committee meetings will convene in the 7th Floor hearing room of the Council Office Building.

Take me back to the top.

The Road Scholar

DPWT Considers Signal Issues, MSHA Widens Woodfield Road

Got a road that needs repairing? A traffic light that's out? Is there a street or intersection that you think needs a stop sign or crosswalk? One of my responsibilities is to make sure someone knows about it -- and to do what I can to get you information on your question or request as quickly as possible.

I stay in regular contact with the Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) and the Maryland State Highways Administration(MSHA), and provide each agency with a list of projects that need addressing in the Upcounty. Both agencies receive countless requests each week, and getting a response back can take some time. So bear with me -- if you don't see a particular project listed here, that doesn't mean it has been forgotten or neglected, but rather that I haven't received an updated report on its progress this month.

With this in mind, the Road Scholar section of The Open Mike provides an opportunity to give you the latest information received from DPWT, MSHA, and others on the progress of requests that have been submitted on your behalf. It's also an opportunity for you to let me know of other projects that may need to be undertaken in your community.

Montgomery County Department of Public Works and Transportation Projects

Traffic Signal at Dr. Byrd and Norwood: A traffic signal is scheduled to be installed at this intersection by the Maryland State Highway Administration. At the moment, I'm waiting for more information on the timing of when this light will be in place -- but this is clearly welcome news for area residents, frustrated by long queues and high speeds in this area.

Signal Timing for Perry Parkway at MD 355 and Firstfield at Quince Orchard: Here's what Art Holmes, Director of DPWT, had to say about these two intersections in Montgomery Village:

"The intersections along MD 355 and MD 124 in the general vicinity of Lake Forest Mall and I-270 are operating under saturated levels during both the morning and the evening peak periods. In addition, emergency vehicles responding from the fire station at Montgomery Village Avenue and Russell Avenue preempt the signals at that intersection and the intersection of MD 355 and MD 124 when responding to emergency calls, thus further contributing to the delays and backups. When emergency vehicles preempt the signal, traffic backs up several blocks along Frederick Road and Quince Orchard Boulevard. It may take several minutes for the traffic signal to return to normal operation and delays to dissipate to the normal congested levels.

"There is no simple signal timing solution for the problems associated with the ever-increasing traffic volumes and limited roadway capacity. Our Transportation Management Center utilizes an observation aricraft during the morning and evening rush hours to observe traffic conditions along the corridor and frequently adjusts signal timings when delays are worse than normal. We will continue to monitor the corridor and make signal-timing adjustments as possible."

Paving Quality on Tangier Place: DPWT pointed out that Tangier Place has not been paved; rather,major base repairs have been made and need to be capped. The Highway Maintenance Section will being working on capping these areas when area temperatures permit -- which is likely now.

Resurfacing of Sweepstakes Road: DPWT has agreed that the previous sub-base applied to Sweepstakes was not correct for the high volume of traffic the road in now experiencing, and will be rebuilt to a higher standard. Paving of Sweepstakes from Woodfield to Ridge roads will begin in FY2009.

Maryland State Highway Administration Projects

Update on Widening of MD 124: MSHA District Engineer Darrell Mobley has very kindly provided me with an update on the work presently underway on MD 124 (Woodfield Road), which I am pleased to pass along to you here:

". . . work is underway on the $30 million widening of MD 124 between Airpark Road and Rosewood Manor Lane to a six-lane roadway. As part of the construction, utility relocation work will begin this week and will last for 8 to 10 weeks. The utility work will require off-peak, single lane closures Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The major construction is anticipated to begin later this summer, after the utility work has been completed. Weather permitting, this project should be complete by summer 2010.

"The project also includes repaving MD 124, installation of ADA compliant sidewalks and ramps along both sides of MD 124 between Airpark Road and Rosewood Manor Lane, and widening outside lanes to five feet to accommodate on-street bicyclists. To benefit local motorists, SHA will construct sound barriers along MD 124, benefitting about 140 homes in the Hadley Farms, Brookefield, and Edinburgh communities. SHA's environmental improvements include construction of storm water management facilities, installation of new pavement markings and traffic signs, and landscape planting within the project limits.

"Additional safety improvements include the modification of traffic signals to include new through and turn lanes, and installation of a new traffic signal at MD 124/Hadley Farms Drive and Barcellona Drive intersections. SHA is also installing countdown pedestrian signals and accessible pedestrian signals to assist pedestrians and handicapped individuals crossing MD 124 at Airpark Road, Rickenbacker/Cypress Hill Drive, Barecellona/Hadley Farms Drive, and Fieldcrest Road/Hadley Farms Drive intersections.

"During roadway construction, temporary single-lane closures may occur along northbound and southbound MD 124, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., and at night between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. SHA will use variable message signs, barrels and cones to guide motorists through the work zone. Motorists may experience delays."

Update on Work on MD 118 Between MD 28 and Richter Farm Road:  District Engineer Darrell Mobley also recently provided me with information on some ongoing work that just began on MD 118 (Clopper Road) in the Germantown area.  Here's Mr. Mobley again:

". . . work will begin on a $915,000 safety and resurfacing project along more than three miles of MD 118 between MD 28 and Richter Farm Road in Montgomery County. The project includes:

• Patch, mill, grind and resurface MD 118
• Install new pavement markings
• Replace existing asphalt curbs and gutters with concrete curbs and gutters, where appropriate
• Upgrade and replace the existing guardrail
• Clean the inlets and pipes within the project limits
• Replace the loop detector for the traffic signal at MD 118 and MD 28.

"Motorists may experience delays. Roadwork will occur Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., as well as overnights Sunday through Thursday between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. SHA will use VMS and flagging operations to guide motorists through the work zone. The project is expected to be complete by late summer 2008."

My thanks to Mr. Mobley for the thorough updates.

Take me back to the top.

County Council Public Hearings Calendar 

Input Sought on Zoning Text Amendments, Ambulance Fees

Don't be shy! The County Council regularly holds public hearings at which we actively seek your input, thoughts, comments, and suggestions. The policies, amendments, and legislation under consideration aren't just pieces of paper; they have a very real impact on you and the lives of your fellow citizens. For this reason, residents are always encouraged to attend the public hearings and give us your views.

Hearings are held in the Council's main meeting room on the 7th Floor of the County Office Building at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville. (Click here for a map.)  If you wish to testify on any of the items listed below, please call (240) 777-7931.

One more thing -- the hearing schedule can change rapidly, so always check the County Council's home page to get the most up-to-date information.