Council Passes Bill 11-12 Bill Requires Council Approval on Disposal of County Property
I’m pleased to report that on May 1, the County Council passed Bill 11-12, of which I was the lead sponsor. This bill provides that the County Executive must seek County Council approval before disposing of county real property though sale or long-term lease. Bill 11-12 provides a safeguard to ensure that one person is not solely responsible for the disposition of assets that belong to all the people of Montgomery County and that are worth millions of dollars. The bill strengthens the checks and balances among different branches of government to ensure such transactions are in the public interest. We have a long history of good government here in Montgomery County, and this bill is simply an extension of that. The County Executive must already seek County Council approval on a number of actions, including road abandonments and economic development fund grants. That list now appropriately includes the disposition of county property. I'm sure that the County Executive and County Council will work collaboratively and expeditiously on property dispositions, as we have on the other issues as well.
Councilmember Leventhal Recognizes Local Youth Group Youth Group Collects 300,000+ pennies for Charity
On January 24, 2012, I was honored to present the youth group from Wheaton's New Creation Church with a proclamation recognizing them for their extraordinary efforts to raise pennies for charity. The youth group ended up collecting more than 300,000 pennies, more than triple their goal of 100,000 pennies. The video of the presentation can be seen below.
The youth group's project was part of a larger national campaign headed up by the American Baptist Home Mission Society to collect 14 million pennies, representing the 14 million youth that are living in poverty in the United States.
The youth group from New Creation Church plans to donate the money to the Greentree Shelter in Bethesda and to the Mid-County United Ministries located in Wheaton. The prevalence of poverty in our community is a real issue and the youth group’s efforts to raise awareness surrounding poverty are to be commended. I'm so proud to be a part of a community where even the youngest of its members are taking action to positively impact the lives of others. Congratulations to the church and the youth group on raising more than $3,000 for local charities that will go directly towards helping children and families living in poverty.
Photo Gallery
Take a look here for photos of Councilmember George Leventhal at work in the community.
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