Contact: Bonnie Ayers or Sue Tucker 240-777-6530
For Immediate Release: December 6, 2001

Duncan to Host Series Of Community Forums
On “Coming Together After September 11”;
Will Address Residents’ Concerns
On Homeland Security, Related Topics

Montgomery County residents will have a chance to hear about local homeland security preparations and ask questions about their individual concerns at a series of town meetings to be held throughout the County over the next two months.

Entitled “Coming Together After September 11,” the series will kick off with a town meeting in Takoma Park on December 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. and one designed especially for seniors on December 7 at Holiday Park Senior Center from 12:30 to 2 p.m.

County Executive Douglas M. Duncan will moderate the meetings, which will cover topics such as emergency response/preparedness, bio-terrorism, economic impact and community unity. Speakers will include the County’s Fire Administrator Gordon Aoyagi, Health Officer Dr. Carol Garvey, and Emergency Management Coordinator Kathee Henning. A question and answer session will follow the presentations.

“In the wake of the September 11 attacks, our residents should feel confident that their local government is doing all it can to prepare for the realities of living in the Washington, DC, metro area,” Duncan said. “The community forums will provide a two-way flow of information. Our public safety and health officials will discuss the steps the County has taken to ensure the safety of our residents, then we will respond to their questions about specific concerns.”

Future forums have been scheduled according to the following schedule:

• January 8 – Bethesda;

• January 22 – Silver Spring (East County);

• February 5 – Wheaton; and

• February 21 – Germantown.