Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Montgomery County Council meets most Tuesdays in Rockville.
All nine Montgomery County Council members are expected to vote "yes" on a $4.8 billion budget for fiscal 2014 at 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Rockville. It will be the last council session before a three-week recess. Key county agencies, including police, fire and rescue, schools and health and human services will receive more aid and new positions, while property taxes will increase by 1.8 cents, to $1.01 for every $100 of assessed value under the tentative plan, Patch reported last week. Click here to read more about the budget agreement. The council will reconvene on June 11. (Read the entire council agenda, attached to this article.)
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Changes to Gaithersburg code would address 'peddlers, hawkers and solicitors,' and city exemptions from county regulations.
The Gaithersburg City Council on Monday set public hearing dates this summer for ordinances dealing with how county laws apply in the city and how the city treats "peddlers, hawkers and solicitors." A proposed emergency ordinance that deals with how Gaithersburg interacts with county laws—the city must opt in for them to be valid—would remove provisions from the county code that conflict with city law. As part of the ordinance, the city would remove the following county code provisions from the city code: Each of the areas already are regulated by the city. The ordinance also will delete the county provision establishing the county water quality protection charge. Gaithersburg included its own water quality protection charge in the fiscal …
Concerts, parades, family activities and more will honor the U.S. military.
Memorial Day Weekend 2013 runs from May 25-27 and is the unofficial first weekend of summer. County schools are closed and many offices close to mark this holiday. While swimming pools typically open up this weekend, there are a number of other local activities that may interest you and your family. Rockville Hometown Holidays - This year marks the 25th anniversary of this popular weekend-long event which features music, food and family fun, culminating with a ceremony and parade on Monday. This year, a diverse slate of bands are scheduled - from Baltimore’s Kelly Bell band and local favorites The Nighthawks to Jah Works and a Tom Petty tribute band. Bowie Memorial Day Parade - Wear your red, white and blue to honor the brave Americans who…
Monday, May 20, 2013
Delaney: 'Doug Duncan’s record speaks for itself and his values and expertise are well-known around our county.'
U.S. Rep. John Delaney on Saturday endorsed Douglas M. Duncan at the former Montgomery County Executive's first major campaign event in his bid to regain his old job. “Doug Duncan’s record speaks for itself and his values and expertise are well-known around our county,” Delaney (D-Dist. 6) of Potomac said in a statement released by Duncan’s campaign. “I know Doug has the long term vision to make our county a great place to work, live, start a business, raise a family, and he has a plan to make Montgomery work.” Duncan, a Democrat, served three terms as county executive from 1994 to 2006. In 2006, he sought the Democratic nomination for governor, before dropping out of the race, citing depression. After a hiatus, Duncan has decided to re-…
Judges are compensated at a rate of $175 for a full day shift and $117.50 for a half day shift.
The city of Gaithersburg is seeking election judges for its municipal elections in November, according to a news release. To be eligible, interested applicants must be registered to vote in Montgomery County. Residency within the City of Gaithersburg is not required and attendance at an election judge training session is mandatory. Judges may work either full or half-day shifts. A full day is from 6:15 a.m. until the closing of the polls. Half day shifts are available from 6:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 1 p.m. until close of polls. Judges are compensated at a rate of $175 for a full day shift and $117.50 for a half day shift. The city's six polling places are: On Nov. 5, Gaithersburg residents will cast their ballots for mayor and two …
The Gaithersburg mayor and City Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall.
The Gaithersburg mayor and City Council will vote on the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2014 Strategic Plan at Monday evening's meeting. The mayor and City Council reviewed the draft Strategic Plan at its Feb. 25, Planning Retreat and provided input which was incorporated into the final document. In addition, the city will introduce an ordinance to amend Chapter 16 of the city code entitled entitled “Peddlers, Hawkers and Solicitors." The full agenda can be viewed on the city of Gaithersburg website.
Gaithersburg, Ft. Meade, Bethesda, Columbia and College Park could lose some public transportation options.
The Intercounty Connector could lose three of its existing five commuter bus routes by Aug. 1, 2013, according to The Washington Post. Based on low ridership numbers, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is considering axing three commuter bus routes, including: The article notes that initial supporters of the toll highway, which stretches for 18 miles between I-270/I-370 and I-95/US 1, hyped the highway's ability to provide bus transportation. Now, 60 percent of those bus routes, which provided peak-hour weekday service, could end in the coming months. The MTA has scheduled a number of public hearings in the first week of June: If you are unable to attend one of the meetings in person, the MTA will accept comments with a name and …
Sunday, May 19, 2013
What advice did the first lady give graduates? Will electricity rates go up - again? Get all the Maryland news with one click on Patch.
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Sunday, May 19
By Patch Staff It was a big news week in Maryland last week, with a visit by the first lady, a commuter nightmare in Montgomery and a heads up for a sixth casino in the state. All the headlines from 48 Patch sites across Maryland: Berliner Calls for Better Electricity Service with 'Utility 2.0' Montgomery County Council Member Roger Berliner asked the Maryland Public Service Commission to require that substantial changes be made to electricity services in the state. Meanwhile, Pepco is asking for permission to raise rates. Michelle Obama to Bowie State Grads: It's Time to Feel Hungry Again In a speech rich with historical references, the first lady reminded the BSU class of 2013 why education is important. Report: Quince Orchard Students…
Friday, May 17, 2013
High-profile Maryland bills on firearms and funding state transportation projects became law.
Two of the most controversial bills Maryland state lawmakers grappled with this session became law Thursday. Gov. Martin O'Malley, flanked by Senate President Thomas V. "Mike" Miller, House Speaker Michael Busch and Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, signed 268 bills into law. Among them were the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act of 2013 which increases the state's gas tax, and the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, a restrictive gun control bill. The gun control measure was an important part of O’Malley’s legislative priorities, but was widely contested by Republicans in the General Assembly. Under the law, more than 40 types of guns are banned in Maryland including most semi-automatic rifles. In addition, digital fingerprints of gun owners are …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
The plan includes tax increase, more cops in schools and more food resources for the poor.
No one went hungry in the $4.8 billion budget Montgomery County Council members tentatively approved Thursday. Key county agencies, including police, fire and rescue, schools and health and human services will receive more aid and new positions, according to an outline of the tentative spending plan released by the council. The council is scheduled to hold a final vote on the budget May 23, the last council session before a three-week recess. All nine council members voted to give tentative approval to the plan for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1. "Budgets are a reflection of our values. There are always more needs, and more wants, than there are resources available," Council President Nancy Navarro (D-Dist 4) of Silver Spring said in a …
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11:18 am on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Battley Harley-Davidson in Gaithersburg always has events on Memorial Day weekend. The police escorted "Ride to the Wall", from Gaithersburg to the Pentagon for Rolling Thunder on Sunday morning, is always fun. For those that do not ride, the lines of motorcycles can be seen from the over-passes on Routes 270 and 495. more ›