July 27, 2017

National Night Out Is an Evening of Community Events to Fight Crime


National Night Out events will take place in communities throughout Montgomery County on Tuesday, August 1. National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch to generate neighborhood support and participation in crime prevention efforts and enhance police and community relationships.

More information and a list of locations coordinated with the Montgomery County Police Department is available from website.

Other local law enforcement agencies serving municipalities in Montgomery County have coordinated additional Night Out events.

JBG SMITH to Locate New Headquarters in Montgomery County

JBG SMITH, the new publicly traded real estate investment trust formed from the merger of The JBG Companies and Vornado Realty Trust, will locate its new corporate headquarters to 4747 Bethesda Ave. in Bethesda. This will bring hundreds of new jobs to the County.

JBG Smith is the region’s largest development company and has contributed to the region’s community-building and economic vitality. The newly combined company will have 425 employees who will be housed in a new 300,000 sq. ft. building at the corner of Bethesda and Woodmont Avenues.

This latest news follows the recent announcements that Marriott will remain in Montgomery County and build a new, $600 million headquarters in downtown Bethesda, and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline will make Rockville the home for its new global vaccine R&D center.

More information is available at:

Montgomery County Launches Business Portal


Montgomery County has a new business portal that will make it easier for businesses to interact with County government. 

The business portal is a gateway to County-government services and information related to doing business in Montgomery County. It is modeled after national, best practices and based on input from an extensive survey in 2016 on improving government services for businesses. Integrating information from multiple County departments, the business portal is a single point of entry that aims to further streamline County services and operations to make it easier to start and grow a business in the County.

The portal is available at: montgomerycountymd.gov/biz

For more information on additional Second Quarter 2017 Economic Development Highlights (pdf).

Montgomery’s Newest and Largest Solar Panel Project Unveiled at the County’s Correctional Facility


County Executive Ike Leggett unveiled the County’s largest solar project to date at the County’s Correctional Facility in early July. With more than 2,600 solar panels the complex can operate independently from the power grid in an emergency loss of electricity.

The project is expected to produce 3.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year, enough to provide more than 60 percent of the electricity used by the facility. By the end of 2018, solar projects on County property are expected to generate enough electricity to power more than 1,000 single-family homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as planting 200,000 trees each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Designed with a 20-year, power purchase agreement at a low, fixed cost, these solar projects give the County independence from the rising cost of electricity.

You May Be Eligible for a Property Tax Credit


Modest income homeowners and adults over age 65 may qualify for a property tax credit. To receive the tax credit for this year, you must apply by Sept. 1. For more information view or download brochure.

Another Top-10 Digital Finish for the County


Montgomery County was ranked as second place in the 2017 Digital Counties competition, which is sponsored by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties. This is the fourth year in a row that the County has been ranked in second place for Counties whose populations exceed 500,000. Montgomery County is the only County with a population exceeding 500,000 to be ranked in the Top 10 each year since the inception of the survey in 2003. Read more here.

Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County Accepting Nominations for County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities


It is that time of year! The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County is accepting nominations for this year’s County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities. Now in its 16th year, the County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities honor individuals and organizations that have made a difference in Montgomery County through the arts and humanities. 

County Executive Ike Leggett and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County invite you to nominate an outstanding member of the community for the 2017 County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities in the following categories:
  • Education Award
  • Community Award
  • Volunteer Award
  • Outstanding Artist or Scholar Award
  • Business or Individual Patron Award
  • Emerging Leader Award
If you would like to nominate an organization and/or individual for an award, please click here. The deadline to submit your nomination is Monday, July 31.

The 16th annual County Executive’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities will be held on Monday, November 6 at Round House Theatre in Bethesda.

Department of Recreation Director Graduates from Presidential Leadership Scholars Program


Gabe Albornoz, Director of the Montgomery County Department of Recreation graduated from the Presidential Leadership Scholars (PLS) program in Dallas, Texas on July 13. He was one of 60 scholars from across the country and shared the stage with President William Jefferson Clinton and President George W. Bush.

The leadership training series is designed to develop a new generation of leaders from varied backgrounds who are committed to facing society’s greatest challenges. The program seeks participants who have the desire and capacity to take their leadership strengths to a higher level to help their communities, and embolden them with the practical skills needed to drive solution-oriented action. By including a roster of presidential centers – two Republican and two Democratic –the program created a rare opportunity to instill in scholars a brand of principled leadership that transcends diverse backgrounds.

The PLS program enhances the impact of leaders who are creating change in their communities, our nation, and the world. A first-of-its-kind curriculum and unparalleled opportunity to join a diverse network of change-makers sharpens participants' skills and exposes them to new ideas and thinking. They are led through an exploration of principles that directly help them address a need in society.

Albornoz oversees 39 recreation facilities including community recreation centers, aquatic centers, and senior centers; more than 3,000 employees; and manages the department’s $33 million budget. County Executive Ike Leggett appointed Albornoz to serve as Director of the Department of Recreation in January 2007. At age 30, Albornoz became the youngest cabinet-level appointment in the history of Montgomery County.

For more on the PLS program go to www.presidentialleadershipscholars.org/the-program or read press release.

I Take It Personally, New Campaign to Prevent Over-Service and Drunk Driving


The County’s Department of Liquor Control and the Department of Police launched a new public awareness campaign to encourage everyone in the County to do what they can to limit alcohol over-service, over-consumption and drunk driving. The campaign titled, “I Take It Personally,” includes messaging over the summer on Ride On buses, bus shelters, County liquor stores and private establishments serving alcohol. The County’s social media and fliers will also be used to outreach on this important information. 

Part of the program includes a partnership with local transportation services to provide reduced cost safe rides via mobile apps. To learn more from press release.

Visit Montgomery Offers a Full Line-up of Events for Residents and Visitors

Visit Montgomery, Montgomery County’s official Conference and Visitors Bureau, is more than a great resource for travelers, it also provides heaps of information for residents looking to find activities locally. Whether you are into hiking, camping, enjoying restaurants, visiting galleries, or attending a performance at a theatre, you’ll find it all, and more, in Montgomery County.

With more than 33,000 acres of parkland in 345 parks, 60 galleries, 22 theatres, 50 historical venues, visitors and residents enjoy superb amenities throughout the year.

Check out the calendar at visitmontgomery.com/events/ to see a full line-up of special activities and happenings. Many of the events are free!

Summer of Safety Provides Tips to Keep You and Your Family Safe


Hopefully everyone is taking advantage of the safety tips resource, “Summer of Safety: A to Z”, located on the County’s website at: montgomerycountymd.gov/summersafety.

Throughout the summer safety tips are highlighted on the site through tweets with #MoCoSafety and posted on the County’s Facebook page. We may also tweet out important safety-related information using that hashtag. This is important information to keep our community members safe, so please continue to follow the #MoCoSafety tweets. Most importantly, if you haven’t already signed up to receive Alert Montgomery emergency messages go to alert.montgomerycountymd.gov or visit Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security website.

Your Input Needed on Long-Range Transportation Plans


The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board wants to hear from residents about their daily commuting experiences. The information will be used to develop Visualize 2045, which is a long-range transportation plan for the National Capital Region. The plan will show the projects and improvements the region’s transportation agencies are planning through 2045—both what they can afford now and what they would build if they had more funding.

Visualize 2045 will focus on regionally significant road and transit projects, and highlight bicycle and pedestrian projects and key land-use issues facing the region. The plan will take a multimodal approach, relying not on any one travel mode to accommodate future population growth and address the region’s diverse transportation challenges.

The plan will show the current regional projects and how those projects will affect future travel patterns and conditions. In doing so, it will paint a picture of where the region’s current planning and funding decisions will get us. The aim is to help elected leaders, regional planners, and the public better understand the kinds of decisions we need to make today to realize a more desirable transportation future.

One of the best ways to participate in Visualize 2045 is to take a brief online survey. This is to better understand what affects your daily travel and what can make your experience better. Your answers will help inform discussions among elected leaders and regional planners about the planning and funding decisions we should be making to improve the region’s transportation future. The survey is available through July 31.

To take the survey now go to visualize2045.metroquest.com.

Police Adventure Camp Connects Youth to Police

Campers, counselors, officers from the 1st District, and special guest former Washington Redskin wide receiver Charlie Brown, at today’s graduation for the 9th Annual Police Adventure Camp
“Police Adventure Camp” provided 35 children with an opportunity to get a better understanding of the work of police officers and emboldened the campers to get to know some of the officers in supportive and mentoring roles. The participants received guidance in conflict resolution, team work, and good-decision making. They viewed demonstrations by MCPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers, K-9 teams, and Traffic Division officers.

The program, held June 26 through 30 at Maryvale Elementary School in Rockville, was offered in partnership by the Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Public Schools and the Linkages to Learning program.

Two special events were provided by Former Redskin Charlie Brown who facilitated football drills, and Baltimore Blast soccer team member Levi Houapeu who led soccer clinics. More information and photos available.

Community Action Board Accepting Applications for Community Advocacy Institute


The Community Action Board is now accepting applications for the Community Advocacy Institute (formerly the Leadership Development Institute). Participants must be Montgomery County residents with a household income of $54,000 or less. This FREE program includes workshops featuring elected officials, local advocates, and issue experts. Apply online HERE by August 25.