December 30, 2021

Message from the County Executive


Dear Friends,

As my last letter of 2021, I do have some reflections about our accomplishments this year that I want to share with you, including a special video this week, but I’d first like to give you an update on COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. For more news and developments, you can watch my weekly media briefing here. This week I was joined by our public health team and Dr. Ann Burke, vice president of Medical Affairs and interim chief clinical officer for Holy Cross Hospital. I also spoke with Fox 5 DC, which you can watch here.

County COVID Cases Hit Record High

We are ending 2021 with a surge of COVID cases at a level we have not seen since the beginning of the pandemic. Our current case rate is 803 cases per 100,000 residents, this is more than 10 times the case rate from the start of this month! 

Our test-positivity rate is more than 14 percent, a dramatic increase in just three weeks. While Montgomery County’s rate is lower than the state average, this is a place where we did not expect to be, especially with such a highly vaccinated population.

It is clear that vaccinations help reduce the severity for people who are infected and because of the high vaccination rate – currently at 83 percent of our population fully vaccinated, we are in a better position to deal with this surge than many other jurisdictions around the country.

Testing Locations Overloaded and Rapid Tests Are on the Way

As many of you may know, the Omicron surge has created an enormous demand for tests – both polymerase chain reaction (or PCR) tests generally available at our county and partner sites and for rapid tests. We have been trying for weeks to acquire additional rapid tests, which were promised to arrive but have not, but I am pleased to announce that we ordered a million rapid tests from a different company, and we are to receive our first shipment of 300,000 of them next week. We appreciate the District of Columbia for assisting us in securing these tests and our procurement team for their diligence to track down and acquire these tests. They can’t arrive here soon enough. While 300,000 tests seems like a lot, with a population of more than one million, we are going to make sure these tests will be given out equitably throughout the County, prioritizing our students, school staff and other front line, public facing workers. We know that these tests are in great demand, and we will share information on how to access them as soon as we have that information.

County Hospitals Strained from COVID-19 Surge and Staffing Concerns

Montgomery County hospitals are seeing an influx of COVID patients that are at levels not seen since last winter’s surge.

Not only are our hospitals seeing a dramatic increase in patients with COVID-19, they are also facing their own staffing shortages. And we expect these numbers to get worse before they get better. It is important to note that residents should not seek routine COVID-19 testing at our hospitals. Not only does it harm their ability to provide services, but also sitting in a hospital emergency room isn't the safest place to be with the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. However, if you have an emergency, please do not hesitate to go to the hospital emergency room; just don't go there for routine testing and procedures. 

I am hoping that Governor Hogan will reinstate the public health emergency that the Maryland Hospital Association is calling for. This action will greatly help our hospitals dealing with this surge. I also agree with Tom Perez who recently called on Governor Hogan to extend hazard pay to our state’s front-line workforce and that the governor should use federally provided American Rescue Plan Act funds to extend hazard pay to non-state-government essential employees – such as healthcare workers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers. The state is sitting on a $6 billion surplus, and hazard pay for these essential workers would be a tiny fraction of this enormous surplus. 

COVID-19 Surge Cases Impact Staffing of MCFRS

We have also seen these COVID cases impacting our own government staffing. This week, the Montgomery County Fire and Recuse Service (MCFRS) announced that 110 career and 23 volunteer personnel are unable to report to work, in addition to approximately 75 MCFRS staff who are unable to report to work due to other occupational health issues or injuries. As a result, the department is experiencing a 9 percent reduction in staff that will require some adjustments to meet service demands.

To continue providing high-quality emergency services to the community, MCFRS has taken the following steps to mitigate the impact of these staffing shortages:
  • Added recently graduated firefighters, all who came to MCFRS with firefighter and EMT experience, to full shifts, which will augment daily staffing.
  • Reassigned firefighters and paramedics currently in training to their community service responsibilities.
  • Created an EMS “disposition officer” to ensure load balancing at the local emergency departments
  • Requested volunteer partners to staff additional peak time transport units, adding additional transport capacity to the system.
  • Prioritized Advanced Life Support care delivery and firefighting water delivery across the County.
  • And temporarily redeployed staff from one ladder truck (the Clarksburg Aerial Tower) and one heavy rescue unit (the Laytonsville Rescue Squad).

Keeping Our Children as Safe as Possible

As our schools return next next week from their holiday break, I am encouraging parents to please get their kids vaccinated as soon as possible. The chart below shows that Montgomery County is doing better at pediatric vaccination than the rest of the state, but only about 50 percent of our pediatric population has had their first dose and about 1/3 are fully vaccinated.

Our public health team has been in conversations with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) this week to prepare for the scheduled return of students next week. MCPS just announced their plans for next week which you can read about here. I know that parents, teachers, principals, and school staff have a number of concerns, and we will continue to support the school system to help with the complicated public health, logistical and educational issues involved in the effort to preserve in-person learning as much as possible. As noted above, we will prioritize getting rapid tests to the schools for staff and students. 

Libraries Slows Rollout of Extended Hours

In an abundance of caution, we have decided to postpone opening our libraries on Sundays. Hopefully the Omicron surge passes quickly, and we will then be able to have Sunday hours.

Last Chance to Apply For Current Round of Rental Relief

The Montgomery County’s Emergency Rental Assistance program’s COVID Rent Relief Program application portal will temporarily pause from taking new applications at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31. We are taking this pause in order to have an application process that complies with new federal guidelines. Applications submitted before the deadline will be reviewed and processed, but no additional applications will be received after that time. An additional round of rent-relief funding, with an updated application process and eligibility criteria will be announced in early 2022. To submit a rent relief application, please go to www.mc311.com/rentrelief

We have given out $49.7 million of the $59.5 million we were allocated, or 83.5 percent, from the nearly 11,000 applications for rental relief that we have received thus far. With applications continuing to be processed, we expect to exhaust our current funds from the current application pool and those who submit their applications by Dec. 31. As we prepare to launch the next round of assistance and wait for the next round of funding from the federal government, we want to assure the public that we are not stopping or ending providing rental relief to our residents in need.

In fact, Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services rental relief operations has been one of the most robust in the nation in terms of processing and distributing these funds. For residents facing eviction and utility cutoffs, we will continue to provide assistance; so even though this particular portal is closing temporarily, eviction and utility assistance will still be available. Please call 311 during business hours, so we can help.

Help Us Better Serve You

This week, we launched our biennial online survey of County residents. The survey is available on the County website and is designed to get residents’ assessment of the local government, its services and their quality of life. The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 17. The survey is available to be accessed here.

I encourage all residents of Montgomery County to take this survey. We want to ensure that the feedback we get is inclusive and reflects the County’s diversity and we want everyone to have an opportunity to share their opinions with County Government on the services we provide. The pandemic required us to make some significant changes to the way we deliver some services. This survey is one way for us to assess how we are doing, what people think of the changes we made, and identify areas for improvement.

Celebrate the New Year with Caution

As we deal with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, we expect that the next few weeks will continue to see a rise in cases due to New Year celebration outbreaks. I hope that everyone keeps their New Year’s festivities and gatherings small and safe. If you are going out to celebrate New Year’s, please be smart. Get tested before you go out and after you celebrate. Wear masks at indoor gatherings and confined spaces where you are sharing the same air. And please do not drink and drive. Our police will be out and looking for impaired drivers.

Looking Back on 2021

As we conclude 2021, we wanted to share with you some of our important achievements. Instead of my weekly video, we created a Top 10 Accomplishments of 2021 video that I hope you take the time to watch.

Despite the widespread distribution of the vaccine in 2021 that gave us great hope, unfortunately this year is ending with a bit of a question mark with one of the largest COVID case surges that our County, state, and nation has seen since the beginning of the pandemic.

Even with some ongoing challenges, the residents, businesses, nonprofits, and faith communities of Montgomery County, along with the tireless efforts of the employees of the Montgomery County government employees, have enabled this County to persevere. From achieving one of the highest vaccination rates and lowest case rates amongst large jurisdictions in our nation to distributing food, clothing, rental relief, and grants to our businesses, we have created an environment that takes this pandemic seriously, responds effectively, and assists those who are struggling the most from its impacts.

My administration, along with our colleagues on the County Council and at the state and federal level, have worked tirelessly to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance and resources during this pandemic. With the Working Families Income Supplement, we provided more than $100 million in financial assistance to low- and moderate-income families. We partnered with more than 100 food assistance providers. We distributed almost $60 million in rental relief with more to come — protecting our most vulnerable families from eviction. And when small businesses needed help, we responded, providing grants to over 5,500 businesses to help them keep their doors open during this pandemic.

We also continued to make progress on our pre-COVID goals and agenda. This year, we finalized our Climate Action Plan and took steps toward our Reimagining Public Safety Efforts. We launched our No Net Loss Affordable Housing Program as well as governed through an “equity lens” by providing a racial equity analysis for the Capitol Improvement Budget and producing over 40 Racial Equity Impact Assessments on supplemental budget appropriations.

And Montgomery County had a record setting year for our economy. County businesses received over $18 billion in private investment, a fourfold increase, along with hundreds of millions of county funds going to infrastructure in every part of our county.

2021 may have tested our will, but Montgomery County demonstrated its resilience and determination to succeed and achieve greatness.

As always, my sincere appreciation for your support and everything you do. I wish you and your families a very safe, healthy, and prosperous 2022.

Marc Elrich
County Executive


Montgomery County Holiday Schedule for New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, and New Year’s Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022


The Montgomery County Government will observe the following schedule changes for New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, and New Year’s Day, Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. The County is generally observing the holiday on Dec. 31:

County offices – Closed Dec. 31.
State offices and courts – Closed Dec. 31.
Libraries – Closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS)—Stores open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Dec. 31. Closed on Jan. 1.
Ride On— Will operate on a Sunday schedule on Dec. 31. Will operate on a Saturday schedule on Jan. 1.
Ride On extRa and Flex—Not in service.
Flash— Will operate on a weekend schedule (Orange Line only) on Dec. 31. Will operate on a weekend schedule (Orange Line only) on Jan. 1.
MARC Train and Commuter Bus – Information available at https://www.mta.maryland.gov/schedule?type=marc-train/
TRiPS Silver Spring commuter store—Closed Dec. 31.
TRiPS Mobile Commuter Store—Closed Dec. 31.
Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters - Free.
County-collected trash and recycling—No change in collection schedules.
Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station and the Recycling Center--Friday, Dec. 31 open. Saturday, Jan. 1: closed.
Recreation—On Dec. 31, aquatic facilities will close at 3 p.m. and community recreation centers, senior centers and administrative offices will be closed. All facilities closed on Saturday, Jan. 1. 

Montgomery Parks—Visit www.MontgomeryParks.org for complete information. The following are the schedules for most facilities, programs and parks:

Open Parkways initiative will be extended during the upcoming holiday week:
Open to pedestrians and cyclists from 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 30, through 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 2:Sligo Creek Parkway: Old Carroll Avenue to Piney Branch Road (1.1 miles). Forest Glen Road to University Boulevard West (1.5 miles)  / Beach Drive from Connecticut Avenue to Knowles Avenue (2.9 miles).
Open to pedestrians and cyclists from 7 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 30, through 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 2: Little Falls Parkway from River Road to Arlington Road (1 mile)  

Brookside Gardens Garden of Lights: Open through Jan. 2. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Advance timed-entry tickets required, available for purchase here.

Nature Centers:
Meadowside Nature Center—closed for renovation work.
Brookside Nature Center—closed for renovation work.
Locust Grove Nature Center – closed Dec. 24–Jan. 1.
Black Hill Visitor Center—closed Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

Friday, Dec. 31 
Montgomery Parks’ Headquarters, Customer Service and Permit Offices (Closed).
Closing at 3 p.m.: Cabin John Ice Rink, Wheaton Ice Arena, Pauline Bentz Addie Tennis Center, Wheaton Indoor Tennis, Wheaton Sports Pavilion and South Germantown Driving Range. 

Saturday, Jan. 1 
Montgomery Parks’ Headquarters, Customer Service, and Permit Offices (Closed).
South Germantown Driving Range (Closed).
Opening at noon: Cabin John Ice Rink, Wheaton Ice Arena, Pauline Bentz Addie
Tennis Center.

COVID-19 Information Portal Has Statistics on the Virus Including Infections and Vaccinations by Zip Codes




Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Information Portal provides a variety of breakdowns on how the virus has impacted the County. The statistics are updated to reflect the most recent reports from the State of Maryland during the health crisis. Among the information available is how many positive cases have been reported in each zip code in the County.               
For more information about the positive cases reported in the County by zip codes, visit the COVID-19 data dashboard at https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/.             

Other breakdowns on the COVID-19 information portal include:                      

Confirmed Cases                      
Confirmed Cases by Age and Month of Specimen Collection                      
Cases by ZIP Code                   
Vaccinations given by zip code                    
Deaths by Age and Gender                      
Deaths by Demographics                      
Deaths by ZIP Code                      
Nursing Home Cases and Deaths                     
Rt graph (time-varying reproduction number)
Montgomery County Employee Cases

County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program Application Portal to Close Dec. 31

Montgomery County’s Emergency Rental Assistance program’s (ERA) COVID Rent Relief application portal will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31. Applications submitted before the deadline will be reviewed and processed, but no additional applications will be received after that time.
An additional round of rent-relief funding, with an updated application process and eligibility criteria, will be announced in early 2022.

As of Nov. 29, almost $40 million in direct assistance has been provided to residents through ERA 1 funds and more than 3,700 evictions were prevented. Since May 2020, the County has provided more than $56 million in rent relief to more than 8,200 households.

Residents who may be eligible for rent relief to submit applications before Dec. 31 are encouraged to apply. Individuals who need assistance completing an application should call 311, and they will be matched with a nonprofit partner who can help, or they will be contacted by a program staff member.

Applications already submitted will be reviewed and processing of applications already received continues. Residents who have already applied can check their application’s status on the rent relief portal.

On Nov. 24, County Executive Marc Elrich transmitted notice of an additional $34 million ERA 2 funds from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to the County Council. It was part of a $48.5 supplemental to the Fiscal Year 2022 budget from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Residents who have already received funding from round three of the COVID Rent Relief Program are not eligible for additional COVID Rent Relief funds. Residents who have received an eviction judgement from the courts or a “red and white” notice from the County Sheriff’s Office should call 311 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Help is available from the County’s Department of Health and Human Services’ eviction prevention team to develop a housing plan.

Information about the current program can be found at www.mc311.com/rentrelief. When available, details about the future round of rent relief funding will also be available on the website.

December 23, 2021

Message from the County Executive



Dear Friends,

Season’s Greetings. It’s hard to believe, but once again, we are heading into the holiday season with great concern about the spread of the virus. Even with such an enormous percentage of our population fully vaccinated, COVID-19 cases nationally and locally are skyrocketing. With many families planning to celebrate the holidays with larger gatherings and more travelling, I am worried about the potential of massive outbreaks that could put a strain on our hospitals and healthcare systems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other public health experts are asking that people not host or attend gatherings if they are sick or have symptoms and not travel unless fully vaccinated. Although you have heard these tips for nearly two years now, they can’t be repeated enough: wash your hands, socially distance when possible and mask up.

It is also important to get tested before and after large holiday gatherings. Fortunately, many of you are getting tested as we are seeing thousands come out to our County-operated and private sector testing facilities. We have seen nearly a three-fold increase at our County’s COVID testing sites as compared to just a month ago in November.

Unfortunately, many of these locations are running out of capacity due to overwhelming demand. For the coming week, we are asking everyone to make an appointment to ensure you can get a test and avoid frustration. However, there will be no testing at County sites on Dec. 24, 25 and 26. To make an appointment at a County test facility, go to montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/testing.html.

We also know that there is demand for rapid tests and those supplies continue to be extremely limited. We distributed the ones the County received to be used with our most vulnerable populations, which include the homeless and the homebound, those with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and those at increased risk for COVID (or who work with those at increased risk) due to specific occupations, such as construction, frontline service industry, and adult day care. The County continues to order and wait for the arrival of more of these tests to give out to the community.

Cases are soaring

The cyber-attack on the State’s data dashboard at the beginning of the month left us without statewide or local test positivity and case rates for almost three weeks. While we now have some statewide data, we are still waiting for comprehensive County level data. Maryland is reporting a positivity rate of more than 11 percent, which is the highest it has been since the spring of 2020. Data from our County testing sites show a positivity rate in Montgomery County of more than 10 percent, which is the highest it has been since June 2020—just three months into the pandemic. This number does not include test results from our private sector partners.

The Omicron strain is showing up in 73 percent of new COVID cases nationally, according to the CDC. Unfortunately, Maryland has not directed the testing companies to send samples to the State to determine the variant—whether it is the older Delta or the newer Omicron. Having this information would be helpful because nationally, COVID numbers are 10 percent higher than a week ago. Nearly 80 percent of our nation’s intensive care unit beds are already full with COVID-19 patients in one in five of those beds, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In Montgomery County hospitals, the total number of COVID patients hospitalized is 227, the highest we have seen since last February. Both acute care and ICU bed usage by COVID cases have increased.



Governor Hogan noted this past Sunday that this is "probably the worst surge we have seen in our hospitals throughout the entire crisis." Unfortunately, on Monday, he announced he himself had COVID, and we also learned that Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski tested positive this week. Our wishes for mild symptoms and a speedy recovery go out to them and everyone who has contracted Covid.

Vaccinations and boosters are essential

Both Governor Hogan and County Executive Olszewski were fully vaxed and boosted, showing that we will continue to see breakthrough cases. The top concern is our hospitalization rates. Only 9 percent of unvaccinated Marylanders are responsible for 75 percent of our COVID-19 hospitalizations. Nationally, the unvaccinated are five times as high as fully vaccinated currently when it comes to daily cases and are 13 times higher in terms of dying from COVID. These statistics show the tremendous importance of vaccination.

The CDC is reporting this week that Montgomery County is 82.7 percent fully vaccinated. It is good to see that many in our community are taking this latest surge seriously.

We were happy to host a successful “Boosterama” last week at Westfield Wheaton mall. There were 100 residents in line before we opened, and we had to bring in more doses to meet the demand. We boosted and provided first doses to 420 people.




We have administered more than 311,000 boosters to our adult population, yet we still have more than 50 percent of our eligible vaccinated residents that have not taken their boosters. I have asked our health department to conduct outreach to our previously vaccinated individuals and send information about boosters. I am particularly concerned about the 43,000 residents over 65 that still need boosters, and we will target more outreach efforts toward that community.

According to the CDC, 75 percent of those who died of COVID in our country are over 65. (source: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/mortality-overview.htm). If you are in this age group or have a loved one who is, please prioritize getting a booster. You can get more information at govaxmoco.com.

Keeping our children safely in schools is challenging and important

One of the biggest areas of concern of this surge is the impact on our schools and children. Our Department of Health and Human Services is working in concert with Montgomery County Public Schools to find the right balance between keeping our children are safe and healthy while keeping in-class learning as intact as possible after the holiday break.

Let me be clear: We are not going to put our children more at risk to be in a school building as they would be in the community in general. That is why I support the decision by the school administration and supported by our public health team to currently limit extracurricular activities. At the same time, it is critical that we do everything in our power to continue in-class learning.

The learning loss that occurred when schools were virtual, especially for many lower income and minority families, was heartbreaking. Additionally, when children are not in school, many families miss the resources schools provide—such as daily lunches—and they struggle with economic impacts when children are at home and parents can’t work from home. We must all work to avoid these impacts through some very tough weeks ahead.

We are hoping and asking that the families and parents of MCPS students also help keep other students safe by getting their children tested and vaccinated before they return to school. More than 50 percent of our 5-11 population is not yet vaccinated.



Almost 44,000 of those 5-11 have received their first dose and about 30,000 of this group are fully vaccinated.



I strongly urge parents, guardians, family and friends to get our young people their shots. It is really important.

Honoring some of our remarkable County residents

I presented the inaugural Inez Zeigler McAbee and William Harvey Zeigler Humanitarian Award and the 2021 Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Awards at an event last week. This event recognized and honored four of the County’s most distinguished volunteers and community servants.

I was proud to present the first Inez Zeigler McAbee and William Harvey Zeigler Humanitarian Award to Harvey Zeigler, and the Roscoe Nix Awards to Bryon A. Johns, Blanca Kling and Diego Uriburu. These awards are the highest honors our County government can bestow upon residents, and they highlight the tremendous work that people are doing to make this County a better and more equitable and inclusive place.

Inez and Harvey Zeigler both had a lifelong commitment to civil rights, community service and local activism that made it more than appropriate for the Humanitarian of the Year Award to be renamed the Inez Zeigler McAbee and William Harvey Zeigler Humanitarian Award. Although Inez is no longer with us, it was an honor to present the first award to Harvey, who has done so much to fight for human and civil rights in this County.

At 101 years old, Harvey Zeigler remains a community and civic activist, mentor and historian. During his lifelong pursuit for equality and justice, his accomplishments have included striking down job discrimination and promoting the hiring of African Americans in government agencies, including Montgomery County Public Schools and the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service. You can watch a short video about Mr. Ziegler at https://youtu.be/Q6e5b-voYMc.

I was also pleased to honor three community leaders with the Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Awards. They received these awards for their extraordinary contributions to Montgomery County over the course of their lives. Byron A. Johns has been a longtime advocate for educational equity and is the current education chair for the Montgomery County branch of the NAACP. He co-founded the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence with fellow 2021 Nix Leadership Award recipient Diego Uriburu. You can watch a short video about Byron Johns at https://youtu.be/idpkPJYKgGw.

Diego Uriburu is the co-founder and executive director of Identity, an organization that creates opportunities for Latino and other historically underserved youth to help realize their highest potential and thrive. Identity also works to empower parents to engage in their children’s education and be champions for their success and the success of the community. As I mentioned, Diego co-founded the Black and Brown Coalition with Byron Johns. You can watch a video about Diego Uriburu at https://youtu.be/owOWXYmVroQ.

The third recipient of a Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Award was Blanca Kling, who passed away earlier this year. Blanca served Montgomery County residents for four decades as a media spokesperson, community leader and victims’ rights advocate. She had a long track record of public service and a lifetime of dedication to County government and its constituents. You can watch a video about Blanca Kling at https://youtu.be/8y2ka6LPk9s.

Harvey said it best at this ceremony, “If you don’t work together and try to unite together, it's downhill. I’ve tried all these 101 years, and I feel like that’s the only way to do it, is to unite and talk from the heart. Try, and try again. If you fail once, don’t give up. Keep trying.”

My sincere appreciation to the awardees for their great work.

Thank you to everyone who is remembering those in need

As many of us enjoy families and festivities this holiday week, I want to note everyone who is trying to support or help out the thousands of our neighbors, friends and even strangers who are in a tough spot economically, dealing with stress and mental health challenges, or are just down on their luck.

This week I joined my granddaughter at a food and toy distribution event in a Takoma Park Co-Op called “Small Things Matter.” Individuals in need lined the street and greeted us with smiles and appreciation for those who donated and collected these items. I want to thank everyone for making this event happen, along with the hundreds of other charity efforts throughout the County.

On a personal note, I was also proud to watch my granddaughter give her time and heart to those who need help.



I can’t count the number of food, clothing, supplies and toy giveaways I have been to throughout this County over the past 22 months. If there was one consistent community character about Montgomery County, it is our compassion. We are united as a community, empowered by our diversity, and always willing to reach out and assist our neighbors and uplift strangers. I am very lucky that I get to see the good in our people, and that Montgomery County is full of humanitarians.

Thank you, and I wish you and your families a safe and healthy holiday week.



Marc Elrich
County Executive

December 22, 2021

County Provides Free COVID-19 Testing, But Clinics Are Seeing High Demand


Montgomery County continues to offer free COVID-19 testing to anyone who lives, works or regularly visits Montgomery County. However, County-operated clinics are experiencing high demand as the omicron variant spreads throughout the nation.

Information on where to find County-operated test sites can be found at the County’s COVID-19 website at montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/testing.html.
 
Due to the high volume of requests for COVID-19 testing, appointment-based sites may be full when people attempt to register. Anyone seeking a test at a County-operated clinic should check the website for the latest information.

County-operated clinics are scheduled to be closed for the Christmas weekend holiday from Friday, Dec. 24, through Sunday, Dec. 26.

Testing is free at County-operated clinics. If a resident has insurance, the clinic will ask for your information, but there are no co-pays or deductibles. The clinics do not require a government ID or a doctor's order.

In addition, many privately operated test facilities are located throughout the County. Those include many drug stores.

County clinics test people of all ages. If young children are brought to an appointment, the clinic may ask to help them get tested as well.

County clinics provide nasal swab tests. The tests are molecular tests, also called PCR tests. These diagnostic tests detect the genetic material of the COVID-19 virus using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). County clinics do not offer antibody testing.

The County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is distributing free, rapid at-home COVID-19 tests through community testing and safety net partners. These partners have agreed to distribute the tests to specific populations who have difficulty accessing public and private testing sites, such as homebound and homeless and those with intellectual or developmental disabilities. It also is distributing rapid, at-home tests to those at increased risk for COVID (or who work with those at increased risk) due to specific occupations, such as construction, frontline service industry and adult daycare.

Distribution partners currently include Primary Care Coalition members, safety net clinics, DHHS Service Consolidation Hubs and the County’s Crisis Center.

While supplies of these rapid test kits are very limited, the DHHS will increase distribution as more kits become available.

County-run clinics take two or three days to get test results. After being tested, residents will get an email or text message with their results.

To report a positive COVID-19 case at a childcare facility, school or camp, call the County’s COVID-19 Call Center at 240-777-2982.

County Holiday Schedule for the Christmas Holidays, Friday, Dec. 24, and Saturday, Dec. 25


The Montgomery County Government will observe the following schedule changes for the Christmas holiday weekend on Friday, Dec. 24, and Saturday, Dec. 25:
  • County offices – Closed.
  • State offices and courts – Closed.
  • Libraries – Closed Dec. 24 - 25.
  • Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS)—Stores open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Dec. 24. Closed Dec. 25.
  • Ride On—Will operate on a Sunday schedule on Dec. 24-25.
  • Ride On extRa and Flex—Not in service.
  • Flash—Will operate on a weekend schedule (Orange Line only) on Dec. 24-25.
  • MARC Train and Commuter Bus – Information available at https://www.mta.maryland.gov/schedule?type=marc-train/
  • TRiPS Silver Spring commuter store—Closed.
  • TRiPS Mobile Commuter Store—Closed.
  • Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters—Free.
  • County-collected trash and recycling: no changes in collection schedules.
  • Shady Grover Transfer Station and Recycling Center—Friday, Dec. 24: open. Saturday, Dec. 25: closed.
  • Recreation: Aquatic facilities close at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 24. Community centers, senior centers and administrative offices closed Friday, Dec. 24. All facilities closed Saturday, Dec. 25.
Montgomery Parks—Visit www.MontgomeryParks.org for complete information. The following are the schedules for most facilities, programs and parks:

Open Parkways initiative will be extended during the upcoming holiday weeks.
  • Open to pedestrians and cyclists from 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 23, through 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 26: Sligo Creek Parkway: Old Carroll Avenue to Piney Branch Road (1.1 miles). Forest Glen Road to University Boulevard West (1.5 miles). Beach Drive from Connecticut Avenue to Knowles Avenue (2.9 miles).
  • Open to pedestrians and cyclists from 7 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 23, through 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 26: Little Falls Parkway from River Road to Arlington Road (1 mile).
Brookside Gardens Garden of Lights: Closed Dec. 24 and 25.

Nature Centers:
  • Meadowside Nature Center: closed for renovation work.
  • Brookside Nature Center: closed for renovation work.
  • Locust Grove Nature Center: closed Dec. 24 - Jan. 1.
  • Black Hill Visitor Center: closed Dec. 24 - 25.
Friday, Dec. 24:
  • Montgomery Parks’ Headquarters, Customer Service, and Permit Offices—Closed.
  • Brookside Gardens Visitors Center—Closed.
  • Closing at 3 p.m.—Cabin John Ice Rink, Wheaton Ice Arena, Pauline Bentz Addie Tennis Center, Wheaton Indoor Tennis, Wheaton Sports Pavilion and South Germantown.
  • Driving Range.
Saturday, Dec. 25:
  • Montgomery Parks’ Headquarters, Customer Service, and Permit Offices—Closed.
  • Brookside Gardens Visitors Center—Closed.
  • Cabin John Ice Rink, Wheaton Ice Arena, Pauline Bentz Addie Tennis Center, Wheaton Indoor Tennis, Wheaton Sports Pavilion and South Germantown.
  • Driving Range—Closed.

COVID-19 Information Portal Has Statistics on the Virus Including Infections and Vaccinations by Zip Codes


Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Information Portal provides a variety of breakdowns on how the virus has impacted the County. The statistics are updated to reflect the most recent reports from the State of Maryland during the health crisis. Among the information available is how many positive cases have been reported in each zip code in the County.               

For more information about the positive cases reported in the County by zip codes, visit the COVID-19 data dashboard at https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/.             

Other breakdowns on the COVID-19 information portal include:                      

Surging COVID Virus Impacting Community Use of Public Facilities, With Policy Changes Put Into Place

The surging COVID-19 virus is leading Montgomery County’s Community Use of Public Facilities (CUPF), the interagency coordinating board, to change some policies regarding reservations and use of facilities. No new reservations are currently being accepted.

All community user groups who desire to cancel permitted dates of use at a public facility permitted by CUPF can do so without any fee(s) being kept or added. CUPF will allow groups to cancel without any penalties. Users are asked to submit a Reservation Amendment Form that can be found on the ‘Resources’ page of the CUPF website at montgomerycountymd.gov/cupf.

If a group fails to show up for its scheduled reservation or does not submit a formal Reservation Amendment Form, a refund will not be issued and charges will remain.

Games, tournaments, competitions or similar activities identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as close-contact sports (such as basketball and wrestling), will not be allowed in public facilities permitted by CUPF until further notice.

Practices are acceptable for participants who opt to participate. Groups with permits for games, tournaments and competitions can continue to use the permitted space for practices or may cancel permitted times without penalty.

Masks continue to be required for all participants and persons in attendance during use of all indoor public facilities.

CUPF will no longer approve or accept reservation requests for public facilities until further notice.

For more information about CUPF policies, call 240-777-2725 or email cupf@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Byron A. Johns, Blanca Kling, Diego Uriburu and Harvey Zeigler Presented with County’s Top Humanitarian Awards for 2021

 

Byron A. Johns, Blanca Kling, Diego Uriburu and Harvey Zeigler have been honored with Montgomery County’s top humanitarian awards for 2021. County Executive Marc Elrich presented the awards at a recent event that recognized the essential role volunteers play in the success of the County.

The ceremonies introduced the inaugural Inez Zeigler McAbee and William Harvey Zeigler Humanitarian Award, which was presented in addition to the annual Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Awards. The event was emceed by WUSA9’s Allison Seymour and Marc Clarke.

“These awards are the highest honor our County government can bestow upon residents, and they highlight the tremendous work that people are doing to make this County a better and more equitable and inclusive place,” said County Executive Elrich. “Each of the awardees has had a tremendous positive impact in our community. Their leadership, compassion and perseverance in the face of injustice is inspiring to all of us. This year, I was pleased to announce the inaugural Inez Zeigler McAbee/William Harvey Zeigler Humanitarian Award, in addition to the Roscoe R. Nix awards. I want to congratulate this year’s winners for their amazing work and their dedication to advocating for social justice.”

County Council President Gabe Albornoz also participated in the event.

“Serving others is a noble calling and one that motivates you to look deep within and make a difference in the lives of others,” said Council President Albornoz. “Dedicated public servants, such as Harvey Zeigler, Byron A. Johns, Diego Uriburu and our beloved Blanca Kling, represent the best of Montgomery County. Their commitment to humanity, volunteerism and civic engagement is profoundly inspirational and serves as precedent for all of us to emulate and live a fulfilling life.”

The County Executive’s Humanitarian of the Year Award this year was renamed the Inez Zeigler McAbee and William Harvey Zeigler Humanitarian Award. As pioneers before, during and after the civil rights movement, Inez and Harvey Zeigler’s lifelong commitment to civil rights, community service and local activism provide a fitting resume and list of distinguished accomplishments. This year, the award was presented to Harvey Zeigler.

Mr. Zeigler, who is 101, remains a community and civic activist, mentor and historian. During his lifelong pursuit for equality and justice, his accomplishments have included striking down job discrimination and promoting the hiring of African Americans in government agencies, like Montgomery County Public Schools and in the County Fire and Rescue Service.

“I’m still trying—you don’t give up,” said Mr. Zeigler. “If you give up, then you haven’t accomplished too much. I feel like what my sister and I have done in Damascus, and for the County and the State, if you don’t work together and try to unite together, it's downhill. I’ve tried all these 101 years, and I feel like that’s the only way to do it is to unite and talk from the heart, try and try again. If you fail once, don’t give up—keep trying.”

The Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Awards honor community leaders, change agents and role models who have made extraordinary contributions to the County over the course of their lives. This year’s awards were presented to:
  • Byron A. Johns. He is a longtime advocate for educational equity and currently serves as the Education Chair for the Montgomery County branch of the NAACP. Mr. Johns also is a co-founder, along with fellow awardee Diego Uriburu, of the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Excellence. During the COVID-19 health crisis, while schools were virtual, he worked with the Children’s Opportunity Fund, Montgomery County Public Schools, private childcare providers and public/private funders to raise nine million dollars to serve 1,500 students with Educational Equity Hubs. The hubs are safe, supervised, technology-enabled, in-person learning facilities that support low-income students for whom virtual learning was ineffective.

    "I receive this honor with great humility and the utmost appreciation for the recognition,” said Mr. Johns. “My accomplishments are minor compared to many of the recipients, including Roscoe Nix, for whom this award is named. But I hope it inspires each of us, and all of us, to seek and pursue our better nature in service to our common humanity."
  • Blanca Kling. Ms. Kling, who passed away in January 2021, served County residents for four decades as a media spokesperson, community leader and victims’ rights advocate. She had a long track record of public service and a lifetime of dedication to County government, including in her work with the County Police Department.

    “It is with such pride for my family and I to witness the recognition of my mother’s incalculable contribution to this County, from her arrival as a Bolivian immigrant to the Latino Liaison for MCPD,” said Ms. Kling’s son, Jason Kling. “For over 34 years she tirelessly advocated for the safety and dignity of all Latinos, touched the lives of clients and colleagues, and lived with joy and a deep faith in God. Her legacy lives on when we continue her example and ask ourselves every day: ‘How can I live my life for others today like Blanca?’”
  • Diego Uriburu. He is the co-founder of Identity, an organization that creates opportunities for Latino and other historically underserved youth to help them realize their highest potential and thrive. Identity also works to empower parents to engage in their children’s education and be champions for their success. Mr. Uriburu’s commitment to social change has extended beyond his duties at Identity. In 2019, he joined forces with Byron Johns to form the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence. He is a member of Montgomery Moving Forward and the Latino Health Steering Committee and serves on the boards of WorkSource Montgomery, the Montgomery County Positive Youth Development Initiative and the Meyer Foundation.

    “It is honestly a privilege to work together with so many people and agencies to create a more just and equitable Montgomery County that nurtures all youth,” said Mr. Uriburu. “Today’s youth are the promise of Montgomery County’s future, and I am honored to accept this award on their behalf."
For more information on the Roscoe R. Nix Distinguished Community Leadership Awards and previous recipients, click here. View videos from the event on YouTube.

County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program Application Portal to Close Dec. 31


Montgomery County’s Emergency Rental Assistance program’s (ERA) COVID Rent Relief application portal will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31. Applications submitted before the deadline will be reviewed and processed, but no additional applications will be received after that time.

An additional round of rent-relief funding, with an updated application process and eligibility criteria, will be announced in early 2022.

As of Nov. 29, almost $40 million in direct assistance has been provided to residents through ERA 1 funds and more than 3,700 evictions were prevented. Since May 2020, the County has provided more than $56 million in rent relief to more than 8,200 households.

Residents who may be eligible for rent relief to submit applications before Dec. 31 are encouraged to apply. Individuals who need assistance completing an application should call 311, and they will be matched with a nonprofit partner who can help, or they will be contacted by a program staff member.

Applications already submitted will be reviewed and processing of applications already received continues. Residents who have already applied can check their application’s status on the rent relief portal.

On Nov. 24, County Executive Marc Elrich transmitted notice of an additional $34 million ERA 2 funds from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to the County Council. It was part of a $48.5 supplemental to the Fiscal Year 2022 budget from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Residents who have already received funding from round three of the COVID Rent Relief Program are not eligible for additional COVID Rent Relief funds. Residents who have received an eviction judgement from the courts or a “red and white” notice from the County Sheriff’s Office should call 311 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Help is available from the County’s Department of Health and Human Services’ eviction prevention team to develop a housing plan.

Information about the current program can be found at www.mc311.com/rentrelief. When available, details about the future round of rent relief funding will also be available on the website.

Styrofoam Use to Be Banned in County Food Service Operations Starting Jan. 1


All food service businesses in Montgomery County may not sell or provide food or beverages in any foam or rigid polystyrene (Styrofoam™) food service products starting Saturday, Jan. 1. Items to be prohibited include food containers, plates, hot and cold beverage cups and other products made of polystyrene.

In addition, County-law will prohibit the sale of any foam or rigid polystyrene food service ware products or polystyrene loose fill packaging. All food service ware purchased and used must be either recyclable in the County or compostable. A list of vendors that supply recyclable or compostable food service ware is available on the website of the County’s Department of Environmental Protection at MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/SwitchFromSix.

In 2015, the County Council—which at the time included current County Executive Marc Elrich—approved legislation that prohibited the use and sale of expanded polystyrene (food service ware and loose fill packaging). The legislation required that all disposable food service ware be compostable or recyclable in the County. Polystyrene (which falls into the category of No. 6 plastics—a number that can be found in the recycling designation for many products) food service ware is not recyclable in the County.

In 2020, County Executive Elrich proposed, and the County Council enacted, Council Bill 33-20 that clarified the existing requirements and outright states that the use and sale of all No. 6 polystyrene food service ware is banned to minimize any possible confusion.

Businesses that fail to comply with the requirements can be cited with a Class B violation of the Montgomery County Code. They could be subject to fines of $100 and $150 for subsequent violations. Those penalties can be assessed for each day a violation persists.

DEP’s Recycling and Resource Management Division (RRMD) Waste Reduction and Recycling Section is conducting an outreach awareness campaign to ensure that all affected businesses are aware of these requirements. As part of its ongoing education campaign on the issue, DEP is offering to assist businesses and organization in their efforts to comply with the requirements.

For more information about the law, including resources, visit the DEP website at MontgomeryCountyMD.gov/SwitchFromSix or call MC311 by dialing 3-1-1 or 240-777-0311 (outside of Montgomery County).

County Expands E-Scooter Service to Germantown



The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has expanded the service area for e-scooters to include Germantown. The service was expanded into the Gaithersburg area earlier this year.

MCDOT introduced the dockless e-scooter program in designated areas of the County in June 2019. MCDOT has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with three, dockless e-scooter providers—Bird, Lime and Spin—to operate in designated test areas.

“Since bringing e-scooters to Montgomery County just over two years ago, we have found that they are a popular transportation alternative,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “I am glad that we are expanding scooter access to Germantown to allow residents there to utilize this smart, affordable and more environmentally sustainable form of transportation. E-scooters help us achieve our climate action goals by decreasing the reliance on automobiles while providing our residents with more public transportation options to get where they are going.”

Bird started providing e-scooters in the Germantown area in early December. By downloading the Bird App, riders can check pricing, locate the nearest e-scooter on a service area map, review safety videos and learn the correct way to park after reaching their destination. Residents can download the Bird app here.

“E-scooters provide a first mile/last mile transit option for area travelers and enable residents to conveniently navigate short distances without using single-occupancy vehicles,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Since 2019, over 200,000 e-scooter trips have been taken within Montgomery County.”

Rules for e-scooter use in Montgomery County include:
  • Must be 18 or older to rent an e-scooter.
  • Must show a valid driver’s license.
  • E-Scooters can only be parked within the specified east and west geographic areas.
  • Riders will not be able to end their trip outside the service area.
  • Speed limit for e-scooters is 15 mph.
  • E-Scooters must be parked in the public right of way and cannot interfere with traffic operations, block driveway access, crosswalks, ADA ramps, pedestrian access, bus stops, fire hydrants or impede access to private properties or businesses.
MCDOT strongly encourages all e-scooter riders to wear a helmet.

MCDOT has conducted numerous free e-scooter training and safety clinics for residents 18 and older and will resume training classes in spring of 2022.

Visit the MCDOT Commuter Services website for more information on alternative travel options in Montgomery County.


Free ‘MoComCon’ Comic Convention Coming to Public Libraries as Virtual and In-Person Event on Saturday, Jan. 15


Montgomery County Public Libraries will host its sixth free comic convention, “MoComCon,” on Saturday, Jan. 15. MoComCon 2022 events will be both virtual and in-person at a new location, the Germantown Library. Comic lovers of all ages will be able to find things they like as the event celebrates comics, graphic novels and fandoms.

The Germantown Library is located at 19840 Century Blvd. in Germantown. Doors to the library will open at 10 a.m. on the day of the event.

The schedule of events for Jan. 15 include:
To request sign language interpretation or other deaf/hard of hearing services for library-sponsored programs, email MCPL.DeafAccess@montgomerycountymd.gov, preferably with three business days’ notice, or submit a request online. To request other accommodations, contact a local library.

For more information on the event, go to MoComCon website. Additional information also is available by contacting Dana Alsup at dana.alsup@montgomerycountymd.gov.

County-based Companies Novavax and Truebill Finish 2021 with Major News

Montgomery County-based companies Novavax and Truebill each ended the 2021 corporate year with major news. Each company has received support from the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), a public/private partnership that helps local companies with resources, site selection, funding, incentives, permitting and more.

Novavax, a global biotech company based in Gaithersburg, has received conditional market authorization from the European Union for its COVID-19 vaccine. According to an announcement from the European Commission, the company will be able to deliver up to 100 million vaccines to the EU starting in the first quarter of 2022.

The contract allows EU member states to purchase an additional 100 million doses in 2022 and 2023. For the first quarter of 2022, EU member states have ordered around 27 million doses.

Novavax has received financial assistance through the Montgomery County Economic Development Fund program, as well as technical assistance from MCEDC. The Gaithersburg City Council recently approved Novavax’s expansion plans that will include more than 600,000 square feet of office, lab, manufacturing and research and development space in two buildings next to the current facility.

Truebill, a growing Silver Spring fintech company, is being acquired by Rocket Companies for more than $1.2 billion. Truebill is a consumer-facing app that helps people manage subscriptions, savings and budgets.

The company’s three founders are the Mokhtarzada brothers, who have roots in Montgomery County. The company previously received a MOVE (Make Office Vacancies Extinct) grant coordinated by MCEDC and was approved for an Economic Development Fund grant. The company has said that it plans to remain in its Colesville Road location following the acquisition.

“By joining forces with the Rocket FinTech powerhouse, we will be able to extend our reach and seamlessly connect consumers with more services,” said co-founder Haroon Mokhtarzada.

The news follows a strong year of growth for the company, which raised $45 million in Series D funding this past June and $17 million in November 2020. Since its founding, Truebill has grown to 2.5 million members.

“We are very impressed with what Truebill has created, providing a simple, intuitive client experience to help users save significant money,” said Rocket CEO Jay Farmer.

16th Annual ‘Montgomery History Conference’ To Have Hybrid Format Jan. 19-29


Montgomery History will hold its 16th Annual “Montgomery History Conference” in a hybrid format Jan. 19-29. Over 11 days, the conference will offer a myriad of opportunities to take part online and in-person. There will be three keynote sessions, 12 breakout sessions, a movie screening and a trivia night.

The 2022 History Conference, organized by Montgomery History in partnership with leading businesses, philanthropies, agencies and organizations, will bring history to life with exciting topics and fresh voices. The keynote presentations will cover the breadth of collective history.

This year’s conference will feature an exploration of Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery, the County's namesake, and a remembrance of Rachel Carson, who helped to launch the modern environmental movement, upon the 60th anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring.

On Friday night, Jan. 28, Steve Roberts will offer reflections on his late wife and journalist, Cokie, and her love of history and commitment to Montgomery County. The special in-person keynote event will be at the Montgomery College campus in Rockville.

The conference will end with a special showing of Finding Fellowship, an inspirational film by Jason Green that documents the healing power of community and reconciliation that took place in 1968 in Quince Orchard.

Breakout sessions will cover such topics as the Underground Railroad, archaeology, suburban growth in the 1980s, the history of the Potomac community, the Shady Grove Music Fair and rustic roads. A special session with Spanish translation will celebrate Montgomery College's 75th anniversary.

Registration for the conference starts at $25 and offers varying levels of access. Those levels include a $10 student access participation.

A full schedule, session descriptions and more information can be found on the Montgomery History website at https://montgomeryhistory.org/. Questions about the event can by sent to Matt Gagle at MGagle@MontgomeryHistory.org.

Virtual ‘Greenscapes Symposium’ to be Hosted by Montgomery Parks and Brookside Gardens on Feb. 18, with Early Bird Tickets Available Through Jan. 7


The 18th annual “Greenscapes Symposium” will be hosted virtually this year by Montgomery Parks and Brookside Gardens on Friday, Feb. 18. The day-long event will be held from 9:15 a.m.- 4 p.m. The symposium brings together experts in the field of landscape sustainability and the environment to provide timely information and solutions to environmental challenges.

This year’s theme is “Advancing the Natural Landscape in a Modern World—Solutions for Sites and Situations.”

Early bird tickets at special prices will be available online through Jan. 7 for $45.

The symposium will feature live online lectures about gardening for wildlife, leveraging native plants for specific environments and how to apply ecological principles for planting design.

The symposium will be hosted online on Zoom. To register, go to https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/greenscapes/.

Gardening for wildlife and designing landscapes that mimic nature are being embraced by homeowners and design professionals alike. But leveraging native plants for specific environments and design outcomes can often be challenging. Obstacles can range from tough site conditions to urban gardens with limited space for creating beneficial ecosystems. The symposium will address exciting and novel uses of plants, planting design and application of ecological principles to overcome these roadblocks and achieve high-impact, sustainable designs.

This year’s presenters include Kelly Norris, an author and plantsman; Janet Davis, owner of Hill House Farm and Nursery; Colston Burrell, lecturer, garden designer and award-winning author and photographer; and Nigel Dunnett, plantsman, designer and professor of planting design and urban horticulture in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield.

Continuing education credits are being offered for symposium attendees from various organizations. Details are available on the symposium webpage.