Message from the County Executive

 

Dear Friends,

This week, I unveiled my recommended FY24 operating budget. In lieu of our weekly video, I hope you watch our budget presentation as well as the questions from the media that followed. Developing a budget for our County with more than one million residents is complicated, and I believe this budget prioritizes quality education and maintains investments in our workforce, our residents, and our infrastructure, while also incorporating difficult choices.

As I deliberated the decisions that I had to make, I was committed to not abandoning our most vulnerable, not abandoning our children, and continuing the investments that are needed to provide opportunities, jobs, public safety, affordable housing, equity, and combat climate change.

There are a lot of important details in the budget that I encourage you to explore by following this link.

10-Cent Property Tax Increase Recommended for Education

In this year’s operating budget recommendations, I am requesting approval from the County Council for a ten-cent increase in property taxes to solely fund the Board of Education’s request of $3.2 billion - a record $296 million above the funding provided in FY23 and $264 million over the per-student maintenance of effort.

This was a difficult decision for me, but I strongly believe that we have to invest in our children, which means investing in our schools. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B9SjjElry0

We are clearly at an inflection point, and preservation of our schools, ensuring our ability to retain and recruit the best educators, and ensuring their progress in producing the kind of students that we expect our school system to produce are challenges that we cannot ignore. A failure to address these issues would lead to unwinding all our other efforts to make this County more economically competitive, attract jobs, and maintain a quality of life for current and future residents.

This increase in funding is also needed to improve student performance. COVID-19 has taken a tremendous toll on our students and their teachers; the needs to address the learning and the social and emotional loss are staggering. According to 2022 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program test results, only 31 percent of MCPS students scored proficient in math, and 53 percent scored proficient in English: our students need more teaching assistance.

Our spending on students (adjusted for inflation) has been declining for more than a decade. Adjusting the amounts for inflation, the per-student spending peaked around FY10 and has never fully recovered. As you can see in the graph below, although nominal per-student spending (the blue solid line) has been going up over the past few years, real spending -adjusted for inflation (the blue dotted line) - has been declining.



Montgomery County currently has the lowest commercial property tax and second lowest residential property tax in the National Capital region. https://ora-cfo.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/ocfo/publication/attachments/Tax%20Comparisons_June%202022.pdf

Of Maryland’s 24 counties, 13 currently have a higher property tax rate than Montgomery County, including all of our neighboring counties.



In terms of per-pupil spending, Montgomery County is currently fifth amongst the largest school systems in the state. If the proposed ten-cent tax increase is approved by Council, Montgomery County will become third highest in the state for per-pupil spending. (The blue dots are current spending, and the yellow dot is the proposed spending for the coming year.)



No one wants to pay more in taxes, let alone to be the one recommending them. But the choice here was clear for me. I did not want to sell our students or our future short by denying them the help they need now. This money is to keep our teacher salaries competitive, retain and recruit the best educators, and provide essential services for our schools.

Continuing Support for Community Needs

Our recommended budget recognizes the significant impact that the pandemic has had on County residents and the need for the County to continue to fund those vital services that our residents need to grow and thrive without Federal support.



I am pleased that we are able to provide $27.4 million in County funds to reshape the County’s Working Families Income Supplement to match a total of 70% of Federal EITC (when combined with State EITC). This is the largest amount provided by any local jurisdiction in the country and is an excellent program to help lower-income working Montgomery County families.

As federal funding for the response to the pandemic phases out, I did not want us to close down all the programs that are still needed throughout the County to deal with COVID-19 itself as well as resources for those still economically and emotionally struggling with the impacts from it.

We are providing an initial $6.2 million for funding of our Food Staples Program in FY24 to continue to directly provide food to individuals and families most at need and another $1.1 million to fund our new Office of Food Systems Resilience. I am recommending $5.8 million budgeted for future potential COVID-19 outbreak response (testing, vaccination administration, outbreak management, & COVID sheltering.) And we are providing significant funding increases for the African American Health Program ($800,000) Latino Health Initiative ($950,000), and Asian American Health Initiative ($775,000).

Record Funding for Affordable Housing & to Fight Climate Change

As I mentioned in my second inaugural address in December, two of our County’s biggest challenges are providing more affordable housing and getting serious about the existential threat that is climate change.

We are losing affordable units faster than we can replace them. Replacing them is not enough—we need more than we have now. We are building affordable units, and we are working with affordable housing providers to preserve others, but it simply is not enough.

My FY24 recommends $124 million to expand the preservation and production of affordable housing. This budget continues to provide record funding for services that address affordable housing and homelessness in our community.

Whether it is investments in sustainability, resilience, mass transit, building energy, solar, or EV’s; every dollar counts toward our Climate Action Plan goal of 80 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2027 and 100 percent by 2035. I am proposing record funding of $271.6 million total in both the operating and capital budgets to combat climate change. This includes $19.3 Million for the Montgomery County Green Bank – an increase of almost $700,000.

Public Safety Investments

Investing in the safety and security of our residents and communities is a top priority. Our approach to public safety investments is holistic and targeted to support our officers, fire fighters, and EMTs as well as the communities who count on their protection.

Last year, we increased the pay for police officers to be more competitive with our neighbors. This year, we are offering signing bonuses of $20,000 dollars to recruit new officers. We are also investing in recruitment efforts for our Department of Correction and Rehabilitation as well as providing improved mental health supports for both our first responders as well as for residents who experience traumatic events.

I am also recommending in this budget funding for development of a police survey platform to collect community feedback and advancement of the recommendations from the Effective Law Enforcement For All (ELE4A) report. And to help catch offenders and prosecute them for their crimes, I recommending $500,000 allocated to fund rebates for the purchasing of security cameras.

We are able to maintain and enhance these various services thanks to a combination of factors including the strength of our local economy, aid from the State and Federal governments, and our fiscally prudent revenue projections over the last two budget cycles.

Additionally, strong capital gains attributed to tax returns from calendar year 2021 have resulted in income taxes producing greater than forecasted year-end surplus, which has resulted in a reserve of 14 percent of revenues. This is well beyond our commitment to hold ten percent of revenues in reserve. With this recommended budget, the County would still end FY24 with $715 million in reserves, which is $86 million over the 10% reserve target.

I urge you to look over my proposed budget, which is now before the Council and for their review. You can review my FY24 budget here. Share it with your friends and let’s talk about why these changes are so important for Montgomery County’s future.

Business Tour to Highlight Women’s History Month



For Women’s History Month, the County has been recognizing outstanding leaders in our county government. We have used the County’s social media pages on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to honor women who are helping Montgomery County stand out as the biggest and best municipality in the state. Tuesday was also Equal Pay Day.

I want to acknowledge the work being done this month by the Commission for Women. They have also put a spotlight on significant women making state history and have been hosting educational forums throughout the month. The Commission also celebrated its inaugural Women’s History Month celebration this past week. The group’s advocacy on behalf of women and all County residents in Annapolis and in our community helps improve our quality of life.

Last weekend I was in Gaithersburg for a St. Patrick’s Day parade at the Rio and got to talk to Stacey Hammer (seen above) who is the co-owner of Locally Crafted, a business that allows local artists to showcase and sell their crafts and artwork. This weekend I will be visiting 3 businesses in Silver Spring owned by women to learn more about their entrepreneurial journeys, the challenges they face and how we could make it easier for them to do business in Montgomery County. We value your feedback too. Follow this link to send an email to me.

Bus Driver Appreciation



Saturday, March 18th marks Transit Driver Appreciation Day. The Montgomery County Department of Transportation is looking to reward some riders who help them celebrate their favorite bus drivers by giving them a video shout out.

To qualify just make a social media post that includes your bus driver’s name and the #transitdriverappreciation and tag @rideonmct and @MCDOTNow. The posts will be entered into a weekly raffle for a prize pack. Entries that mention a driver's name will also qualify the driver for entry in one of three raffles for a gift card.

Riders that do not use social media can email a thank you message to mcdot.social@montgomerycountymd.gov to be entered in the drawing. Entries may be publicly shared.

Our transit drivers are essential to the mobility, safety and economic vitality of thousands of Montgomery County families. These employees do an amazing job serving our communities and ensuring that Ride On services are available, dependable and equitable. I want to thank our operators for their professionalism and dedication to their craft and our County. We are grateful for their talents and appreciative of their commitment to exemplary service to Ride On customers.

Police Bonuses Prompts Applicant Boost for Montgomery County Police



Earlier this week Montgomery County Police Department Chief Marcus Jones relayed that the $20,000 bonuses being offered for new officers has sparked lots of interest in the next Cadet Program.

Before the announcement of the bonuses 1 to 4 applications the chief said MCPD was getting just 1 to 4 applications per day. Now those applications have grown ten-fold daily.

Around our region and nation, law enforcement agencies are facing workforce shortages. MCPD is having the same challenges with 129 vacant positions as of last month. The most recent class graduated 29 officers, 21 for MCPD. The class before that just 15 people became sworn officers, 11 for MCPD.

I am pleased that we continue raising pay for police officers, making us more competitive in the region. The $20,000 bonus puts us on par with other areas offering bonuses to police officers like Anne Arundel County. We will continue our work to attract and recruit more officers to MCPD, preferably from Montgomery County.

If you know anyone who would be interested in joining MCPD they’ll want to know about a “Recruitment Meet and Greet” for potential applicants happening Sunday, March 26 starting at 9 a.m. at the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy in Gaithersburg. You can start your application by following this link.

As always, my appreciation for all of you,



Marc Elrich
County Executive

County Executive Elrich Releases Recommended $6.8 Billion Fiscal Year 2024 Operating Budget That Includes 10-Cent Increase in Property Tax Rate Exclusively to Fully Fund MCPS Request

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich this week released his recommended Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Operating Budget of $6.8 billion, which is an increase of 7.7 percent from the FY23 approved all funds budget (County Government plus outside agencies). The recommended FY24 budget reflects record level and significant investments for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College, affordable housing, economic development, public safety and efforts to combat climate change.

To access the entire recommended FY24 budget, click here. 

The County Charter requires the County Executive to present a recommended budget by March 15 of each year. The recommended budget will be reviewed by the County Council over the next two months. The Council will adopt the new County budget in late May. The new budget will go into effect on July 1.

“While the Federal funding to assist residents who have been impacted by the pandemic has reached its end, the need for services and assist remain great,” said County Executive Elrich. “County expenditures are higher because we choose to continue funding programs that support residents who need help stabilizing their lives while also facing the realities of the highly competitive labor market and tremendous inflation. This budget is about choosing to maintain services and the social safety net that we created during the pandemic, while also providing record funding for education, affordable housing, combatting climate change and public safety.”

Due to the strength of the local economy and supplemented by aid received from the State and Federal governments, the County’s revenue streams have substantially outperformed the County’s fiscally prudent revenue projections for both FY22 and FY23. However, economic indicators are signaling that a mild recession could take place later this year.

Strong capital gains attributed to tax returns from calendar year 2021 have resulted in income taxes producing greater than forecasted year-end reserves, which has resulted in a reserve of 14 percent of revenues. This is well beyond the County’s commitment to hold 10 percent of revenues in reserve. The surplus in reserve funds gives the County an opportunity to make targeted investments that will help to maintain and enhance services in anticipation of a recession, while making reductions to select programs to reduce expenses.

As is well known, COVID-19 has taken a tremendous toll on students and their teachers. The needs to address the learning and the social and emotional loss are staggering. The recommended budget meets the request of the Board of Education—a request that is a record $296 million above the funding provided in FY23 and $264 million over maintenance of effort. The funding is needed to recruit and retain outstanding educators, teachers and other essential school staff, as well as to address the increase in special education enrollment. The increase also is needed to improve student performance.  According to the results of the 2022 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) test, only 31 percent of MCPS students scored proficient in math, and 53 percent scored proficient in English.

To meet these critical needs, County Executive Elrich is recommending a 10-cent increase in the County’s property tax rate. All of the revenue generated by that increase will be exclusively directed to MCPS. The increase is to correct an ongoing imbalance in per-student spending. Taking inflation into account, the total per-student appropriation peaked around FY10 and has never fully recovered. Adjusted for inflation, per pupil spending has gone down more than $3,000 in comparison to 2010. In the past couple years, although nominal per-student spending has been going up, real spending has been slightly declining.



Montgomery County currently has the lowest commercial property tax and second-lowest residential property tax in the National Capital region. Throughout the State of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions, there are 11 other jurisdictions with a higher property tax rate than Montgomery County. In terms of per-pupil spending, Montgomery County is currently fifth among the largest school systems in the State. If the proposed 10-cent tax increase is approved by Council by a majority vote, Montgomery County will become third-highest in the State for per-pupil spending.



Highlights of the FY24 Recommended Operating Budget

• Preserves vital services for County residents.
• Includes reserve balance of 11.4 percent, $86 million above the 10 percent reserve target.
• Fully funds the MCPS request at $3.2 billion and provides record funding increase of $223 million over last year’s budget.
• $264 million above State’s Maintenance of Effort requirement.
• Additional revenue to be raised with a proposed $0.10 property tax increase solely devoted to schools.
• Record funding for climate change and environmental initiatives.
• Additional investments in economic development and workforce training.
• Reestablishes funding for the Office of the Peoples Counsel.
• Provides additional support for the County’s community partners.
• Applies racial equity and climate change lenses that are reflected in decisions throughout the budget.
• Largest public outreach for budget with eight budget forums, including dedicated Spanish-language and Chinese-language forums.

Public Schools and Services for Children

“For decades, our schools have played a central role in what makes people want to live here and businesses to start, relocate, and grow here,” said County Executive Elrich. “Recommending a 10-cent increase on the property tax was not an easy decision. But we are clearly at an inflection point, and preservation of our schools, ensuring our ability to retain and recruit the best educators, and ensuring their progress in producing the kind of students that we expect our school system to produce are challenges that we cannot turn our backs on. A failure to address these issues would lead to unwinding all of our other efforts to make this County more economically competitive, attract jobs and maintain a quality of life for current and future residents.”

Highlights include:

• Largest budget ever for Montgomery County Public Schools if approved of $3.2 billion—$288.5 million increase from FY23.
• $264 million above the State’s Maintenance of Effort Requirement.
• Funds 99.8 percent of the Montgomery County Board of Education’s request.
• The increase in funding for FY 2024 is due, in part, to:
• Providing a high-quality education for a growing number of students enrolled in MCPS.
• Continuing recovery from learning loss due to the pandemic.
• New search-based innovative approaches to teaching and learning.
• Competitive salaries to retain and recruit staff.
• Rising costs of health benefits for school employees and retirees.
• Opening a new elementary school in the Clarksburg cluster.
• Increased costs of goods and services including diesel fuel for school buses and utilities for schools.
• $38.4 million for school health services in the Department of Health and Human Services.
• Includes funding to operate the new Linkages to Learning and school-based Health Center at Southlake Elementary School (including a new nursing position and school health room technician).
• $23.5 million available for the Early Care and Education Initiative.
• Increase of $570,000 to facilitate the expansion of the State’s Autism Waiver Program in the County and to meet increased demands for the program, which will be partially offset by additional State revenue.
• $550,000 for the Department of Recreation to operate two additional Excel Beyond the Bell sites at Harriet Tubman and Watkins Mills elementary schools.
• $450,000 increase to the TeenWorks program.
• $730,000 in funding for the Children’s Opportunity Alliance.

Support for Individuals and Families

“The Biden Administration has signaled that the Federal Public Health Emergency declaration related to the COVID-19 pandemic will end on May 11, 2023,” said County Executive Elrich. “This means there will be a loss of significant Federal funding designed to support individuals and families negatively impacted by the pandemic. While the emergency response phase of the pandemic may officially be over, the realities on the ground are hard to ignore. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a spotlight on many of the social and economic inequities in our community that we have faced for decades. In a County that has committed to being more equitable and inclusive, we cannot return to our pre-pandemic approach to addressing these inequities.”  

Highlights include:

• $7.4 million in County funds to reshape the County’s Working Families Income Supplement to match a total of 70 percent of Federal EITC (when combined with State EITC).
• Two percent increases to the County’s supplemental payment programs to service providers of developmentally disabled residents and adult medical day care providers
• $6.2 million for initial funding for Food Staples Program to directly provide food to individuals and families most at need.
• $5.8 million budgeted for future potential COVID-19 outbreak response (testing, vaccination administration, outbreak management and COVID sheltering).
• $2 million increase to Montgomery Cares reimbursement rates to begin to right-size the County’s share of the total cost of care.
• Significant funding increases for the African American Health Program ($800,000), Latino Health Initiative ($950,000) and Asian American Health Initiative ($775,000).
• $735,000 increase for the third year of the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program.
• $1.1 million to fund new Office of Food Systems Resilience.

Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change

“The climate emergency is an imminent and existential threat,” said County Executive Elrich. “We must do our part to address climate change and protect our environment. Whether it is investments in sustainability, resilience, mass transit, building energy, solar or EV’s, every dollar counts toward our Climate Action Plan goal of a 100 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. We must lead by example and show other local jurisdictions around our region, State and nation that they too can have a similar impact.”  

Highlights include:

• Record funding to address climate change—$271.6 million total in the operating and capital budgets.
• Record funding of $19.3 million for the Montgomery County Green Bank, an increase of almost $700,000.
• Additional funding for the Department of Environmental Protection to address climate change:
• $250,000 increase for climate grants.
• $250,000 increase for energy audits for buildings subject to BEPS.
• $250,000 increase for Community Choice Energy consultant support.
• $100,000 for Electric Vehicle Co-op Management Program.
• $750,000 increase from the Tree Canopy Fund to plant more shade trees.
• Enhancements to water quality programs: $370,000 in additional funding for illicit discharge detection and elimination to reduce pollution and $200,000 increase for Rainscapes grant program to increase the rate of tree plantings.
• Funding new positions to reduce pollutants in waterways, improve water quality and monitoring efforts.

Transportation and Transit

“As commuters have continued to return to the office following the pandemic, our traffic and congestion problems are returning to pre-pandemic levels,” said County Executive Elrich. “It is more important than ever that we continue to persuade motorists to opt for public transportation, continue to make progress on our pedestrian and bike infrastructure, as well as our Vision Zero safety efforts. These measures not only make our roads safer, but are also more sustainable for our environment and help us combat climate change.”

Highlights include:

• $61.7 million in the FY24 operating budget for Vision Zero traffic, bicyclist and pedestrian efforts.
• Maintains Ride On service at current levels pending recommendations of the “Ride On Reimagined” study.
• Adds more than $300,000 to replace aging Bethesda Circulator buses with electric buses.
• New fence atop Wayne Avenue Garage in Silver Spring to restrict access to rooftops of nearby buildings.
• Additional targeted investments to increase frequency of inspections for short span bridges.
• Reduced parking revenues have created budget pressures in parking district services to maintain service levels and condition of garages:
• Instituting Saturday enforcement.
• Reducing parking district transfer to the urban districts.

Affordable Housing

“Secure and affordable housing is a basic human right,” said County Executive Elrich. “This budget continues to provide record funding for services that address affordable housing and homelessness in our community. My FY24 recommended budget provides affordable housing and related services across the full continuum of housing in the County. We are losing affordable units faster than we can replace them. Replacing them is not enough—we need more than we have now. We are building affordable units and we are working with affordable housing providers to preserve others. But it simply is not enough.

“In 2000, Montgomery County had about 43,000 naturally occurring affordable housing units. By 2020, that number was down to about 22,000. The County is projected to lose another 10,000 in the next 10 years. The units did not just disappear; they simply became unaffordable. The budget provides the County and its partners the money to develop more affordable housing for more residents.”

Highlights include:

• Allocates approximately $124 million to expand the preservation and production of affordable housing.
• $57.7 million for the Montgomery Housing Initiative operating budget.
• $32.0 million for the Affordable Housing Acquisition and Preservation project.
• $4.1 million in Federal grants.
• $30.2 million for the Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) Capital Project.
• Nearly $35 million in rental assistance funding.
• $18.6 million in the Department of Health and Human Services.
• $16.3 million in the Montgomery Housing Initiative Fund.
• $3 million to continue providing overflow sheltering in hotels.

Public Safety

“Investing in the safety and security of our residents and communities is a top priority,” said County Executive Elrich. “Our approach to public safety investments is holistic and targeted to support our officers, fire fighters and EMTs, as well as the communities who count on their protection. Last year, we increased the pay for police officers to be more competitive with our neighbors. This year, we are offering signing bonuses to better attract new officers. We are also investing in recruitment efforts for our Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, as well as providing improved mental health supports for our first responders and for residents who experience traumatic events.”

Highlights include:

• Police Department
• $20,000 hiring bonuses for new officers.
• Launching the “Drone as a First Responder” pilot program.
• Development of a police survey platform to collect community feedback.
• Advances recommendations from the Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELE4A) report.
• Creates a civilian curriculum developer to invest in education and training.
• Adds public safety instructors to improve officer firearm training.
• $500,000 to fund rebates for the purchasing of security cameras.
• Correction and Rehabilitation
• Funding to reopen Pre-Release and Reentry Services Center.
• Additional mental health support for DOCR personnel.
• Addresses structural budget deficits for food and pharmacy services due to inflationary pressures.
• Additional targeted funds to enhance recruitment efforts.
• Fire and Rescue Service
• Leverages funds from the State's Emergency Service transporter supplemental payment program (ESPP) to:
• Add human resources and procurement support.
• Adds support to expedite misconduct investigations to reduce unnecessary overtime.
• Adds fleet and technology support to keep apparatus in good repair and support technology that keeps first responders safe.
• Creates civilian diversity equity and inclusion officer.
• Adds community action coordinator and community risk reduction specialists to deliver targeted prevention and education services and address community needs in the aftermath of a traumatic event.
• Adds mental health and critical incident stress management support.
• Creates team in Department of General Services to oversee maintenance of volunteer-owned fire stations using state ESPP funding.

Libraries and Recreation

“Our libraries and recreation department are important epicenters in our communities for residents to gather, learn, and attend events,” said County Executive Elrich. “I am very appreciative of the work of the employees from both departments for their compassion, engagement and ability to improvise during the pandemic. As interest is renewed in libraries and recreation services, we are providing important investments and popular programs such as our “Free in 23” initiative that provides free recreation fitness passes.”  

 Highlights include:

• Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL)
• $825,000 so MCPL can fill additional librarian positions to improve customer service.
• $100,000 to increase world languages collection (Spanish and Chinese).
• Funding for security enhancements.
• Recreation
• Continues “Free in 23” initiative that provides free recreation fitness passes to individuals.

Economic Development

“The No. 1 factor for businesses today is finding talented and skilled workers,” said County Executive Elrich. “Our economic competitiveness throughout this region and, quite frankly, throughout the world, depends on our ability to provide our residents every opportunity to be well educated and thoroughly trained to earn a well-paying job. Our investments in Montgomery College, as well as our new partnerships with the University of Maryland in North Bethesda and the Universities of Shady Grove, are demonstrating to businesses that we committed to their needs. Furthermore, our economic development efforts are equitable. We recently launched the new Business Center to focus on small and minority businesses while we are focused on progressing development opportunities throughout the County, and specifically, in communities that have been long neglected.”

Highlights include:

• Fully funds Montgomery College’s budget request, including funding for the new East County campus.
• $5 million for the UM-Institute for Health Computing project at the North Bethesda Metro Station.
• $6.4 million for the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation.
• $4 million for the Economic Development Fund.
• $2.2 million for WorkSource Montgomery.
• Two additional business liaison positions to proactively assist and engage small businesses throughout the County.
• Funding to support a marketing plan and business development efforts for the White Oak Science Gateway.

Community Partners

“The success of our government is strong because of the partnerships we have with our community nonprofits and advocacy organizations,” said County Executive Elrich. “Last year, we launched our Office of Grants Management, provided needed support for abortion providers following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and support safety efforts for our nonprofit and faith communities through our security grant program. We look forward to continuing these supports in FY24 and expanding our relationships with community partners.”

Highlights include:

• Expands Office of Grants Management by adding two staffers.
• 3 percent inflationary adjustment for nonprofit service provider contracts across County government.
• 28 programs previously funded through community grants non-departmental account budget moved to base budgets of departments ($1.7 million).
• Reforms community grants process based on community and provider input.
• Establishes multiple rounds of funding for community grants programs that will be awarded throughout the year.
• Provides opportunity for new programs and partners as well as for traditional partners and programs.
• Provides bridge funding for nonprofits currently funded in community grants budget.
• $2 million for capital cost sharing community grants.

Effective and Sustainable Government

“My recommended operating budget makes significant investments in one of our greatest assets—our employees,” said County Executive Elrich. “The collective bargaining agreements reached with our employee unions are necessary not only to keep up with inflation, but also to maintain competitiveness in the labor market. These agreements will enable Montgomery County to continue to retain and attract the high-quality individuals that provide critical services to our residents.”

Highlights include:

• $1.6 million increase for Board of Elections for election support.
• $250,000 million for the recommendation for the Public Elections Fund.
• Additional critical support for the Office of Human Resources targeted to recruitment and retention efforts, leadership training and updating the County’s outdated classification system, decreasing human resources transaction time.
• Recognizes the reality of a higher-than-normal vacancy rate by targeting reductions to departments with a relatively high number of long-term vacant positions.
• OHR, OMB and OLR will work to evaluate the continuing need for those vacant positions.
• Significant enhancements to the County’s technological infrastructure, including funding to revamp the County’s websites.
• Recognizes structural funding issues of the Cable Fund by reallocating or reducing expenditures.

Other Enhancements

“I am pleased that we are able to recommend budget increases to both M-NCPPC and WSSC, as well as provide payment to our municipalities following last year’s correction of tax duplication payments that occurred for far too many years,” said County Executive Elrich. “Additionally, transparency, oversight and consumer protections are critical to both our government and our residents. In this budget, I am recommending additional staff to the Office of Inspector General and funding for the restoration of the legislative branch’s Office of People’s Counsel.”

Highlights include:

• Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission: total budget increase of $8.9 million.
• WSSC Water: 7.0 percent rate increase per the Council’s Spending Affordability Guidelines.
• Payments to municipalities budget increases by $1.6 million to implement the second year of the three-year negotiated plan to increase tax duplication payments and fund speed camera payments.
• Fully funds request of the County Council and adds two additional staffers to the Office of Inspector General to support investigations.
• Adds funding to restore the Office of the People’s Counsel in the legislative branch.

Wheaton Will Be Scene of a ‘Shamrockin’ Good Time’ for St. Patrick’s Weekend March 17-18

Downtown Wheaton will be a “Shamrockin’ Good Time’ as it stretches St. Patrick’s Day to a two-day celebration on Friday-Saturday, March 17-18.

The celebration will include an “all-day” event on Friday, March 17, at the Limerick Pub, located at 11301 Elkin St. in Wheaton. On Saturday, March 18, there will be free St. Patrick’s activities from noon-4 p.m. at Marian Fryer Town Plaza, located at 2424 Reedie Dr., presented by the Wheaton Urban District and Montgomery County Recreation.

Each event will include performances by the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance and Brendan Pelan.

The March 17 event at the Limerick Pub will include food, music and dancing. More information about the events at The Pub can be found at https://www.thelimerickpub.net/.

The March 18 event will include music, food, arts and crafts, face painting, balloon art and games. Food will be provided at the March 18 event (while supplies last). The Limerick Pub will provide free food samples and Green Plate Catering will be distributing shamrock sugar cookies for cookie decorating.

More information is available about the Downtown Wheaton celebration can be found at https://www.wheatonmd.org/.

Local Authors Kaitlyn Jain and Amy Chan Zhou to Present ‘Writing and Publishing a Memoir’ Free Program at Olney Library on Sunday, March 26

Olney Writer’s Group authors and members Kaitlyn Jain and Amy Chan Zhou will present a free program open to all residents on “Writing and Publishing a Memoir” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, at the Olney branch of Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL). Each recently published their memoirs and will have advice and tips for anyone who has been considering writing a memoir of their own.

The Olney Library is located at 3500 Olney-Laytonsville Rd. in Olney. Advance registration is not required to attend, but seating is limited.

Ms. Jain and Ms. Zhou will describe the genesis of their writing projects, how they stayed motivated, their participation in and support from the Writer’s Group and the steps taken to successfully publish their works. A question-and-answer session will be part of the workshop. Light refreshments will follow.

Ms. Jain is the author of Passports and Pacifiers: Traveling the World, One Tantrum at a Time (2021), which was published by Boston BELS Publishing. Ms. Zhou wrote Flowing with the Pearl River (2022), which was published by Santa Monica Press. Both memoirs can be found on Olney Library’s local author shelf and in MCPL’s catalog.

For the past nine years, the Olney Writer’s Group has been based at the Olney Library. It involves local writers representing a wide range of genres.

“According to the branch supervisor at Olney Library, there is great interest in preserving family stories and histories in the Olney community,” said MCPL Director Anita Vassallo. “We are thrilled to host members of the Olney Writer’s Group who recently accomplished this goal and can share their experiences with others.”

To learn more about the upcoming workshop, visit Writing & Publishing a Memoir - In-person - Montgomery County Public Libraries (libnet.info).

The program is supported by the Friends of the Library, Montgomery County.

Free Design Consultations Offered by Department of Permitting Services

Spring and summer are some of the busiest months of the year at Montgomery County’s Department of Permitting Services (DPS) as many homeowners apply for permits and schedule inspections for their home renovations and other projects. The department generally issues and processes about 40,000 permits each year, and DPS is eager to help ensure that your project is a success.

If planning to renovate a bathroom, remodel a kitchen, finish a basement, add a deck, install a fence, build a swimming pool or some other construction project, you should know that DPS offers free design consultations for residential (and commercial) projects.

A one-hour online appointment provides the opportunity to discuss a construction project with code officials before the project’s final construction documents are submitted. The meetings will provide information you need to know about the process so that you can plan accordingly. Customers are encouraged to include their design professionals (architect, contractor, designer, etc.) at the meetings.

The appointments are popular and tend to book up quickly so schedule your design consultation as soon as you are ready to start planning.

A permit is not necessary for painting, wallpapering, replacing a faucet, installing countertops, installing hardwood floors, tile or carpet as long as no structural changes are involved. If the construction project includes both alteration and addition to a structure, an application must be submitted for an add/alter permit.

For more information and additional homeowner resources, visit the DPS website at montgomerycountymd.gov/dps/.

For more information, call 311 or visit the DPS offices on the seventh floor at 2425 Reedie Dr. in Wheaton from 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

2023 ‘Women Making History Award’ Winners Honored by Montgomery Commission for Women and Montgomery Women

The Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women this week honored 32 women who were selected for the 2023 “Women Making History Awards.” The winners were recognized at ceremonies at the Silver Spring Civic Building.

The awards are given in recognition of outstanding women in Montgomery County who are making significant contributions to their vocations and to the community.

Recipients and their accomplishments will be featured each day in March on the social media platforms of the Montgomery County Commission for Women and Montgomery Women.

This year’s recipients:

• Shrusti Amula
• Gabriela Argoti-Fernandez
• Shairee Arora
• Mary Dolan Canapary
• Mandy David
• Renu Virmani Finn
• Carmen Frazier
• Mary Gies
• Ella Mae Gray
• Larissa Johnson
• Alison Jovanovic
• Eileen King
• Karen J. Lee
• Susan C. Lee
• Althea Lloyd-White
• Jane Lyons-Raeder
• Effie Macklin
• Melissa McKenna
• Aruna Miller
• Supriya Mordecai
• Chelsea Moyer
• Natasha Nazareth
• Reshma Rathod
• Lynn Rose
• Nazish M. Salahuddin
• Andrena Sawyer
• Sharon Settlemeyer
• Evelyn Shukat
• Jeni Stepanek
• Angela Talley
• Christina Thomas
• Lumina Zhang

Nominations were submitted by peers based on criteria such as unselfish leadership, hard work in their field, exceptional leadership in civic activities, developing or supporting programs resulting in positive social action and inspiring others. Nominees had to either reside or work in Montgomery County.

For more information about the sponsoring organizations, visit the Montgomery County Commission for Women website at https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cfw/ or the Montgomery Women website at http://www.montgomerywomen.org/.

Residents Asked to Participate in Survey on How to Expand and Improve Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure and Will Offer Webinars on April 13-14

Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is asking residents to participate in a survey on how the County could expand and improve charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs). As part of the initiative, DEP will hold webinars on Thursday, April 13, and Friday, April 14, to share details about the planning process and collect more input.

Beginning in 2023, significant funding will be available from Maryland and the Federal government for local governments and private property owners to install EV charging. To take advantage of this opportunity and accelerate the transition to EV ownership, DEP is developing a plan to expand the availability of EV charging throughout the community.

The survey, which will be open through May 15, is available at Montgomery County Community EV Charging Survey (surveymonkey.com).

To join the April 13 webinar, which will start at 7 p.m., go to Meeting Registration - Zoom. To join the April 14 webinar, which will start at noon, go to Meeting Registration - Zoom.

DEP also has created the Charge Montgomery Story Map interactive tool to explore where EV charging is currently located, where EVs are registered and the factors that will drive new charging infrastructure.

“The County’s Climate Action Plan has a goal to transition to 100 percent zero emissions by 2035 and having residents, government operations and businesses transition to EVs is an important part of the plan,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “An important part of having people move to EVs is having charging station access. We are working to create opportunities to build charging stations, but we need to know how residents think we can help. Completing this survey will help in determining the decisions that will be made as we move forward.”

EVs charged in Montgomery County on Pepco’s electric grid reduce emissions by 70-75 percent, demonstrating that switching to an EV is one of the biggest ways to reduce the County’s carbon footprint.

The market for electric vehicles is growing rapidly, with plug-in vehicles making up more than 12 percent of newly registered vehicles in 2022. There are currently about 600 EV charging plugs in the County, including 100 “Fast Charging” plugs. However, more charging infrastructure is needed to meet the current demand and allow more residents to feel confident making the transition to electric vehicles. To overcome “range anxiety”—a fear of running out of battery—drivers need to know that they can easily charge their vehicle nearby to where they live, work and visit regularly.

Many new EV charging stations installed by the private sector will be located based on existing EV ownership patterns. However, the County’s Climate Action Plan aims to ensure that EV charging is distributed equitably across the County. This means proactively finding sites in the County’s Equity Focus Areas.

For more information on DEP’s actions in the move to EVs, go to https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/green/zev/index.html.

Holly Jamesen Carr of U.S. Department of Energy and Inside Climate News Journalist Aman Azhar Will Speak at 2023 Montgomery County Energy Summit on March 28-29

Holly Jamesen Carr, director of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, DOE Building Technologies Office, and journalist Aman Azhar of Inside Climate News and will be among the speakers at the 10th Annual Montgomery County Energy Summit on Tuesday, March 28, and Wednesday, March 29 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The summit will focus on preparing the commercial building community for compliance with energy benchmarking, building energy performance standards and emerging building codes.

The Silver Spring Civic Building is located at 1 Veterans Plaza in Downtown Silver Spring.

Online registration for the summit is open through the morning of Friday, March 24. Advance registration is strongly recommended. Limited day-of tickets will be available at the event. To review the full agenda and register for the Energy Summit, visit MCEnergySummit.org.

Montgomery County Chief Administrative Officer Richard Madaleno also will speak at the summit, which will explore requirements and opportunities in areas of commercial building compliance. The event also will provide hands-on learning opportunities and case studies from commercial and multifamily buildings. There will be building audit demonstrations, education sessions, hands-on Q&A and technical assistance, an “Innovation Alley” showcasing products and services and a networking reception.

“Montgomery County’s strategic plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2027 and 100 percent by 2035 will take real action by all of us—government, business, nonprofits and individuals,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The Energy Summit, now in its 10th year, is an excellent example of how we are successfully bringing the public and private sectors together to develop a path forward to increase building energy performance boost economic opportunities, create jobs in Montgomery County and meet our ambitious climate action goals.”

On March 28, Adriana Hochberg, acting director of the County Department of Environmental Protection, will deliver opening remarks, followed by John Hattery, deputy director of Workforce Services for WorkSource Montgomery.

On March 29, the summit’s lineup of morning plenary speakers will include:

• Richard Madaleno, Montgomery County chief administrative officer
• Vicky Wan, acting deputy director, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection
• John Hattery, deputy director of Workforce Services for WorkSource Montgomery

Following the March 29 morning plenary speakers, Energy Summit attendees will enjoy a keynote panel discussion on unpacking the local and regional landscape of building energy and climate policies. The panelists will include:

• Mark Stewart, climate change program manager, Maryland Department of the Environment
• Rabbiah Sabbakhan, director, Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services
• Stan Edwards, chief, Energy Climate Compliance Division, Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection

The moderator of the panel discussion will be Cliff Majersik, senior advisor of policy and programs for the Institute for Market Transformation.

The event will conclude with a panel that will tie the themes and educational content of the summit and address the current and future incentives and programs to help building owners with improving building energy performance and reducing emissions. The members of that panel will include:

• Holly Jamesen Carr, director of the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, DOE Building Technologies Office
• Tom Deyo, CEO, Montgomery County Green Bank
• Pepco representative, to be determined

The moderator of that panel will be Aman Azhar, a reporter for Inside Climate News.

The summit also will have an in-person Innovation Alley featuring energy-related products and services. This year, exhibitors will be displaying innovative products and services available to the commercial and multifamily business sector that will aid in building energy efficiency, renewable energy, electrification, building decarbonization, healthy buildings and zero-emission vehicles.

Montgomery Parks to Hold Special Events in March for All Ages and Interests

Montgomery Parks is hosting a busy lineup of special events and programs in March, including a variety of hikes and birdwatching.

March events in Montgomery Parks will include:

• Introduction to Landscape Design: Session II. Saturday, March 25. 10 a.m.-noon. Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Learn the fundamentals of landscape design to create functional, enjoyable and beautiful outdoor spaces. Each session will focus on different concepts. Class is offered virtually as a live, online webinar though the Zoom platform with audience Q & A. After registering, a link will be emailed 24 hours prior to the live webinar. A recording of the lecture will be sent to registrants to access online for up to 30 days. Registration required. Ages 18 and older. $12 (per session).
• Cuentos y Caminos. Saturday, March 18. 2-3 p.m. Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville. Enjoy a Spanish-language story and then discover the park through activities that bring the story to life. The program is in Spanish. All ages. Registration required. Free.
• Hiking Trip to North Point State Park. Tuesday, March 21. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds. Bring in the Spring solstice with a hike at North Point State Park on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $40.
• Chirp and Herp Hike. Friday, March 24. 9-11 a.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds. Amphibians are waking up and seeking mates while the first spring birds are making their way to the area. Hike the trails of the Rachel Carson Conservation Park. Ages 18 and older. Registration required. $12.
• Pysanka Egg Dyeing Class. Friday, March 31. 11 a.m.-noon. Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville. Learn the art of Pysanky, the meanings and powers of pysanky symbols in Slavic culture and create your own pysanka egg. Ages 14 and older. Registration required. $10.
• Spring Fire Night. Friday, March 31. 6-8 p.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Night campfire with campfire snacks, friends, neighbors and a park naturalist. Ages 6 and older. Registration required. $7.

Montgomery Parks is a co-sponsor of the following event:

• Kites over Clarksburg. Saturday, March 25. Ovid Hazen Wells Recreational Park

For more information on spring events, visit Montgomery Parks Program Guide. Go to the Montgomery Parks event calendar to view a complete list of special events and programming and to learn how to sign up using ActiveMontgomery.

Submissions Being Accepted from High School Students for ‘Heads Up, Phones Down’ Teen Video Contest Through March 31

Montgomery County teens have an opportunity to win some great prizes by producing peer videos promoting the importance of focusing on their surroundings, instead of their phones, while driving and walking. The County Department of Transportation’s “Heads Up, Phones Down” high school video contest will be accepting entries of 30-second Public Service Announcements (PSAs) through March 31.

County public and private high school students are eligible to submit contest videos. Entries can be submitted individually or from a group of up to four students. Videos can be submitted in English or Spanish.

“As a former teacher, I know that peer-to-peer messaging is influential and resonates with other teens,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “It’s important for our young people to help each other make good decisions and habits regarding vehicle and pedestrian safety. These messages and efforts can help eliminate distracted driving and support our County Vision Zero goals.”

Submissions will be grouped by individual projects and group projects. Individual entries can win an Apple Mac Book Air, an Apple Watch or tripod. Winning group submissions will split an $800 grand prize, $400 second prize and $200 third prize, with a Visa gift card for each member.

Students can submit their entries on the online entry form here. Students may also qualify for up to five Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for successfully completing an entry.

“We know that, nationally, young drivers, ages 15-19, have the highest number of fatal crashes due to distracted driving,” said County Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin. “With 95 percent of teenagers having access to a smartphone, we hope this contest will serve as a reminder of the importance of avoiding distracted driving.”

Winning contestants will be visited by MCDOT staff and will have their videos posted on MCDOT’s Safe Routes to School website on Friday, April 14.

Visit the contest website for more information at montgomerycountymd.gov/HUPD.

Send contest-related questions to pedestrian.safety@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Design Development Concept for Future Lyttonsville Neighborhood Park to be Presented at Meeting on Thursday, March 30

A community meeting to discuss the new neighborhood park coming to Lyttonsville in Silver Spring will be held by Montgomery Parks at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 30, at the Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center in Silver Spring. The park design is the result of dialogue between planners and the Lyttonsville community during two previous meetings.

Gwendolyn E. Coffield Community Recreation Center is located at 2450 Lyttonsville Rd. in Silver Spring.

The meeting also can be viewed online via Zoom. The link will be MoCoParks.org/LCM. The phone number will be 301-715-8592. The Webinar ID is 876 4684 3272.

The new park will create a neighborhood green, and a rest stop along the Capital Crescent Trail. The park concepts were developed based on the preferred program priorities and feedback from the community.

At the meeting on March 30, the design development plan, which includes a bridge memorial and refinements from the prior concepts, will be presented.

Lyttonsville is a historic community, founded in the 1850s by a free African American laborer Samuel Lytton. The one-lane Talbot Bridge crossed the CSX railroad tracks, linking the community with the rest of Silver Spring. The 100-year-old bridge was demolished in 2019. The bridge girders will be incorporated into the new park to commemorate the history and culture of Greater Lyttonsville.

Camps and Special Activities Will Be Offered by Montgomery Parks During Montgomery County Public Schools’ Spring Break

A week of fun camps and activities for the first week of April, coinciding with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) spring break, will be held by Montgomery Parks.

Spring break camps and activities will include:

• Spring Break Tennis Days. April 3-7. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wheaton Indoor Tennis Center, 11715 Orebaugh Ave, Wheaton. Join this immersive tennis experience for a day or the full week. Players of all levels are welcome and will be grouped by age and ability. Registration required. Fee: $57 per day.
• Spring Break Tennis Days, April 3-7. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.| Pauline Betz Addie Tennis Center, 7801 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. Join this immersive tennis experience for a day or the full week. Players of all levels are welcome and will be grouped by age and ability. Registration required. Fee: $61 per day.
• Spring Break Skating Clinics at Wheaton Ice Arena. April 3-7. 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wheaton Ice Arena, 11717 Orebaugh Ave, Wheaton. Skaters will be grouped by level for a daily skating lesson. They will also receive an introduction to dryland training focusing on balance and flexibility. Ages 5-14. Registration required. Fee: $55-$60 per day.
• Staycation at Little Bennet Regional Park and Campground. March 31-April 10. Enjoy a staycation at Little Bennett Campground in Clarksburg. There will be daily activities for families staying at the campground during spring break. Campsite reservations can be made at the Little Bennett Campground website.
• Spring Eye Spy Trains. April 3-7 and every Saturday and Sunday in April. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Cabin John Regional Park, 7400 Tuckerman Ln, Bethesda and Wheaton Regional Park, 2000 Shorefield Rd, Silver Spring. Get your “Eye Spy” card and spot nature themed items along the tracks as you ride the train in this fun family activity. Tickets available on ActiveMontgomery. Fee: $5 per person. Children under 2 ride free with adult.
• Turtle Talk. Saturday, April 1. 3-3:30 p.m.| Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Eastern Box turtles love to soak up the springtime sun. Visit the outdoor turtle enclosure and learn about the history and conservation of these iconic reptiles. Event will be cancelled if it rains. Free, but all attendees must register.
• Herp Hunt at Rachel Carson. Tuesday, April 4. 3:30-5 p.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20930 Lake Ridge Dr., Boyds. Spring is one of the best times to see reptiles and amphibians in nature. Trek through Black Hill Regional Park to search for tadpoles, frogs, salamanders and snakes. Registration required. Fee: $7.
• Nature Hike and Seek. Wednesday, April 5. 10:30-11:30 a.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton. Preschoolers and their adults will work on important developmental skills as a group. They will collect, count and sort different natural materials (pre-math), recognize shapes and patterns in nature (art) and develop social skills like sharing and cooperation. Register each child, an adult must accompany them. Fee: $7.
• Nature’s Eggs. Wednesday, April 5. 2-3 p.m. Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Ln, Rockville. At the event, participants will dye eggs with natural materials. Use flowers, ferns, and leaves to make gorgeous prints on your spring eggs. Registration required. Fee: $7
• Wild Forest Time. Wednesday, April 5. 2-3:30 p.m. Black Hill Visitor Center, 20930 Lake Ridge Drive Boyds. Program lets you explore nature in your own way. Drop in at the campfire circle area any time during the program to join the fun. Registration required. Free.
• Spring Break for History at Josiah Henson Special Park. April 5-6. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Josiah Henson Special Park, 1410 Old Georgetown Rd, North Bethesda. School is out but the learning continues with this interactive history lesson at Josiah Henson Museum and Park. The museum will be open special hours for self-guided tours and hands-on activities for families. Admission is $4 for children and seniors, $5 for adults. Tickets available onsite.
• MCPS No School Day: Naturalist for a Day. Thursday, April 6. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Ln, Rockville. Become a naturalist for the day and prepare to get dirty. Try out various gear used by explorers of the outdoors, such as scooping the pond with nets, hiking the trails with binoculars and preparing food for the animal ambassadors. Registration required. Fee: $30.
• Animals from Eggs Hunt. Thursday, April 6. 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-noon. Maydale Nature Classroom, 1638 Maydale Drive, Colesville. A naturalist teaches what animals hatch from eggs, then leads a hike to the meadow, pond and forest in search of plastic eggs filled with baby animal toys to take home. Registration required. Fee: $6.
• Spring Break for History at Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park. April 6-8. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 16501 Norwood Road Sandy Spring. Learn about Montgomery County’s agricultural past and the area’s role in the Underground Railroad at the Woodlawn Museum. Admission: $5 adults, $4 seniors and children 5-and-over. Free for children under 5. Tickets sold at Visitor’s Center.
• Spring Break for History Underground Railroad Guided Hike. April 7-8. 10-11:30 a.m. Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park, 16501 Norwood Road Sandy Spring. Join a two-mile roundtrip on the Underground Railroad Experience Trail. Learn the methods freedom-seekers used for navigation, eluding detection and finding food and shelter on their perilous journey. Tickets must be purchased by noon the day before the hike on ActiveMontgomery. Limited day-of tickets sold at the Visitor Center. Appropriate for ages 7 and up. Admission: $8.
• Community Science. April 7-30. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Locust Grove Nature Center, 7777 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda. Sharpen your observation skills and get to know your animal neighbors. There is a hidden world of activity in our urban landscape for you to discover. Contribute to a few important community science projects. Sign up for email with complete schedule of activities (Not required). Free.
• Full Moon Fridays. Friday, April 7. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Locust Grove Nature Center, 7777 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda. Join the magic of the full moon for a hike and campfire. Feel free to bring your own hot dogs or food to warm over the fire. Marshmallows provided. Register and pay for adults and children. $8 per person.
• Park in the Dark. Friday, April 7. 7:30-8:30 p.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Avenue, Wheaton. Who is active in Wheaton Regional Park once the sun sets? Find out on this evening hike. Hike will explore the park in the dark on a gentle hike best for ages 6-and-over. Adults and children must register. Fee: $7.
• Celebrating African Rhythms through Dance and Song at Oakley Cabin. Saturday, April 8. Noon-4 p.m. Oakley Cabin African American Museum and Park, 3610 Brookeville Rd, Olney. Oakley Cabin opens for the season with a free dance workshop. Explore rhythms from the African diaspora in West Africa, the Caribbean Islands, Europe, and North and South America. Parking at Mt. Zion Local Park, 5130 Brookeville Road, Brookville. Free shuttle provided throughout the afternoon. Event is free.
• Hummingbirds 101. Saturday, April 8. 1-2 p.m. Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville. Learn about what hummingbirds are looking for in their habitats. Then create some easy, cost-effective DIY hummingbird feeders and nectar. Ages 8 and up. Registration required. Fee: $7
• Turtle Talk. Saturday, April 8. 3-3:30 p.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Eastern Box turtles love to soak up the springtime sun. Visit the outdoor turtle enclosure and learn all about the history and conservation of these iconic reptiles. Event will be canceled if it rains. Free, but registration is required.
• Turtle Escapades. Saturday, April 8. 2-4 p.m. Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. Explore the grounds of Brookside Nature Center on this self-guided hike and scavenger hunt. A missing turtle has left clues, and if you follow them, you will surely help bring him back home. This activity should take under an hour. Adults and children must register. $5.