Dear Friends:
This was a difficult week for many of us, and I think we will be analyzing and discussing it for some time. As we look forward, we also will reflect.
When we look back on the Biden-Harris Administration, I believe it will be seen as one of the most productive and successful for working American families in nearly a century. To name just a few accomplishments: substantial funding for infrastructure, which is crucial to keeping an economy thriving; incentives and funding for green initiatives, which are desperately needed to combat climate change and its effects; support for important social programs for our residents and reducing the number of uninsured to an historic low.
We now face tremendous uncertainty for our economy, for many immigrants and for Federal employees, among others. The Federal government provides important funding for education, infrastructure, and healthcare. The County has many projects that anticipated Federal funding, and while we are planning to go forward, we recognize we may have to make changes in our budget depending on what the incoming President and Congress do. While we do not know how our County revenues will be impacted, we are now working to plan for the contingencies.
And while many are uncertain and worried, I hope you will remember the advice from civil rights hero, the late, great Congressman John Lewis who said: “Don’t give up. Don’t give out. Don’t give in. Don’t get lost in a sea of despair.”
This election does not change who we are and what we value as a County. We come together and work against hate and those who promulgate it. And at the same time, we appreciate, celebrate and honor our tremendous diversity. We look out for each other. We cannot and will not allow that to change.
I also want to mention the successful election in Montgomery County. Hundreds of election workers and volunteers from both parties worked together to ensure everyone who was eligible to vote and wanted to vote, got to vote. Also, Angela Alsobrooks will be our new U.S. Senator. Angela and Delaware's Lisa Blunt Rochester became only the third and fourth Black women ever elected to the U.S. Senate. The results for the hotly contested Maryland 6th Congressional District, which includes parts of Montgomery County, are still being counted. You can keep up with election results at 2024 Election Results.
Voters in Montgomery County and in Maryland also overwhelmingly supported protections in our State constitution for women's reproductive rights. Our State and County will continue to be a safe place for women’s health and reproductive freedom. The surprisingly good news is that protections for reproductive freedom passed in 7 states, including red states. In Florida, where a reproductive freedom measure failed, it still got 57 percent support from voters. It only failed because that state required a 60 percent threshold to pass it.
Locally, voters supported reducing term limits for County Executive from three to two terms, which means that I cannot run for a third term. While the outcome was not surprising, it was disappointing. Many people have been asking my thoughts about this outcome. It was led by the person and the party who could not beat me one-on-one and by certain developers who keep trying but could not beat me one on one. They faced an election in two years. The best strategy was to team up and try to use term limits to knock me out. They did not tell people that a Montgomery County Executive already was limited to three consecutive terms, the same as Councilmembers. They are smart enough to lie and misrepresent the truth. I heard their pitch when I listened to them ask people to sign the petition, and it continued through the election. That said, the outcome will not change my commitment to moving this County forward.
Election security and integrity were top concerns this year, which prompted the County to staff the Emergency Operations Center all day Tuesday. No direct threats were reported ahead of Election Day, yet we came together ready to respond to issues that could have impacted the public’s ability to vote.
Unlike four years ago, Democrats and those not pleased with the results understand how to accept a loss without claiming it was cheated or stolen. There will be a peaceful transfer of power this time. It is sad that we did not get that impression from the other side because, throughout the election cycle, they talked about ways to reverse the vote.
We expect that there will be plenty of grief and stress around the results of the election. During my weekly media briefing, our County’s Chief Health Officer, Dr. Kisha Davis, shared some tips on dealing with that negative energy. You can watch that here. Dr. Davis encourages those feeling stress to step away from the public discourse, check in with loved ones and put energy into a hobby. She noted that since some things are out of your control, you should focus your energy on things you can control. Here is another source in Psychology Today for managing election anxiety. It was written before the election, but it has some helpful tips.
The most important thing we want everyone to know is that it is okay to reach out for help. The County's 24/7 Crisis Center phone number is 240-777-4000. There is a national help number, simply by dialing 988.
State Open Air Burn Ban in Effect
The remnants of Hurricane Helene gave us our last significant rain on Oct. 2. On Wednesday, the region hit 35 days without rain, surpassing the previous record of 34 days set in 2007.
This unusually dry weather has prompted the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to encourage water conservation. This region's main water source is the Potomac River. Last week’s low water levels prompted the Interstate Commission of the Potomac River Basin to monitor the river daily and determine if further action is needed.
Last week, the State issued an outdoor fire ban due to dry conditions. This ban prohibits campfires and charcoal grilling. Propane grills and fires within a furnace or chimney are still allowed. First-time offenders will be issued $300 citations.
Please be careful, follow the law and let’s hope that we see another good rain soon that helps the situation.
New Fire Station Opens in Clarksburg
The northern end of Montgomery County continues to grow. We have needed a way to reach more people with emergency services more quickly. Saving minutes in response times leads us to potentially save lives.
The new station serves a blend of suburban and rural areas, and we have accounted for that with specialized equipment. The station is also home to law enforcement offices, a workout facility for firefighters and modern living quarters for the volunteers who sacrifice their time to help their neighbors.
I want to thank our firefighters and the community for their patience as we completed this project. We have taken steps as suggested by our Fire and Rescue Service to reduce response times and have equipped them with tools, space and facilities to keep up with our evolving County. The opening of this station is great for our County and great for Clarksburg.
Growth and Infrastructure Policy Vote Coming Soon
The County Council is scheduled to vote on the Growth and Infrastructure Policy (GIP) next week. While the Council has improved the proposal that was recommended by the Planning Board, the GIP in its current form still would reduce desperately needed revenues.
The GIP is supposed to raise funds to provide the transportation and school improvements that are needed with new developments. Since 2013, funding from the GIP, which used to have a different name, has been cut five times. These cuts in funding contribute to the backlog of school and transportation projects. That decrease, accompanied by a policy that has held bond spending pretty much unchanged for seven years, has made it difficult to address the needs of our growing County.
GIP is supposed to be about providing the adequate infrastructure that must accompany development, as required in the Adequate Public Facilities ordinance.
The proposals before the Council would reduce revenue by about $8 million over six years. This continues a trend of reducing funds from development five times since 2013 while simultaneously reducing standards for school capacity and traffic congestion. In short, it creates poorer conditions in our communities and reduces the resources needed to address those problems. This strategy of cutting developer’s fees is part of a failed (more than a decade old) policy meant to make Montgomery County a more attractive destination. However, that strategy has not worked. Instead, job growth is flat. It is particularly disturbing because jurisdictions across the river in Virginia have commercial tax rates in the most desirable parts of their counties that are almost 50 percent higher than ours. The refusal to look at a better model has paralyzed our County’s ability to keep pace with needed infrastructure.
I am disappointed in this proposal because we need funding for adequate facilities. Otherwise, the burden of growth and development gets pushed onto homeowners without developers paying their fair share. It does not make sense to invite growth without executing the proper plan to account for more kids in school, people on the roads and strain on our shared resources.
Veirs Mill BRT Update
We are approaching an important milestone in our effort to connect the County and make it easier to travel from east to west. The Veirs Mill Flash corridor will be the next Flash project moving toward construction next year. Once completed (estimated to be complete in 2028), this BRT line will connect Downtown Wheaton to Rockville, specifically Montgomery College’s campus along Route 355.
Veirs Mill Flash is one of eight planned high-frequency transit corridors with more than 100 stops.
Our Flash network will operate much like light rail, but it is a more cost-effective way to provide improved service. You can see how it works already along US 29 / Colesville Road, where it connects Downtown Silver Spring to Briggs Chaney and Burtsonville during rush hours. This line is one of the County’s most highly used routes.
Flash provides frequent service and a faster than an average bus ride, and it will get faster with portions of red dedicated bus lanes planned for each corridor.
Flash corridors will have modern, covered, well-lit stations with real-time arrival information. The buses will have Wi-Fi on board, so you can remain productive while going to and from work.
Upgrades to Veirs Mill Road as part of the Flash BRT project will create safer walking and biking conditions thanks to planned sidewalks, paths and safe street crossings.
Flash will also have environmental benefits beyond standard transit. The Veirs Mill Flash corridor will be serviced by zero-emission buses to improve air quality and reduce noise. In fact, Veirs Mill will be serviced by the East Coast's first hydrogen-electric buses, which will be paid for, in part, by a $15 million “Low or No Emissions” Federal grant.
These improvements will allow us to invest in infrastructure that improves equity and reliability. Building out the Flash Bus Rapid Transit Network will help alleviate congestion while helping us achieve our Climate Action Plan goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 100 percent by 2035.
Flash is also important to our economic development and job growth efforts. With more than one million residents, Montgomery County is projected to have an 18 percent increase in population and a 29 percent increase in employment by 2050.
Widening roads and building parking lots are no longer desirable solutions. We need dependable, high-frequency transportation that will allow residents to leave their cars behind as much as possible.
Improving our infrastructure is the key to achieving the kind of economic growth that Northern Virginia has experienced over the last decade.
Honoring Veterans
I joined County Councilmembers, representatives of the County Commission on Veterans Affairs and other community leaders this week in honoring veterans in our County. We held a ceremony paying tribute to the men and women who put their lives on the line for our nation.
I hope everyone is able to see the “Operation Green Light” themed Ride On bus that is on the road now in honor of veterans. It features the U.S. flag, an outline of veterans and the green lights that are being used nationwide to shine a light on veterans throughout November.
That bus will be used on several routes this month so that it can travel around the County. You will find County offices lit green every night in Rockville and Veterans Plaza in Downtown Silver Spring. On Friday, Nov. 8, Silver Spring Town Center Inc. will present its 16th annual concert for veterans at American Legion Post 41 starting at 6 p.m.
The County will observe Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 11, with almost all services closed. Some exceptions are buses, which will run on a weekend schedule. Recreation and Aquatic Centers and ABS stores will also be open during regular hours.
Goodbye to a Longtime Lawmaker
She became a State Delegate 50 years ago and retired from the legislature in 2007. I worked alongside Ida when I served on the Takoma Park City Council during the time she represented our community in the General Assembly.
Her advocacy led to laws enforcing seat belt use and restrictions to stop impaired driving. Ida worked through the “good old boys” network of politics in the 1970s and 1980s. She worked to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. Her work led to improvements in highway safety, public health and education.
I shared this statement about her death earlier this week.
Introduction of Composting Education Hub
This hub is part of our expanding efforts to get more people to compost rather than trash their food waste. More composting throughout the County will lead to less waste that we are responsible for and have to dispose of or burn in the County incinerator.
The site will help demonstrate how to compost food scraps using a variety of methods, including the Department of Environmental Protection's recommended home composting containers (the Earth Machine and the Hot Frog Dual Chamber Tumbler).
The hub is where master gardeners, County residents and farmers will be trained to become master composters through a multi-level program created by the Institute for Local Self Reliance, the University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program and the Office of Agriculture. Master composters will teach residents how to successfully compost food scraps and the benefits of composting. Farmers will receive training about State and local rules regarding on-farm composting of food scraps, system siting and design and best management practices for composting operations that can be a source of income and create soil amendments for their farms.
In this video, you will see how much excitement there is for this project. It will also introduce you to another new asset for farmers and food security partners—a cold storage unit to extend the life of fresh produce in our area so it can be used by groups helping to feed those in need.
Thanksgiving Parade on Saturday, Nov. 16, in Silver Spring
The annual Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade is right around the corner. It will start at 10 a.m. in Downtown Silver Spring on Saturday, Nov. 16. This is the only Thanksgiving parade in our region and highlights our County’s culture of diversity and inclusion.
Attendees can look forward to a festive lineup of more than 150 units, including community groups, local marching bands, vibrant floats, mascots and live performances.
This year, we will recognize some of the outstanding Montgomery County athletes who represented their home countries in the Summer Olympics in Paris this past summer.
Thea LaFond grew up in Silver Spring and still calls it home. Through her family history, she competed for Dominica and won that nation’s first-ever gold medal. The Kennedy High School graduate is the best in the world in the triple jump.
Aaron Owusu is another Montgomery County athlete making his mark in the pool. In Paris, he competed in the 50-meter freestyle for the country of Eritrea. He graduated from Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg before becoming just the second swimmer to compete at the Olympics for Eritrea. We are so glad they can join us at this year’s parade.
Thanksgiving Parade organizers are seeking volunteers to participate as costumed characters. Volunteers must be at least 13 years old and may be used as elves and ribbon twirlers. Public parking garages closest to the start of the parade route near Ellsworth Place and Wayne Avenue will be closed on the day of the parade, but other nearby garages will be open. Using Ride-On and Metro is encouraged.
For more details on the parade or to sign up to volunteer, go to silverspringdowntown.com for more details.
As always, my appreciation for all of you,
Marc Elrich
County Executive
