Montgomery County FY16 Annual Sustainable Government Operations Report

The Montgomery County FY16 Sustainable Government Operations Report (pdf) is now available online. This Report documents the County’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of County Government Operations.

This report highlights the exceptional work of Montgomery County government in its continuing role as a leader in environmental stewardship. The report notes the collective work of the Departments of Corrections, Environmental Protection, General Services, Health and Human Services, Finance, Liquor Control, Permitting Services, Police, Public Libraries, Recreation, Technology Services, Transportation, Human Resources; and the Offices of Human Resources and Procurement.

West Germantown and Water Quality Protection Receive Triple “AAA” Rating

Montgomery County’s Water Quality Protection Charge revenue bond series and West Germantown special obligation bond received the AAA bond rating, the highest possible rating from Fitch Ratings based on the County’s strength and credit quality.

Fitch, Ratings is one of the three nationally recognized rating organizations designated by the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission.

The AAA rating means the bond is the safest for the investor. The County strives to maintain the County's AAA General Obligation Bond debt rating and to actively invest the County's working capital to minimize risk while generating maximum investment income. These highest-level ratings reflect the County's growing and diverse economy, its substantial tax base, strong financial position, and strong financial management.

White Oak Science Gateway Newsletter; Edition #4 Is Now Available

The White Oak Science Gateway Master Plan seeks to leverage the many assets located in the White Oak area and establish the foundation upon which the area may evolve into a community that offers more opportunities to learn, live, work and play. The Plan also envisions that the commercial centers evolving from from conventional, auto-dependent suburban shopping retail centers, business parks and light industrial areas into vibrant, mixed-use, transit-served nodes.

The White Oak Science Gateway Newsletter; Edition #4 is now available.

White Oak Science Gateway Newsletter by Public Information Office on Scribd

Montgomery County Proclaims May as Building Safety Month

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and Montgomery County Council today proclaimed May as Building Safety Month.

Building Safety Month celebrates the 2017 theme “Code Officials – Partners in Community Safety and Economic Growth.” An avoidable tragedy occurred in Oakland, California last December when the Ghost Ship warehouse caught fire and 36 people died. Noted architect and writer Roger Lewis wrote that “the 36 deaths in the Dec. 2 (2016) Ghost Ship warehouse fire ..., are a grim reminder of why cities need not only effective building codes but also diligent building-codes enforcement.”

Building Safety Month is a reminder of the importance of ensuring that commercial facilities and homes are constructed with high quality code enforcement to keep everyone safe. County code enforcement officials in the Departments of Permitting Services, Community and Housing Affairs, Fire and Rescue Services and others play a critical role every day to ensure our buildings are built to ensure a safe working or living environment.

The Department of Permitting Services (DPS) is offering Free Home Deck Inspections throughout May. Call 311 or 240-777-0311 to schedule an inspection. DPS invites everyone to the Design for Life Showcase on May 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building to meet building professionals who are building and designing homes accessible for all ages and stages of life. Bring your family and discover home accessible to all! DPS has a major role increasing the stock of existing and new residences usable by people of diverse abilities.

For more information, see press release.

Move More Montgomery Celebrates Health Living

Montgomery County Recreation (MCR) will host the second annual Move More Montgomery Festival on Saturday, May 6 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center located at 14625 Bauer Drive, Rockville. The event is free and open to the public and dogs.

The Move More Montgomery Festival, a field-day type festival, will feature a community walk, sport and fitness demonstrations, active performances and mini-classes, interactive wellness booths and the Fido Fitness Arena. The event will be held rain or shine.

The Move More Montgomery Festival is also the culminating event for the Move More Montgomery 100 Mile Challenge. Residents who completed the challenge by walking or running 100 miles in 100 days will be recognized at the event.

For more information regarding the Move More Montgomery Festival visit website or call 240-777-6946.

“Green” Ribbon-Cutting for First Completed Commercial Clean Energy Project in Maryland

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett and Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner celebrated the completion of the first Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing project in Maryland with a “green” ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 20.

In March 2015, Montgomery County established the C-PACE program to provide innovative financing to qualified commercial property owners interested in achieving energy savings. This inaugural C-PACE project at the Shady Grove Professional Building and the adjacent Comfort Inn Shady Grove in Gaithersburg was completed in early March 2017. The project was first announced in October 2016. The project includes energy-efficient HVAC upgrades, boiler replacements, LED light installations and building envelope improvements that are expected to save more than 1,600 million Btu of energy annually—enough energy to power 35 homes for a year.

Other participants include Lisa Feldt, director of the County’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Bob Eisinger, principal and managing member, ProMark Real Estate LLC, the building owner and Keith Derrington, chief operating officer, Recurrent, LLC, the energy contractor on the project.

C-PACE financing can cover up to 100 percent of project costs and is repaid as a long-term surcharge on the property tax bill. This type of financing allows Montgomery County building owners to make clean energy upgrades and improve property value without upfront capital costs.

The County’s C-PACE program is jointly managed by the Departments of Finance and Environmental Protection. To learn more about the County’s C-PACE program, visit www.MC-PACE.com.

Now that Spring is Here the Montgomery County Animal Services Adoption Center is Offering Free Monthly Rabies Clinics with the Purchase of a Pet License.

With the warmer weather, pet owners and their four-legged, furry friends will likely spend more time outside. To best protect your dog or cat, it is important that your pet have a current rabies vaccination and a valid Montgomery County Pet License. It is County law that all pet dogs and cats four months of age or older must have both a valid rabies vaccination and a Montgomery County Pet License. That law applies to every cat or dog who lives in Montgomery County.

Through September with the purchase of a pet license, the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption will offer free rabies clinics. The clinics are held the third Sunday of each month starting on April 16, from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center located at 7315 Muncaster Mill Road in Derwood.

Find out all the details at website. Pet licenses may be purchased at the clinics.

If your pet’s rabies vaccination is current, you can obtain a Pet License online.

Montgomery County Celebrates Planting More Than 1,800 Shade Trees

Montgomery County celebrated the second anniversary of the Tree Montgomery program with a special tree-planting ceremony in Bethesda. More than 1,800 trees have been planted by the development community and the County’s Department of Environmental Protection since the Tree Canopy Law was passed in 2014 with a recent tree-planting celebration.

County Executive Ike Leggett was joined by Montgomery County Council Vice President Hans Riemer, the County’s Department of Environmental Protection Director Lisa Feldt, and Sonoma Citizens Association President Greg Files for the event. Maureen Thomas from the Sonoma neighborhood in Bethesda hosted the event.

Planting trees helps offset the negative impacts of development on the natural environment. Properly cared for, trees can be a property asset with high returns on investment.

Tree Montgomery continues to look for single-family, multi-family, condominium, homeowner associations and commercial properties to participate in the program. Property owners who sign up now for Tree Montgomery will have their new tree planted within the next year. To learn more or sign up, visit treemontgomery.org

Author Chris Mackowski to Speak on “Grant’s Last Campaign: Finishing His Memoirs”

Author Chris Mackowski will speak on “Grant’s Last Campaign: Finishing His Memoirs” on Thursday, May 11 at 8 p.m. at the Montgomery County Civil War Roundtable.

The presentation will be at the Gaithersburg Hilton, 620 Perry Parkway in Gaithersburg. A $5 donation is requested.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Law Library Event

Peerless Rockville, Montgomery County Circuit Court (MCCC) Law Library and Montgomery County Bar Association will host a free event presented by Honorable Lynne A. Battaglia, editor of Finding Justice. Battaglia will be joined by Judge Anne Albright, Attorney Jo Fogel, and Attorney Rebecca Strandberg to tell the story of how women overcame historical obstacles—legal, social, and economic—to enter the legal profession and how their pioneering work has influenced the practice of law and society at large.

The presentation will be held on May 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the MCCC Law Library located at 50 Maryland Ave (N-3420) in Rockville. The public is invited to the event. A suggested donation for the event is $5. For more information or to RSVP for the event, click here.