The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) is offering homeowners free residential deck maintenance inspections during the month of May as part of its annual celebration of “Building Safety Month.” Since the deck safety program was announced in mid-April, more than 700 homeowners have requested deck inspections, which is higher than any previous year since the program began in 2009.
The previous record was 422 inspections in 2019. Inspectors have completed more than 350 of the deck safety inspection requests this year to date.
“We want homeowners to know that inspection appointments are being completed in the order they have been received,” said James Sackett, DPS residential inspections manager. “We will continue taking requests during the month of May, and inspections will continue until we meet the demand.”
During the 15-minute inspection, a DPS inspector will check the support structure of the deck, ledger attachment and the overall condition of the structure.
To schedule an inspection online, visit the DPS website and submitting a service request.
The requests may not be anonymous. In the description section of the online form, homeowners should note they are requesting a deck maintenance inspection and include the property address and contact information at the top of the form. Homeowners may also call the County’s central call system at 311 or 240-777-0311.
The County does not provide free deck inspections in the cities of Gaithersburg and Rockville because those municipalities have their own permitting departments and protocols.
Earlier this week, County Executive Marc Elrich and the County Council issued a proclamation in Rockville for Building Safety Month. They were joined by DPS leaders and representatives from other County departments, including the Fire and Rescue Service, Housing and Community Affairs and the Department of Transportation. Watch the video on demand and view photos on the County’s website.
DPS Director Mitra Pedoeem and DPS Residential Inspector Bernard Marra recently discussed Building Safety Month and the free residential deck inspection program on the Spanish language radio show, Montgomery Al Dia, with host Lorna Virgili. Watch the show on demand. Mr. Barra also discussed deck inspections on En Sintonia.
Mr. Sackett appeared live on the “What’s Happening MoCo” podcast with host Derrick Kenny in Wheaton. The show was broadcast live on Facebook and will be available soon on demand on the County’s website and Apple, Google, TuneIn and Spotify.
This year’s Building Safety Month weekly campaign themes include:
May 1-8: Planning for a Safe and Sustainable Tomorrow
May 9-15: Exploring Careers in Building Safety
May 16-22: Understanding the Four Phases of Emergency Management
May 23-31: Creating a Safe and Abundant Water Supply
Learn more about Building Safety Month at www.buildingsafetymonth.org and join the conversation on social media using #MoCoDPS and #BuildingSafety365.
Many homeowners are planning home improvement projects this spring and summer, which makes the recognition of May as “Building Safety Month” especially timely. On the latest edition of the “What’s Happening MoCo” podcast, James Sackett, residential inspections manager for the Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) will talk about the importance of scheduling a free residential deck maintenance inspection and how to know when a home project needs a permit to proceed.
Hundreds of homeowners have already requested free deck inspections from DPS this month, and inspections are being completed in the order they are received. Residents interested in scheduling a deck inspection should call 311 or visit the DPS website at http://montgomerycountymd.gov/dps/.
The episode featuring Mr. Sackett was recorded at the new Department of Permitting Services offices in Wheaton.
In past episodes, podcast host Derrick Kenny has addressed a wide variety of subjects. The show’s guests have included elected officials, Montgomery County employees who specialize in specific aspects of government, business leaders and entertainers who live in the County. New podcasts are released twice a month.
“Offutt’s Crossroads: The early History of Potomac and Its Founding Family’ will be the focus on a Montgomery History online presentation at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24. The talk and slide presentation will cover the “first family” of Potomac. The area of Montgomery County was originally named Offutt’s Crossroads, after the family.
The presentation will be led by Ralph Buglass, a descendant of the Offutt family. It will explore when and how the village came to be called Potomac, with feuding among the family, the end of slavery, a business partnership gone bad and attempted murder all playing a part.
The presentation also will address a few ghostly appearances in later years.
Montgomery County has expanded its public education and government programming with the launch of a new high-definition (HD) Montgomery County Public Schools TV (MCPS-TV) cable channel through cable provider Comcast. The new addition, which began broadcasting on May 4, is Xfinity Channel 1071.
The new HD channel joins four other County HD channels and 10 standard-definition (SD) channels available through Xfinity TV. The channels are part of the Connect Montgomery Alliance (CMA) that provides a variety of programming focused on local issues.
MCPS-TV airs mental health awareness programs such as “Mindful Moments” and “MCPS Waymaking,” as well as live coverage of County Board of Education meetings and Superintendent’s Community Conversations.
“We are excited to officially broadcast MCPS-TV produced programs and other educational programming for the MCPS community in high-definition through Comcast,” said Dick Lipsky, supervisor of MCPS-TV. “Our ability to acquire an HD channel demonstrates our commitment to serving MCPS students, parents and staff.”
MCPS-TV programming also is available in SD on Xfinity Channel 34. It had been sharing programming in HD with Montgomery College TV (MCTV) on Xfinity Channel 998. The addition of MCPS-TV’s new HD channel gives both Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery College 24 hours of programming on independent channels.
“We're proud of our role in allocating this HD channel through Comcast to Montgomery County Public Schools,” said Gail Roper, the chief information officer of TEBS. “The Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions department is dedicated to connecting residents to the technologies that enhance their lives. Whether it is lightning-fast fiber, affordable broadband options, or in this case, local cable TV content which represents one of the most trusted, reliable and easily accessible ways for residents to get information.”
The five County HD channels on Xfinity TV now include:
995: MCM—Montgomery County’s community television channel
996: CCM—County Cable Montgomery, the County Government cable channel
997: MMCTV—Municipalities Rockville 11 and Takoma Park TV shared channel
998: MCTV—Montgomery Community College channel
1071: MCPS-TV—Montgomery County Public Schools TV
The County’s 10 standard definition channels on Xfinity TV include:
2: UMDCP- University of MD-CP
6: CCM—County Cable Montgomery, the County Government cable channel
10: MCTV—Montgomery Community College channel (currently serves as the County's COVID-19 channel)
11: Rockville 11—City of Rockville channel
13: Takoma Park TV—City of Takoma Park channel
16: MMC TV—Maryland Municipal League channel
19, 21: MCM—Montgomery Community Media channels
27: City of Gaithersburg
33: Condado TV—Serves as County’s Spanish language channel
34: MCPS-TV—Montgomery County Public Schools TV
To learn more about the County’s public education and government cable channels, visit the Connect Montgomery Alliance (CMA) website at https://connectmontgomery.com.
Three Montgomery County advisory boards will co-host "Break the Taboo-A," a virtual forum on youth mental health and substance use, from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 19. The forum, designed for youth, parents and guardians, will highlight signs of youth mental health and substance use concerns and where to find resources in the community.
The event is s collaboration between the Montgomery County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Council, the Mental Health Advisory Council and the Citizen’s Review Panel for Children.
For more information on how to participate in the forum and to register, click here.
“It is now more important than ever for Montgomery County to hold an event focused on youth mental health and substance misuse,” said Celia Serkin, a member of the forum planning committee. “The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious negative impacts on the mental health and psychological wellbeing of children, youth and young adults and their families, particularly for groups at-risk of new or exacerbated mental health and substance misuse challenges and those facing barriers to accessing care. The COVID‑19 crisis has turned into a mental health and substance misuse crisis for young people. During the youth panel, young people will help us understand their needs and challenges and what has or has not worked for them.”
The forum will include youth programming planned by members of the Youth Ambassador Program and separate programming for parents, guardians and those who work with or care for youth. Youth will participate in youth-led sessions, learn about substance use and mental health warning signs, coping skills and ways to help.
Students can earn Student Service Learning hours for participating.
Parents, providers and community members will hear from the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on ways to support youth and learn how the Surgeon General's Call to Action on Youth Mental Health is being implemented.
There will be a mental health and substance use panel discussion and a question and answer session facilitated by Rolando Santiago, chief of behavioral health and crisis services for the Department of Health and Human Services.
The evening will conclude with a virtual resource fair that will allow attendees to speak directly with representatives from local organizations.
Anyone with accessibility needs who wants to participate in the forum (e.g., an interpreter for ASL, Spanish, Chinese, Amharic, or another language) should e-mail Diane Lininger by May 15 to request accommodations. She can be contacted at diane.lininger@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Stand-up comedian Danny Rouhier will be performing at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 20, at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. His fast-paced and clever act includes dozens of voices and characters.
Danny has performed all over North America at places like Caroline's on Broadway, The DC Improv, Funnybone comedy clubs and at festivals in Boston, Washington, D.C., Detroit and Seattle. He is performing in Gaithersburg as part of the Arts on the Green series.
The Gaithersburg Arts Barn is located at 311 Kent Square Rd. in Gaithersburg. Admission is $22 for adults and $20 for students ages 15-21. This event is recommended for ages 15 and older. Purchase tickets online here.
Arts on the Green programming is funded in part by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC). To discover more about MSAC grants and how they impact Maryland's arts sector, visit www.msac.org.
The Long Branch Parks Initiative a comprehensive look at the parks, trails, amenities and recreational programs in the area, is the focus of a study by Montgomery Parks, which is part of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The initiative is aimed at identifying what needs to be improved or added so the parks can better serve the Long Branch area.
Montgomery Parks is seeking input from Long Branch community members via a survey about how to improve the parks. The survey is available online, and community input will be gathered, through Sept. 30. Recommendations will be shared with the Montgomery County Planning Board and the public in January.
“We are taking a holistic approach in the Long Branch community to enhance the many parks in this area,” said Mike Riley, director of Montgomery Parks. “By providing multiple ways for the community to provide input, we are hoping to engage a broad cross-section of residents so we can better understand how they use our parks and what kinds of improvements are most needed.”
Parks in the Long Branch Parks Initiative include:
Upper Long Branch Neighborhood Park
Long Branch Wayne Local Park
Long Branch-Arliss Neighborhood Park
Long Branch Local Park
Flower Avenue Urban Park
Long Branch-Garland Neighborhood Park
Seek Lane Neighborhood Park
New Hampshire Estates Local Park, and
Quebec Terrace Neighborhood Park
Current and recently completed projects and plans include:
Enhancements at Flower Avenue Urban Park
Long Branch Trail connection at Haddon Drive
Long Branch Wayne Local Park re-development plan and bridge replacement
Long Branch-Garland Neighborhood Park re-development plan and bridge replacement
Parks that still need community input are:
Upper Long Branch Neighborhood Park
Long Branch-Arliss Neighborhood Park
Long Branch Local Park
Seek Lane Neighborhood Park
New Hampshire Estates Local Park, and
Quebec Terrace Neighborhood Park
Park staff are assessing the condition of the parks to determine which trails, bridges and amenities need to be upgraded and the input of community members is needed to ensure the types of spaces and activities provided meet the community’s needs.
Amenities under consideration are new playgrounds, ballfields, basketball courts, tennis courts, gardens and skate parks.
This week is National Nurses Week. I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to all nurses serving our County residents, including the approximately 300 nurses we have working in our Health and Human Services and Corrections departments and at the public schools. Over the last two years, nurses have been on the frontline, working non-stop to deal with the COVID-19 health crisis. They did this while also serving the sick and injured from treating a cold to educating a patient about their diabetes or assessing an older adult's ability to care for themselves. Nurses never stopped taking care of our most vulnerable residents.
Nursing is a difficult job with long hours and intense conditions—while also being overworked and often under compensated. Our nurses deserve to be appreciated every day, and I encourage everyone to please reach out and thank the nurses in their lives this week.
‘No Matter What Happens Elsewhere’: $1 Million Fund Recommended to Ensure Access to Maternal Health
This also is National Women’s Health Week, and unfortunately, as we celebrate the contributions of nurses and women’s health week, there is a political and legal assault on the reproductive rights and health of women. Nurses face the threat of being jailed in parts of this country for doing what we are honoring them for this week—caring for others. This is absurd.
No matter what happens elsewhere, we must act to protect reproductive choice and women’s health here. Even though abortion will remain legal and safe in Maryland and Montgomery County, we will not be able to avoid the residual impacts of this ruling from neighboring states—like West Virginia—and the impact it will have on our maternal health system. Planned Parenthood leaders in Montgomery County say we are already seeing women come from states like Texas to remain healthy and free from persecution and prosecution.
Assisting with wraparound services—for those who are using abortion services as well as those who choose to have children.
Providing grants to organizations in the County that provide abortion services.
Supporting organizations focused on comprehensive family planning, reproductive health, and maternal health.
Providing aid to organizations that are fighting legal battles on behalf of women.
I am confident that the County Council will approve this funding and I very much appreciate their support and the unity on this issue. I also want to thank our State and Federal elected officials who are working to support women’s health and women’s fundamental rights while addressing the detrimental impacts of this potential court ruling. Fortunately, led by Montgomery County legislators, the Maryland General Assembly just enacted a new State law that expands eligibility of providers and training for them. Unfortunately, despite multiple requests, the Governor will not begin funding this training early.
Current COVID-19 Case Surge Lasting Longer Than Expected
Our COVID rates continue to climb and now exceed 200 cases per 100,000 residents. Our current case rate is as high as we were at the end of the Omicron surge in January and there is currently more transmission of the virus in our community than anytime last fall.
Our current surge in cases is lasting longer than expected, meaning more people risk being exposed to COVID as it remains more prevalent in the community. With many families gathering last weekend for Mother’s Day and with graduations, proms and other end of school year celebrations on the horizon, I am concerned that this rise in the cases may continue to worsen.
Our COVID-related hospitalizations remain low at 4 percent of hospital beds, but there are 63 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Montgomery County and acute care occupancy has doubled since last week. Among those hospitalized in our County, unvaccinated patients outnumber the vaccinated 3 to 1. We continue to encourage everyone to stay up today on their vaccinations and especially boosters. You can get a booster at http://www.govaxmoco.com/.
We have seen a 19 percent increase in testing over the previous week at our Health and Human Services sites. We continue to distribute free take home rapid tests at our libraries, and this past week, we went over one million rapid tests distributed to our residents since we started in January. Please remember to stop by any County library and ask for a rapid test if you or family needs one. The best way for us to reduce transmission is to test and isolate if you test positive.
Rental Relief Applications Reopen Starting Monday, May 16
Our COVID-19 Rent Relief Program will reopen for applications starting Monday, May 16. Eligible Montgomery County renters can soon apply for additional COVID-19 rent relief through the fourth phase of the program, which provides financial assistance for tenants who have experienced a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding for this fourth phase comes from U.S. Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance, or E-RAP, in direct allocations to the County. We have already helped more than 10,000 Montgomery County residents struggling to pay their rent because they lost their job or had to take time off unexpectedly because of COVID-19. The County has helped coordinate $78 million in rental assistance.
To apply for funds, households must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements. Household members must:
Have experienced COVID‐19-related financial hardship.
Have a household gross income from either your 2020 or 2021 tax return or the previous 30 days that is at or below 50 percent of AMI.
Have resided in Montgomery County since at least August 2021.
Have an obligation to pay rent, formally or informally.
Be behind on their rental obligation by at least two months.
If people have questions about qualifications or anything else regarding rental assistance, they can call 311 for more information.
It is important to note that this program will accept applications starting Monday, May 16, through June 30.
Applicants will be asked to answer questions about COVID-19’s impact on their household and some questions about household members, income and rent. Applicants should be prepared to upload supporting documents and have the landlord’s information available.
People in households without internet access or who need assistance completing the application should call 311 (240-777-0311) to get connected with County staff or partners who can assist them in completing an application. Renters facing an immediate loss of housing should also call 311 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday to be connected with DHHS’ Housing Stabilization Services.
Addressing the economic impacts of the pandemic will take a sustained and intentional effort by governments at all levels. We want our most vulnerable families that have been negatively affected by COVID-19 to be able to stay in their homes. This fourth phase of rental relief funds will help us do just that. I am very appreciative to our State and Federal partners who have helped our County in this collective work to keep our families whole.
Wish MCPD a Happy 100th at Police Community Day
MCPD’s Police Community Day Montgomery is Saturday, May 14. Community Day will be a family friendly event to mark the MCPD’s 100th anniversary. It all begins at noon at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. This event is a great opportunity to meet our officers and to talk to them about the work they are doing. The event will feature many free activities for families including live music. There will be food trucks on site. Come join us for a day of fun. Parking will be free.
‘IgnITe Hub’ is Here!
Are you or your family members or kids interested in coding, computer technologies or becoming the next Steve Jobs? If so, then you may want to join me, Councilmember Craig Rice, Montgomery College and MCPS at Montgomery College in Rockville from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, for the Grand Opening of “IgnITe Hub." IgnITe Hub is a 21st Century space to collaborate and innovate, to spur entrepreneurship, solve community problems and spark career interests.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the IT field is set to grow by 13 percent from 2020 to 2030 – higher than the average for all occupations. IgnITe Hub is an innovative and important project that will engage students of all ages to improve their skills, become career-ready and help local nonprofits and small businesses with application development support. The project is a win for our economy, the educational system, local entrepreneurs, nonprofits and any residents who want to expand their knowledge and expertise in the IT fields.
May is Building Safety Month, with the goal to help residents understand what it takes to create and sustain safe structures. Over the past year we have had several building safety issues grab headlines here in Montgomery County. Last summer, we saw multiple deck collapses cause injuries. Just a few months ago, a mistake by a plumber resulted in an explosion at Friendly Garden that thankfully did not seriously injure anyone, but displaced many residents.
Building Safety is something that this County takes very seriously, and I want to thank our departments and employees who play a role in ensuring that County’s codes and regulations are upheld, and inspections are performed, in order to save lives.
Please watch this video created by the Department of Permitting Services about Building Safety Month.
Ride-On Drives to Make a Difference
Our Ride On buses go hundreds of thousands of miles each year, but their most important “drive" of the year is next week. Montgomery County Ride On bus riders can donate non-perishable food to the County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) Ride On food drive from May 15-22. Non-perishable food items can be dropped off on all Ride On, extRa, Flex and Flash buses. A food donation bag will be available next to the farebox.
We must ensure that no one in Montgomery County goes hungry. Food insecurity was prevalent before the pandemic hit—and COVID-19 made it even worse. Many people lost jobs and higher food prices continue to make it exceedingly difficult for families to make ends meet. I am grateful to the County Department of Transportation and the Manna Food Center for this important effort and I encourage residents to donate non-perishable food items as they use buses next week.
Eligible Montgomery County renters can soon apply for additional COVID-19 rent relief through the fourth phase of the County’s Rent Relief program, which provides financial assistance for tenants that have experienced a financial hardship due to the COVID-19 health crisis. Administered by the County’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the program will accept applications starting on Monday, May 16, through June 30.
“Addressing the economic impacts of the pandemic will take a sustained and intentional effort by governments at all levels,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “We want our most vulnerable families that have been negatively affected by COVID-19 to be able to stay in their homes, and this fourth phase of rental relief funds will help us do just that. Thank you to our state and federal partners who have helped our County in this collective work to keep our families whole.”
Funding for the fourth phase comes from U.S. Department of the Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance funds in direct allocations to the County and as a sub-grantee to the State of Maryland. In the previous three phases of the program, $78 million in rental assistance has been distributed to approximately 10,500 Montgomery County households.
To be eligible for funds, households must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:
Have experienced COVID-19 financial hardship.
Have a household gross income from either their 2020 or 2021 tax return or the previous 30 days that is at or below 50 percent of area median income.
Have resided in Montgomery County since at least August 2021.
Have an obligation to pay rent, formally or informally.
Be behind on their rental obligation by at least two months.
Applicants will be asked to answer questions about COVID-19’s impact on their household and some questions about household members, income and rent. They should be prepared to upload supporting documents and have the landlord’s information available. Applicants will need an email address to complete the application. If they do not have an email address, they should consider setting one up or connect with the property manager or landlord ,who can apply on their behalf.
People in households without internet access or who need assistance completing the application should call 311 (240-777-0311) to get connected with County staff or partners that can assist them in completing an application.
Renters facing an immediate loss of housing should also call 311 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday to be connected with DHHS’ Housing Stabilization Services. For more answers to frequently asked questions about Phase Four, visit www.mc311.com/rentrelief.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich announced this week that he will ask the County Council for supplemental funding of $1 million for services and support to ensure access to abortion, family planning, reproductive and maternal health providers in the County. The funding will ensure that nonprofit providers in the County and assisting organizations will be able to serve the growing need by:
Assisting with wraparound services to those who are accessing abortion services to providers, as well as to those who choose to have children.
Providing grants to organizations in the County that provide abortion services.
Support organizations focused on comprehensive family planning, reproductive health and maternal health.
Provide aid to organizations that are fighting legal battles on behalf of women.
“We live in a time where people’s rights are under attack from the Supreme Court to the halls of Congress, to State Houses throughout this nation,” said County Executive Elrich. “We must do all we can to protect women’s health and their personal rights. With this allocation of funds, we are helping ensure that any woman who needs assistance will be able to access it. I want to thank our nonprofit partners, doctors and nurses who are so critical to our efforts. In Montgomery County, we are committed to working in partnership to stand up for all people and will continue to do so.”
Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Navarro said she supports the County Executive’s request.
“The County Executive’s initiative is in great alignment with the County Council’s resolution on reproductive rights, which I spearheaded,” said Councilmember Navarro. “The resolution affirmed our commitment to ensuring that health care organizations that provide reproductive health services have the appropriate supports and capacity to safeguard the reproductive rights of residents in our communities. As the lone woman Councilmember on the Council, I will continue to do all I can to support the County Executive and the County Council in doing the right thing—protecting our reproductive rights and safeguarding the welfare of all our residents. I also call on Governor Hogan to support reproductive rights in Maryland by releasing the $3.5 million earmarked by the legislature for training.”
Council Vice President Evan Glass, a member of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee, also said he will support County Executive Elrich’s proposal.
“I want to thank the County Executive for working with me and the Council to expand access to safe and legal abortions in Montgomery County,” said Council Vice President Glass. “These funds will support our most vulnerable residents, who are at risk of becoming even more vulnerable by the Supreme Court. We must do everything we can to protect them and a woman’s right to reproductive healthcare.”
