• Advisory ID: 10-012
• Advisory Date: 1/27/2010
• Contact: Neil H. Greenberger  240-777-7939 or Jean Arthur240-777-7934
• From:

Montgomery Council to Interview 5 for Vacant Seat on Montgomery Planning Board

Also on Thursday, Jan. 28: Committees Meet on Mid-Year Budget Savings Plan, Planned Public Safety Training Academy

ROCKVILLE, Md., January 27, 2010—The Montgomery County Council on Thursday, Jan. 28, will interview five candidates for one vacancy on the Montgomery County Planning Board. The vacancy was created by the passing of board member Jean Cryor on Nov. 3.

The Council advertised for applicants from Nov. 12 through Jan. 13 and received a total of 26 applications. State law requires that a person appointed to fill any vacancy for an unexpired term be a member of the same political party as was represented by the member who vacated the office. Ms. Cryor was a Republican.

The Council will interview candidates starting at 3 p.m. in the Sixth Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. Interviews are open to the public.

The interview schedule is as follows: Allison Bryant of Rockville (3 p.m.); Kenneth Hurdle of Rockville (3:20 p.m.); Donna Barron of Chevy Chase (3:40 p.m.); Bruce Goldensohn of Gaithersburg (4 p.m.) and Norman Dreyfuss of Potomac (4:20 p.m.).

At 9:30 a.m. in the Third Floor Conference Room, the Council’s Public Safety Committee, which is chaired by Phil Andrews and includes Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Marc Elrich, will discuss elements of the mid-year budget savings plan recommended by County Executive Isiah Leggett.

The County Executive has proposed cutting $70 million in spending from the current Fiscal Year 2010 budget as the County prepares to address an estimated $608 million shortfall for the FY2011 operating budget.

The Public Safety Committee also will discuss preliminary plans for a new Public Safety Training Academy to be located on the former Webb Tract, which is on Snouffer School Road near Montgomery Village.

At 2 p.m. in the Seventh Floor Hearing Room, a joint meeting of the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee will discuss proposed mid-year budget reductions relating to the Department of Recreation. One proposal would eliminate the Seneca Valley Sports Academy. The after-school program at the Germantown school combines academic support with recreational incentives, operating two days each week. However, the Seneca Valley program had the lowest average attendance and lowest overall registration among the Sports Academy programs at six schools across the County. Eliminating the Seneca Valley Academy would save approximately $54,910 through the end of the current fiscal year.

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