Montgomery County, MD - - Office of the County Council - News Advisories

Montgomery County Council to Discuss Purple Line, Appoint Reform Commission

19 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST

ROCKVILLE, Md., July 19, 2010—The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday, July 20, will discuss possible track alignment and proposed station locations for the planned Purple Line that would be an east-west light rail line connecting the Bethesda and New Carrolllton Metrorail stations.

The worksession on the Purple Line will begin at 1:45 p.m. as part of the Council’s session. The morning session will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The session will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon). It also will be available via streaming through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov. It will be rebroadcast on Friday, July 23, at 9 p.m.

During the morning session, the Council is expected to name appointments to the new Organizational Reform Commission. The commission will be compos ...more

Montgomery Council to Take Action on White Flint Plan on Tuesday, March 23

23 Mar 2010 12:43:00 EST

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 22, 2010—The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday, March 23, is scheduled to take action on the proposed White Flint Sector Plan that would transform the North Bethesda area around Rockville Pike into a more urban and more dense community strongly supported by public transit and designed to make residents and workers less dependent on automobiles.
The Council is scheduled to take action on the plan at its meeting that will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM—Cable Channel 6 on Comcast and RCN, Channel 30 on Verizon) and also will be available via streaming through the County Web site at www.montgomerycountymd.gov. The broadcast will be repeated at 9 p.m. on Friday, March 26.

At 7:30 p.m., the Council will hold two public hearings. One h ...more

Montgomery County Establishes ‘Truancy Court’ Partnership to Encourage Students to Stay in School

23 Mar 2010 11:10:00 EST

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 23, 2010—Montgomery County Council Vice President Valerie Ervin, who serves as chair of the Council’s Education Committee, on Wednesday, March 24, will join with Professor Barbara A. Babb and Senior Fellow Gloria Danziger from the University of Baltimore School of Law, State’s Attorney John McCarthy, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Jerry Weast, Board of Education President Patricia O’Neill and Board Member Shirley Brandman to announce establishment of a new “Truancy Court Pilot Program” targeted at encouraging habitually truant students to improve their school attendance.

The kick off event will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Key Middle School in Silver Spring (910 Schindler Drive).

Truancy is an issue confronting communities throughout the nation. Research links truancy to higher drop-out rates, substance abuse and juvenile delinquency. At Council Vice President Ervin’s request, the Counc ...more

Council Committees to Hold Joint Work Session on Truancy in Montgomery County

18 Mar 2010 10:53:00 EST

Council Committees to Hold Joint Work Session on Truancy in Montgomery County

Although Rate of Habitual Truancy in MCPS Compares Favorably to Other Systems,
County Seeks Further Reductions

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 17, 2010—The Montgomery County Council’s Education Committee and Public Safety Committee will hold a joint work session Thursday, March 18, on the Office of Legislative Oversight’s (OLO) report “Truancy in Montgomery County.” The study of truancy in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) shows that 984 students (less than one percent) of students were habitually truant in 2009, which compares well to most school systems in Maryland. But the County still would like those numbers to decrease.

The Education Committee, which is chaired by Council Vice President Valerie Ervin, includes Councilmembers Mike Knapp and Phil Andrews, and the Public Saf ...more

Montgomery Council to Hold Worksessions On Significant Items for FY 2011-16 CIP

15 Mar 2010 17:16:00 EST

Montgomery Council to Hold Worksessions On Significant Items for FY 2011-16 CIP
On Tuesday, March 16: Action Scheduled for Biotechnology Supplemental Tax Credit, Retaliation Bill

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 15, 2010—The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday, March 16, will hold worksessions on a number of significant items in County Executive Isiah Leggett’s proposed Fiscal Years 2011-16 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). Among the items the Council will discuss are improvements for County libraries, recreation facilities and golf courses.

The Council also is scheduled to take action on Expedited Bill 5-10, which would commit the County to supplementing the state’s biotechnology investment incentive tax credit program that seeks to help certain emerging biotechnology establish their businesses in Maryland. The legislation, whose chief sponsor is Councilmember Mike Knapp and which is also supported by County Executive Leggett, was recommended fo ...more

Montgomery Council Committees to Discuss Update of Public Safety Communications

12 Mar 2010 17:29:00 EST

Montgomery Council Committees to Discuss Update of Public Safety Communications

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 12, 2010—The Management and Fiscal Policy (MFP) Committee and the Public Safety Committee of the Montgomery County Council will meet jointly on Monday, March 15, at a worksession on the planned modernization of the County’s Public Safety communications system.

The meeting will begin at 2 p.m. in the Seventh Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville.

The MFP Committee, which is chaired by Duchy Trachtenberg and includes Councilmembers Valerie Ervin and Nancy Navarro, and the Public Safety Committee, which is chaired by Phil Andrews and includes Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Marc Elrich, will review County Executive Isiah Leggett’s proposal in his Fiscal Years 2011-16 Capital Improvements Program for a $53.7 million modernization.

The Executive’s recommendation would fund ...more

Montgomery Council Committee to Discuss MCPS CIP Requests, Relocatable Classrooms

11 Mar 2010 10:33:00 EST

Montgomery Council Committee to Discuss MCPS CIP Requests,
Relocatable Classrooms

Also on Thursday, March 11: T and E Committee to Consider
Proposed North County Maintenance Depot

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 10, 2010—The Montgomery County Council Education Committee on Thursday, March 11, will hold will continue its discussions on funding requests from Montgomery County Public Schools concerning the Fiscal Years 2011-16 Capital Improvements Program (CIP). The Education Committee also will review a proposed special appropriation of $6.75 million to purchase relocatable classrooms to handle overcrowding at certain schools.

The Education Committee, which is chaired by Valerie Ervin and includes Councilmembers Phil Andrews and Mike Knapp, will meet at 9:30 a.m. in the Third Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will ...more

Montgomery Council’s PHED Committee to Discuss Gaithersburg West Master Plan

09 Mar 2010 17:28:00 EST

Montgomery Council’s PHED Committee to Discuss Gaithersburg West Master Plan
On Wednesday, March 10: Worksession Will Focus on
Proposed Life Sciences Center Districts Density, Open Space

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 9, 2010—The Montgomery County Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee on Wednesday, March 10, will hold its fifth worksession on the proposed Gaithersburg West Master Plan. Wednesday’s discuss will focus on the Life Sciences Center Districts, particularly in regard to the sustainability included in the plan, parks and open space, transportation impacts and recommended densities for each property.

The PHED Committee, which is chaired by Mike Knapp and includes Councilmembers Marc Elrich and Nancy Floreen, will meet at 9 a.m. in the Seventh Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville. The meeting will be te ...more

Montgomery Council Committee to Discuss Development of Warner Park in Kensington

05 Mar 2010 17:41:00 EST

Montgomery Council Committee to Discuss Development of Warner Park in Kensington

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 5, 2010—The Montgomery County Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee on Monday, March 8, will hold a worksession on long-term plans to develop Warner Circle Special Park in Kensington. The worksession continues the work of the Council to review County Executive Isiah Leggett’s recommended Fiscal Years 2011-16 Capital Improvements Program (CIP).

The Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) Committee, which is chaired by Mike Knapp and includes Councilmembers Marc Elrich and Nancy Floreen, will meet at 2 p.m. in the Seventh Floor Council Hearing Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville.

The discussion on Warner Circle Special Park is part of the review of the long-term budget requests of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

Warner C ...more

Council President Nancy Floreen to Meet With Media on Monday, March 8

05 Mar 2010 17:40:00 EST

Council President Nancy Floreen to Meet With Media on Monday, March 8

She Will Address Tuesday Worksession on How to Improve Snow Removal Efforts, Gaithersburg West Progress, CIP, Recommended Budget Coming Soon from Executive

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 5, 2010—Montgomery County Council President Nancy Floreen will meet with members of the media on Monday, March 8, to discuss key items that will be facing the County Council and its respective committees in the near future. Among the issues she will discuss is the special worksession she has called for Tuesday, March 9, with County departments and representatives of utilities that serve the County on how procedures can be improved to lessen impacts from major storms.

Council President Floreen’s meeting with media members will begin at 11 a.m. in the SIXTH Floor Conference Room of the Council Office Building at 100 Maryland Ave. in ...more