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The Berliner Brief
      
January 2015 
Dear District 1 Residents and Friends, 
 
Happy New Year to you! I don't know how long you are able to say that (is there a rule?). But as our Council returns to work today, it does feel like the New Year for sure. We begin our year with a retrospective look back at the past year, as well as a smattering of the work ahead.
  
Sincerely,
 
Roger Berliner
District 1

2014: A Year in Review

 

 

More often than not, when I began each Berliner Brief in 2014, I mentioned how busy we were at the Council.  As Bruce Katz, a scholar at the Brookings Institution wrote in 2013, the traditional hierarchy of government no longer has the federal government at the top -- which he described as “a health insurance company with an army."  Instead, according to this Brookings scholar, it is local government that functions most efficiently and most effectively on behalf of its citizens.  

That certainly has been my experience.  Unfettered by the gridlock and extreme partisanship that has paralyzed our federal government, your County government, and our Council, has indeed been working for you.  
Here are just a few highlights of my own legislative work in 2014 on your behalf:

Preserving our Environment
• Led the successful effort to protect Ten Mile Creek – one of the most unique, pristine streams in the region – from over development 
• Sponsored and passed eleven environmental pieces of legislation to make Montgomery County a national leader as a greener and more sustainable community by promoting renewable energy, green industries, telecommuting, and energy conservation
• Introduced a resolution requiring natural infill material on all future artificial turf fields approved by the County


Improving Our Transportation Infrastructure
• Introduced legislation to reform our county’s taxicab regulations and make it viable for Uber and other new entrants to enter our market with appropriate consumer protections
• Convened the first-ever joint meeting of the Transportation Committees of the Montgomery and the District of Columbia Councils 
• Recommended the formation of the Purple Line Implementation Advisory Group to ensure neighborhoods and businesses adjacent to the Purple Line had a forum for their concerns
• Continuing to work towards implementation of a comprehensive, countywide Bus Rapid Transit system; citizens advisory boards are being formed

Protecting Ratepayers
• Formed a bi-county Coalition for Utility Reform consisting of municipalities, environmental organizations, national think tanks, and green energy companies in response to Exelon’s desire to purchase Pepco to fight for a more reliable, innovative, and greener electricity grid
• Working with State Senator Brian Feldman and Delegates Bill Frick and Aruna Miller to see whether the state can’t find a better balance between the urgent need for reliability and preserving tree canopy
• Drafted state legislation that would hold WSSC accountable to ratepayers concerned about unusually high water bills through the creation of an independent review board 

Creating Walkable, Bikeable, Liveable Communities
• Introduced legislation, met with the Secretary of Transportation, and wrote our Planning Board Chair to ensure that the vision for White Flint comes to fruition with appropriate road infrastructure, public amenities, and school capacity
• Brought our Planning Board Chair and School Superintendent together to make sure that as we consider redevelopment options in Westbard that we focus on school capacity;
• Amended our County’s Road Code to create a safer environment for all road users – motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians – in our new urban centers
• Led the effort to obtain funding to plow the Capital Crescent Trail for the first time ever this winter
• Supported renewed efforts to ensure that pedestrians have access to sidewalks when it snows and when there is construction activity

Creating a More Open and Accessible Government
• Co-sponsored a public campaign financing system for the County, leveling the playing field for our county’s electoral process 

Strengthened the Safety Net for Seniors and Our Most Vulnerable Residents
• Cosponsored legislation that doubled the Senior Tax credit for seniors of limited income
• Advanced our Senior Transportation Initiative to ensure that Montgomery County remains a “community for a lifetime” for our seniors

Economic Development - Fostering a 21st Century Workforce
• Introduced Career Pathways legislation that would align our resources for workforce training with growing industry sectors in the county
• Led the effort to increase funding to help farmers receive the technical assistance necessary to ensure our agricultural economy continues to prosper
• Supported passage of the White Oak Sector Plan to stimulate economic development in the eastern part of the  County and improve our jobs and housing balance

Education and Public Safety
• Supported expanding the School Bus Camera Program and doubling the fine for violations, making it safer for our children as they travel to school
• Went to Annapolis to fight for increased school construction funding and funded 100 % of the MCPS educational and programmatic budget request
• Supported increasing the number of School Resource Officers 
• Introduced a resolution unanimously approved by the Council to create a sensible drone policy 
• Amended our regulations to assist with deer population management
 

###

This is just a partial list of what my team and I have focused upon this past year in the legislative arena.  And I know that each of my colleagues has a similar list.  It was a busy and productive year for sure. 

But what it doesn’t do justice to, and what we take such great pride in, is responding to your specific requests for help – whether it is a street light, a stop sign, or simply getting our county government to be responsive.  Our goal for 2015 remains the same – do what we can to make a positive difference in your life and in the life of our community.  

  NIH Visit with President Obama & Progress on Ebola Vaccine

 

In early December, I was pleased to be invited by NIH to join President Obama as he toured NIH and received an update from scientists who recently published promising results from early clinical trials of an experimental vaccine for Ebola. 


As Time magazine recently wrote about in their 2014 Person of the Year Issue, Ebola captivated our nation's attention a great deal in 2014 -- and rightfully so.  It has been a profound tragedy in Africa, the likes of which we haven’t seen in decades.  And while we are blessed as a country to only experience a few isolated cases of the disease to date, we cannot let this issue fall away from our consciousness – both from a medical and moral stand point.


As the President said in his remarks during his visit, “We cannot just fight this epidemic.  We have to extinguish it.”  


Visits like this one show that investing in scientific and medical research is a part of what makes America exceptional.  And it shows the best of what government is capable of…making potential life changing discoveries for the betterment of humanity.  It is an honor to represent the district where this kind of groundbreaking research is occurring and where those who have been infected have the absolute best chance of being saved.

Update on Coalition for Utility Reform

 

As most of you know, Exelon, one of the largest energy players in the country, and the owner of Baltimore Gas & Electric, is seeking to purchase Pepco. That purchase must be approved by the Maryland Public Service Commission. In order to approve it, the Commission must find that it is in the public interest and doesn’t harm ratepayers. 

There is an intense proceeding currently underway at the Commission to determine the fate of this proposed merger.  Many consumer and environmental organizations are opposing the merger. Why? They argue that Exelon, as an owner of many nuclear power plants, has fought and will fight against strong renewable energy and energy efficiency advances insofar as those efforts led to a reduced demand from conventional power plants, which will reduce the price they are able to secure. In addition, they maintain that it simply isn’t healthy – politically or competitively – for one company to own 85% of the electric distribution system in the state. 

In response to this merger, a number of us formed what we call the “Coalition for Utility Reform." It is a broad based, bi-county coalition consisting of local municipalities, elected officials, environmental organizations, national think tanks, and clean energy companies. Our coalition has sponsored expert testimony that argues that Exelon’s business interests do not coincide with the public interest in Maryland, and that the Commission can only approve the merger if it imposes critical “conditions” that mitigate the harm the merger application poses to the public interest.  

Accordingly, the Coalition argues that one of the conditions -- but certainly not the only one -- the Public Service Commission should impose is tying 50 percent of Pepco’s financial return to its ability to meet specific metrics related to green energy, customer service, and reliability. Such an approach is known as performance-based ratemaking. The goal is to ensure that the financial incentives of the utility are aligned with the environmental, customer service, and reliability objectives of ratepayers like you. Now that we have filed our testimony, we will work to prove to the Public Service Commission that they should follow states like New York and Hawaii that are actively working to create energy grids that are greener, smarter, and give consumers more choice.

The Public Service Commission will be hosting a public hearing in Montgomery County to hear from residents about your thoughts on the merger. The hearing will take place on Tuesday, January 13 at 6 pm at the Montgomery County Council Office Building Auditorium at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville, MD, 20850. The hearing begins at 6 pm and you can sign up at the door.

The Commission will also accept written testimony. Written testimony needs to be mailed (it cannot be e-mailed) to the Public Service Commission. The testimony should be addressed to:

David J. Collins, Executive Secretary

Maryland Public Service Commission

William Donald Schaefer Tower

6 St. Paul Street, 16th Floor

Baltimore, MD 21202

***And reference “Case No. 9361 – Public Comment.”

Folks, this is your opportunity to share directly with the Commissioners who will be making this important decision whether you believe this merger is in the public interest and what kind of utility you want in the future. And if you agree that concepts like performance based ratemaking and holding the merged entity financially at risk for meeting important environmental and consumer objectives, feel free to throw in support for the Coalition’s efforts! With your assistance, we can fundamentally reform our utility so it will serve us better for years to come. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact Drew Morrison in my office.

 OLO Interactive Fiscal Plan Unveiled

The County’s Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) recently unveiled its new web-based Interactive Fiscal Plan that will allow both users inside government and from the public to better understand how structural changes in the County’s six-year budget projections can be impacted by significant changes in revenue or expenditures.

In 2013, the Council directed OLO to develop a method to measure the effect of structural budget changes. The Council wanted the interactive tool to help better understand how recurring revenue and expenditure patterns influence the ability to achieve balanced budgets in future years. Earlier in 2014, then Council President Craig Rice asked OLO to transform the model into a web-based tool that would be available to the public.

Each year, the Council approves a six-year fiscal plan. The plan includes operating budget revenue and expenditure estimates for the upcoming six fiscal years based on projections prepared by the County’s Department of Finance and Office of Management and Budget. The Interactive Fiscal Plan measures the effect of inputting alternative revenue and expenditure assumptions in the fiscal plan. The model calculates the cumulative six-year effect of adjusting the assumed average annual rate of change for major plan variables.

The plan will help the Council and the community better understand the relationship among different elements of the operating budget. The model shows the relationship among different budget elements and provides the user the opportunity to explore alternative approaches to balancing the budget.

The model also features background information, step-by-step instructions and a “help” function to assist the user. In addition, the model includes definitions of budget terms and explanations of some of the considerations and limitations that shape Council budget decision-making.

The web-based version of the model can be accessed through the OLO home page.

 Liquor Control Update

 

In December 1933, shortly after the end of Prohibition, the Liquor Control Board for Montgomery County was established. Since that time, Montgomery County has been what is known as a ‘Control State.’ By operating their own retail and wholesale operations, Montgomery County regulates the alcohol industry more directly than the 32 states who only issue licenses to private sellers.  Indeed, we are the only county in the country to have such comprehensive controls in place.


Many on the Council, myself included, have long expressed strong interest in reviewing the County’s approach to alcohol sales and examining possible areas of reform. We hear regularly from constituents that lament the choices and service provided.  And, we look at the revenue generated – tens of millions – and at our difficult budget situation.  If we could modernize our approach and offset the economic losses, then…  

 

To facilitate the conversation, Council President George Leventhal has established an ad hoc committee to study the County’s Department of Liquor Control (DLC) and its current system of alcohol distribution. The Committee will be chaired by Councilmember Hans Riemer; he will be joined by Public Safety Committee Chair Elrich and Council President Leventhal as Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. Though I am not a seated member of the ad hoc committee, I plan on being very active in the process and attending as many committee meetings as I can. 


Along with reviewing the upcoming Council Office of Legislative Oversight report on Liquor Control, the ad hoc committee will hear testimony from stakeholder groups. These stakeholder groups include restaurant operators, beer and wine store license holders, members of the State’s Alcohol Beverage Advisory Board, the Montgomery County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO -- which represents the County’s alcohol retail and wholesale employees), and many others. However, the most important stakeholder group that the Committee will hear from is the customers of Montgomery County Liquor Control – that means you! 


We want to hear your opinions on our County’s involvement in Liquor Control! As these committee meetings are scheduled and testimony, we will keep you updated so that you can make your voice heard and be involved in these hearings. Whether you are a license holder, a restaurant owner, or a consumer, we need to hear what you have to say.

 Nonprofit of the Month: Crittenton Services of Greater Washington

 

For our fourth installment of “Nonprofit of the Month,” I am pleased to introduce you to Crittenton Services of Greater Washington, which was recently voted “one of the best” nonprofits by the well-respected Catalogue for Philanthropy. 

Crittenton Services, led by Executive Director Pam Jones, is a positive youth development organization that delivers voluntary, life-changing, school-based programs to teen girls from the 8th to the 12th grade in public and charter schools in DC and Montgomery County. They deliver comprehensive programs to 200 girls annually here in Montgomery and a total of 470 teen girls overall. Their track record of proven results is 30 years long serving tens of thousands of teen girls.

The program leaders are expert youth development specialists who provide support, create a “safe space,” and engage participants in activities that build skills while they are having fun. Graduates of the programs make healthy relationship choices, avoid teen pregnancy, and go on to college and meaningful careers. 

The impact of Crittenton’s work can be measured in several ways:

• Girls in Crittenton programs are more motivated to learn, to succeed in school, and go to college. They know how to and do advocate for themselves and for others.

• Crittenton girls know how to set and achieve their goals to build positive actions steps to a brighter future. They have real life skills.

• Last year, 100% of the 12th grade program participants graduated from high school.

• In the past three years, they have had a 98-100% pregnancy prevention rate.

• Crittenton program leaders get thank you letters and e-mails from graduates on the very day that they graduate from college, get a new job, get accepted in to the Peace Corps, or get married.

All of Crittenton’s work is about positive impact and connections, connections that transform lives and transformational leaders who inspire and connect the dots and create the pathways for teen girls to succeed. 

If you are interested in learning more about Crittenton, mark your calendars now for April 23, 2015 for their annual Talk with a Teen Girl Today Leadership Academy Conference and High Tea and come meet teen girls whose lives you can help impact, and become involved.


Applications Sought for Public Election Fund Committee

 

The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants for positions on the recently established Committee to Recommend Funding for the Public Election Fund. Letters of interest must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4.  


The Council recently enacted Bill 16-14 that established a voluntary public campaign financing system for candidates for County Council and County Executive.  Beginning with the 2018 election, a candidate for Council or Executive may seek matching funds for small dollar contributions of $150 or less from a Public Election Fund. The Council must appropriate funds for the Public Election Fund as part of the annual County government operating budget. 
The legislation created the Committee to Recommend Funding for the Public Election Fund to estimate the funds necessary to implement the public campaign finance system and recommend an annual appropriation by the Council to the Public Election Fund. 


The Public Election Fund Committee will be composed of five County residents appointed by the County Council for four-year terms beginning on May 1 of the first year of the Council’s term of office. The term of this committee will begin on May 1, 2015, and end April 30, 2019.  No more than three members can be from the same political party. The Council will designate the chair and vice chair. The committee must issue its report to the Council on or before March 1 each year.
All five positions are up for appointment. There is no compensation for members of the commission, but members may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses. The committee, once it is formed, will determine how often it will need to meet.  Members of County boards, committees and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time.


Letters of application expressing interest, including a resume listing professional and civic experience, should be addressed to: Council President George Leventhal, County Council Office, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850.  Applications can also be submitted via email.


Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4.  Letters of application and resumes are made public as part of the appointment process and are available for public review. After the closing date, the Council will review the applications and resumes and will select applicants for interview. The Council anticipates making the appointments in April 2015.
 

County Executive's FY 2016 Budget Town Hall Schedule 

 

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is holding the first of five budget forums the first week in January to seek input from residents about Fiscal Year 2016 Operating Budget priorities.  The first forum was held on Monday, January 5 at the BlackRock Center for the Arts 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown.


Additional forums in other areas of the County are scheduled throughout January.


•  Wednesday, January 14, Silver Spring Regional Services Center, One Veterans Place, Silver Spring.
•   Tuesday, January 20, Eastern Montgomery Regional Services Center, 3300 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring.
•   Thursday, January 22, Mid-County Community Recreation Center, 2004 Queensguard Road, Silver Spring
•   Monday, January 26, Bethesda Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, 4805 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda.


The County Executive announces his Recommended Fiscal Year 2016 Operating Budget on March 16.  The County Council approves the operating budget at the end of May.

 

Apply to Join the Human Rights Commission

 

Montgomery County is seeking applicants to fill five vacancies on the Human Rights Commission. Three incumbent members are eligible to apply for reappointment.


The 15-member commission promotes equal rights and opportunities for all persons. Commissioners are expected to serve on special or standing committees and participate in activities requiring involvement in the community. Commissioners serve on case review boards consisting of three individuals that consider and decide each complaint that the Director certifies to the Commission.


Members serve three year terms without compensation, but are eligible for reimbursement for travel and dependent care for meetings attended. Regular meetings are held the fourth Monday evening of each month in Rockville. Appointed members are required to file a confidential financial disclosure statement within fifteen days of Council confirmation and annually thereafter.


Applicants of diverse backgrounds, professions, gender, geography, disability and ethnicity are encouraged to apply. An application, consisting of a brief cover letter and resume, should be sent by mail to County Executive Isiah Leggett, 101 Monroe Street, 2nd Floor, Rockville, MD  20850, or by email. Home and employment addresses, as well as contact phone numbers and email addresses should be included. If appropriate, applicants should indicate the position for which they are applying.


The deadline for application is January 23, 2015.

 

Neighborhood Spotlight

 

District 1 is home to a great array of neighborhoods.  As we showed in last month's Berliner Brief, we are doing a new future each month spotlighting a neighborhood and the great work that they are doing on issues important to our overall quality of life.  If you would like us to showcase your neighborhood, email us here and tell us why.

 

Last Newsletter

 

Did you miss the November 2014 edition of The Berliner Brief? Click here for the browser version.

 

My Office


Thank you for your trust, and please let me know what I can do for you by emailing me at councilmember.berliner@ montgomerycountymd.gov, or by calling my office at 240-777-7828. It is truly a privilege to do this work, and I thank you for the opportunity. 

 

As always, my staff and I look forward to hearing from you and to seeing you at  community events. Cindy Gibson is my Chief of Staff and handles land use issues for me; Drew Morrison works on transportation, environment, and energy issues; Warren Hansen assists with education, health and human services, and parks and recreation issues; Zac Trupp handles public safety issues, constituent service, manages my busy calendar, and is the friendly voice on the other end of the phone when you call our office; and Vikrum Mathur works on government operations matters. All of them will try to facilitate your interaction with County government in any way that they can. 

 

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