Cool nights, warm days ahead – Get used to the brisk mornings, they’ll be here all week. On the flip side, the afternoons should be nice. Today’s high is predicted to be around 71, according to the National Weather Service, with a nighttime low of 53. There’s a chance of showers during the day Tuesday and a high of 73. Showers are likely Tuesday night when the temperature drops to the mid-50s. Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be mostly sunny, with highs around 70 and lows near 50. We may see some showers Friday, according to the weather service, when a high of 68 and low of 53 is predicted.
Gaithersburg Council to select new mayor – Current Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz is running unopposed for the Montgomery County Council seat being vacated by Phil Andrews in District 3, so Monday night the Gaithersburg City Council is scheduled to select a new mayor from its own members in closed session. The council plans to announce the selection Tuesday. The council includes Henry F. Marraffa, Jr., a retired remodeling contractor and current council vice president; Jud Ashman, the president of a graphic design firm; Cathy Drzyzgula, a civic activist; Michael Sesma, a neuroscientist; and Ryan Spiegel, an attorney. Spiegel ran unsuccessfully against Katz for the county council seat in the June primary. The new mayor will serve until November 2015, when the city holds its next election.
Council to review clearing snow on sidewalks – The county council is expected to work on legislation that would put a plan in place to clear public sidewalks in the county today. The county’s budget office estimated it would cost about $6 million per year to clear all the public sidewalks, but the Office of Legislative Oversight countered that the plan may only include pedestrian priority sidewalks, making the task less expensive. The council is asking the county executive’s office to come up with a plan the council can evaluate to clear snow from the county’s sidewalks.
Councilmembers look to amend bag tax – A bill that was tabled by Councilmember Roger Berliner last year to limit the scope of the county’s bag tax to food stores is coming back. The council is scheduled to take another look at the legislation on Tuesday that would limit the 5 cent tax to retail outlets where more than 2 percent of their sales are food or alcoholic beverages. This means places like department stores or clothing stores wouldn’t be subject to the tax. Berliner has been pushing for the bill, which is set to expire soon if the council doesn’t extend its expiration date, because he says bags from non-food retailers are not ending up as litter. However, County Executive Isiah Leggett, according to his spokesman Patrick Lacefield, supports the law as it currently stands. “Our view is a bag is a bag,” Lacefield said in September.
Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra to play Strathmore – The Serbian orchestra is making its first tour of the U.S. in its 91-year-old existence and will play at Strathmore Wednesday night. The 7:30 show will include works by Serbian composer Stevan Hristic, Khachaturian’s “Masquerade” and Sibelius’ “Symphony No. 2 in D. Major”. Tickets are still available for the concert and range from $25 to $55.
