Montgomery legislative delegation to hold public hearing Monday
The final opportunity for Montgomery County residents to testify on legislation that members of the Maryland General Assembly plan to introduce in the 90-day session that begins Jan. 9 will be held Monday in the Rockville chambers of the County Council at 7 p.m.
Two of the bills to be discussed, both being sponsored by Del. Ben Kramer, a Wheaton Democrat, would expand the purview of the county’s inspector general to include Montgomery College and the Housing Opportunities Commission.
Two bills being sponsored by Del. Eric Luedtke, a Burtonsville Democrat, will also be discussed that would alter voting methods in Montgomery County. One of Luedtke’s bills would require candidates running for county executive to submit a petition with the signatures of 1,000 registered voters, with a 500-signature requirement for candidates running for an at-large County Council seat and 250 signatures required for a council district seat. The other bill would amend the county’s voting system to a “ranked choice” method in local races, where voters would rank the candidates on the ballot in order of preference.
Elrich’s final two listening sessions set in Potomac, Kensington
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich will hold his last two of eight listening sessions that he has held in the county since being elected Nov. 6. Elrich has been holding the sessions in order to receive input from residents on issues facing the county, which he plans to incorporate into his administration’s priorities. Monday’s listening session will be at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday’s event will be at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
County to hold security funding information session Tuesday
The Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security will host an information session on Tuesday for faith-based organizations interested in how to apply for security funding for the county.
The session will be held at the Executive Office Building in Rockville from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The funds will come from a recently-approved grant of $200,000 the council set aside for faith communities that have experienced hate crimes, or have concerns about being targeted.
Organizations may apply for funding through Jan. 10.
Metrorail adds rush-hour trains past Grosvenor
Metrorail today is doubling rush-hour service at four Montgomery County stations – White Flint, Twinbrook, Rockville and Shady Grove – with trains arriving every four minutes.
The change, announced in October, eliminates what Metro dubs the “Grosvenor turnback,” where half of the Shady Grove-bound trains ended, discharging passengers onto the outdoor platform at Grosvenor-Strathmore station in North Bethesda to wait for the following train that continues to Shady Grove.
Elected officials have scheduled a news conference to tout the change.
Dan Schere can be reached at Daniel.schere@moco360.media
