MAKING NEWS

Word Gets Around: Housing Counselor Interview Cited in Congressional Record and State Housing Blog

The good word about the work of Carmen Castro-Conroy, a senior counselor with the Housing Initiative Partnership in the County, is spreading.

It started with the Washington Post Magazine�s �First Person Sungular� column about the dedication she brings to her job.  Then came an insertion, by Eighth District Congressman Chris Van Hollen, of the article into the Congressional Record. That was followed by a reference to both previous pieces in �Community Review,� the official blog of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.

In the column, Carmen said, �Losing a home is devastating; just thinking about losing a home is very stressful. It�s my responsibility to encourage them [clients] and to lift them up. I tell them, �This is a house; you�re bigger than this, and you�re going to come out of this stronger.��        

Simply put, �I love what I do.�

County Honored as Leader in Application of Web and Social Media Tools

Montgomery County has been recognized by the Public Technology Institute (PTI) as a leader in the innovative application of Web 2.0 technologies and civic/social media tools. Montgomery County was one of only 10 jurisdictions and one of two County governments in the U.S. to be honored.

More and more, Web 2.0 technologies and social media tools for government affect how public institutions function and deliver services. They encourage cross-agency information sharing for improved communications and service delivery, engaging the public in government decision-making and empowering staff through data access and streamlined processes.

Read more about the recognition.

Montgomery Named High-Ranking Digital County�Again

Montgomery County has been named the sixth ranked digital government in the United States by The Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Montgomery County was honored in the category for jurisdictions with populations of 500,000 or greater. This marks the 10th year in a row that Montgomery County has placed in the top 10 in this highly competitive ranking.

The Digital Counties Survey recognizes leading examples of counties using information and communications technology and evaluates entrants on their ability to demonstrate successful outcomes through the strategic use of technology.

 Read more.