MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Saturday, March 2 -- Public hearing on Legislative Redistricting and Proposed Precinct Modifications. Board of Elections, 18753 N. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg. 10 a.m. � noon..  Persons interested in speaking should visit  http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Elections/BoardInformation/PublicParticipation.html - for information and preparation guidelines.  A detailed matrix of the proposed modifications will be posted at www.777vote.org  approximately five days prior to the public hearing. If unable to attend the hearing, public comments will be received by the Montgomery County Board of Elections through 5 p.m. on March 6.  Persons interested in providing a response related to the proposed modifications should submit their comments to elections@montgomerycountymd.gov.


Thursday, March 7 -- Seminar on the Legal Process of Separation and Divorce in Montgomery County.  Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Suite 330. 7-9 p.m. Presented by attorney Chandra Walker Holloway. The seminar will also be offered in Spanish at the same time, presented by attorney Nelson Garcia. Topics will include financial, property and practical issues both wife and husband must consider.  Pre-registration for either session is $10 at  http://divorcelawseminar3.eventbrite.com/; admission at the door is $15, cash or check, only.  Call 240-777-8300.

March 25 - March 30. Civil Rights Historic Bus Tour.  Retrace the steps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights heroes. Tour stops will be: Greensboro, NC; Atlanta, GA; Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, and Tuskegee, AL; Cincinnati, OH and Memphis, TN. Hosted by the Montgomery County Office of Human Rights, in collaboration with Montgomery County Public Libraries, the African American Employees Association, the Lincoln Park Historical Foundation and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. $495 per person for the six-day tour for a group of four, including hotel, transportation, some meals and snacks and all museum/tour fees. Slightly higher for smaller groups. A deposit for half the tour fee is due as soon as possible. Contact Beverly Marshall in the Office of Human Rights at Beverly.marshall@montgomerycountymd.gov. More information at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/humanrights.

Check County Calendar for information on other County events/programs.

Another Media Endorsement FOR Question B

The Washington Examiner has joined The Washington Post and The Gazette in endorsing a FOR vote on Question B.

• Read the full editorial (pdf).
• For Public Safety. For Our Police. FOR Question B. Click here.

General Election Returns on County Website

Up-to-the-moment election results for the November 6 General Election will be accessible on the Board of Elections website at www.777vote.org.

Early Voting returns will be tabulated on Election Day and will be available as soon after 8 p.m.as possible.

Election Day returns will be available beginning at 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday and will be updated every 20 minutes.  

Residents who do not have internet access are invited to visit the Board of Elections in Gaithersburgat 18753 N. Frederick Ave. Suite 210. Election results will be displayed in the lower-level training room as the votes are counted.

An election-related logo on the Elections� website � www.777vote.org � will provide a link directly to the return page, as well as links to the Prince George�s County, state, and national election returns. 

For? or Against?: State and Local Ballot Questions and What They Mean

The November election is filled with candidates and issues on all levels that require our focused attention. For example, in Maryland and Montgomery County, alone, there are nine questions that deserve careful scrutiny. But, in many cases, after reading the language on the ballot, we�re left thinking: �What does that really mean?� And, �If I support the question, do I actually cast a For vote, or an Against vote?�

In an effort to clarify the ballot questions, The Paperless Airplane is sharing a document we received that presents the questions -- and an accompanying explanation of a For and Against vote for each  � in the most succinct, easy-to-understand language that we�ve seen.

Take a look and feel free to share it with others who may find it helpful.

STATE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS

1 & 2 � Applies only to Prince George�s County (1) and Baltimore (2) but must be approved statewide.  A vote for supports requiring Orphans' Court Judges to be members of the Maryland Bar in good standing.   Vote against keeps the existing law which does not require Maryland Bar membership.

3 � A vote for means that an elected official is suspended from office immediately upon being convicted of certain crimes and is removed from office when the conviction is final or the official pleads guilty.  A vote against keeps the existing provision that an elected official is suspended and removed from office only when the conviction becomes final.

4 � A vote for would allow certain non-documented students to pay in-state tuition rates at Maryland Community Colleges and after meeting certain requirements be eligible for in-state tuition rates at Maryland 4-year public colleges and universities.   A vote against would require they pay out-of-state rates.

5 � A vote for accepts the new Congressional redistricting boundaries. A vote against rejects the new plan and requires a redrafting of the boundaries.

6 � A vote for allows same-sex marriage licenses to be issued in Maryland and provides that religious organizations are not required to sanction this kind of marriage if it is against their beliefs.  A vote against would not allow same-sex civil marriage licenses to be issued in Maryland.

7 � A vote for supports the expansion of table games and slots in the State and slots in Prince George's County.  A vote against opposes any expansion.


MONTGOMERY COUNTY BALLOT QUESTIONS

A � A vote for would allow the County to hire individuals with severe physical and mental disabilities on a non-competitive basis.  A vote against rejects a non-competitive hiring process and requires the County to use the existing process.

B � A vote for supports the County law that continues traditional collective bargaining with the police union on customary issues (wages, benefits, and working  conditions) but enables police management to exercise other management rights without having to bargain their effects.  A vote against requires every management decision to be bargained with the police employees' union (effects bargaining).

Question B: It Just Makes Sense

There�s a question on the November ballot in Montgomery County that has garnered the endorsement of the County Democratic and Republican parties. The latest is an endorsement by Montgomery County's Hispanic Democratic Club.

             That would be Question B on �effects bargaining.�

            Learn more about Question B at http://montgomerycountymd.gov/questionb/.

            Read The Gazette's editorial in support of Question B.

Early Voting Centers around the County

For the convenience of residents, Montgomery County will have five Early Voting Centers open from October 27 through November 1, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

The Early Voting Centers are located at the following sites:

• Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center, 14625 Bauer Dr., Rockville
• Germantown Recreation Center, 18905 Kingsview Rd.
• Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center, 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville
• Montgomery County Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville
• Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veteran�s Place

Instructions will be available at the centers to familiarize voters with the ballot. Election judges can explain the procedure for voting, but residents must cast their ballots alone, unless they are unable to do so due to a disability or they cannot read or write the English language.

Voters may experience lines during early voting and at their polling places on Election Day, particularly during peak hours -- immediately before work (7-9 a.m.), during the lunch hour (11 a.m. � 2 p.m.) and immediately following work (5-7 p.m.). To facilitate the voting process, the Board of Elections encourages all voters to mark their sample ballots before arriving at their polling places.

For information about the elections, or the voting process, contact the Elections Office at 240-777-VOTE or visit the website at www.777vote.org.

The A�s and B�s of Ballot Questions

Over the years, public and private employers have stated that they are committed to the employment of people with disabilities.

However, the data clearly demonstrates that disabled veterans and persons with disabilities have an extremely high unemployment rate. In fact, in Montgomery County  46% of individuals with disabilities, ages 18-64, are unemployed or not in the labor force.

A vote for Question A on the November ballot will amend the County Charter to allow County Government more flexibility to recruit and select qualified individuals with severe physical or mental disabilities for County jobs.

Learn more about Question A and how it can broaden job opportunities for disabled veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Question B is all about who YOU think should run the County Police department -- the Police Chief or Police Union Leaders?

Under �effects bargaining,� Union leaders have the power to require our Police Chief Tom Manger to bargain everything about running his department with Police Union leaders. That includes the distribution of critical police equipment, the redeployment of officers to crime hot spots, and even the revised policy on �Use of Force� � important to protecting the public and officers alike � which was sent to the Police Union for their �approval� on June 27, 2008�four years ago.

No other Police Union in the entire State has �effects bargaining�. Neither does any other County union have it in their contract.

That�s why the Montgomery County Council unanimously voted to repeal effects bargaining,� a repeal signed into law by the County Executive.

The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee voted overwhelmingly � by about 90 percent � to urge a vote FOR Question B. County Republicans voted unanimously to endorse FOR Question B.

A �FOR� vote on Question B lets the Police Chief run the department in the most efficient and productive way and still protects the full range of collective bargaining enjoyed by all other Police unions across the State and all other County unions.

An �AGAINST� vote preserves Union leaders� power over the ability of the Police Chief to run the Police Department, impairing the effective and productive running of the Police Department in its mission to protect County residents' lives and property as well as  police officers themselves.

Vote FOR Question B.

• Click here to see Chief Manger talk about Question B on �Montgomery County Police Beat.�
• Click here to get more information in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and French.
• Click here to read the Washington Post editorial urging a FOR Question B vote �Unshackling Montgomery�s Police: County Voters have a chance to end union interference.�
• Hear the Public Service Announcement in Spanish.  
• For more information, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/QuestionB

HERE�S THE LIST THAT POLICE UNION LEADERS

DON�T WANT YOU TO SEE�

Montgomery County Police Policies Still Awaiting �Approval�

by Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Leaders

Police Union leaders have held up the finalization of the following 15 police procedural directives by demanding the right to bargain their �effects.�  The five issues marked with a star (*) had already been bargained and agreed to under the Union�s collective bargaining agreement - but the Union demanded to bargain them again under effects bargaining, thus continuing to delay their going into effect.

Directive   Date Sent to FOP

Use of Force (131) 06/27/08
Guides officers in their use of deadly force and non-deadly force. This includes but is not limited to the application of force through the use of firearms, tasers, and other protective instruments. This policy also covers the reporting process for officers to articulate the facts and circumstances surrounding their use of force.

Equipment Turn-In (390) 10/07/08
Details the procedures to be followed when turning in police-issued equipment.

*Firearms and Accessories (305) 10/18/08
Describes the type of authorized firearms and associated accessories (holsters, attached lights, etc�) that can be used by an officer while on-duty or off-duty.

*Clothing Allowance (414) 11/11/08
Provides guidelines for a clothing allowance to sworn officers whose job responsibilities do not primarily require the use of the standard-issue police uniform and the process by which these officers are paid.

*Restricted duty (380) 7/24/09
Defines what will occur when an officer is temporarily incapacitated and is not able to fully perform all duties or meet all responsibilities required of a sworn police officer.

Raids (711) 10/20/09
Details the procedures whenever it is necessary for officers to conduct search and seizure operations typically in the form of a search warrant service, with focus on the rights, safety, and welfare of both the citizens and the officers involved.

Search Warrants (712) 10/20/09
Defines the procedures to be followed when applying for and serving search warrants.

Interpreters and Language Services (1121) 09/08/09
Establishes that it is the policy of the department to furnish appropriate auxiliary
aids and services whenever necessary to ensure effective communication with
individuals with hearing impairments.

*Mobil Video Systems (425) 01/13/10
Delineates the arbitrated award whereby the Department can install, review and use mobile video systems in officers� police cruisers. This allows for better evidence in court, accountability in the police force, and safety for the officer on the street.

Field Training and Evaluation (343) 02/01/10
Defines the policy of the department to provide each probationary officer with field training under the guidance, direction, and evaluation of experienced officers and supervisors.

High Risk Incidents (950) 06/16/10
Establishes the policy to resolve potentially life-threatening incidents through the use of departmental resources to include patrol officers, the SWAT team, and hostage negotiators. High risk incidents include: hostage situations, any life-threatening situation, barricades and high risk arrest/execution of a search warrant.

ECC Tapes 10/17/11
This policy sets forth the process to obtain ECC communication tapes, both 911 calls and dispatch transmissions.

SRO�s 10/17/11
Defines the duties and responsibilities of sworn officers working in the school system as School Resource Officers (SROS�s).

*Employee Personal Information  5/18/12
Lists what personal information is kept by the department and what types of personal information can be released publicly including the reasons for its release.

Police Chief Tom Manger should be able to run the Police Department without Union leaders having the right to make him bargain every management decision. This costs County taxpayers money. It diminishes accountability. It inhibits efficiency and the introduction of new technology. Plainly put, it makes no sense.

That�s why the County Council unanimously repealed the law that gave Union leaders this power. It�s why the County Executive signed that repeal into law. And that�s why both the County Democratic Party and the County Republican Party are urging a vote FOR Question B.

FOR Question B means a more productive and efficient Police department to protect our families, our homes, and businesses, while still retaining the right of police officers to bargain over wages, hours, benefits, working conditions, and safety.

FOR PUBLIC SAFETY

FOR QUESTION B

For more information, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/QuestionB.

Absentee Ballot Deadline is October 30 November General Election

The deadline for receipt of an absentee ballot application for the November 6 Presidential General Election is Tuesday, October 30.  Written requests must reach the elections office by 8:00 p.m. or, if already registered, may be faxed to 240-777-8560 or e-mailed to absentee@montgomerycountymd.govno later than 11:59 p.m.

The absentee ballot application may be found online at the Board of Elections website at www.777vote.orgor www.montgomerycountymd.gov/elections.  Follow all instructions, and return the completed, signed application by mail, fax, or e-mail.  Ballots will be mailed within three business days.  

County Democratic and Republican Parties Both Endorse a �FOR� Vote on Question B

The recent unanimous vote by the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee to urge residents to vote �FOR� Question B followed a September 19 decision by the Montgomery County Democratic Party Precinct Officials and the Central Committee, by an overwhelming 109-14 margin, to urge a vote "FOR Question B" in the November election.

A vote FOR Question B supports the County law, passed unanimously by the County Council, which eliminates �effects bargaining� that gave Police Union leaders the power to demand that the Police Chief bargain everything about running the Montgomery County Police Department -- inhibiting innovation, accountability and efficiency.

• Get more details.
• See Washington Post editorial endorsement.
• See more information about Question B in English, Spanish, French, Chinese or Korean.
• Visit montgomerycountymd.gov/QuestionB.

Judges Needed for 2012 Presidential General Election

Montgomery County�s Board of Elections is seeking individuals to serve as election judges at polling places for the Presidential General Election on November 6,

In accordance with the Election Code, judges must be registered to vote in the State of Maryland.  They must also be able to speak, read, and write the English language, and while acting as a judge must not hold, or be a candidate for, public or party office. Election judges may not serve as a campaign manager for a candidate or as treasurer for any campaign financial entity.

Election judges bilingual in Spanish and election judge alternates are needed throughout the County.  Training will be provided, and all judges will be compensated for their services.

Apply, or receive more information at  www.777vote.org, then select the Election Judge Program link. 

On the Ballot: Question B Who Do You Think Should Run the Montgomery County Police Department? The Police Chief or Police Union Leaders?

Under �effects bargaining,� Police Chief Tom Manger has to bargain everything about running his department with Police union leaders, such as distributing critical police equipment, redeploying officers to crime hot spots and even the revised policy on �Use of Force� -- important to protecting the public and officers alike -- that was sent to the Police Union for their �approval� on June 27, 2008.

In all, 15 Police Department policies are awaiting union leaders' �approval� -- 12 of them for more than two years. Under effects bargaining, police officers still don�t have to sign their time cards. The Police Chief could not even require that police officers have County email accounts � or check their email. It took months to negotiate that.

That makes no sense.

That�s why the County Council and the County Executive -- all pro-labor -- unanimously repealed �effects bargaining� � without affecting the continued right of the union to bargain wages, hours, working conditions and benefits on behalf of their members.

No other Police union in the entire State has �effects bargaining.� Neither does any other County union have it in their contract.

The issue will be on the November ballot.

A �FOR� vote on Question B is a vote that lets the Police Chief run the department in the most efficient and productive way and still protects the full range of collective bargaining enjoyed by all other Police unions across the State and all other County unions.

An �AGAINST� vote preserves union leaders� power over the ability of the Police Chief to run the Police Department, impairing the effective and productive running of the department.

That�s what Question B is all about.  Vote FOR Question B.

Read the Washington Post editorial: �Unshackling Montgomery�s Police�

See the list of Police policies dating back to June, 2008 that are awaiting Fraternal Order of Police �approval� before Chief Manger can implement them.

See a list of facts about Question B. 

For more information, go to the Question B website.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES

FROM THE LAST ISSUE, READERS ASKED ABOUT: All That Tree Debris at the Transfer Station

For instance, one wanted to know: How does the amount of debris compare to �normal� times (obviously, it is greater but how much)?   How is it reduced to mulch?  Where does it go from the Transfer Station? And, why is it -- or is it not -- burned along with other trash at the Dickerson power plant?

Peter Karasik, the Section Chief for Central Operations at the Transfer Station responded:
"On an annual average basis, the Shady Grove Processing Facility and Transfer Station receives about 350 vehicles per day of all sizes delivering yard waste and tree debris.  There are, however, normal seasonal variations. So, a busy day in the spring or early summer may result in 600 to 700 vehicles with yard waste/tree debris coming to our facility, while January and February may have fewer than 100 vehicles per day.

"In the first week after the June 29 storm, we received 1,500 to 2,000 vehicles most days with a record-setting 4,300 vehicles on Tuesday, July 3.

"The Division of Solid Waste Services owns three large horizontal grinders with approximately 1,000-horsepower engines that can grind almost all tree debris except for large stumps which need to be broken up first.  Each of these machines can process more than 100 tons per hour of natural wood waste.

"Our contractor, Grant County Mulch, picks up the mulch, so it is not burned. They pay us about $5 per ton, so we recover some of our processing costs."

******

Another reader suggested: Why don�t you make all this hardwood available to residents as firewood, rather than turning it all into mulch?  I would be willing to pay for it and load it myself. 

Peter replied:
"Other residents have asked the same question. However, we have some concerns with respect to letting residents come onsite with chain saws and cut up and load bulky wood waste.

"First, we�re concerned about general safety. People would be climbing around piles of wood and shifting logs trying to get at the better material.  It would be a difficult situation to safely manage.

"We also have a very limited amount of space onsite, so we could not keep things moving after a major storm if residents parked in our lot and spent an hour or so cutting wood and loading up their trucks. If we had more space, we could have a professional tree trimming contractor cut up the wood waste and prepare bundles or cords of firewood for sale.

"So although we agree with the concept, we currently just don�t have the space to do it."

Thanks to our readers for their insightful questions. 

MC311 Customer Service Center Extends Hours of Operation

Under the extended hours that recently took effect, the County�s MC311 Customer Service Center (CSC) is now operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

An analysis conducted last April (when the center operated until 5 p.m.) indicated that from 5 to 7 p.m. between 135 and 175 calls came in to the center. This means that an additional 700 to 800 customers a week, or more than 3,000 additional customers a month, could be served in the extra two hours. 

Shortly before MC311�s launch in June 2010, a decision was made to operate 10 hours-a-day, five days-a-week until there was a better understanding of call volume and staffing needs.  Over the past two years,  increased portal usage and significant improvements in the call center operations have created greater efficiencies in the operation. 

For those who prefer online contact, the self-service website, www.MC311.com, is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week.

Read more.

Board of Elections Seeks Help on Election Day

Judges with Spanish-Speaking Fluency

Montgomery County Board of Elections is seeking individuals with Spanish speaking fluency to serve as election judges at polling places on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

Election judges must be: registered to vote in the State of Maryland, 18 years of age or older and a U.S. citizen. In addition to Spanish speaking fluency, election judges must also be able to speak, read and write in English. All election judges will be compensated for training and for Election Day service.

Anyone interested in serving should contact the Montgomery County Board of Elections at 240-777-8532, download an election judge questionnaire from www.777vote.org or e-mail Dr. Gilberto Zelaya at gilberto.zelaya@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Student Election Aides

School-age students, grades 6-12, are needed to serve as Election Day student aides.

Students and their guardians must attend mandatory training to serve on Election Day and, if applicable, to receive Student Service Learning (SSL) credits.  Students are placed in neighboring precincts according to their home addresses. 

Students within a public, private, independent, religious or home-school setting in Montgomery County are eligible to apply.  U.S. citizenship is not a pre-requisite to participate.  Students with bilingual and American Sign Language skills are encouraged to apply.

Interested parents/guardians can register their student(s), before October 1, online by visiting  www.777vote.org.

For additional information, email future.vote@montgomerycountymd.gov.

New Look, Enhanced Features for Board of Elections' Website

Montgomery County Board of Elections website -- www.777vote.org -- has been redesigned with a fresh look, new and enhanced features, and easier and more straightforward navigation tools.

The new site, designed in coordination with the Department of Technology Services, was upgraded in response to requests for improvements and greater accessibility for disabled and non-English speaking constituents.

Visitors to the site should take note. Some of the links within the page have changed.  Voters are encouraged to enter the site via the home page rather than through the utilization of previously bookmarked links.

Give the Gift of Literacy

The Literacy Council of Montgomery County will hold an information session for volunteers interested in helping adults learn to read, write, or speak English on Wednesday, August 29 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rockville Memorial Library.

Once volunteers have completed the orientation, they can select a two-part training session that fits their schedules.  No foreign language skills are necessary. Tutors work one-on-one or with small groups and typically meet with students in libraries or community centers at mutually convenient times.

For complete details, call 301-610-0030, email info@literacycouncilmcmd.org or visit www.literacycouncilmcmd.org.

Fall Guide for Recreation and Parks Programs Now Available

The fall issue of the Montgomery County Guide for Recreation and Parks Programs is out, and residents are advised to register now for programs, classes and swim lessons.

Print copies of the guide are available at recreation centers, park facilities, government buildings and libraries. Residents who prefer receiving the guide in the mail can pay an annual subscription fee of $5 and receive all five issues (Summer, Fall, Winter, Summer Camps and Spring).

To view the guide online, or to sign up for a subscription, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/rec. For more information, call 240-777-6840.

Nominations Open for Human Rights Hall of Fame

The Montgomery County Office of Human Rights (OHR) is currently accepting nominations for its Seventh Hall of Fame.  Nominations should be individuals � either living or deceased � whose ongoing work, service and contributions have positively impacted human and civil rights in the County.  The deadline for nominations is September 10.

A select number of nominees will be recommended for the Hall of Fame by a panel of community judges.  The induction ceremony is planned for Sunday, October 28, from 3 to 5 p.m., at the BlackRock Center for the Arts in Germantown.

The OHR Hall of Fame began in 2001 and is held every other year.  More than 70 individuals have been inducted over the years. 

For a complete listing of inductees, go to www.montgomerycountymd.gov/humanrights.  

Nomination forms are available online, or by calling the Office of Human Rights at 240-777-8456.

�Small Business Plus!� is Here

Developed through a unique collaboration between Montgomery County and community banks headquartered in the County, �Small Business Plus!� will promote job growth through small business lending and earn a competitive rate of return for the County on its investment.

Ten million dollars in County funds will be invested in participating community banks that will, in turn, commit an equal amount.  This means that $20 million will be lent to local small businesses to further promote the creation of new jobs.

Banks may participate if they: are headquartered in Montgomery County; have assets greater than $200 million and less than $5 billion; and meet certain safety and soundness standards established by the County.

Read more.

Consumer Protection Tip: Save on Energy Bills 

This summer is setting heat records!  To keep energy bills down, consider investing in a new, energy-efficient heating and cooling unit. You can also seal air leaks in your home, improve insulation and simply set your thermostat higher in the summer.

For more suggestions, visit Maryland Energy Administration�s webpage on Energy Efficient Cooling Systems