How Not to Burn Your House Down This Thanksgiving

More cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year, according to our Department of Fire and Rescue Services. I’m cooking for a crowd this year, as I’m sure many of you are, so here are some safety tips from DFRS. Frying your turkey this year? See the tips specific to turkey fryers at the bottom. Have a happy (and safe) Thanksgiving!

Cooking Fires Life-Saving Tips:

• Be alert! Always keep your eyes on what’s cooking.
• If a fire breaks out while cooking, put a lid on the pan to smother it. Never throw water on a grease fire.
• Clean cooking surfaces regularly to prevent grease buildup which can ignite.
• Always wear short, tight-fitting sleeves when cooking.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food, check it regularly. Remain in the kitchen while food is cooking and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
• Double-check the kitchen before you go to bed or leave the house. Make sure all other appliances are turned off.
• Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Test the batteries every month and change the batteries annually.

Turkey fryers are becoming an increasingly popular choice to cook the Thanksgiving turkey and can be extremely dangerous if proper precautions are not taken. If your plans include using a turkey fryer, fire department officals urge residents to follow all manufacturer directions closely and to review the following safety tips:

Fryer Safety Tips:

• Many units easily tip over, spilling the hot oil within the cooking pot.
• A small amount of cooking oil coming into contact with the burner can cause a large fire.
  Fryers should always be used outdoors, on a solid level surface a safe distance from buildings and flammable materials.
• Never use a fryer on a wooden deck, under a patio cover, in a garage or enclosed space.
  Do not overfill the fryer.
• If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner/flames causing a fire to engulf the entire unit.
• Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect. This too, may result in an extensive fire.
• With no thermostat controls, the units also have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion. Never leave the tryer unattended.
• The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.
• Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use or after use as the oil can remain hot for hours.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed before it is placed in a fryer.

Report: Achieving a Structurally Balanced Budget in Montgomery County

“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts,” according to my favorite quote from Daniel Patrick Moynihan. That’s why I commissioned the Office of Legislative Oversight’s report on the County’s structural deficit. There have been many assumptions about the structural deficit and what drives it. The first part of OLO’s report supplies us with the facts we need to consider as we plan for long-term fiscal balance. The second part of the report, to be released December 7, will lay out options for new ways of doing business.

Achieving a Structurally Balanced Budget in Montgomery County examines the County’s tax-supported revenue and spending trends over the past 10 years and projected spending for the next six. It includes the budgets of Montgomery County Government, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The report states: “The traditional scenario for making annual budget decisions no longer works when a jurisdiction faces a structural budget problem… Looking ahead, the County’s budget decisions will increasingly be dominated by costs that are resistant to change.”

The report reveals that quick fixes are not going to resolve this long-term built-in problem. The facts in the report will give all of the decision makers a meaningful starting place for the conversation about where we go from here.

The report shows that from FY02 to FY11, the tax-supported agency budgets in the County collectively increased 59 percent from $2.1 billion to $3.4 billion. The macro-cost curve shows annual increases of 7-9 percent between FY02 and FY08. Total tax-supported spending leveled off in FY09 and posted actual declines in FY10 and FY11. During the same 10-year period, inflation was 29 percent, the County’s population grew 12 percent, median household income increased 21 percent, and the County’s assessable property tax base increased 114 percent.

Trends in costs identified in the report show that personnel costs (pay and benefits) account for 82 percent of all tax-supported spending. Between FY02 and FY11, personnel costs increased 64 percent while the total number of work years increased 10 percent. The report states: “Between FY02 and FY11, the primary driver behind higher personnel costs was not an increase in the size of the workforce but rather the increase in the average cost per employee.” I find this to be a particularly interesting finding.

The report notes that “across the four agencies, employee salaries grew by 50 percent in the aggregate and by higher amounts (up to 80 percent) for individual employees, while the costs of health and retirement/pension benefits increased upwards of 120 percent… As one example, for County Government, the aggregate cost of employee benefits as a percent of salary increased from 35 percent in FY02 to 52 percent in FY11. This means that for every $1 the County spends on salary, it now pays 52 cents for benefits. The drivers behind these rising costs are the overall rise in health care costs, and major increases in annual pension/retirement plan contributions.”

There is a lot more important information in the report that will provide a backdrop to the ongoing negations with our labor unions in the four agencies, so check out the full report. I’m confident that part two will give us even more insight.

While it is true that jurisdictions across the nation are grappling with similar problems, I feel good that we are taking such a proactive and data-driven approach to our budget challenges. The County Executive will transmit his proposed FY12 budget to us on March 15, and we will pass a final budget at the end of May. I expect this report to inform these decisions as well as those that extend well into the future.

Holiday Schedule for Thanksgiving

Here's our holiday schedule for Thanksgiving:

County Offices -- closed
Libraries -- closed
County liquor stores – closed
Ride On – Sunday service
Metrobus – Sunday service
Metrorail – Sunday service
TRiPS Commuter Stores (Silver Spring and Friendship Heights) -- closed
Refuse/recycling pickup – no collection*
Transfer Station – closed
Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – free
MCPS Administrative Offices – closed
State offices & courts – closed

*Collection provided one day later for remainder of week (last collection day is Saturday).

One Position Open on Commission on Redistricting

We're looking to fill one position on the County's nine-member Commission on Redistricting, so apply by November 15. The Montgomery County Charter states that the County shall be divided into five Council districts for the purpose of nominating and electing five members of the Council. Each district shall be compact in form and be composed of adjoining territory. The new districts will be in effect for the 2014 Council election. The one Council appointee will join eight other members--four from each party. Those appointees are selected by the Council from a list of eight individuals submitted by each political party. Send your letter, with resume, expressing interest in a position on the Commission on Redistricting to the Office of the Montgomery County Council, 100 Maryland Avenue, 5th Floor, Rockville, Maryland 20850.

Apply Now to Clarksburg Infrastructure Working Group

We’re looking for people to serve on a new Clarksburg Infrastructure Working Group that will review and prioritize the necessary infrastructure items for the Clarksburg area and propose suitable mechanisms to finance the recommended infrastructure for the emerging Upcounty community.

We approved creation of the task force when we terminated the Clarksburg Town Center Development District on October 19. Implementation of the development district would have levied a special annual assessment on the community’s residents to fund specific public infrastructure. If you are interested, submit your application by Friday, Nov. 19.

The group will have 11 members who are scheduled to be appointed by the Council on Nov. 30. The group will start meeting soon after its creation, with a report expected to be delivered by April 1 for review by the Council and County Executive Isiah Leggett.

The working group is designed to have one member who has expertise or significant background in municipal financing; four members of the Clarksburg community; two representatives of the building industry; two representatives of the County Executive; one representative from the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission; and one additional member.

The Oct. 19 vote did not directly affect two other development districts proposed for Clarksburg—the Clarksburg Village and Clarksburg Skylark development districts. However, it decreases the likelihood of them going forward.

The County’s development district law was enacted in 1994 and rewritten in 2008. The concept would dedicate special assessments from property owners to pay for specific infrastructure (streets, libraries, parks etc.) for those communities. By dedicating the funds, development districts would allow new communities to get infrastructure built more quickly, rather than competing with all parts of the County for limited funds.

The Clarksburg Town Center Development District was created in 2003 to cover residences built over an unincorporated area of approximately 247 acres. Resolution 15-87, which created the district, listed specific infrastructure items that it would finance, including road improvements, a library, enhancements for the planned Clarksburg Village South local park and improvements to local trails. Assessments collected were to be paid to a special fund used to pay off bonds that would pay for those items.

It was originally estimated that property owners in the Clarksburg Town Center Development District would pay an annual assessment of about $1,200.

Send your letter and resume to: Clarksburg Infrastructure Working Group, c/o Council President Nancy Floreen, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850. Applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 19. It is the Council’s policy not to consider applications received after the deadline.

New Residential Parking Legislation

Last week, the Council approved Zoning Text Amendment 09-03, which was part of a package of code enforcement legislation sent to the Council by the County Executive. Parking was the main focus of the ZTA, which limits the amount of parking on a front yard based on its zone. In the R-200, R-150 and R-90 zones, 30 percent of the yard may be covered by surfaced parking; in R-60 and R-40 zones, 35 percent of the yard may be covered, and on houses on major streets, 50 percent of the yard may be covered. These requirements may be waived if necessary for public safety.

The parking regulations have a grandfather clause that allows properties with surfaced parking that exceeds the new limits to remain in place, but homeowners may not expand that area. The ZTA also includes a six month amortization clause: simply put, this means that at the conclusion of the six month period after the law goes into effect, homeowners may not park their cars on grass or dirt on their front yards and must install a parking surface such as asphalt or wood chips.

The ZTA also places a limit on the number of cars that can be parked on a front yard. All lots are allowed a minimum of 320 square feet of area for parking in the front yard, roughly sufficient for two cars. Each additional vehicle requires at least 160 square feet of surface area.

The ZTA made two other changes to current County law: it requires home business operators to prove they live where the business is taking place and it allows light commercial vehicles (such as smaller tow trucks which are shorter than 21 feet long and lower than 8 feet high) to be parked on residentially zoned lots.

Holiday Schedule for Veterans Day

Here's a listing of County services for Veterans Day:
County Offices -- closed
Libraries -- closed
County liquor stores – all stores open regular hours
Ride On – special modified holiday schedule
Metrobus – special service
Metrorail – 5 a.m. to midnight
Refuse/recycling pickup – regular collection
Transfer Station – open
Parking at public garages, lots, curbside meters – free
MCPS Administrative Offices – open
State offices & courts – closed

Vote on November 2

Remember to vote in the General Election on November 2.

In addition to national, state and local races, there will be a question on the Emergency Medical Transport Fee (ambulance fee). I voted in favor of Question A because I'm confident there will be no adverse effects of the fee. No County resident will ever get a bill for ambulance transport, co-pays or deductibles. Insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid will pay the fee for covered patients, and those without insurance will get a waiver. With so much at stake in the County budget, we can't afford to leave insurance money on the table.

The question will appear on the ballot as follows:

"Shall the Act to require the collection of an emergency medical services transport (ambulance) fee from: (1) County residents to the extent of the resident's insurance coverage; and (2) non-County residents subject to a hardship waiver become law?"

If you are in favor of establishing the ambulance fee, you should for "for." If you are opposed to establishing an ambulance fee, you should vote "against."

Council Terminates Clarksburg Development District

This week we voted to terminate the Clarksburg Town Center Development District by approving a resolution I co-sponsored. I believe this action will finally allow Clarksburg residents to move forward and build the community they want and deserve. The Council created the development district in 2003, but it was never implemented. Clarksburg homeowners raised concerns about how they were notified of the development district tax and the burden it would impose. As a result, the County never issued any bonds to fund infrastructure improvements, and the residents and businesses in the Town Center continued to lack the roads and community buildings that would make their community the vibrant one they envision.

The resolution terminating the development district calls for the creation of an infrastructure working group which will meet to identify infrastructure items for Clarksburg and recommend how to finance them by April 2011. By passing this resolution, we have laid the groundwork for the creation of an Upcounty retail center that will benefit local residents and help create a thriving town center.

Early Voting Happening Now

Five Early Voting Centers are now open (October 22 – 28, excluding Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.) You can vote on the same voting equipment used on Election Day, but at a time that is more convenient. Early Voting Centers are located at:

~Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center, 14625 Bauer Drive, Rockville
~Germantown Recreation Center, 18905 Kingsview Road, Germantown
~Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center, 14906 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville
~Montgomery County Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe Street, Rockville
~Silver Spring Civic Building, 8525 Fenton Street, Silver Spring 20910

Welcome International Baccalaureate Americas Global Center

I look forward to attending (and offering a toast at) Wednesday’s ribbon cutting for the International Baccalaureate’s new headquarters in Bethesda. The organization services nearly 2,000 schools in North, Central and South America and provides global services to 139 countries worldwide.

The IB announced its selection of Montgomery County for its Americas Global Centre in February 2009. The Center will grow to more than 100 employees over the next few years as part of the organization’s plan to expand capacity over the next 12 years in preparation for an estimated 2.5 million students and 10,000 IB programs worldwide by 2020.

The IB encourages students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals and engaged world citizens. It also serves in an educational advisory capacity to other educational organizations. I'm proud to welcome International Baccalaureate to Montgomery County.

Council Designates Montgomery Business Development Corporation

I’m please that today we designated the Montgomery Business Development Corporation that will advise us on economic development issues and work toward retaining businesses and attracting new ones to the County. I was the chief sponsor of the bill that authorized this group, and I expect that this apolitical organization will focus on the jobs we need for a robust future.

The Board members are Robert Brewer, Bryant Foulger, Brian Gragnolati, Deborah Marriott Harrison, Douglas Liu, Brett McMahon, Matthew Mohebbi, Susana Nemes, Ron Paul, Lawrence Shulman and Daisy Wallace. This group represents a good mix of businesses and expertise. I thank all of the members for their hard work up to this point and for the hard work they still have ahead of them. For more information on the business development corporation, see my July 20 blog post.

$14 Million in Proposed Cuts if Ambulance Fee is Rejected

The County Executive has sent us his proposed $14.1 million in operating budget reductions for the current fiscal year. These cuts would be needed to offset the amount of estimated revenue that would not be generated if the Emergency Medical Services Transport fee (ambulance fee) is rejected by voters through the Nov. 2 referendum. We included the estimated revenue from the fee in the budget we adopted in May.

Given our already tight budget, any further cuts will echo across the County. Our obligation is to maintain a balanced budget. If residents vote against the ambulance fee, they will be voting for $14 million in cuts to services. We will await the results of the referendum and take action on the proposed cuts before December if the fee is defeated.

The question will appear on the ballot as follows:

“Shall the Act to require the collection of an emergency medical services transport (ambulance) fee from: (1) County residents to the extent of the resident’s insurance coverage; and (2) non-County residents subject to a hardship waiver become law?”

A voter in favor of establishing the ambulance fee should for “for”; a voter opposed to establishing an ambulance fee should vote “against.”

Apply Now to Grants Advisory Group

Apply by November 12 for the FY12 Grants Advisory Group. We will appoint the volunteer community panel to review grant applications and advise us on proposals received from the non-profit community.

We believe that a strong partnership with non-profit organizations is critical in meeting the County’s needs. We have established a grants process in which we accept applications from non-profit organizations seeking funds, forward proposals to the Grants Advisory Group for advice and comments and then make funding decisions during our spring budget deliberations.

We anticipate that the Grants Advisory Group will be appointed in December and will be asked to report to the Council by the end of April 2011. Panel members will need to attend training sessions and review relevant materials during late January nd February. The applications review will take place between March 1 and April 15.

The Grants Advisory Group will be asked to provide us with comments on each of the grant proposals. The workload will vary based on the number of applications received and panel members appointed; however, it is expected that each member would review approximately 20 applications. Panel member should anticipate approximately six to eight meetings between the beginning of February and mid-April with the potential for weekly meetings in March.

Volunteers for the Grants Advisory Group can come from panels reviewing Community Development Block Grants or Community Service Grants, as well as from other advisory boards or community groups. Applicants for the Advisory Group cannot be employees of, or members of a board of, a nonprofit group applying for grant funding.

Submit your letter of interest and a resume to: Council President Nancy Floreen, Montgomery County Council Office, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850 or via e-mail to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov.

Columbus Day Not a County Holiday

Remember, Columbus Day is not an official Montgomery County holiday. Most County services will operate on October 11. However, the State of Maryland and the Federal Government do observe this holiday, so federal and state offices and courts in the County will be closed. Remember that you will still have to pay parking fees at County garages, lots and meters. Ride On, trash/recycling pickups, and liquor stores will operate as normal. County libraries will be closed on October 11 for staff development (which is not related to Columbus Day).