Montgomery County Board Vacancies

Montgomery County Board Vacancies
One of the ways in which nonprofits can influence issues critical to their missions and their communities is to be engaged with County boards, committees and commissions that work on these issues. Please take this opportunity to check out some of the groups currently seeking new members – it takes positive action on your part to make this happen. Current opportunities are listed below. In addition to nonprofit staff, your board members and community supporters are often great folks to recommend for these appointed positions.

We would love to hear your comments on how your nonprofit has used this kind of participation to advance your mission and the voice of your community. Please click on comments below.

County Executive Isiah Leggett has stressed his commitment to representation on all of the County’s boards, committees, and commissions that is reflective of, and responsive to, our County’s residents. Public participation contributes to the work of County government and provides a valuable service to the community when a variety of issues, concerns, and viewpoints are presented.

Currently, there are valuable opportunities to serve on the following:

• Department of Permitting Services
• Adult Public Guardianship Review Board

The deadline for applications is November 14.

• Animal Matters Hearing Board
• Commission on Aging
• Commission on Common Ownership Communities
• Historic Preservation Commission
• Rustic Roads Advisory Committee
• Sign Review Board
• Taxicab Services Advisory Committee
• Victim Services Advisory Board

The deadline for applications is November 21.

Please share this notice with anyone who may be interested.

You may access vacancy announcements for boards, committees, and commissions through the following link. http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/exec/vacancies/pr_list.asp.

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Councilmember Nancy Floreen Applauds NM!

Our non-profits are the backbone of the county, the unsung heroes of the day lending a helping hand in the time of need or even in a matter of life and death. It’s true, but you don’t need me to tell you that. Platitudes and pats on the back have their place, but public policy is a “what-have-you-done-for-me-lately” business, and what we all really need is to help each other move forward. To that end, I applaud the launch of this new website (that pat on the back was absolutely necessary), and I’m pleased to offer a bit of my perspective.

The Health and Human Services Committee and the Council Grants are excellent places to start for those of you who want to keep up with public policy, but there are also important issues tucked away in other committees. You may have heard about the Hillmead controversy a few months back since it got quite a bit of ink in the local media. Although ultimately we did not designate that property for affordable housing, many nonprofits chimed in, reminding the Council that there are about 150 families with children currently homeless in the County, and your voices added real weight to the debate.

Another issue, with a potentially larger impact on the nonprofit community, was buried in the spring budgeting process. I proposed eliminating the impact tax for non-profits providing direct services. The impact tax is assessed on new construction or additions to current structures in order to offset the costs associated with increased demand on public infrastructure, specifically the neighboring roads. We need the impact taxes, certainly, but I felt that the burden was too high for non-profit organizations who were already struggling with staggering property prices. I’m pleased to say that this particular measure passed even though we didn’t hear much from the non-profit community. Next time we might not be so lucky, so please help me help you!

Again, I’m really happy to see the launch of this site, and please feel free to contact me if you need help sorting through the mountain of information that comes out of the Council. Keep up the good work!

Submitted by Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen

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Foreclosure Crisis Remains in the News in Montgomery County

The foreclosure rate continues to increase in Montgomery County, affecting more and more people, as well as the nonprofit organizations that assist these folks impacted by this crisis. Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett wrote an article about the crisis in Montgomery County in the August 17 edition of The Washington Post. The Gazette just published a story about how the rates are still increasing in Montgomery County and elsewhere in the state.

Let us know how the foreclosure crisis is impacting you and/or the services your organization provides!

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