Thursday, May 9, 2013
Some councilmembers want to move forward with the Park and Planning headquarters, separate from other redevelopment in Wheaton; others want the headquarters to be part of an overall redevelopment strategy.
In considering options for Wheaton redevelopment and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission headquarters, members of the Montgomery County Council found themselves equally divided on how to move forward at a joint committee meeting Wednesday. Councilmembers Hans Riemer and Valerie Ervin joined Council President Nancy Navarro in supporting a "split project" approach in which Park and Planning could move forward with its plans for a new headquarters building south of Reedie Drive, separate from the redevelopment possibilities being explored for other parcels of county land in Wheaton. Park and Planning prefers this option because it wants responsibility for its own building, Planning Board Chair Francoise Carrier said. …
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro laid out her concerns in a memo to County Executive Isiah Leggett Tuesday.
Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro took County Executive Isiah Leggett to task in a memo on Tuesday, criticizing his administration's "poor track record in its implementation of Wheaton redevelopment." During a joint committee meeting at the Montgomery County Council on Friday, councilmembers discussed plans for the new Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission headquarters in Wheaton. They decided to allow the Department of General Services more time to talk with private developers and report back on April 24. But Navarro said at the committee meeting that she was "not optimistic" about Leggett's approach, a theme she touched upon again in her memo: Your recommendation to solicit private development proposals …
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Watch a video clip of Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett speaking to reporters Wednesday morning at the Wheaton Costco opening.
Standing outside the newly opened Costco in Wheaton Wednesday morning, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett talked of the $4 million subsidy that the county gave Westfield Wheaton for construction of the Costco. Related Articles on Wheaton Patch: - Costco Subsidy Passes Council (May 17, 2011) - Costco Subsidy Takes Nine Years to Pay Back, Westfield Held to Conditions (April 28, 2011) - Wheaton Costco Opens (April 10, 2013) - Photos: Inside the Wheaton Costco (April 9, 2013)
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
The membership warehouse store opened to a flood of customers at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday in the Westfield Wheaton mall.
After a delay of almost six months, the Wheaton Costco is open for business. Pat Fahey, the warehouse store's general manager, cut the ribbon at the entrance at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, and a line of shoppers began streaming into the store, located in the old Hecht's location at the Westfield Wheaton mall. County Executive Isiah Leggett, whose office had announced that he would be cutting the ribbon, arrived shortly before 8 a.m. and the ribbon-cutting was re-enacted, holding up more shoppers who appeared impatient to get inside the store. Fahey said he decided to cut the ribbon earlier because "we have members who are waiting to shop." Montgomery County Councilmember George Leventhal (D-At large) also came to the Costco opening. "This is …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
In addition, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is recommending against moving county agencies from Rockville to share space with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Wheaton, citing high costs.
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is still on track to move its headquarters from Silver Spring to downtown Wheaton, but perhaps not to Parking Lot 13 as previously proposed. Instead, Park and Planning is looking across the street, to take over the site currently occupied by the Mid-County Regional Services Center at 2424 Reedie Dr. in Wheaton, according to a project description form submitted in March. (See attached PDF) If this goes forward, Montgomery County likely would receive the Park and Planning headquarters site at 8787 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, in a land swap, said Greg Ossont, deputy director of the Department of General Services. Leggett: $67 Million More Would Be Needed to Move County Agencies to …
Monday, April 1, 2013
Montgomery County's executive says the move would cost too much, The Washington Examiner reports.
The redevelopment vision for the new Park and Planning headquarters in Wheaton included proposals to relocate certain Montgomery County agencies under the same roof. But County Executive Isiah Leggett says moving the departments of permitting services and environmental protection from Rockville to Wheaton would be too expensive, The Washington Examiner reports. What would be the estimated cost for the move? $67 million more than the $65 million already planned for the headquarters building. Read the full story at The Washington Examiner.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Find out ways you can comment on the budget proposals.
The Montgomery County Council will hold five public hearings in April on the county's operating budget for fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1. County Executive Isiah Leggett's $4.8 billion budget proposal, which he unveiled on March 15, would add more than 100 new jobs in public safety and libraries. Leggett also proposed a slight increase in aid for Montgomery County Public Schools to meet Maryland's maintenance of effort law, which requires that counties fund schools at the same level or greater from year-to-year or face a fine. The County Council will analyze these recommendations and adopt the budget in late May. Read more about the budget: The public hearings will be held in the Third Floor Hearing Room of the Council Office …
Friday, March 15, 2013
The plan holds the line on property taxes and schools aid and boosts aid for public safety.
A $4.8 billion county operating budget plan unveiled by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett on Friday holds the line on property taxes and schools spending and adds more than 100 new jobs in public safety and libraries. Leggett (D) presented his budget plan for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1, at a news conference in Rockville. The plan would keep property taxes within the limit allowed by the county charter and below the rate of inflation. Average monthly property taxes would increase by $6.67. Tax-supported government spending would increase by 3.9 percent—less than half the increase in fiscal 2013—to $1.3 billion. Leggett also proposed a slight increase in aid for Montgomery County Public Schools to meet Maryland's maintenance of…
The Montgomery County Executive explained his proposal to increase spending on public safety and hold the line on property taxes.
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) on Friday unveiled his budget proposal for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1. Related Content:
Isiah Leggett will host a virtual town hall next Tuesday, March 19.
What questions do you have about life in Montgomery County? For one hour next week, County Executive Isiah Leggett will answer questions through a live chat online. The virtual town hall meeting with take place between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19. To participate in the question and answer session, residents should enter questions before or during the hour-long chat online here. What questions do you have for Leggett? Will you participate in the discussion? Tell us in the comments.
Joe Galvagna
9:28 am on Sunday, May 12, 2013
Now now people can't we all just getalong. Why not just levey Wheaton spray for vermin and illegals and start all over. more ›