Rockville Police Reports (Feb. 7, 14)

Here are the last two Rockville police reports (Feb. 7 and Feb. 14), in list form and also all mapped out for you.

Remember, just because someone is on the police blotter, it doesn’t mean they are guilty!

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IN C I D E N T S

ILLEGAL DRUG ARRESTS

• 01/31/11-(3:37 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Sean Christopher Harvey, M, age 19, of Gaithersburg, was arrested for possession of CDS-marijuana following a traffic stop at the intersection of Halpine Road and Rockville Pike. Mr. Harvey was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/01/11-(2:04 p.m.) Chester Lewis Addison, M, age 55, of Rockville, was arrested for possession of CDS-crack cocaine and possession of CDS-paraphernalia following a complaint at the intersection of East Gude Drive and Southlawn Lane. Mr. Addison was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/02/11-(7:35 p.m.) John Edward Flint, M, age 18, of Rockville, was arrested for possession of CDS-marijuana and 2 counts of possession of CDS-paraphernalia following a traffic stop in the 400 block of Twinbrook Parkway. Mr. Flint was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/03/11-(3:40 p.m. – 4:06 p.m.) Antoine Rosanna Mackall, M, age 52, of no fixed address was arrested for possession of CDS-paraphernalia following a complaint in the 1000 block of First Street. Mr. Mackall was issued a criminal citation and released.
• 02/07/11-(7:30 p.m. – 7:47 p.m.) Devontee Danyeil Jackson, M, age 30, of Montgomery Village, was arrested for possession of CDS-marijuana, failing to obey a lawful order and resisting/interfering with arrest following a complaint in the 400 block of Deer Meadow Lane. Mr. Jackson was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/09/11-(7:30 a.m. –7:55 a.m.) Male juvenile, age 15, of Rockville, was arrested for possession of CDS-marijuana following a complaint in the 2100 block of Baltimore Road. The male juvenile was transported to the Montgomery County Police Department’s 1st District station for processing and was released into the custody of his mother.
• 02/09/11-(12:08 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.) Samantha Danielle Zwerski, F, age 25, of Rockville, was arrested for possession of CDS-marijuana and possession of CDS-paraphernalia following a traffic collision at the intersection of Monroe Street and East Jefferson Street. Ms. Zwerski was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/11/11-(6:27 p.m. – 7:12 p.m.) Male juvenile, age 16, of Rockville, and Male juvenile, age 17, of North Potomac were arrested for possession of CDS-marijuana and 4 counts of possession of CDS-paraphernalia, following a complaint in the 400 block of Hurley Avenue. The male juveniles were transported to the Montgomery County Police Department’s 1st District Station for processing and released into the custody of their parents.
• 02/11/11-(7:00 p.m.) Son Ngan Nguyen, M, age 19, of Gaithersburg, was arrested for possession of CDS-marijuana and possession of CDS-paraphernalia following a complaint in the 200 block of North Washington Street. Mr. Nguyen was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.

ASSAULT ARRESTS

• 02/08/11-(4:25 p.m. – 4:28 p.m.) Alfonso Jerome Taylor, M, age 55, of Montgomery Village, was arrested for 2nd degree assault and disorderly conduct following a complaint in the unit block of Monroe Street. Mr. Taylor was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/09/11-(7:40 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.) William Matthew Mathopoullos, M, age 30, of Rockville, was arrested for 2nd degree assault following a complaint in the 100 block of Gibbs Street. Mr. Mathopoullos was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.

THEFT ARRESTS

• 01/31/11-01/31/11-(8:45 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) Daniel Gustavo Milian, M, age 38, of Rockville, was arrested for disorderly conduct and theft following a complaint in the unit block of Maryland Avenue. Mr. Milian was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing
• 02/03/11-(6:15 p.m. – 6:32 p.m.) Robert Paul Finn, M, age 55, of Potomac, was arrested for shoplifting following a complaint in the 14900 block of Shady Grove Road. Mr. Finn was issued a criminal citation and released.

OTHER ARRESTS

• 02/05/11-(2:55 a.m.) Jose Ricardo Saravia M, age 30, of Rockville, was arrested for trespassing following a complaint in the 700 block of Rockville Pike. Mr. Saravia was issued a criminal citation and released.
• 02/06/11-(2:00 a.m.) Aneesh Vohra, M, age 20, of Gaithersburg, was arrested for rogue and vagabond, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct following a complaint in the 300 block of Hungerford Drive. Mr. Vohra was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/06/11-(6:54 p.m. – 7:20 p.m.) Jorge Sanchez, M, age 18, of Silver Spring, was arrested for trespassing following a complaint in the 2000 block of Veirs Mill Road. Mr. Sanchez was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/06/11-02/07/11-(11:55 p.m. – 12:05 a.m.) Fermin Orellana M, age 32, of no fixed address, was arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing and hindering a police investigation following a complaint in the 2000 block of Veirs Mill Road. Mr. Orellana was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.
• 02/07/11-(3:22 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Marvin Leon Williams, M, age 48, of Rockville, was arrested for disorderly conduct following a complaint at the intersection of First Street and Baltimore Road. Mr. Williams was transported to the Central Processing Unit for processing.

I N C I D E N T S

THEFTS

• 01/01/11-02/01/11-(12:01 a.m. – 6:30 a.m.) 400 block of Longhorn Crescent, unknown suspect(s) removed jewelry from a residence.
• 01/30/11-01/31/11-(8:00 p.m. – 7:45 a.m.) 100 block of Halpine Road, unknown suspect(s) removed a shower curtain and rings, bath and bed linens, a kitchen set, salt and pepper shakers and a floor lamp from a vehicle.
• 02/02/11-02/03/11-(9:00 p.m. – 8:30 a.m.) unit block of Monroe Place, unknown suspect(s) removed a purse containing a checkbook and 2 credit cards and a GPS from a vehicle.
• 02/02/11-02/03/11-(11:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.) 1000 block of Rockville Pike, unknown suspect(s) removed a GPS from a vehicle.
• 02/06/11-(12:23 p.m. – 12:32 p.m.) 700 block of Hungerford Drive, unknown suspect(s) removed 4 cameras from an electronics store.
• 02/06/11-(12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.) 14900 block of Shady Grove Road, unknown suspect(s) removed 2 cell phones from an electronics store.
• 02/08/11-02/09/11-(7:00 p.m. – 8:20 a.m.) 1900 block of Lancashire Drive, unknown suspect(s) removed U.S. currency and gift cards from an unlocked vehicle.
• 02/09/11-02/10/11-(7:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m.) 800 block of College Parkway, unknown suspect(s) removed mail and a delivery package containing a food processor from the hallway at an apartment complex.
• 02/09/11-02/10/11-(11:59 p.m. – 9:15 a.m.) 5900 block of Ridgway Avenue, unknown
• suspect(s) removed a spare tire from a vehicle.
• 02/10/11-(8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.) 100 block of King Farm Boulevard, unknown suspect(s) removed 3 laptops from an apartment.
• 02/11/11-(4:54 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.) Unit block of Maryland Avenue, unknown suspect(s) removed a purse and U.S. currency from a backpack that was left unattended at a library
• 02/12/11-(2:00 p.m. – 4:58 p.m.) 300 block of Prettyman Drive, unknown suspect(s) removed an Ipod from an apartment.
• 02/12/11-(4:45 p.m. – 5:53 p.m.) 1600 block of Rockville Pike, unknown suspect(s) removed a wallet containing credit cards, an employment ID and a driver’s license from a customer’s purse while at a grocery store.

BURGLARIES

• 02/08/11-(12:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.) 1700 block of Rockville Pike, Commercial, unknown suspect(s) gained access by forcing open a conference room storage door at a hotel. Unknown items taken.
• 02/08/11-(6:47 a.m. – 6:48 a.m.) 200 block of Crabb Avenue, Residential, unknown suspect attempted to gain access by cutting two window screens at a residence. No entry was made.
• 02/10/11-(7:15 a.m. – 8:40 p.m.) 300 block of King Farm Boulevard, Residential, unknown suspect(s) gained access by prying a front door of an apartment. Once inside the unknown suspect(s) removed jewelry and U.S. currency.
• 02/14/11-(1:09 a.m. – 2:01 a.m.) 5900 block of Ridgway Avenue, Commercial, unknown suspect(s) gained access by breaking the glass on a side door at a school. Nothing taken.

Robins May Not Be Harbingers Of Spring

Although some people might think the marauding crowds of nosy robins are a sign of spring in Rockville, this might not be the case.

Each year my family looks for the arrival of the flock of robins in our front yard. These winged friends throw a loud and dirty party for a few days each February. Yesterday they arrived to celebrate Valentine’s Day and we all wished each other “Happy Robin Day!” This morning they ate with increased merriment and I caught part of the commotion on video.

Last month the Baltimore Sun Maryland Weather blog posted some information on these robins which we see in mid-winter.

Robins, it turns out, are strongly migratory birds, but they breed all over North America. So, there are populations that breed well to our north, for whom Maryland’s coastal plain is “South.” Those that breed here likely migrate in October to the southeastern states, and along the Gulf of Mexico. They return in March and April.

The article quoted David Cursom, director of bird conservation at Audubon Maryland DC:

The groups people are seeing now are part of the wintering population that are moving around. As the weather fluctuates between cold and mild, the robins move accordingly to find food.

I’ve written about the robins in the past for Rockville Central, but couldn’t resist reporting on their arrival in my garden again this year. The warm weather in the 60’s by the end of this week might not mean it’s officially spring yet, but together these occurrences give me hope that we are nearing the end of the cold spell.

Mayor And Council Meeting 2-14-2011 [UPDATED]

Last night, the Mayor and Council of Our Fair City met, and, as always, Rockville Central listened in to give you a rundown of some of the highlights.

It was a very light meeting last night, and was over early!

Bear in mind these are just from notes. If you have corrections or suggestions, please make them in the comments.

City Manager’s Report

City Manager Scott Ullery kicked off with his report:

• Gave an update from last week’s Montgomery County Public Schools agreement. Had an encouraging conference call, interacted with Mr. Song at MCPS. Were given a good indication that if they show good progress, there “would be no reason to legislate in this matter.”
• Passed 1,000 work orders from residents and business generated just as a result of the January 26 snowstorm.

Rockville Economic Development, Inc.

REDI gave a quick update on recent activities, including this tidbit: Sally Sternbach reported that Rockville’s annual Business Appreciation week is fast approaching, March 7 through 11. Currently scheduling visits to Rockville companies.

Zoning Text Amendment

The Mayor and Council approved beginning the public process to consider an omnibus zoning text amendment that would make mostly technical changes to the zoning ordinance, including questions of what consitutes a “dwelling unit.”

The approval is not for the text amendment per se, but for the public process to begin. The next step is a Planning Commission hearing on the proposal on April 13. Go here for more information.

Finance And Budget Task Force Worksession

This from the agenda item:

In response to community concerns, the Mayor and Council established a Finance and Budget Task Force on December 14, 2009, to be chaired by Councilmember Mark Pierzchala. The purpose of the Finance and Budget Task Force is to assist with defining tools and procedures for Mayor and Council and the City’s Staff to formulate the City’s annual budget of approximately $100M. The Task Force was charged with three technical goals: (1) review Rockville’s Financial Management Policies; (2) review Rockville’s budget process, and (3) review the budget book, especially the presentation of budget data. The Task Force would make positive recommendations to City Staff and Mayor and Council. . . . The Finance and Budget Task Force Report was presented to the Mayor and Council on September 20, 2010. The City Manager was directed to respond to the report with the “level of effort” required to address each Task Force recommendation.

The full report of the Task Force is here. City staff were asked to respond to the 58 recommendations, and wrote a memo available here.

The recommendations represent, in Councilmember Pierzchala’s words, “evolutionary change.” He developed a very helpful slide presentation to step his colleagues through the key elements of the recommendations. This worksession was highly technical and I was astounded (and impressed) at the dedication of our Mayor and Councilmembers in sticking with it so intently. The best way to get a sense of the worksession is probably to look at Councilmember Pierzchala’s slide deck and I have asked him for a copy. As soon as I get it I will post it here. [UPDATE: Here it is.]

The next meeting of the Mayor and Council is set for February 28.

The Week That Was (Feb. 7 – Feb. 13)

Here are the week’s stories from Rockville Central, so you know what you might have missed.

This feature appears every Sunday.

Opinions and Features

Rockville Real Estate Listings And Foreclosures 2/12/11: Our weekly feature.
Comic Strip: ROCK’burb 2/12/11: Editor Cindy Cotte Griffiths’ take on the Census results.
Reader Note From Rotraut Bockstahler: Upbeat Report From Pinneberg, Germany: A most excellent report from Germany.
Contributor Opinion by Martha Klasing: Will Our Mayor And Council Take Time To Evaluate The Best Course Of Action For Redgate? Thoughts on the best path forward.

News

How Much Should The Mayor And Council Be Paid? The Commission wants to know your views.
2010 Census Shows Rockville Is Third Largest: Woohoo! We’re Number Three!
Shady Grove Road To Be Improved: $6.7 of Federal money to improve Shady Grove from I-270 to Darnestown.
Redgate Management, School Portables and Business Relations At The Mayor And Council Meeting: All in an unusually short meeting.
Intercounty Connector To Open Feb. 22: ‘Bout time, says Brad!

Events

See Rockville’s The Finest! In ‘A Change Gon’ Come’: Everyone’s favorite local teen dance and performance troupe performs a piece based on Harriet Tubman’s life.
What To Do For Valentine’s Day: That’s tomorrow!

Rockville Real Estate Listings And Foreclosures 2/12/11

Here’s our weekly community-produced real estate listing along with a graph of the Median Age of Homes. Rockville’s housing stock is actually quite young.

The Gallery Of New Listings contains pictures and descriptions of the new homes on the market as of last Thursday, click on this link or the photo above for the information.

Neighborhood Facts:

Gallery of New Listings and Neighborhood Facts contributed by Lisa AbramsRE/MAX Realty Services, (O)301-652-0400, (C)301-437-6742, Lisa@TheAbramsRealtyGroup.com

More information on local real estate is also available from Hillstrom Homes, one of our advertisers. They have a site specifically for Rockville: RockvilleHomes.com.

If you are a local real estate broker and you would like to send along the details and a picture of one of your new listings, please email hello@rockvillecentral.com and we’ll feature it. Keep in mind, Rockville Central accepts contributions on all sorts of things. The data included in this post is a compilation of many different databases obtained from various sources, Rockville Central makes no claims as to its accuracy, you should not assume it is error-free.

See Rockville’s The Finest! In ‘A Change Gon’ Come’

Click for full size

Another wonderful note from Rockville Sister City Corporation’s  Rotraut Bockstahler, who passed along this event notice for The Finest! She says: “The Mayor of Pinneberg, who visited in 2010 in honor of the 150th anniversary of Rockville was so taken by the performance of The Finest!, that we, the RSCC and our Sister City Pinneberg counterpart have the ambitious goal to bring The Finest! to Pinneberg.” What an awesome trip that will be!

Here are the details.

The Finest! Performance Troupe will be presenting its 16th annual African-American Heritage Production, “A Change Gon’ Come” in February at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at the Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive. The show will be performed Friday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 19, 2 p.m.

The show is a creative telling of the life and struggle of Harriet Tubman, the show will entertain and educate. Through music, dance and storytelling, it explores the history of one of our most famous African Americans.

Kashi-Tara, an Actors’ Equity Association professional, along with Kelly Chauncey, has written this original work and provides artistic direction, and original choreography for the performance.

The Finest! Performance Troupe includes about 40 members ranging in age from 5 through adult. The troupe, founded in 1989, is comprised of actors, dancers and singers from Rockville and surrounding areas and performs shows throughout the year. This show features a cast of 25.

Tickets for the show are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors 60 and older and children 12 and younger.

To purchase tickets, call the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre Box Office at 240-314-8690 or visit in person 2-7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Tickets are also available online at www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre or from performers in the show.

Weekend to Weekend Pick: Big Saturday Events Galore

A lot is happening this Saturday in Rockville! Come out and experience the big events! A Winter Festival and Lunar New Year Celebration offer an extensive variety of entertainment and activities to enjoy. There’s no reason to stay home!

Rockville Town Square Winter Festival

There will be life-sized ice sculpture characters in Town Square! Are any of these a favorite of the little ones in your life?

• Rapunzel from Tangled
• Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story
• Ariel from The Little Mermaid
• Belle from Beauty and the Beast
• Mickey Mouse

Games will offer the chance for some active play on Gibbs Street:

• Snowboard Simulator
• Mickey Mouse Moonbounce
• Wintery Photo Booth
• Hose Hockey

Throughout the event, live music will add to the atmosphere:

Dan Haas (12-2 PM)
Leven Legs (2-4 PM)

You can register to Win Family 4-packs to Disney On Ice: Princess Wishes at the Verizon Center. I imagine some little girls would love it!

You can get a free gift of  Chocolate Covered Oreo with a $20 or more purchase at Town Square during the Winter Festival from 12-4 PM. (Limit one per customer, regardless of purchase amount. Quantities are limited, while supplies last. No rainchecks.)

Lunar New Year Celebration

The Rockville Mayor and Council and the City’s Asian Pacific American Task Force will host a New Year celebration Saturday, February 12, 2011 11:30 AM – 3:30 PM. The event is completely free in the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre and Social Hall.

Between 11:30 AM and 12:30 PM

Bamboo Buffet at Twinbrook Shopping Center, Asia Taste, Seven Seas, Maria’s Bakery Café, Thai Pavilion and Ba Le Restaurant will be offering delicious samples of a variety of Asian foods.

Between 12:30 and 2:30 PM

Many groups will be offering some very special cultural entertainment:

• East Rising Lion Dance Troupe
• Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe
• Japanese Dance Sakura
• Silver Fashion Group
• Filmi Dance Performance by Shadiyah
• Jinling D.C. Chinese Dancing School
• Ella Wu Piano Studio
• Kicks Karate

Between 2:30 and 3:30 PM

You can try various crafts and activities, such as Chinese character writing, traditional paper folding, and clay sculpting techniques.

The Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, Asia Bank, Taiwanese Benevolent Association of Greater Washington and the Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington support the celebration.

So much is happening, it will be difficult to decide where to have some fun this Saturday.

How Much Should The Mayor And Council Be Paid?

Currently, the annual monetary compensation for the Mayor is $25,750 while Councilmembers receive $20,600. Every two years the Compensation Commission meets to recommend changes to the Mayor and Council’s compensation and they would like to hear from you.

The Compensation Commission met on January 31, 2011 and discussed its mission of recommending possible changes to the salaries of the mayor and council members. But before making a recommendation, the Commission wants to hear residents’ opinions on various aspects of compensating the Mayor and Council including:

• how the Mayor and Council compensation should be determined
• the frequency of Mayor and Council compensation
• who should determine the compensation of the Mayor and Council members
• other matters related in general to the compensation of the Mayor and Council members.

The current Compensation Commission will be making decisions for the Calendar Year 2012 (which includes the tail end of FY 2012) and Calendar Year 2013 (FY 2013 and FY 2014).

When asked about how the decision was made in the past and how people could be involved, Compensation Commission Chairman Tom Moore explained:

Two years ago when the Commission last met, we came to consensus that the mayor and councilmembers’ stipends stood at an appropriate level. We recommended that in future years they increase by the positive change, if any, in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area CPI for urban consumers, a formula that many neighboring jurisdictions use. We think we’ve arrived at a pretty good method of keeping our officeholders’ compensation current, but we want to hear from anyone who thinks otherwise, or who has questions or comments about our process or results.

The Mayor and Council can decline the recommendation, or part of the recommendation, when the Commission makes its report. They can also decline to fund raises at budget time even though they previously approved the salary increases.

In 2009, the Commission suggested the salaries could be raised for FY 2010, and a bit more in the future. The Mayor and Council turned down the 2010 raise, but approved the raises for the following years. During the FY11 budget process, they declined to fund that year’s salary increases.

The next meetings of the Compensation Commission will be on Tuesday, March 1, 2011 at 7 PM and Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 9 AM at City Hall. The meetings are open to the public and you can comment during the meetings.

Residents who would like to submit written comments can email the City Clerk:
clerk@rockvillemd.gov or by mail to the City Clerk’s Office, Rockville City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. Written comments will be accepted until 5 PM on Monday, March 7.

Would you like to be on the Compensation Commission?

One more commissioner is still needed to join Tom Moore, James Coyle, Steve Edwards, and Jim Marrinan, since five members are expected to serve on this appointed panel.

Residents who would like to apply for the open position on the commission can write to the Mayor and Council, c/o City Clerk, Rockville City Hall, 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850, or call the City Clerk’s Office at 240-314-8281 for information or to fill out and submit an Expression of Interest form. Forms are available online.

2010 Census Shows Rockville Is Third Largest

Yesterday the U.S. Census Bureau released more detailed 2010 Census population totals and demographic characteristics to the governor and leadership of the state legislature in Maryland. The information provided the first look at population counts for small areas and race, Hispanic origin, voting age, and housing unit data.

The five most populous incorporated places and their 2010 Census counts are:

1. Baltimore, 620,961
2. Frederick, 65,239
3. Rockville, 61,209
4. Gaithersburg, 59,933
5. Bowie, 54,727.

Rockville’ population grew by 29.2 percent since the 2000 Census. To compare Baltimore decreased by 4.6%. Frederick grew by 23.6 percent and Gaithersburg by 13.9 percent. Rockville’s been on the rise! All of the information from the 2010 Census can be found at the American FactFinder.

Montgomery County is the largest county with a population of 971,777 having grown by 11.3 percent since 2000. The other counties in the top five include Prince George’s, with a population of 863,420 (increase of 7.7 percent); Baltimore, population of 805,029 (increase of 6.7 percent); Anne Arundel, population of 537,656 (increase of 9.8 percent); and Howard, population of 287,085 (increase of 15.8 percent). (Note: Baltimore city and Baltimore County are separate entities and the city is not included in the county’s population.)

The Maryland Department of Planning reported:

Maryland’s population grew by just over 477,000 between 2000 and 2010, a 9.0 percent gain to 5,773,552 from 5,296,486. The total change was ranked 15th among the 50 states, while the percent change was ranked 24th (and below the national growth rate of 9.7 percent).

Both the total change and the percent change for Maryland during the 2000 to 2010 period was the smallest since the 1970s. All of Maryland’s population gain was due to the growth in minorities, as there was a decline in the non-Hispanic white population.

The official 2010 Census Redistricting Data Summary File can be used to redraw federal, state and local legislative districts under Public Law 94-171. The census data are used by state officials to realign congressional and state legislative districts in their states, taking into account population shifts since the 2000 Census.

The Maryland redistricting process, which began with the Census count in spring 2010, will continue with public hearings, review of the proposed plans, and eventual adoption of revised districts. They will be in place in time for the Congressional primary of 2012 and the State Legislative Election of 2014. A summary of the data for Maryland is available on the Maryland Department of Planning website.

What To Do For Valentine’s Day

You might enjoy staying in with a heart-shaped cake for Valentine’s Day but if you are looking for a night out or family-friendly activity, here’s a few to consider. If you know of something else special for Valentine’s Day, please let us know!

City of Rockville Events

A Heart to Heart Valentine’s Day Dance for families takes place Friday, February 11, 7-9 PM at Twinbrook Community Recreation Center. The event will feature a DJ and dancing, and supplies to make valentines. Cost is $2 per person. Refreshments will be available for purchase and sales will benefit the Parent Teacher Associations at Twinbrook and Maryvale elementary schools.

Cupid’s Red Hot Celebration will take place Saturday, February 12, from 7-9 PM at Thomas Farm Community Center. The family-friendly celebration will include a PG-rated movie on the big screen, a valentine creation station and a sweet refreshment. Cost is $3 per person for residents and $5 per person for nonresidents.

The Rockville Concert Band will perform a Lover’s Lane show, Sunday, February 13, at 3 PM at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre at Rockville Civic Center Park. The concert will feature romantic classics. No tickets are required. The concert is free, but a $5 donation is recommended.

Jewelry Sale

The Waygoose in Rockville Town Center is celebrating Valentine’s Day with an out-of-the-ordinary Jewelry Sale this coming weekend. From Friday, February 11th through Monday, February 14th, take 20% off ALL jewelry at The Waygoose in Rockville. The Waygoose also shared two love stories.

Some Valentine’s Day Specials From Rockville Town Square:

Oro Pomodoro. “Indulge in a romantic Italian meal with your Valentine! Oro Pomodoro is offering a prix-fixe menu for $80 per couple ($45/individual), and a beautiful rose for every woman who walks through the door.” (Dinner price does not include alcohol, gratuity, or taxes) (301) 251-1111

La Tasca. “Enjoy a romantic 3 course prix fixe menu for $45/person (includes drink of choice). An a la carte menu will be available as well. Celebrate all week with La Tasca’s four-course menu for $40/person. Choose from ten delicious tapas options. The full menu will also be available. Offer valid from February 10-20th (Offer does not include tax, gratuity, and alcohol). Call (301) 279-7011 for reservations.”

Gold’s Gym. “Love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is Monday February 14th. All guests are invited to attend GGX classes FREE on this day. So, you can either make it a cheap date night or an anti-valentine’s day get together with friends. Bring a friend, co-worker, significant other, family member and share some love and some pain at the gym!” Call for Information: (301) 637-0030

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Shady Grove Road To Be Improved

The Division of Highway Services (DHS) received about $6.7 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to improve seven roadways including more than 10 lane miles of Shady Grove Road from I-270 to Darnestown Road. The deteriorated condition of all of these roads made them high priority projects for the County.

DHS’s repairs include removing and replacing pavement surfaces, defective curbs, and sidewalks; full depth pavement patching; and installing pavement line markings and raised, reflective pavement markers. All seven projects should be completed in fall 2011.

In addition to Shady Grove Road the other roadways are:

• Nearly 10 lane miles of Barnesville Road from Mt. Ephraim Road to Maryland Route 117;
• About four-and-one-half lane miles Randolph Road from east of Nebel Street to Rock Creek Bridge;
• About 3.6 lane miles of Forest Glen Road from Maryland Route 97 to Brunett Avenue;
• More than 10 lane miles of Old Columbia Pike from Maryland Route 198 to U.S. Route 29, Columbia Pike on-ramp;
• Nearly five lane miles of Travilah Road from Dufief Road to River Road; and
• 3.7 lane miles of Wightman Road from Brink Road to Goshen Road.

Altogether Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation received nearly $15.4 million in ARRA funding to help improve the County’s economy and transportation infrastructure while jump starting the ecomomy.

The Division of Transit Services (DTS) also received $6.55 million to replace existing buses with 12 energy efficient, diesel-electric hybrids and one clean diesel bus. The buses will be delivered in September.

Information about other ARRA funds awarded to the County is available on the County’s website.

Redgate Management, School Portables and Business Relations At The Mayor And Council Meeting 2/17/11

The Mayor and Council Meeting was officially over at 9:54 PM last night which is actually very early. Here are some highlights to keep you informed.

Socially-Responsible Investments

At the request of the Human Rights Commission, the City will be pursuing more socially responsible investments. HRC asked the City to look into a divestment policy pertaining to Sudan. City Manager Scout Ullery reported that staff reviewed State law and County ordinances but they only address actively-managed accounts which does not present an issue for the City. The Retirement Board will consider the issue at their February 18th meeting and come forward with recommendation.

The Rockville Chamber of Commerce gave a quick update including:

• Rockville Rewards Card has over 70 businesses participating for weekly and daily specials to help 15 nonprofits in the City. You can still purchase one.
• Sign Ordinance met with City Staff about recommendations for changes, gathering comments from members and working with Sign Review Committee.
• They have already started to plan the Taste of Rockville for Hometown Holidays.

Compensation Commission

Former Mayor James Coyle was reappointment as member until 2014 and Tom Moore was appointed as Chair until 2012. Congratulations to them both!

Guess What? We Need More Salt!

I’m sure it is not a surprise but all the ice means we’re using a lot of salt this year. The Mayor and Council approved a purchase up to $86,500 from the Eastern Salt Company, Inc. under a cooperative contract with Montgomery County. International Salt was unable to respond quickly enough to help meet the demand which would have been within the City Manager’s approval authority. It’s been that kind of winter.

Portable Classrooms Policy With MCPS

The City Manager asked the Mayor and Council to approve the policy on the placement of portables by Montgomery County Public Schools so it can be finalized. The policy was sent to MCPS and James Song, Director of Department of Facilities Management, commented.

The three points made by Mr. Song were:

1. MCPS doesn’t want to produce traffic reports for more than six portables so traffic reports would not be required no matter how many portables are added.
2. MCPS needed clarification of what the term “significant trees” meant.
3. MCPS emphasized that they can, through the mandatory referral process, chose not to comply with any part of the zoning ordinance.

During the discussion, Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio seemed dismayed that Mr. Song believed it would be premature to drop the proposed State bill MC11-11 even though MCPS and the City have been positively working together on a process for the placement of portable classrooms in the City limits.

The Staff recommended adjusting the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) in respect to the fire response standard and move forward to develop an agreement for new school construction, additions and remodeling.

The Mayor and Council unanimously agreed to direct the City Staff to proceed as requested by Mr. Ullery.

Hopefully MCPS officials and City staff will continue to develop a better working relationship as we go forward with all the projects necessary to alleviate our school overcrowding.

Community—Business Communication

Councilmember John Britton encouraged ongoing communication through an annual gathering or summit. REDI and the Chamber have agreed to participate in a forum to discuss ideas and he hopes at least 150 people representing a cross-section of the community would participate. About 15 years ago, the City had a half-day business summit and this is an idea to “come around again”.

The Mayor and Council directed the City Staff to identify the core planners, which should not just be Staff but also REDI, Chamber, and Councilmember Britton to begin planning the event. Staff will return to the Mayor and Council with a proposed plan for the Summit in order to secure feedback and support before implementation.

Redgate Golf Course

With two motions, the Mayor and Council voted to keep all their options open, which means they did not make a decision as to the exact course of action involving the management of the Redgate Golf Course.

The NGF recommendation was to outsource the golf course operation, which is the prevalent type of arrangement in the golf industry at this time and this is estimated to be approximately $120,000 per year.

The motion eventually passed by the Mayor and Council was made by Councilmember Bridget Newton and it followed the staff’s recommendation and contract with NGF for consulting services to development an RFP. The RFP will include a management services option but it also included an option to lease the Redgate Golf Course which was not supported by NGF. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Britton and passed unanimously. The fee to the NGF to develop the RFP would be approximately $6,000.

Councilmember Newton also made a motion to engage NGF for advice on establishing a new director of golf staff position, which was seconded by Councilmember Britton. The motion passed 3 to 2. Councilmember Mark Pierzchala disagreed because if you go with a management company then you don’t need a director of golf. Councilmember Piotr Gajewski could not support the motion without knowing the cost involved.

With these votes, the Mayor and Council could receive many proposals for outsourcing management, leasing the course, and hiring a new director. A decision still needs to be made.

The next meeting of the Mayor and Council is Monday, February 14, 2011.

Intercounty Connector To Open Feb. 22

I go out to Olney a lot, so this was especially good news to me: The first stretch of the Intercounty Connector, running from I-370 to Georgia Avenue, is set to open on February 22!

Here’s the full press release:

Governor Martin O’Malley . . .  announced [Monday] that the State will open the first seven-mile segment of Maryland’s Intercounty Connector (ICC)/MD 200 on Tuesday, February 22, 2011, at 6 a.m., weather permitting. The initial section of the State’s first all-electronic toll road connects I-370 at Shady Grove and MD 97 (Georgia Avenue) in Rockville/Olney. In addition, motorists may ‘test drive’ the ICC at no charge between its opening on Feb. 22 through March 6. The test-drive period will give customers an opportunity to become familiar with the highway’s all-electronic tolling and variable pricing, while allowing the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA), which will own and operate the ICC as its eighth toll facility, to test the tolling equipment under actual traffic conditions.

Drivers can gain immediate benefits and time savings by using the first ICC segment. In fact, it is projected that trip times can be reduced by up to 70% when using the ICC between Shady Grove and Georgia Avenue compared to traveling congested local roads. The ICC is a variably priced toll facility in order to manage congestion and deliver reliable travel times. Higher tolls are charged during peak-travel times and reduced tolls are charged when traffic volumes are lower.

ICC tolls will be collected electronically at highway speeds using E-ZPass® technology. There will be no toll booths or cash toll collection on the ICC. Traveling the ICC without a valid E-ZPass account will result in a Notice of Toll Due being sent to the registered owner of the vehicle for the cost of the toll. Effective April 6, the notice will include a $3 service charge per trip, as is the policy at Maryland’s other toll facilities.

To sign up for E-ZPass, visit www.ezpassmd.com to enroll online or get a list of E-ZPass “On the Go” retail locations. E-ZPass Stop-in Centers are located at local Motor Vehicle Administration offices in Gaithersburg and Beltsville and at most Maryland toll facilities.

Beginning Monday, March 7, drivers of passenger vehicles and light trucks will pay the following to travel the ICC’s first 5.5-mile tolled segment:

• $1.45 during Peak hours (Mon. – Fri., 6 – 9 a.m. and 4 – 7 p.m.)
• $1.15 during Off-peak times (Mon. – Fri., 5 – 6 a.m., 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and 7 – 11 p.m.; and Sat. & Sun. 5 a.m. – 11 p.m.) and
• $0.60 Overnight (11 p.m. – 5 a.m. Daily)

These toll rates are at the low end of the tolling ranges approved by the MDTA Board in December 2009.

The next segment of the ICC, under construction by the State Highway Administration (SHA) between Georgia Avenue and I-95 in Laurel, is scheduled to be completed in late 2011/early 2012.

Dateline for the ICC Opening

• Tuesday, Feb. 22, 6:00 a.m.: ICC opens to traffic, weather permitting
• Tuesday, Feb. 22 – Sunday, March 6 at 12 midnight: Test-drive period; no tolls or service charges collected
• Monday, March 7, 12:01 a.m.: Toll collection begins
• Monday, March 7, 12:01 a.m. – Tuesday, April 5, 12 midnight: Waiver of $3 Notice of Toll Due service charge
• Tuesday, April 6, 12:01 a.m.: Full tolling operations, including collection of service charges

Mayor And Council To Consider Business Summit Proposal

Councilmember John Britton

Among other subjects that the Mayor and Council will be taking up at tonight’s meeting, One interesting item will be a proposal put forward by Councilmember John Britton to convene a Rockville Business Summit.

Here’s how Councilmember Britton puts the idea:

To create . . . more cohesion among our business, government, nonprofit and residential sectors, I suggest the convening of a Business Summit attended by elected officials, City staff, members of the business and nonprofit communities writ large, representatives of neighborhood groups and community associations and other residents.  The results of such a summit would be determined by the scope of its agenda and breadth of the attendees, and might include, but not be limited to, the institution of regular annual (or more frequent) summits, enhancement of REDI and the Chamber, business and community sponsored town hall meetings, expansion of business and community presentations to elected officials, City staff and other business, nonprofit and residential representatives, or some other mechanism to ensure a consistent exchange and discussion of information.  At a minimum, a summit could be an incubator of ideas to improve the relationships among businesses, nonprofits, official Rockville and residents, or a vetting process for business proposals — e.g., signage, streamlined city processes, new business development and code enforcement — before they are presented to the Mayor and Council.

Read the full proposal here.

This is not the only item on tonight’s agenda. The Mayor and Council will decide what to do about the NGF RedGate report, and consider its procedure for approving portable classrooms in the public schools.

Stay tuned for coverage of this subject and more!

The Week That Was (Jan. 31 – Feb. 6)

Here are the week’s stories from Rockville Central, so you know what you might have missed.

This feature appears every Sunday.

Opinion and Features

• Comic Strip: Rock’BURB: Cindy Cotte Griffiths’ take on the mayor’s race.
• Rockville Real Estate Listings And Foreclosures 2-5-11: Our weekly feature.
• Contributor Opinion By Joseph Jordan: Pros And Cons Of NGF RedGate Report: Pros and cons of the RedGate report.

News

• New Montgomery County Library Rules: In case you missed it this week, Montgomery County Public Libraries instituted new policies on February 1st regarding food and drink, cell phones, and your library account.
• Keep Warm By Volunteering: If you’re stuck inside this winter looking for something meaningful, there are always opportunities to help in Rockville.
• Rockville Police Reports (Jan. 17, 24, 31): Three weeks of crime on one map.
• Did You Pay PEPCO For Power When You Had None?: The title says it all!
• Rockville’s “Pike” Dream [UPDATED]: Time to weigh in on the new Rockville Pike.
• Gajewski Explores Run For Mayor: Councilmember examining running against Marcuccio.
• Do You Know What You’ve Been Missing?: January ended and if you haven’t purchased your Rockville Rewards Card, you’ve missed out on another month of specials
• O’Malley’s Letter To Pepco: Governor talks tough to everyone’s favorite electric company.

Events

• Weekend to Weekend Pick: Translations: Rockville Little Theatre presents Translations. Second and final week. Great reviews from last weekend!