City Officials - Gaithersburg, MD | Home
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Transcript of City Officials - Gaithersburg, MD | Home
inGaithersburg Spring / Summer 20212
Mayor, Jud Ashman
CityOfficials
Contact these officials at 301-258-6310 or
Council MemberLaurie-Anne Sayles
Council MemberNeil Harris
Council MemberRobert T. Wu
City ManagerTanisha Brileytanisha.briley@
gaithersburgmd.gov
Council Vice PresidentMichael A. Sesma
Council MemberRyan Spiegel
3gaithersburgmd.gov
4Operation Warp Speed inGaithersburg – Our Companies are Saving Lives
6“Us + Them = We” – Building a PACT inGaithersburg
8Neighbors Helping Neighbors inGaithersburg
10What Place Does a Corn Crib have in 21st Century Gaithersburg?
CONTENTS
Contact these officials at 301-258-6310 or
The editorial content of inGaithersburg is
produced by the Gaithersburg Department
of Community & Public Relations
Britta MonacoDirector
Amy McGuire Communication Specialist
Haleh Afshar-Brandau Graphic Specialist
Gaithersburg City Hall31 South Summit Ave.
GaithersburgMD 20877
301-258-6310
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12Organic Lawn Care: What the New Law Means for You and the Environment
14Gaithersburg 101: Local Government Explained
18City Resources & Facilities
19Celebrate Spring & Summer inGaithersburg: In-person & Virtual Programs & Activities
Cover photo courtesy of Emergent BioSolutions
inGaithersburg Spring / Summer 20214
by Tom Lonergan, Assistant City Manager
inGaithersburg – Our Companies are Saving Lives
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives, shat-tered economies, and established itself among the 10 deadliest plagues in history. Several Gaith-ersburg companies are at the forefront of life-sav-
ing treatments and vaccines.
While the introduction of the term “coronavirus” to our col-lective vernacular is a relatively recent phenomenon, it was hardly new to our world. Known by scientists since the early 1960s, the coronavirus comes from a huge family of viruses. There are many types of human coronaviruses. Some cause mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. Others prove fatal. COVID-19 was a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that had not previously been seen in humans.
The world quickly found itself woefully unprepared for what would become the worst public health crisis in more than a century. SARS-CoV-2, the virus’s official name,
effectively brought the world to its knees. Schools closed, businesses shuttered, unemployment skyrocketed, the economy was in a freefall, and we collectively – and des-perately – implored our scientific community to formulate treatments and a cure. Operation Warp Speed, a pub-lic–private partnership initiated by the U.S. government to facilitate and accelerate the development, manufacturing, and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, was announced on May 15, 2020, and the race to find treatments and a cure began.
In early August of 2020, representatives of the vaccine company Novavax approached the City of Gaithersburg with a significant opportunity, along with an equally sig-nificant challenge. The venerable biotechnology company, headquartered on Firstfield Road and longstanding mem-ber of Gaithersburg’s life sciences community, received
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Photo courtesy of Altimmune
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$1.6 billion through Operation Warp Speed to support its COVID-19 late-stage clinical trials and expansion of its manufacturing capacity. Novavax needed to secure a loca-tion, or locations, to expand its research and development (R&D) and manufacturing capabilities in order to supply the federal government with up to 100 million doses of a life-saving vaccine. And time was of the essence.
The company had identified a potential site in Gaithers-burg, but other jurisdictions were competing fiercely for the project. Beyond ideal site characteristics, Novavax required assurance that their plans, and timeframe, could be ac-commodated, and they needed that guarantee by month’s end. Recognizing the scale and importance of the project, City staff got to work. Members of the Gaithersburg Plan-ning Department, City Manager’s Office and Office of the City Attorney assembled a strategy and timeline that would allow Novavax to meet its federal grant agreement and programmatic requirements on time. On August 28, the City delivered a letter to Novavax’s CEO, Stan Erck, outlin-ing its commitments and assurances, and within 60 days, Novavax announced its plans to stay and grow, substan-tially, in Gaithersburg.
The company leased 120,000 square feet of long-vacant space at 700 Quince Orchard Road, and acquired the adja-cent, vacant 9-acre site to construct a new, 120,000 square foot facility. These projects will bring to Gaithersburg at least $100 million dollars in new investment and 800 new jobs, further affirming the City’s proud reputation as a leader in the biotechnology industry. More importantly, it will help Novavax bring the world a critical mass of a life-saving vaccine.
Novavax’s plans and progress on a COVID-19 vaccine have generated some well-deserved headlines. However, it was not the only Gaithersburg-based company working to de-velop therapeutics and vaccines to battle this most recent variant of coronaviruses. Given the City of Gaithersburg’s longstanding reputation as the epicenter of the BioHealth Capitol Region, the participation by one or more biotech-nology companies in that race was almost certain. Gaith-ersburg’s highly skilled workforce, proximity to more than 70 federal labs and research institutions (including NIH), and availability of properties owned and managed by specialized groups of commercial property owners with the experience and resources to accommodate the industry has attracted dozens of companies of all sizes to the City. Many of those companies are at the forefront of world-leading infectious disease research and vaccine development.
For companies already focusing on virus-related diagnos-tics, treatments, and vaccines, the pivot to COVID-19 was a natural one. However, new COVID-19 projects would require companies to mobilize staff and resources, and do
it quickly. The race to discover and distribute lifesaving treat-ments and vaccines in a timeframe never accomplished suc-cessfully, to date, was designed as a sprint, not a marathon.
Five Gaithersburg-based companies have joined the race and dedicated their time, resources and expertise to address COVID-19. Here are a few factoids (as of the writing of this article in February, 2021).
NOVAVAX (19 Firstfield Road)• Awarded $1.6 billion through Operation Warp Speed
• NVX-CoV2373, their recombinant protein-based vaccine candidate, is currently in Phase 3 trials in the U.S. and the U.K.
• Phase 3 clinical trials in the U.K. reportedly show 89.3% efficacy against the U.K. COVID-19 variant, and suggests 50% efficacy against the South African variant. Against the original COVID-19 strain, their efficacy was 95.6%. Phase 3 clinical trials in U.S. and Mexico currently underway.
• Began a “rolling review” of its COVID-19 vaccine with a number of regulatory agencies around the world, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Medi-cines Agency, and Canada’s health regulator
• Collaborating with the world’s largest vaccine producer, Serum Institute of India, with plans to produce its vaccine at a rate of 2 billion doses a year starting from mid-2021
ASTRAZENECA (1 MedImmune Way)• AZ’s Gaithersburg location is home to much of the
company’s U.S.-based Global Medicines Development activities for small and large molecules
• Partnered with the University of Oxford on a vaccine known as ChAdOx1 nCoV-19
• Currently conducting a large-scale clinical trial of the vaccine, which includes a significant proportion of peo-ple aged over 65, as well as in children as young as 6
• Vaccine is in the final stages of review for a World Health Organization emergency-use listing
• South Korea recently granted its first approval for a coronavirus vaccine to AZ
• Oxford-AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has not yet been submitted for U.S. approval, as regulators are awaiting more trial data
EMERGENT BIOSOLUTIONS (400 Professional Drive)• Emergent and U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services expanded their existing public-private Continued on page 16
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inGaithersburg Spring / Summer 20216
Us + Them=WeBuilding a PACT inGaithersburgby Amy McGuire, Communication Specialist
The summer of 2020 saw one of the largest racial justice movements in recent history. Nationwide protests in response to the murder of George Floyd and against po-lice brutality were taking place across the
country. Five protests took place in Gaithersburg’s city limits. And from that a unique dialog emerged.
Enough Is EnoughOn June 1, 2020, a protest took place in German-town.“It became enough is enough and we wanted to be heard and stand in solidarity with the nation,” says Justin Williams of Building Leaders & Advancing the Community (BLAC). “We took to the streets and off the sidewalk metaphorically and literally. And that was the moment we put the county on notice that not only was this the beginning, but here in our county there were going to be changes.”Amid the protests, Williams and the other founders of BLAC emerged as leaders and liaisons between protestors and police, working to coordinate the safety of the crowds, especially in the wake of the pandemic and vast number of people walking in the roadways. The Gaithersburg Police Department’s relationship with Williams and BLAC started with a protest set to take place at Lakeforest Mall.“This was a great opportunity for us to show that we can and are willing to work with the community, es-
pecially with individuals who are critical of the police,” says Lieutenant Chris Vance, Operations Bureau Com-mander with the Gaithersburg Police Department. “For that event, and the rest of the protests that summer, we worked hand in hand with protest organizers to plan and coordinate meaningful protests together.”At one of the final protests, Williams looked at Lt. Vance. “So what are we going to do now?”“As the summer drew on and the protests got smaller and smaller, it came time to talk about what we ALL can do in our community so we don’t have any more situa-tions like George Floyd and can embrace our community together. And PACT was born from those conversations,” says Williams.
Building RelationshipsPolice and Community Together (PACT) is a com-munity-led program formed by BLAC that is about building and improving relationships between police departments and the communities they serve. The meetings are held monthly, with members of the public and police from various jurisdictions taking part in dis-cussions and working together side-by-side to create solutions to identified challenges. Meetings take place virtually on Zoom, are recorded, and feature a panel discussion with various guests who represent diverse voices in the community.“We decided early that every meeting needed balance from county residents and police alike,” says Williams.
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“To date we have had discussion on police use of force, the School Resource Officer program in the county, mental health, and distress calls. Even as deep as the most recent police-involved shooting and dis-cussing policy and procedure involving investigations.”“Sometimes, I ask the meeting participants about their perspectives in dealing with the police, and other times, they ask us about policy, procedures, train-ing, and our perspectives and experience as police officers,” says Lt. Vance. “Rather than a formal meet-ing with agendas and rules, it is more like a group of friends discussing challenging topics to come up with collective understanding and solutions to problems.”John Stephenson with Vision for Change and Victory Christian Church International is also part of the PACT conversation. Having lived in Montgomery County most of his life, with 26 years in Gaithersburg, Ste-phenson wants to lend his voice for his community.“I was mentally and emotionally hurt seeing all of the encounters with police ending in unnecessary deaths,” says Stephenson. “The more we converse with young African American adults, the conversation is the same when pulled over. It’s as if the officers are looking for something illegal; it’s more than a traffic stop. Most feel targeted, but what can they do but wait out the process; this is not fair or just. I wanted to be the voice for fair treatment and hopefully avoid any unnec-essary deaths in my community.”Gaining perspective is part of PACT’s mission. Both Stephenson and Williams participated in police scenario training to see firsthand what an officer might experience in rapidly evolving situations that require split-second decisions. “I knew the job was such a high pressure job,” says Stephenson. “To actually be fitted with a holster, Taser, fake gun and walk through a real life encounter was exciting, yet scary. When you actually run to a scene not knowing what you are walking into and the fact someone’s life hinges on your split second decision, really has you thinking about the mental wellness of every officer serving daily, yet has all the other pres-sures of life everyone else has.”
“I cannot escape the cliché of we do not understand how stressful our officer’s jobs can be and the sce-nario training brought that as close to real life as it can be,” says Williams. “Dealing with domestic abuse, mental health issues, burglaries and that was a few hours for us where it is any given Tuesday possibly for an officer somewhere.”While the police-scenario training has given perspec-tive on what it’s like to be an officer in Gaithersburg and Montgomery County, it’s also highlighted for Wil-liams the possible lack of training in the police depart-ments of other jurisdictions. “We watch things on the news or social media and can’t believe the atrocities and wonder how? I have really had a glimpse into the positives of the police forces locally, but it also shines a spotlight on deficiencies nationally.” Lt. Vance now has a greater appreciation for the concept of relationship building and the percep-tion of trust and legitimacy in a police department. “Because of PACT, we have created a new vision of policing in Gaithersburg. Our goal is to increase trust and legitimacy in every interaction we have in the community. In order to do that, we as the police must focus on how we are doing our job and con-stantly strive to understand the community’s needs and expectations of us in order to better serve.”“Most importantly, I have learned that people who are concerned about police brutality and are critical of po-lice procedures are not anti-police,” continues Vance. “Groups like BLAC want the best for their community and expect the best service from their police department.”
Coming Together in ConversationAll agree that conversation is essential in building trust and creating change.“Without purposeful conversations, how can we elim-inate the fears and foster trust,” says Stephenson. “Currently there is a terrible divide between the police and certain communities. These conversations bring understanding and they’re definitely educating both
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Montgomery County Muslim Foundation https://www.mcmfmd.org/The Montgomery Coun-ty Muslim Council was established in 2003 to address the negative perception of Islam in the aftermath of the tragic events of 9/11, engaging in charity work to demonstrate the true spirit of Islam. We be-came a nonprofit foun-dation in 2008, provid-ing food and clothing to needy families in the community with no discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, or national origin. Our mission has expanded, and we now also offer enriching and engaging programming for youth and seniors.
Deeply moved by the Black Lives Matter movement, MCMF es-tablished an African American Equity Fund to provide vocational training to underprivileged boys and girls, and a scholarship fund to help with continuing education.
Our volunteers have devoted more than 12,000 hours during the pandemic in service to the community. Our Food Pantry has served 8,000 individuals and families with more than 135,000 pounds of food. Nearly 3,000 meals were provided to Interfaith Women’s Shelter, and we collaborated with the City of Gaithers-burg to provide 315 meals to unsheltered individuals. Meals were also provided to hospitals, fire and rescue stations and police departments, and our Women’s Empowerment Group provided more than 1,000 masks to frontline workers. In addition, we gave 58,500 pounds of food to more than 1,000 needy families through local schools and churches.
The MCMF Board of Directors, Council, staff and volunteers continue to be dedicated to the cause of serving our fellow human beings in a time of need.
Civil Air Patrol https://uppermontgomery.cap.gov/Late last spring, the Upper Montgomery Composite Squadron, a unit in Maryland Wing’s Civil Air Patrol (CAP), began assisting the City of Gaithersburg with the distribution of prepared meals and fresh foods for senior citizens in Gaithersburg. Currently, we are assisting at the Gaithersburg CARES Hub.
The squadron has provided more than 400 hours of assistance to Gaithersburg residents. Every Wednesday, CAP members have volunteered their time packing fresh fruit and non-perishable food, helping with the delivery of frozen meals, and delivering food to some of the most needed areas of the City.
Volunteer Service is one of CAP’s Core Values. This speaks of “voluntarily giving of oneself, over personal desires, to provide for the welfare of others.” One of our Senior Members said, “The appreciation of those I have served has brought me such joy and sat-isfaction.” The squad-ron never expected to have hundreds of hours to “practice” this core value of service. These opportunities allowed us to step outside of our own quarantine bubble to both see and serve those in need in our own neighborhoods.
Epworth United Methodist Church https://www.epworthunited.org/I’m Oscar Alvarenga and I’ve lived in Gaithersburg for 12 years. When the pandemic caused our schools, churches, and places of business to shut down I had no idea I would be leading a food distribution site. My church, Epworth United Methodist Church, wanted to help families who could/should not go outside and get food, so we partnered with Montgomery County and the Gaith-ersburg Community Soup Kitchen, known as The Lord’s Table,
NeighborsHelpingNeighborsinGaithersburg
Gaithersburg has always been a caring, compassionate place. Never has that characteristic been more important than during this past year, as the impact of the pandemic has devastated so many in our community. There are dozens of
organizations and thousands of people volunteering their time and energy to help others. A few of them are highlighted here in their own words. We know this is not an exhaustive list. The City extends its sincere gratitude to ALL of the
volunteer efforts taking place in Gaithersburg. You are all heroes!
by Britta Monaco, Director, Department of Community & Public Relations
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to start serving about 20 families a month. We are now serving about 200 families every week, including families from Rosemont and Summit Hall Elementary Schools, Forest Oak Middle School, Cider Mill Apart-ments, and all around Gaithersburg. There are weeks that other folks from Montgomery Coun-
ty help us provide more food, because at times we have served up to 400 families a week.
It is important to serve because everyone has their gifts. I’m serv-ing with amazing people from all walks of life. I’m not an expert with spreadsheets or how many apples should go in each box, but we have a talented, compassionate team that can do it all. We have middle and high school kids, full-time workers, and retired folks. The community needs those who can help to help. I have been at the receiving end and I know how it feels when someone shows you they care.
Love is Greater than COVID-19 Community Pantry https://coolanddope.com/
My name is Cavana-ugh Bell, and I’ve lived in the West Deer Park neighborhood of Gaith-ersburg my entire life. That’s eight years.
When the pandemic hit, I didn’t want my grand-mother, who also lives in Gaithersburg, to catch the coronavirus. So, I used my life savings, which I saved from 3 birthdays and Christmases, to make 72 care packs for her and the other seniors that live in her senior facility. From there, people heard about my story and donated from all over the world and I was able to open up the Love is Greater Than COVID-19 Community Pantry. I make care packs full of toiletry items, non-perishable foods, and fresh produce to give to both senior citizens and families in need. Since April 4, 2020, I’ve helped over 15,000 people both in Gaithersburg and on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, which is the poorest community in the nation.
It is important to take care of our community because they are like our family. When we are going through hard times, it’s important to know that people around you, like your neighbors, friends, even community helpers, have your back.
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Parishhttps://strose-parish.org/ St. Rose parishioners have been busy serving families hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic at the Gaithersburg CARES Hub food distribution center at Seneca Creek Community Church. Volunteers sort and pack up to 200 bags each week, and serve as drivers to drop food and diapers to residents’ doors. As one of our volunteers stated “We believe we are called to serve. Volun-teering during the pandemic has given us purpose, a way to show a tangible expression of the love of God.” St. Rose has “adopted” the seniors at The Oaks at Olde Towne, provid-ing monthly bags of food and veggies to each resi-dent as well as delivering Holiday gift baskets filled with treats and practical gifts.
Each month, St. Rose parishioners host a drive-thru food collection on our parking lot to help stock the St. Martin’s Food Pantry and Gaithersburg HELP, filling a truck with items to replenish their shelves. The holidays brought many opportunities to help sort and pack Thanksgiving Food for the 815 families in-vited to a holiday distribution at Bohrer Park, as well as delivering holiday gifts for the residents at the City’s Wells/Robertson House for homeless men and women in recovery and for developmen-tally disabled adults at the St. Rose House.
Victory Christian Church International (VCCI) https://vcci.org/
VCCI has been a long-time partner with the City of Gaithersburg. We moved to our location on Metropolitan Court in 1996. We are participants in the City’s Holiday Giv-ing program and have served the residents of our community by:
• Collaborating withother churches toserve Thanksgiving dinners at a local school
• Providing family sponsorships for the holidays
• Participating in the holiday distributions• Providing food, clothing and other resources throughout
the community, and• Hosting food distributions at Seneca Creek Apartments
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Asolicitation was added to the City’s pro-curement webpage back in August of 2020, with the curious title: “Crown Farm Corn Crib Barn Preservation.” Did you
know there was a corn crib barn in the bustling Crown development? At first glance, it resembles a falling down shed. Why preserve it? It led this author to ponder its existence and dig a little deeper into the corn crib story, relying on the classic series of journalistic questions.
What & WhereJust 15 years ago, the Crown neighborhood was a farm, the last one in Gaithersburg. The 175-acre property was annexed into the City in 2006, and it’s now a vibrant (and still growing) community with restaurants, retail shops, commercial space, and thousands of condominiums, apartments, town-houses, and single family homes. It’s also home to a future high school. Most of the expansive property is in the hands of private developers, but a few acres were deeded to the City for use as a park. Technically called the England-Crown Farm, it op-erated as a dairy farm by the England, Garrett and Crown families in the 19th and 20th centuries. The little piece that will become a park includes two silos, a concrete block garage with an attached storage shed, a corrugated metal grain bin, and that intrigu-ing corn crib. Also on the site, but privately owned and in the process of being renovated, are a 19th century Manor House, a smoke house, and an early log house. All of these structures have been officially designated by the City as historic resources.Here’s no surprise. Corn cribs were used to store corn, drying it for use as animal feed throughout the year. This particular one was built in the 19th century, predating the Manor House that we know was built around 1894. Wagons would pull into the center of the structure, and the shucked corn, still on the cob, would be forked into cribs through
small doors located in the walls. The cribs were well ventilated so the corn could continue to dry. The second floor of the structure was likely used to store barley and wheat.Sidebar – quick carpentry lesson. Some of the Crown Farm corn crib structure uses what’s known as mortise and tenon joinery, a technique for con-necting two pieces of wood without the use of nails. Basically there’s a cavity cut into the mortise, and the tenon is tightly fitted into it (think pounding a round peg into a round hole). It’s old school carpen-try that’s simple and effective, and the technique dates back thousands of years.Back to the corn. Silos eventually replaced corn cribs (there are two silos on the property dating from the mid-20th century). Silos house what’s known as silage, which is ground corn and corn stalks that ferment together. Using the entire plant allows farmers to increase yield from their acreage, and apparently dairy cows love the stuff, producing more milk than when they just eat dried corn.
Why“The England-Crown Historic Site is a rare surviving link to Gaithersburg’s agricultural past,” says the City’s Historic Planner, Chris Berger. “The historic designation of the Farmhouse and associated outbuildings is an acknowledgment of their importance to the City’s his-tory and creates a sense of continuity of time.”Throughout Gaithersburg you’ll find examples of the area’s rich past. There’s the smokehouse at Summit Hall Farm, thought to be oldest structure still standing in Gaithersburg. There’s a historic train station and a railroad shed that now houses our Community Museum. There’s Casey Community Center, which played an interesting part in the Salk polio vaccine development. There’s the Latitude Ob-servatory, literally putting Gaithersburg on a global map of scientific endeavor to measure the Earth’s
21st Century Gaithersburg?
What Place Does a
Corn Crib have in
by Britta Monaco, Director, Department of Community & Public Relations
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wobble on its polar axis, aiding in navigation. And there are Kentlands Mansion and the Arts Barn, beautifully repurposed buildings from the Tschiffely and Kent estates. All of these tell Gaithersburg’s story – its path from a small agricultural community, to a crossroads for travelers heading west, to a robust farming community when the trains came along to efficiently move product, to the beginnings of a scientific hub, to the bustling, culturally diverse City that it is today. Similar to today’s fascination with genealogy, knowing and understanding a commu-nity’s past can provide important insight into its identity. Documenting and preserving history gives a community a sense of place, anchoring it in the long history of our na-tion and providing context for the future.
How & WhenAlthough they are not large structures, the preservation of the corn crib and the associ-ated buildings is likely to be a rather complex endeavor. The first stage of the process was soliciting for an architectural/engineering firm with experience in historic preserva-tion to develop the construction drawings and specifications for the preservation of the buildings. That was done in January of 2021.The next stage is to contract with a construction firm to do the actual preservation work. The City advertised this in late winter and the award of the contract is anticipat-ed in the spring, with construction taking place over the summer and fall of 2021. Preservation and restoration are two very different things. The goal is to preserve the structure and as much of the original material as possible. “We know that some parts of the structure are beyond repair,” says Public Works Project Manager Melanie Brown. “Those will be replaced using both materials and installation methods that were com-monly practiced when the original structure was being built.”“This structure’s use was constantly evolving over its history,” says Melanie. “Preservation allows us to tell that story. Restoration practices would allow us to only depict the building at one point in time, removing evidence of other periods.”Melanie also added, “This project is particularly important to me. As a fourth generation farmer in Montgomery County, I’m glad I get to play a small role in preserving part of our farming history and to educate the public on farming practices.” After the buildings are preserved, the City will begin the process of determining what ameni-ties might be part of Crown Farm Park. That’s a whole other story!
WhoYou know the saying, “It takes a village…”? Well, it takes a “village” of departments to bring the vision of a new City park to reality.First up was the Planning & Code Administration, which was involved in the annexation of the property, the deeding of the park property to the City, and the designation of the farm buildings as historic resources. The City Manager’s Office and Legal Services were also involved in these steps, which ultimately required approvals by the Planning Commission, the Historic District Commission, and the Mayor & City Council.Next up – Public Works. Working with the Finance Department, they developed the solicitation for the design and construction contracts, and will serve as the project manager for the duration.So eventually we’ll have lovely preserved buildings in Crown Farm Park, but what else can visitors expect? City parks are maintained by Public Works but managed and programmed by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture. There will be a process of community involvement as the City determines how best to use this space. Early
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by Daniel Dropik, Gaithersburg Stormwater Program Intern
OrganicLawn Care:What the New Law Means for You and the Environment
The use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers poses a risk to environmental health. How could using these products on a small scale
contribute to a large-scale problem, and why should you care?
What is the New Law?Montgomery County’s pesticide law restricts the use of “weed and feed” products and certain pesticides on private lawns, playgrounds, mulched recreation areas, and childcare facilities. The law aims to protect public health and minimize the potential pesticide haz-ard to people and the environment. Raising awareness and reducing pesticide use for cosmetic purposes is the goal. The law does not ban the sale of these products, which means you will still see restricted pesticides for sale. However, stores must place sig-nage next to pesticides indicating which products are included in the ban. The law restricts most synthetic pesticides; organic pesticides are not affected. The City of Gaithersburg opted into the County’s organic lawn care law effective December 2020.
What’s The Deal with Chemical Lawn Care Products?Popular chemical lawn care products can contain ingredients harmful to both people and the envi-ronment. Glyphosate is one of those. Herbicides with glyphosate are useful for removing weeds but can have adverse side effects on our health, so much so that the World Health Organization has deemed the chemical a probable human carcino-gen. Glyphosate bioaccumulates in nature, causing long-term damage to the environment. Through
bioaccumulation, man-made chemicals find their way into an organism’s diet by seeping into its habitat and eventually into its food supply. Spray-ing glyphosate herbicide on plants will disrupt the digestive systems of bees and could contribute to the collapse of an entire honeybee colony. Rain ultimately washes the chemical down into streams and then the ocean, disrupting the reproductive cycles of fish. Thus the chemical continues to cause harm long after its usefulness on land.
Synthetic fertilizers also pose a threat and can have long-term consequences on our environ-ment. Developed with exactly one goal in mind, these fertilizers can grow plants quickly, and they do this job well. But despite having exactly what a plant needs to grow quickly, these fertilizer prod-ucts do not always give a plant what it needs to grow healthy. Most synthetic fertilizers only con-tain a mixture of the limited nutrients of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium. As a result, soil often lacks other essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, and sulfur, causing plants to develop weak roots and stems.
Synthetic fertilizers also contribute to topsoil de-pletion. Like any other natural resource, topsoil is finite, meaning it will run out if not preserved. Estimates predict that at our current rate, we will
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be without healthy topsoil in 60 years. Topsoil degrades when its nutrients are used but not replenished. Chemical fertilizers provide the soil with only a short burst of nutrients. It can create structural problems because unhealthy soil cannot retain water effectively. Unhealthy soil causes more stormwater runoff, taking depleted soil with it. Much like glyphosate, nutrient runoff can also find its way into waterways via stormwater runoff. When in water, these products create algae blooms and dead zones, stripping the water of the oxygen that fish must have to survive. There are ways to achieve a healthy, attractive-looking lawn with minimal impact on the environment.
Can the City Help Me? Soil health is the key to a beautiful, sustainable, and healthy lawn. It’s important to give the soil just what it needs, and the only way to know that is by testing.
The City of Gaithersburg offers its residents rebates for up to two soil tests per year (not to exceed $40 per household per year). Testing your soil requires that a kit be sent to a lab. The results describe the chemical makeup of your lawn and what nutrients are lacking. Knowing this allows you to add precisely what the lawn needs to thrive, saving you money, reducing lawn maintenance, and making our local habitat healthier. A win-win all around.
The soil test rebate program is offered as part of the City’s Rainscapes Reward Program, which helps residential prop-erty owners, homeowners associations, and nonprofits improve stormwater runoff conditions on their property. The program includes education resources and financial incen-tives for conservation landscaping, rainwater harvesting,
and soil testing. You can find details about this program and information about the City’s own pesticide use, mosquito control programs, road salt reduction initiatives, stormwater programs, and more under Environmental Services at gaithersburgmd.gov.
Homemade CompostCompost can be made at home by putting a pile of soil in a compost bin and feeding it with kitchen scraps and other organic materials. As matter de-composes, it transfers its nutrients to the soil. This also supports microbial growth in the ground, which further strengthens the nutrient cycling that takes place. The benefit of this method is that it contains only what the soil needs and nothing that it does not, and it also contains a much wider variety of nutrients than typical fertilizers.
What Can I Do?It is not difficult to replace chemical products with organic alternatives. These can be found at lawn care retailers by looking for products with an OMRI or “For Organic Gardening” listing. There are also plenty of homemade options that are easy and effective.
Garlic Water PesticideAn effective pesticide can be made at home by simply adding chopped garlic to boiling water, allowing it to steep for about 15 minutes, and straining the mixture into a spray bottle. This mixture can then safely be sprayed onto any plant, repelling insects without poisoning or adding any foreign chemicals to the soil.
Corn Gluten Weed ControlWeed control is difficult to effectively address with organic products, but corn gluten offers a reliable solution if appropriately applied. Mixing corn gluten into your soil before the grow-ing season can prevent weeds from forming roots in your soil, but it is essential to remember that this must be applied before the weeds start growing. If weeds have already taken root, corn gluten will be ineffective.
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inGaithersburg Spring / Summer 202114
MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL Chief Legislative Body• Approves annual budget, sets
tax rate, & focuses on strategic planning, community growth, development, & capital improvements.
• 1 Mayor & 5 At-large City Council Members
• Elected by you!
CITY MANAGERChief Administrative Officer• Runs the day-to-day city operations,
drafts budget & implements Council’s policy & legislative initiatives.
• Appointed by City Council
CITY ATTORNEY• Legal advisor to Mayor & City
Council, City Manager, staff, & City Boards & Commissions.
• Appointed by the Mayor withapproval of the City Council
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444CITY STAFF (10 DEPARTMENTS) (10 DEPARTMENTS) (10 DEPARTMENTS) • City Manager’s Office• Community & Public Relations• Community & Public Relations• Community & Public Relations• Finance & Administration• Finance & Administration• Finance & Administration• Police• Human Resources• Human Resources• Human Resources• Information Technology• Information Technology• Information Technology• Office of the City Attorney• Office of the City Attorney• Office of the City Attorney• Parks, Recreation & Culture• Parks, Recreation & Culture• Parks, Recreation & Culture• Planning & Code Administration• Planning & Code Administration• Planning & Code Administration• Public Works
COMMUNITY - YOU!• Gaithersburg is one of
the largest cities in Maryland - more than 70,000 people live here!70,000 people live here!
Gaithersburg 101Local Government Made Easy
Key
Fac
ts
Collectively, elected Collectively, elected Collectively, elected officials, the City
Manager & staff, and Manager & staff, and Manager & staff, and Manager & staff, and Manager & staff, and Manager & staff, and the community work the community work the community work the community work the community work the community work the community work together to shape a together to shape a together to shape a together to shape a together to shape a
vision for the future of Gaithersburg.
Let’s learn more about YOUR local government!
Gaithersburg has a
Council-Manager
form of municipal
government.
Written by Amy McGuire | Designed by Samantha Sekellick
15gaithersburgmd.gov
Make an Impact in Ways that Work for YouWhether it’s the annual budget, voting process, or City projects, our first step on the path to making decisions is reaching out to you. Public engagement is vital to ensuring that the city we’re building is the city you want to live in. • How should we spend your tax dollars?• How should we spend your tax dollars? • How should we spend your tax dollars? • What type of development do you want to see in• What type of development do you want to see in • What type of development do you want to see in
Gaithersburg? Gaithersburg? Gaithersburg? • How do you want to vote?• How do you want to vote? • How do you want to vote? In ways both big & small, YOU can make In ways both big & small, YOU can make In ways both big & small, YOU can make your voice heard.
NAMED FORBenjamin Gaither
CITY FLOWERPeony
MONTGOMERY COUNTY’S3rd Electoral District
MARYLAND’S17th Legislative District6th Congressional District
City staff conduct research & public outreach, getting feedback from all stake-holders. This might include things like surveys and community engagement meetings. Take part!
Planning Commission will approve and make recommendation followed by approval by the Mayor & City Council.1things like surveys and 1things like surveys and
community engagement 1community engagement meetings. Take part!1meetings. Take part! 2holders. This might include
2holders. This might include
3the Mayor & City 3the Mayor & City Council.3Council.
Engage!• Vote! Municipal elections • Vote! Municipal elections • Vote! Municipal elections take place in odd take place in odd take place in odd take place in odd take place in odd numbered years.numbered years.numbered years.numbered years.numbered years.numbered years.numbered years.numbered years.
• Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in• Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in • Attend & Participate in Public MeetingsPublic MeetingsPublic MeetingsPublic Meetings
• Serve on a Committee• Serve on a Committee• Serve on a Committee• Take our Surveys• Take our Surveys• Take our Surveys• Volunteer
How Does theHow Does theHow Does theHow Does theHow Does theHow Does thePlanning Process Work?Planning Process Work?Planning Process Work?Planning Process Work?Planning Process Work?Planning Process Work?Ever wonder how a Ever wonder how a Ever wonder how a municipal project like a municipal project like a municipal project like a park or a new community park or a new community park or a new community park or a new community center gets from point A center gets from point A center gets from point A center gets from point A to Z? There’s a lot that to Z? There’s a lot that to Z? There’s a lot that to Z? There’s a lot that to Z? There’s a lot that to Z? There’s a lot that goes into the process, goes into the process, goes into the process, with plenty of with plenty of with plenty of opportunities for you to opportunities for you to opportunities for you to add your voice.add your voice.add your voice.
Staff draft recommenda-tions and present them to Planning Commission & City Council. You get to be
2City Council. You get to be
2a part of this, too! Attend or 2a part of this, too! Attend or 2watch public hearings & 2watch public hearings & 2meetings – you can even 2meetings – you can even 2submit public comment via 2submit public comment via 2e-mail.
10 SQUARE MILESin the heart of Montgomery County
13 MILESoutside Washington, DC
INCORPORATEDApril 5, 1878
THE CITY LOGO represents the famed Forest Oak tree, a 300 year-old landmark.
Visit our website gaithersburgmd.gov
E-mail [email protected]
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inGaithersburg Spring / Summer 202116
Operation Warp Speed (Continued from page 5)
partnership with a task order valued at approximately $628 million for rapid domestic production of leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates through 2021
• Executed multiple Contract Development and Manu-facturing agreements (CDMO) with several companiesdeveloping COVID vaccines
• In February, announced a new CDMO agreement withCanadian-based Providence Therapeutics, which isproducing a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine, its eighthCOVID-19 CDMO collaboration
• Currently manufacturing the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine candidate at its Baltimore/Bayview facility
• Pending FDA approval, there is a $174 million contractwith AstraZeneca to manufacture its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine regimen
• A recently announced deal with California-based Hu-manigen will speed production of a coronavirus thera-peutic candidate called Lenzilumab, now in late-stageclinical trials, for hospitalized COVID-19 patients
• New York’s Mount Sinai Health System is testing Emer-gent’s own COVID-19 Human Hyperimmune Globulin(COVID-HIG) for its ability to protect people who havebeen in contact with the coronavirus
ALTIMMUNE (910 Clopper Road)• Altimmune is working together with Rockville-based
Vigene on a single-dose intranasal vaccine candidate,AdCOVID, designed to stimulate local mucosal immunity— which scientists say is critical for blocking both infec-tion and spread at its origin
• On February 17, the U.S. Food and Drug Administra-tion cleared the company’s Investigational New Drugapplication for its Phase 1 clinical trial of its AdCOVIDvaccine candidate. Altimmune expects to commencepatient enrollment in the Phase 1 clinical trial soon
ADAPTIVE PHAGE THERAPEUTICS(22 Firstfield Road)
• The Department of Defense awarded APT $9.8 millionfor research development of multiple high-priority, bac-teriophage-based display vaccine candidates againstthe novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The effort will ad-vance and evaluate vaccine candidates in Phase 1 clini-cal trials. APT was the only biotechnology company witha phage-based COVID-19 vaccine program projected toenter clinical trials in 2020.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has clearedthe company’s Expanded Access IND for PhageBank™treatment for pneumonia or bacteremia/septicemia dueto Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aerugino-sa or Staphylococcus aureus in COVID-19 patients
• The company deployed its investigational PhageBanktherapy in Texas in response to a deadly outbreak ofsecondary infections with carbapenem resistantA. baumannii (CRAB) bacteria in COVID-19 patients
Explore Gaithersburg’s biotechnology industry and learn more at growgaithersburg.com.
speculation included things like space for a farmers market, a venue for outdoor concerts, community gardens, a play-ground, and educational signage. “Parks provide a safe place for families and groups to gath-er, they provide a place to connect with nature and to rec-reate outdoors, where everyone is welcome,” says Carolyn Muller, Director of the City’s Department of Parks, Recre-ation and Culture. “Ensuring all City residents have access to a great park is our business. Our goal in this process is to seek community feedback to help guide the planning of amenities within Crown Farm Park.”
So now you know more about corn cribs, and silos, and an-cient carpentry, and historic preservation than you probably did before. You’re living in a community with a rich agricul-tural heritage. Soon, beyond just knowing about Gaithers-burg’s history, you’ll be able to interact with an important piece of it as well.Keep up with Crown Farm Park on the City’s Project Page at gaithersburgmd.gov.
Corn Crib in Gaithersburg (Continued from page 11)
Photo courtesy of Adaptive Phage Therapeutics
17gaithersburgmd.gov
the police and community leaders on how to consider how the others process when engaging one another.”Williams believes these conversations are vital to our future generations in showing that change is possible. “You talk things out, you get to the bottom of the problem, but then you counter punch with solutions. There really is no two sides to this because one doesn’t work without the other. It’s really figuring THAT out and then actually doing things together.” With these conversations, BLAC is bringing everyone to the table. Not just to talk at each other, but to talk and listen toeach other, out in the open for all to hear and engage.“These conversations really show younger generations - look at all of us at one table,” says Williams. “At that table, we aren’t just restating the issues, because by now we all know the issues. But look at us trying together to solve those issues. And, it’s especially important for children of color to see all of what I said and see someone like them initiating it. Representation matters!”Building trust is vital for a police department to be suc-cessful. “A person who does not trust the police will be less likely to report community issues or crimes, less likely to be a witness, and less likely to report being a victim of a crime,” says Lt. Vance. “A person who does not trust the police and does not view the officer’s actions as legiti-mate, is also more likely to resist when the police are taking official actions, even when they are legitimate. This can lead to more use of force incidents or criminal arrests for individuals and more conflict between the community and police. Finally, it is hard to recruit and hire individuals from a community if those members do not trust and view you as legitimate. We want and need more diversity in policing
Us + Them = We(Continued from page 7)
so that we gain those perspectives in order to better serve every part of our community.”
Where do we go from here?“We grow! The goal was always let’s not find the solution and it stays here with us. Let’s draw the blueprint,” says Williams. “We continue to tackle the issues head on and unabated. And we show the community transparency like we have never have before. It’s no longer us versus them. It has to be us + them = we. And our group, as small as it is, can show people that any one of us has the power to move a mountain if you think to do it.”“We need to continue to have conversations, listen, and learn from each other,” says Lt. Vance. “Through those conversations, I believe we can find solutions to problems in policing that will lead to greater trust and legitimacy from the community.”“We must develop action items so that the community rec-ognizes that efforts are being made to have a safe commu-nity,” says Stephenson. “And I don’t know how many people really feel like they’re being heard,” says Williams. “I don’t know how many people feel capable of joining these exclusive groups and committees. I don’t know how many people feel they have the right connections to get involved. PACT and BLAC are saying, ‘come and talk to me.’” “My advice to anyone desiring to be and advocate for change is to serve where you can with what you have,” says Stephenson. “If it’s attending council meetings, writing letters, voting, just get involved. If there is racism in your community, do lawful things to expose it. I believe discrimi-nation thrives through silence. Be the voice of change.”Learn more about BLAC at BLACUSA.org and PACT at gaithersburgmd.gov.
Most recently, VCCI joined the Gaithersburg CARES Hub Steering Committee and the Adopt a Neighborhood program, seeking to bring food and resources directly into communities most impacted by the pandemic.
VCCI is called to serve the surrounding community – the place and neighborhoods where we reside and where our church is located. Our goal is to impact the lives of the fam-ilies that surround us by meeting their needs in both spiritual and practical ways. As we continue to foster a growing rela-tionship with our local government and fellow congregations, their support and partnership, along with ours, can help reach many more people in need.
4 Season GivingTreehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-laimon-20878/My name is Lauren Laimon, founder of the 4 Season GivingTree Program for families in the 20878 zip code. I have lived in Gaith-ersburg all of my life.
NeighborsHelpingNeighbors (Continued from page 9)
I started the 4 Season GivingTree in 2017 as a way to pass along gently used belongings that our own children have outgrown to families in our very own community who need these items. School counselors and PTSA members help identify the families, or the families reach out to me directly.
With the help of many volunteers, our program supported 190 people this past holiday season, providing gifts, food and other resources donated by more than 100 community members and local businesses.
The goal for 2021 is to support these families all year long, directly matching donors to families in need, with a focus on upcycling gently used clothing and toys.
I work full time, but do this work on the side as a self-driven effort to help better the community, as all it takes is coordi-nation to help get the needed items to those who need them most. Even the smallest act of kindness is enough to warm many, many hearts!
inGaithersburg Spring / Summer 202118
RESOURCESGAITHERSBURG CITY HALL 31 S. Summit Ave. 20877-2038301-258-6300Fax: [email protected]
OFFICE OF THE CITY [email protected]
OFFICE OF THE CITY [email protected]
PLANNING & CODE [email protected]
Animal Control 301-258-6343Commercial & ResidentialInspections AutomatedScheduling301-258-6338Commercial, Residential &Fire Systems Plan Review301-258-6330Housing & Community Development 301-258-6330Neighborhood Services301-258-6340Passports301-258-6330Permits & Licenses 301-258-6330Planning & Zoning301-258-6330
Rental Housing & Landlord Tenant Affairs301-258-6340
COMMUNITY & PUBLIC [email protected]
Public Information301-258-6310Community Services1 Wells Ave. 20877-2071301-258-6395Homeless Services – Wells/Robertson House 1 Wells Ave. 20877-2071301-258-6390
FINANCE & [email protected]
INFORMATION [email protected]
HUMAN [email protected]
GAITHERSBURG POLICE14 Fulks Corner Ave. 20877-2066Non-emergencies: 301-258-6400Emergencies: [email protected]
PUBLIC WORKS 800 Rabbitt Rd. [email protected]
Environmental Services 301-258-6370
PARKS, RECREATION & CULTURE 506 S. Frederick Ave. 20877-2325301-258-6350Fax: [email protected]
FACILITIESNote that some facilities may be closed or may operate with modified hours due to the pandemic. Visit the City’s website for details.
ACTIVITY CENTER AT BOHRER PARK, SUMMIT HALL FARM 506 S. Frederick Ave. [email protected]
AQUATICSGaithersburg Aquatic Center (indoor)2 Teachers Way [email protected] Park (outdoor/seasonal)Opens May 29512 S. Frederick Ave. [email protected]
ARTS BARN 311 Kent Square Rd. [email protected]
BENJAMIN GAITHER CENTER80A Bureau Dr. 20878-1430 [email protected]
CASEY COMMUNITY CENTER 810 S. Frederick Ave. [email protected]
COMMUNITY MUSEUM9 S. Summit Ave. [email protected]
CONCERT PAVILION AT CITY HALL (seasonal)31 S. Summit Ave. 20877-2038301-258-6350
GAITHERSBURG YOUTH CENTERS
Olde Towne301 Teachers Way [email protected]
Robertson Park 801 Rabbitt Rd. [email protected]
KENTLANDS MANSION320 Kent Square Rd. [email protected]
MINIATURE GOLF COURSE (seasonal) Opens May 1514 S. Frederick Ave. [email protected]
SKATE PARK (seasonal) Opens March 27510 S. Frederick Ave. [email protected]
City Resources & Facilitiesgaithersburgmd.govA list of direct dial phone numbers and e-mail addresses for employees can be found under the “About Gaithersburg” tab on the City’s website.
@GburgMDMany facilities may be rented for meetings & social events, although restrictions
may apply during the pandemic. See website for details.
19gaithersburgmd.gov
Virtual &In-person
Activities
The pandemic may have slowed us down, but the City of Gaithersburg is gearing up for a delightful schedule of virtual and COVID-19-friendly in-per-son programs this spring and summer.
A Staycation DestinationThere’s plenty of fun to be had right in your own backyard. Enjoy the Water Park, Skate Park and Mini Golf Park all summer long. Planning to come to the pool frequently? Consider a conve-nient Aquatics Membership. And summer camp registration is now open.
Art GalleriesOur three galleries, located at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, Kentlands Mansion and the Arts Barn, are filled with interesting works created by talented local and regional artists.
Fresh, Local Produce Farm-fresh produce and other food items are available at the Thursday Farmers Market at Casey starting May 6 and year round at the Sat-urday Main Street Market in Kentlands.
Live from the Arts Barn!We’re livestreaming, performing outdoors and opening up for in-person entertainment when possible. Enjoy music, theater, magic, comedy and more.
Explore them all at
gaithersburgmd.gov
Tell Me a StoryOnline stories paired up with craft activities offer a great diversion for little ones. Some include take home kits to pick up so you can bring the fun home with you.
Virtual Classes and WorkshopsOur enriching and energizing recreation classes, art classes, workshops and sports continue all year long. Some are in-person, some are virtual – all are engaging!
City of Gaithersburg31 S. Summit Ave.Gaithersburg, MD 20877
PRESORTEDSTANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE PAIDSuburban MDPermit No. 55
Candidate Packets AvailableMay 6
Early VotingOctober 23 & 24
Mail in Voting Starting September
Election Day (w/same day voter registration)November 2
Gaithersbu gCITY ELECT ION 2021
FOR MAYOR & TWOCOUNCIL MEMBERS
If you live in Montgomery Countyand are eligible and interested in getting the COVID-19 Vaccine at Montgomery County-operatedclinics, you can preregister now.
Details at gaithersburgmd.gov
