Board of Managers Election

Four Board seats will be up for election this spring. The current Board members whose terms are expiring in June are Gary Crockett, Minh Le, Richard Ruda and David Winstead.

Any Village resident may run for a seat on the Board provided he/she is a qualified voter in Montgomery County, has resided in Chevy Chase Village for at least one year prior to the election and files the required Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement in proper form. Note that the Certificate of Candidacy was only introduced last year. Board members serve two-year, staggered terms. If the number of qualified candidates equals the number of available seats, the candidates will be declared elected at the Annual Meeting on Monday, April 17, 2017 (the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.). If the number of candidates exceeds the number of available seats, a contested election will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

The Village Election Supervisors oversee Village elections, including receiving nominations to serve on the Board of Managers. Residents interested in running for a seat should please contact Election Supervisors Chair Charlotte Jones-Carroll by email at cjonescarroll@aol.com so that the Elections Supervisors can begin to plan for the election.

To qualify as a candidate, an individual, including sitting Board members, must submit to the Village office a completed Certificate of Candidacy along with a Financial Disclosure Statement, at any time after February 6 (90 days prior to Election Day), but by no later than April 6 (30 days prior to Election Day). Upon receiving both completed forms, the Village Manager will submit the Financial Disclosure Statement to the Village Ethics Commission, which will review the form within ten days of filing for compliance with the provisions of the Public Ethics Code. Please note, however, that candidates are not certified to appear on the ballot until the Certificate of Candidacy and Financial Disclosure Statement have been reviewed and determined to be filed in proper form. Forms are available in the Village office or by email request to the Village Manager Shana Davis-Cook at shana.davis-cook@montgomerycountymd.gov. For more information regarding Board elections, please visit the dedicated page on the Village’s website by clicking on “Board of Managers Elections” under Quick Links on the homepage.

Join the Village in Saying Farewell to Michael Younes

The Village’s Director of Municipal Operations, Michael Younes, has accepted a position with a private-sector organization and he will be leaving the Village in early February. Michael has worked in various capacities for the Village over the past 12 years. Many residents have come to know Michael through his work managing various capital and infrastructure projects, including the 4-year comprehensive replacement of Village sidewalks, the Brookville Road sidewalk project, and various utility and infrastructure maintenance and upgrade projects. Michael also worked closely with many Village committees, including the Parks & Greenspaces, Traffic, Tree and, the former Emergency Preparedness Committees.

In a letter to the Village Board, Michael stated that “words cannot explain the gratitude I feel for the support and guidance the Board and Village residents have provided me during my time here” and that he has been “honored to have been part of some of the Village’s most visible and successful projects”.

The Village Board and staff express our sincere appreciation to Michael Younes for his dedication and professionalism, and we wish him well in his new position. Residents are invited to join the Board as we bid Michael farewell during the Board’s regular meeting on Monday, February 13 (the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.).

Special Pickups

Special Pickups of bulk items are collected on Wednesdays. Requests must be submitted either by phone or the Village website by 2:00 p.m. on the preceding Tuesday to ensure collection.

RSVP/AARP Tax-Aide Program Offers Free Tax Preparation

The Montgomery County Volunteer Center's RSVP/AARP Tax-Aide Program is providing free tax preparation assistance. This service is available to low-to-moderate income taxpayers who live or work in Montgomery County.
Special attention is given to those age 60 and older.

The Tax-Aide program has more than 100 volunteers who are trained to prepare simple federal and Maryland state tax forms. Taxes are prepared at more than 20 different locations across Montgomery County, and an appointment is required. The program runs during tax season, the second week of February through Tuesday, April 18.

Individuals can learn more specifics and schedule an appointment on-line at http://www.montgomeryserves.org/tax-aide/overview or call 240-777-2577.

County Warns Consumers and Businesses About Lost Pet and Lost Child “Donation” Boxes in Stores

The Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) has initiated an effort to educate consumers and retail businesses regarding the true nature of certain “donation” boxes that may be displayed in area retail stores and restaurants.

These boxes typically post a photograph of a pet or a child, accept cash payments, and offer candy in return. Many businesses in Montgomery County may allow these boxes to be displayed in their stores and many consumers may put money into these boxes – under the mistaken belief that they are making a charitable contribution to help find lost pets or children.

However, these so-called “donation” boxes are actually a for-profit business venture primarily designed to generate revenue for the owner of these boxes. This business model has been seen before in other jurisdictions and has been investigated by other regulatory agencies.

“Unfortunately, businesses and consumers may not take the time to fully read and research the information printed on these boxes,” said OCP Director Eric Friedman. “The overall impression created by these boxes clearly is misleading and certainly has the tendency or capacity to deceive both the consumers who contribute money, and the businesses who allow these boxes to be displayed.”

An anonymous tip alerted the OCP to the presence of these boxes in Montgomery County. The OCP spoke with businesses in areas where the boxes had been located to alert them about the issue. The OCP is working with business organizations to spread the word more broadly.

State law provides that a real charitable donation device or container must disclose the name and address of the charitable organization.

If anyone sees a box like this, they are encouraged to report it to the OCP by submitting an online complaint or by calling the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection at 240-777-3636. If contacting OCP by phone, the hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Proposed 2017 Spring Public Right-of-Way and Park Tree Planting

DEAR VILLAGE RESIDENT: In keeping with the Village’s adopted policy, the Village anticipates planting 45 trees this coming spring. Please review the proposed list of sites under consideration for planting in Village rights-of-way by clicking on the image of the tree to the right. The list has been prepared by the Tree Committee in consultation with the Village Arborist.

Should you have request for a different species, or if you have questions or concerns or would like to propose an additional site, please submit them in writing to the Village office, c/o Tree Committee at ccv@montgomerycountymd.gov by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 including your name, address and telephone number. A member of the Tree Committee will contact you to discuss the matter.

In selecting tree species, an effort has been made to emphasize native species and, where there are power lines, to plant trees that will not exceed 35’ when mature. Preferred species may in some cases prove not to be available and all listed sites are unlikely to be planted this spring. In these cases, the Tree Committee will contact the owner of the adjacent property to review alternatives.

Are You Prepared?

As we saw last season during the record Blizzard of 2016 and as gear up for the upcoming winter season, the Village reminds residents that it is important to be prepared. In order the assist residents in their preparedness, the Village in partnership with the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (OEMHS) offer a number of helpful tools, plans and free alerts to assist and keep you informed.

Village Website and Blast Email System – Have you signed up for the Village’s blast email system? This is primary electronic method of communication with you. The Village has 2 email lists you can sign-up for:

Urgent News Alert – include messages such as criminal activity, neighborhood disruptions such as water main breaks, power outages and road closures and major weather events.

General News Alerts – include messages about Board and committee meetings, community events, changes in public services such as refuse/recycling collection schedules and upcoming road closures.

To sign-up for the blast email system visit the Village website at www.chevychasevillagemd.gov and click on the tablet icon at the top of the Village’s homepage.

Alert Montgomery – Alert Montgomery is the office emergency communications service for Montgomery County, MD. During major crisis, emergency or severe weather events, Montgomery County officials will send event updates, warnings and instructions directly to you on any of your devices. To sign-up for Alert Montgomery please visit the OEMHS website www.montgomerycountymd.gov/oemhs and click on the “Alert Montgomery” link at the top of the page.

Family and Community Preparedness Information – Emergencies can take many form and occur with or without warning. By taking a few simple steps now, you can ensure that you, your family and your community are better prepared to handle emergencies. To assist in your family planning please visit the Village’s emergency preparedness page, www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/emergencyprep for helpful tools and links. Another important tool the Village has to assist you in your preparedness efforts is to always request a House Check when you are out town and ensure that your emergency contacts are up to date with the Village office.

For additional information please visit the Village’s website at www.chevychasevillagemd.gov and click on the “Are you prepared? – Emergency Preparedness Tips” link listed in the Quick Links on the homepage.

Emergency Contact Sheet

EMERGENCY - 911

Chevy Chase Village Police
Non Emergency/24hrs - 301-654-7300

Montgomery County Police
Non Emergency/24hrs - 301-279-8000

Bethesda - Chevy Chase Rescue Squad - 301-652-0077

Chevy Chase Fire Dept
(Opposite Columbia Country Club) - 240-773-4707

Bethesda Fire Dept
(Wisconsin Ave and Bradley Blvd) - 240-773-4706

National Capital Poison Center
(George Washington University Hospital) - 800-222-1222

Utilities

Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO)

Emergency-Live wires down, power failure - 877-737-2662

Customer Service - 202-833-7500

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Emergency - 301-206-4002

Complaints, Leaks, Information - 301-206-4001

Washington Gas

Emergency - 703-750-1400

Information & Customer Service - 703-750-1000

Comcast - 800-934-6489

Verizon - 800-837-4966

**A cut out sheet is also located on page two of the January 2017 Crier.

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