[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6085670,"mediaKeyId","2902493-fee1acdd05faa304e00668ac6cc668c9","parentId",2902493,"title","Montgomery County proclaims National Public Health Week; HHS details ongoing services and preparedness","audioSeconds",825,"startMs",309000,"endMs",1134000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902493-fee1acdd05faa304e00668ac6cc668c9&start=309&end=1134","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902493-fee1acdd05faa304e00668ac6cc668c9/thumbnail_309000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6085670/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Montgomery-County-proclaims-National-Public-Health-Week-HHS-details-ongoing-services-and-preparedness","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085670-5f6e539c7889fa789460b86e470304a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1776167885&Signature=Uz779~cdwmGGeOjEWuz~cXZvNx3gxcfhP5idwANqT22qO-ort6NMuDzEBpolth2WK4s3X3gqHZSJxr4BBkMgBoA70mq1OYwdrudmjNrI1p7woDg1q-9vP3Z~vDJuoecWzAD7ZoQAr05Ahd1sjGODYqQEsJpeqbUAOxGQClax9-D1RotzqMg0255una-Y1VshyCBdfNA0~8k-bl4Lk6A5X5T~WJqf9OPmqLYPm1ubihgU~D9hyS71jQY0zkVnT9v4nbmTPj~39BZn1f41SAMsyCRg3f3bBXDuQFWWIr3og9LUOiJKWK4RvgKubAhQK2Q3rSTO0A5nrAmHVbb7dmQ5TQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montgomery County, MD","date","2025-04-09T00:25:43.13Z","article","Montgomery County leaders on April 8 proclaimed National Public Health Week and used the observance to underscore investments in the county's health services and emergency preparedness.

The county council\u0000and County Executive Mark Elrich read a proclamation recognizing the national week and thanking public health staff. \"Science is what must rule the day, not some random person posting inaccurate, random information that's preying upon our fears and anxieties,\" Council Member Gabe Albenaz said as he introduced the proclamation, urging support for public health workers.

Dr. Nina Ashford, chief of public health services for the Department of Health and Human Services, outlined the agency\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000's scope: maternal and child health home visitation that screens more than 1,600 mothers and infants annually; nurses and health room technicians in all 211 county schools and work that keeps 78% of children who visit a school health room in class; environmental health inspections of restaurants, pools and other public facilities; mobile clinics serving thousands of uninsured residents and children; dental programs; immunizations and infectious disease tracking; a tuberculosis clinic; and public-health emergency preparedness exercises.

\"When public health works well, you often don't even know that we're here,\" Dr. Ashford said. She added that HHS and the county\u0000as a whole are working to reduce disparities and to maintain health equity: \"We will continue to follow the science. We will continue to focus on eliminating disparities, we will continue to focus on achieving health equity,\" she said.

County Executive Mark Elrich noted the county's efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to source personal protective equipment and help distribute supplies to hospitals. He said county staff and medical workers played a key role in preserving care during those months and reiterated an appeal for decisions grounded in evidence rather than politics.

The proclamation cites the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition of public health and highlights social determinants of health such as access to care and economic stability. It calls for residents to recognize public health professionals during the week and for ongoing support of core public-health infrastructure.

The council presented the proclamation to HHS staff and to public health workers who attended the ceremony; the county noted the department comprises more than 2,000 employees in an integrated health system.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Apr. 8, 2025 - Council Session (am)","oneSentenceSummary","Montgomery County leaders on April 8 proclaimed National Public Health Week and used the observance to underscore investments in the county's health services and emergency preparedness.","taxTitle","Montgomery County, Maryland","taxId",3351,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085660,"Council advances zoning amendments and approves office-to-residential tax-abatement pilot after extended debate",4570,3032000,7602000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902493-fee1acdd05faa304e00668ac6cc668c9&start=3032&end=7602","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902493-fee1acdd05faa304e00668ac6cc668c9/thumbnail_3032000.jpg","/articles/6085660/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Council-advances-zoning-amendments-and-approves-office-to-residential-tax-abatement-pilot-after-extended-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085660-d113838ff66dfe0288e203ac9453eab8/orig.mp4?Expires=1776167885&Signature=PfGEF4N7fQClQtHrilkTCsRvDmxe51svLLuhZ83dUrTiGWSMXPFBgvC~9ztltfPAOPxqkEX7o0K4dDD9QFguUS0ePVpM2djDYWnccdJHowvxKvTpMalLSMLkezGFw2G3hJ1IMcywxPT19g8~lT5KL59GckRTDny7ojBg~THPz6W-0w0xecukWwergwzTkLRb7skjy7uf-CkX9kySTA94MXw-7MxEzaUzpHSmFdvxzcZuZczzTpQhGg0TswQryemhHuCqE8ksjavn9TH0lC8WavwTnRHJnzBdyikzsvv7XGjidj7X3Ijbz~ekgEf0HP4OhJQh8zykL6KVBmCeN20COA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montgomery County Council on April 8 approved a slate of land-use and tax measures the council said are intended to speed the conversion of underused office buildings into housing and to support other downtown improvements.

Key council actions
- Bethesda Downtown Minor Master Plan Amendment (district council action): approved unanimously. Council members said the amendment prioritizes parks, a full-service recreation center and more family-sized MPDUs and is expected to reinforce the 2017 plan's commitments.

- Zoning Text Amendment 25-01 (\"SAVE ZTA\"; self storage, civic and institutional street activation and vacancy elimination): approved by roll call. The amendment allows self-storage above the ground floor in CR zones when a community-serving use occupies the ground floor and contains vacancy and conversion safeguards and site-plan review requirements.

- Zoning Text Amendment 25-03 (commercial-to-residential reconstruction and expedited approvals): approved by roll call. The amendment creates a defined \"commercial to residential reconstruction\" use, streamlines an expedited approval path in certain zones, and includes committee-led changes on zone intent statements and ancillary nonresidential uses.

- Subdivision Regulation Amendment 25-01 (administrative expedited approvals): approved by roll call. The SRA was amended to align subdivision review with the expedited zoning approval process.

- Expedited Bill 225 (Payments in Lieu of Taxes pilot to incentivize conversions to housing): after a lengthy joint committee hearing and more than two hours of floor debate, the council voted to approve a pilot that establishes minimum payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) for certain conversions of high-vacancy commercial properties to residential use. The final measure, as amended in committee, requires at least 17.5% of units to be income-restricted (at 60% AMI) for the abatement period, reduces the abatement period to 20 years from 25, and adds a ten-year sunset on the pilot program. The council also accepted multiple technical clarifications and transition provisions covering projects already in permitting or review.

What council members debated
Council debate centered on how generous the tax abatement should be, how much affordable housing the program must require, whether the program should be competitive and capped, and how long the program should last. Supporters said the incentive was needed to make conversions financially viable and would produce housing and tax base growth over time; opponents and some members asked for tighter fiscal controls, competitive caps and higher guaranteed affordability levels. The council considered amendments to make the pilot competitive and capped (which failed), to require a higher share of affordable units (25%) and to require prevailing-wage construction for projects receiving the abatement (both were not adopted). The committee also added a 10-year sunset on the pilot and higher affordability than the original draft.

Votes at a glance (summary)
- Bethesda Downtown Minor Master Plan Amendment: approved (unanimous).
- ZTA 25-01 (SAVE ZTA): approved (roll-call yes votes recorded in meeting minutes).
- ZTA 25-03 (commercial-to-residential expedited approvals): approved (roll-call yes votes recorded in meeting minutes).
- Subdivision Regulation Amendment 25-01 (SRA): approved (roll-call yes votes recorded in meeting minutes).
- Expedited Bill 225 (Payments in Lieu of Taxes pilot): approved by roll call after floor debate; recorded roll call showed majority approval; one council member voted no on final passage.

What happens next
The zoning text amendments and subdivision regulation changes take effect after the clerk publishes the adopted language and any necessary administrative steps. The PILOT program includes transition language for properties with active applications; the county will next move to regulatory implementation (administrative rules and program procedures) to specify how applications are accepted, how payments are calculated and how affordability covenants are enforced.

Why it matters
Council members said the package aims to address a long-standing decline in office demand (the county's first-quarter vacancy rate was reported near 19%) and the county's shortage of housing supply by creating a faster approval pathway and incentives for large-scale conversions where feasible. Opponents cautioned that large abatements could forgo substantial property tax revenue and urged stronger fiscal guardrails and oversight.

The council's action will be followed by committee hearings on implementation rules and by monitoring of any state actions that could affect county revenue or program design.","The Montgomery County Council on April 8 approved a package of zoning amendments and a tax-abatement pilot to encourage converting underused office buildings to housing after extended debate over affordability, fiscal safeguards and implementation details.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6085665,"Montgomery County proclaims Autism Acceptance Month; parents and advocates celebrate Maryland————ID law victory",1013,1419000,2432000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2902493-fee1acdd05faa304e00668ac6cc668c9&start=1419&end=2432","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2902493-fee1acdd05faa304e00668ac6cc668c9/thumbnail_1419000.jpg","/articles/6085665/Montgomery-County/Maryland/Montgomery-County-proclaims-Autism-Acceptance-Month-parents-and-advocates-celebrate-MarylandID-law-victory","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6085665-026df8668e28bcdde60551d6e944d083/orig.mp4?Expires=1776167885&Signature=kPTtDJulrEwUuyjuu9xRRYxi4c~gjLH56Gh6wuYMubKtLxcuDzWkJ2t20oyC5CRK9Uia2Y2-XJOsp32WflpIdzLwcH3yJTSqos4BBONIghW2PFt0GOcV2Xv9RZVLOKYjns6mljEFO3Hzd18Jx0swt7tFLv3PJ3aej8~YWFBETFkPyXyzDkOCNE6HeREshhV7xHxO6fmDQUeyvY~wclDzlmeEBa6v2F3wvdQ9XFP45-jtLMvse~L4-rBINqD0hDHQaDYMoKwmTkflDfAxo-yFFJwm9vpxhv7zSrou99iQUin2RJDLQtETDZtbRejI17MmdEYgdhr0dXEhE7UwLaHEvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Montgomery County leaders proclaimed April 2025 as Autism Acceptance Month on April 8 and invited family advocates and nonprofit groups to the council chambers to highlight supports for autistic residents and a recent Maryland law to mark state IDs.

\"This is a time where we pause, not just to raise awareness, but to truly embrace, uplift, and celebrate our autistic neighbors, friends and family members,\" Vice President and Council Member Will Jawando said as he introduced the proclamation. He noted that the county\u0000and local nonprofits provide a wide range of resources and urged continued protection for disability services.

Families and local advocates described the community impact of services and the law authored by Eric Grantham, a 20-year-old autistic advocate who helped develop a hidden-disability logo that can appear on state identification cards. Linda Carpenter Grantham said the bill will put a symbol on Maryland IDs that can quickly tell first responders and others that a person may have an invisible disability. \"Eric drew that, and he drew 3 others, 1 for autism, 1 for hearing impaired, 1 for mental health, and this butterfly for all hidden disabilities,\" she said. Eric Grantham told the council that the state Senate bill \"SB618\" and House bill \"HB707\" passed unanimously in the General Assembly.

Local nonprofit leaders described the services they provide. Azeb Adiri, president of the Ethiopian Community organization EESNC, and Sue Kessler of XMinds said their groups offer parent support, resource navigation, webinars and social events to help families access special education and other services. They urged more local collaboration and resources to expand supports and to reduce stigma.

The council resolution notes a national estimate that 1 in 36 children are identified with autism and references county investments including the Commission on People with Disabilities and partnerships with service providers. The proclamation urges residents to celebrate neurodiversity and to support inclusion efforts countywide.

The council presented the proclamation to families and representatives from local groups including XMinds, Blue Runway for Autism, the Autism Society of Maryland and county disability and school officials.","The council proclaimed April 2025 as Autism Acceptance Month and local advocates celebrated the recent passage of Maryland legislation to place a hidden-disability logo on state IDs. Families and nonprofit leaders described services and supports and urged continued investments in school and community supports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Montgomery County proclaims National Public Health Week; HHS details ongoing services and preparedness

Council advances zoning amendments and approves office-to-residential tax-abatement pilot after extended debate

Montgomery County proclaims Autism Acceptance Month; parents and advocates celebrate Maryland————ID law victory