Montgomery County Council honors Weed Warrior volunteers and marks Juneteenth

The Montgomery County Council opened its June 17 meeting by recognizing the Weed Warrior volunteer program and reading a Juneteenth proclamation.

A council member introduced the Weed Warrior volunteers and thanked them for work removing invasive plants and supporting native ecosystems, saying their bright shirts and volunteer hours make county parkland healthier. The proclamation noted the program began in 1999, that volunteers have logged about 147,000 hours, and that the Parks Department will add a position in the FY25 budget to expand volunteer services. "You do a lot of unsung work," the council member said, congratulating the volunteers.

Mitty Figueredo, introduced as Parks Director, told the council the volunteers' efforts "make me wanna cry a little bit" and called their stewardship "a balm for the soul." Figueredo thanked program leaders Corinne Stevens and Molly Gallant and welcomed the added budgeted position to support volunteer services.

The council also read a Juneteenth proclamation commemorating the arrival of Union troops in Galveston on June 19, 1865, and tracing local history including Maryland's 1864 constitutional change that outlawed slavery. The proclamation, presented "by Council President Kate Stewart and myself," reiterated the county's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and highlighted a week of county events. The vice president of the council and several civic leaders addressed the chamber, describing local celebrations and urging continued work on freedom and equity. "No one is free until we all are free," one speaker said.

The council closed the ceremonial portion of the meeting by inviting public participation in Juneteenth events across the county and thanking parks staff and volunteers for their service. The meeting then moved to general business and legislative introductions.