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Section 5 hires new town manager and votes to offer video conferencing for meetings
Summary
The Section 5 Council unanimously hired Rachel DeLong as town manager effective Jan. 21, 2025, approved adding a remote attendance option for monthly meetings, and received routine administrative reports including six recent building permits and four private tree removals.
The Section 5 Council voted to hire Rachel DeLong as the Section’s new Town Manager and approved adding a video conferencing option for monthly Council meetings to increase resident access.
Chair Greg Chernack moved and the council approved hiring Rachel DeLong as Town Manager; the motion passed unanimously. DeLong introduced herself and provided a brief biography: "I have lived in Section 5 on Underwood Street for six years with my husband, Chase, and their two children," she said. DeLong will officially start on Jan. 21, 2025, and the council noted she will overlap with outgoing staff member Ashley for about a month.
Separately, the council considered a resident request to allow remote access to meetings. The Town Manager reported that neighboring Chevy Chase municipalities now offer Zoom or GoTo Meeting options, and that the Montgomery Municipal Cable Channel can assist with equipment purchase and staff training. Chair Chernack moved to permit a video conference option for monthly meetings; the motion passed.
The Town Manager also presented routine items: an overview of the Section’s finances, six building permits granted in the past month, four private tree removals approved, minor revisions to the records retention plan at the State Archives’ request, filing of the annual tree removal and pruning report with Maryland, and filing of annual 1099s. The council approved the December meeting minutes earlier in the session. The meeting adjourned with the next meeting scheduled for Feb. 11, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
