ELECTION 2014 Montgomery County voters skipped the polls. A-5
NEWS: Gaithersburg veteran and retriever Rosie among Hero Dog grads. A-3
The Gazette GAITHERSBURG | MONTGOMERY VILLAGE
SPORTS: Quince Orchard first in county to put a classroom on football’s sideline. B-1
DA I LY U P DAT E S AT G A Z E T T E . N E T
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
25 cents
City reopens land hearing at request of neighborhood
A salute to veterans
Residents want environmental planner to analyze property n
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
Some of Gaithersburg’s Lakeforest Glen residents want more time to give testimony on the issue of a nearby parcel of city property that is currently going through the surplus land process. Two of those neighbors, Barbara Pearson and Shafiq Ahmed, spoke at
TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
— JENN DAVIS
Suggestions include expanding the Gaithersburg school, building new one nearby n
A new era begins in Gaithersburg
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
n Ashman sworn in as city’s 19th mayor
Nearly 70 parents came together at Rachel Carson Elementary in Gaithersburg on Wednesday evening to share concerns about the school’s overcrowded state and put forward possible solutions to help fix the problem.
BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
Automotive Calendar Classified Entertainment Opinion Sports
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n BILL RYAN/THE GAZETTE
Neil H. Harris (left) is sworn in as a Gaithersburg city councilman and Jud Ashman is sworn in as mayor of Gaithersburg at City Hall on Monday. ing over Ashman’s position. From his new seat on the dais, Harris said that he was looking forward to working on the City Council and exploring ways to improve the city. “I’ve always been taught in business that the phrase, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,’ is actually not a good philosophy,” Harris said. “Things can always be better. So even though things are great here, there’s still an opportunity to make things better and set the vision as we go forward.” At the special session meeting, the
BY
rest of the council members offered words of thanks to Katz, and words of support to Ashman and Harris. Katz also spoke for a few minutes, thanking the many people who have supported him and worked with him during his 38 years of service with the city of Gaithersburg. An open house in Katz’s honor has been scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Monday at the Bohrer Park Activity Center, 506 S. Frederick Ave. jedavis@gazette.net
AN OOKY GOOD TIME
Kensington Arts Theatre to put on ‘Addams Family’ musical.
All-day event in Gaithersburg to provide food, information SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER STAFF WRITER
On any given day there are 800 people homeless in Montgomery County, according to Nadim Khan, a coordinator for Homeless Resource Day and the chief of Special Needs Housing in the Department of Health and Human Services. The Health and Human Services Department will host its fourth Homeless Resource Day for Montgomery County citizens on Thursday , from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park located
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Superintendent Joshua P. Starr recently announced his request that $220.8 million be added to the school system’s current capital budget. In the request, Starr recommended a feasibility study to explore ways to relieve overcrowding at Rachel Carson. “Prior to the superintendent’s proposed CIP plan, we had a group in the school who was concerned about capacity, so we wanted to get a sense of how many other parents were concerned about it,” said Angelo Witten, the president of the school’s Parent
See OVERCROWDING, Page A-7
Homeless Resource Day brings help to area citizens
ENTERTAINMENT
INDEX
See LAND, Page A-7
Parents have ideas for overcrowded elementary school
Grant Brumpton, VFW Post 9862 commander, of Gaithersburg, presents one of the wreaths during the City of Gaithersburg Veterans Day observance at the City Hall Concert Pavilion on Tuesday morning. Gaithersburg leaders and community members saluted all veterans Tuesday morning at the city’s annual Veterans Day Observance at the Concert Pavilion. During the event, which began at 11 a.m., attendees participated in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony and listened to keynote remarks from retired Army Lt. Gen. Ronald R. Blanck.
It was a night of laughter, tears and applause in Gaithersburg as the city and the community welcomed a new mayor for the first time in 16 years. Former City Councilman Jud Ashman was sworn in as the city’s 19th mayor on Monday evening following the resignation of longtime Mayor Sidney A. Katz. Katz is moving on to the Montgomery County Council, where he will serve as the District 3 representative. In his remarks, Ashman talked about the exciting opportunity that the City Council and the community have to work together to strengthen and better the city. “I believe that great ideas and inspiration can come from anywhere. The critical part is that when great ideas are brought up, somebody needs to be listening and that’s where we come in,” Ashman said. “This is an open invitation, folks. If you have an idea, if you have a concern, you just want to share something that’s going on in the community, I want to hear it. I’ll take your calls. I’ll respond to your emails. I’ll meet with you. I want to work together with to do great things in Gaithersburg.” Kentlands resident and neighborhood leader Neil Harris was also sworn in as the city’s newest councilman, tak-
the Nov. 3 mayor and council meeting to request that the city reopen the public comment period regarding the consideration of a disposition, or relinquishing, of two strips of land that total .469 acres at the northeast corner of North Frederick and Travis avenues. The property, which runs alongside Travis Avenue, was previously thought to be a right-of-way until it was recently determined that the land is owned by the city, according to City Manager Tony Tomasello.
at 506 South Frederick Ave. in Gaithersburg to spread necessary information to those who are homeless or in danger of losing housing. “Our guests come in and are paired up with a navigator. They sit down with an intake form to let the guide know their needs,” said Gloria Huggins, a coordinator for the event and executive administrative aid at the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Special Needs Housing. Huggins explained that the activities center is divided into quadrants dedicated to specific services. Sections include an area for health services, financial services and
See HOMELESS, Page A-7