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GERMANTOWN | POOLESVILLE | BOYDS
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Wednesday, October 9, 2013
High school revamp delays are a concern in Poolesville n
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Thousands are idled by shutdown
Germantown holds Oktoberfest 2013
Walter Reed employees return to work; Navy scrubs birthday concert
Commissioners address delays, bus routes BY
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SYLVIA CARIGNAN
KATE S. ALEXANDER
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
The delayed plan for a new Poolesville High School continues to be a source of “frustration” for local residents and elected officials. “I’m doing everything in my power to keep it on track,” said Montgomery County Councilman Roger Berliner (DDist. 1) of Bethesda. According to Montgomery County Public Schools’ fiscal year 2012 budget documents, the modernization project was scheduled to be completed by August of 2020, but “due to fiscal constraints in the county,” the date has been pushed back to August of 2023. Berliner met with town commissioners at a regular meeting Monday evening to catch up on local concerns. His district follows the Potomac River from the Washington, D.C., line to the Frederick County border, and includes Poolesville. Residents and town commissioners have expressed concern that the new facility will come too late. “There’s a lot of frustration with respect to the Poolesville High School schedule,” Berliner said. Poolesville town commissioner Jerome Klobukowski told the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2011 that Maryland’s top-ranked school deserves a better facility. When the building was last renovated in 1978, it was a combined middle and high school. The building is not completely handicapped-accessible, Klobukowski said Tuesday. The school’s exterior also shows signs of wear and tear, where bricks and mortar are falling away from the walls, Klobukowski said. The planned modernization process consists of building a new school on the campus, atop what is currently a parking lot and open field. Students would be able to attend classes in the old building during the construction. The County Council has little power over the school system’s renovation schedule, but “sooner is always better,” Berliner said. Poolesville’s commissioners also
Employees at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda went back to work Monday, despite the lingering federal government shutdown. The Department of Defense, under the direction of Secretary Chuck Hagel, eliminated furloughs for employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members, based on a legal interpretation of the Pay Our Military Act, Hagel said in a statement Saturday. However, the law does not allow for a blanket recall of all Defense Department employees, Hagel said in the statement. Walter Reed ordered all general schedule employees back to work Monday at their regularly scheduled times, according to the hospital. Still, thousands of federal workers remain out of work, as do federal contractors. Bethesda defense giant Lockheed Martin, one of Montgomery County’s largest employers, started furloughing about 2,400 employees companywide on Monday because of the political standoff.
See SCHOOL, Page A-10
PHOTOS BY GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE
Christiana Drapkin (right) of Rockville, who performs as Organ Grinder Lola, leads Julia Boardman, 6, of Olney in a dance to a German street song during Oktoberfest on Saturday at High Point Farm in Clarksburg.
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esidents celebrated Oktoberfest on Saturday in Clarksburg with food, dance and drink. Kids at the family-friendly event stuffed their own scarecrows and learned German songs. Police officers serving in the area received awards at the annual event, which was held at High Point Farm.
See SHUTDOWN, Page A-12
— SYLVIA CARIGNAN
Kevin Beabout of Damascus holds a pair of pants as his son Owen Beabout, 9, stuffs them with hay to make a scarecrow Saturday during Oktoberfest.
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
Jaleo in Bethesda is offering furloughed federal workers a free flauta sandwich between 3 and 5 p.m. until the partial shutdown ends.
Cities, towns upgrade sites to provide more services Governments take different Digital approaches to using the Web overnment Barnes, a programmer for Gaithersburg’s website, which currently presents information sorted by departments. The “modern-day look and feel” of the new site will make it easier for residents and business owners to access basic information and services, such as finding out how to apply for a permit or get a recycling bin. With the contractor’s redesign, Gaithersburg joins local governments nationwide trying to meet the demand of higher Web use
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Part two in a two-part series
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ONLINE EXTRAS n Data mining has both positive and negative sides TOM FEDOR/THE GAZETTE
Kyung Lee is Web content manager for Montgomery County’s Office of Public Information.
n Trends and statistics for municipal governments’ and county entities’ websites. www.gazette.net
SYLVIA CARIGNAN AND ELIZABETH WAIBEL STAFF WRITERS
Early next year, the city of Gaithersburg plans to roll out a new website with better search capabilities and a more user-friendly design. “We’re switching over to a services-based model,” said Andrew
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Montgomery County firefighters, rescue workers respond in live simulation.
Paint Branch has a new stadium, weight room and one of the county’s top offenses, and is undefeated.
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while dealing with dwindling resources. “Some see technology as a way to extend services at a lower cost through their websites, while others view it as a cost center that could be cut,” said Todd Sander, executive director for the California-based Center for Digital Government. Gaithersburg, Rockville and Takoma Park are among the Montgomery communities trying to provide
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