Elrich Wins by 80 Votes
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Celebrating 162 years of service! Vol. 164, No. 05 • 50¢ SINCE 1855 July 12 -July 18, 2018 TODAY’S GAS Elrich wins by 80 votes PRICE $2.93 per gallon Board of Elections still needs to certify closest County Executive race in recent memory Last Week tions has yet to certify the results, are eager for a definitive outcome to $2.92 per gallon By Neal Earley @neal_earley which it will do during its meeting on the Montgomery County Executive A month ago July 16, but as of now Elrich is the race, we must respect the election $2.98 per gallon With all the ballots counted, leading vote-getter with no more bal- process and let the Board of Elections Council member Marc Elrich is the lots yet to be counted. finish their audit and certify the re- A year ago unofficial winner of the Democratic “I’m excited, there’s a lot of sults,” said Laura Evans Manatos, a $2.30 per gallon Primary for Montgomery County Ex- work to do... but I’m excited to have spokesperson for the Blair campaign. AVERAGE PRICE PER GALLON OF ecutive. the opportunity to take that on,” El- “We are also closely reviewing the fi- UNLEADED REGULAR GAS IN MARYLAND/D.C. METRO AREA After days of vote-counting, and rich said shortly after he learned of nal results to determine if a recount is ACCORDING TO AAA a race that was too close to call on the results. appropriate. The residents of Mont- Election Night, Elrich edged busi- During the next few days the gomery County deserve our collec- nessman David Blair by just 80 votes Board of Elections will audit the re- tive patience in this important elec- INSIDE FILE PHOTO after Montgomery County Board of CouncilmemberMarc Elrich sults, meanwhile Elrich declared tion.” Elections officials finished counting himself the winner, while a For months, six candidates – ballots late Sunday evening. second, with 37,449 and 28.95 per- spokesman for the Blair campaign most of whom are long-time politi- With all ballots counted, Elrich cent of the vote. said the candidate will wait to see if a Editor’s has 37,529 votes, with 29.02 percent The results are unofficial as the recount is “appropriate.” See “County Executive” Notebook of the total count, while Blair came in Montgomery County Board of Elec- “While we recognize that many page 8 by Brian J. Karem G-Prep graduate nominated to Supreme Court Supreme Court. By Neal Earley @neal_earley On Monday, President Donald County J. Trump nominated Kavanaugh as Chevy Chase resident Brett an associate justice to the Supreme Executive Kavanaugh could be mistaken for Court, replacing the outgoing jus- Race many suburban fathers in Mont- tice Anthony Kennedy. Ka- gomery County. vanaugh, who currently is a U.S. He has a high-paying govern- circuit judge of the Court of Ap- The Democrats may ment job, and he lives in a small, peals for the District of Columbia, screw up their shot at the wealthy community. Like many is a resident of Chevy Chase and County Executive slot. County residents, he has both an has deep ties to Montgomery Page 4 undergraduate and master’s degree County. from a prestigious university. He He also credited his mother FILE PHOTO coaches his daughters’ basketball Martha Kavanaugh, a former Council member Nancy Floreen games on the weekends. COURTESY PHOTO Montgomery County Circuit Court If you were not following the Federal Judge Brett Kavanaugh Judge with being his legal inspira- Floreen jumps news his friends and neighbors tion. “My introduction to law came say, it might be easy to mistake gomery County resident – and not into Exec race Kavanaugh for just another Mont- a nominee for the United States See “Kavanaugh,” page 8 By Neal Earley @neal_earley Environmentalists weigh in on stormwater compromise County Council said they are hopeful them,” said Diane Cameron, a mem- More than a week after filing her By Neal Earley intent to run, Montgomery County @neal_earley about the prospects of a compromise, ber of the board of directors of Con- Big Train Council member Nancy Floreen has the environmentalists who testified servation Montgomery. announced she will run as an indepen- While the County Executive and Tuesday said they still have doubts Currently, the County offers sep- dent for County Executive in a move Council have reached a tentative com- about the plans. arate contracts for different compa- The Big Train moves for- promise on the issue of the future of Plans originally proposed by nies to plan, design and build ward with a victory in the Cal local political watchers say could se- verely divide the Democratic vote in stormwater-management projects and County Executive Ike Leggett to stormwater-management projects. Ripken League. their contracting, environmental streamline the permit process for Leggett proposed putting the entire page 20 November. Meanwhile, Republican Robin groups say they are skeptical about stormwater projects has caused worry process – the planning, designing and Ficker says he isn’t concerned if Flo- the plans. among environmentalists, who believe building – of a stormwater-manage- reen gets on the ballot – or not. “I think On Tuesday, the Montgomery that the contracting work, done by ment contract into one contract for a I will win whether or not she gets her County Council held a public hearing companies for profit, could lead to a re- company to bid on, saying it would signatures and gets on the ballot,” on the compromise bill, which would duction in the quality of environmental make the process more efficient and Ficker said. bridge the divide between members of standards for stormwater projects. save taxpayers money. While Floreen filed her paper- the County Council and the County “So, we must make sure we Some members of the Council work to run last week, she said she Executive on the future of contracting maintain our expert DEP [Department worried that Leggett’s proposal could for stormwater projects. of Environmental Protection] staff See “Floreen,” page 8 While some members of the and work with them, not against See “Stormwater,” page 8 2THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY SENTINEL JULY 12, 2018 EFLECTIONS The Montgomery County Sentinel, published weekly by Berlyn Inc. Publish- R ing, is a community newspaper covering Montgomery County, Maryland. Our of- fices are located at 22 W. Jefferson August 18,1970 Street, Suite 309, Rockville, MD 20850. Founded in 1855 by Matthew Fields. All mail to: P.O. Box 1272, Rockville, MD 20849-1272. Subscription Rates for The Condo developers sue Montgomery County Montgomery County Sentinel – Weekly by mail: $40.00 per year & $26.50 for Se- Each week the Sentinel visits a beyond the original intent of the leg- and the number of rooms of furni- against the recently enacted 120- nior Citizens. (USPS) 361-100. memorable story from its archives. islation,” he said. ture he possesses. A tenant’s total day moratorium on condominium According to the suit filed in assets are not taken into considera- conversions. That suit is not expect- Bernard Kapiloff PUBLISHER E MERITUS Two developers and the county Circuit Court, the developers – tion when determining the size of ed to be filed for at least several Board of Realtors are suing the Rockville-Grosvenor and LaVay- payments. weeks, however. The moratorium Lynn G. Kapiloff county, challenging the constitu- Rock Creek – would be liable for up Ryan said he thought it was expires November 10. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/ PUBLISHER tionality of a county law requiring to $1.1 million in relocation costs. “unfair” that some individuals with The Board of Realtors, the [email protected] condominium converters to pay Ryan said across-the-board re- substantial assets might qualify for Apartment and Office Buildings As- moving expenses for displaced low location costs would be passed on to relocation assistance because of a sociation, the county Chamber of Mark Kapiloff ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER –and moderate –income tenants. consumers through increases in the low annual income. Commerce and several major prop- [email protected] At a press conference last selling prices of condominium The plaintiffs have expressed erty owners have contributed to a le- Thursday the group charged that the units. concern that the mandatory pay- gal fund which will be used to fi- EDITORIAL county had made a series of legal er- The bill passed last month by ments are too high. Minimum pay- nance the moratorium challenge, Brian J. Karem rors in designating the bill as emer- the County Council requires con- ments for qualifying applicants are according to board member Joan EXECUTIVE EDITOR gency legislation and in drafting verters to reimburse displaced ten- $500. Ryan said he believed actual Hatfield. [email protected] regulations to carry out the bill’s in- ants in need of financial assistance moving expenses would be in the The District of Columbia has Brandy L. Simms tent. up to a maximum of $750. range of $200 to $400. had a law since 1977 which requires SPORTS EDITOR Terry Ryan of the Board of Re- The plaintiffs complained that One developer said privately landlords to pay $125 per room to [email protected] altors said there was no indication Gilchrist’s regulations require pay- he feared that the bill would encour- cover moving expenses for low-in- MARK ROBINSON that an emergency existed. Further- ment at the time the tenant vacates age tenants to move out to take ad- come tenants displaced by conver- [email protected] more, regulations drawn up by the building, rather than after the vantage of the relocation payment. sions. There is an income eligibility CITY EDITOR County Executive Charles W.